The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-06
WHITE RIVER FLOODS
Engineer Wegener's Report on
the Westerly Ditch.
NOW TO CARRY OFF OVERFLOW.
He Proposes an Auxiliary Channel to
the Sound-Causes OF tine Heavy
Fioods-The Cost.


YESTERDAY with the clerk Of the board of
Ieounty commissioners. In his general
treno-t 10 the land commissioners Otto +.
lWegener. the engineer in charge OF the
Improvement, gives the following details
REGARDING the same:
! The ditch is TO have Al entire length. includ-
Eiug its outlet below Orillis. OF 37,249 feet The
1tctel cost will DC S4.550, or per ineal foot i2l<
tcents This low ar.ce Is obtained by utiliz ng.
m much a. could be done. the Old slougha ana
teitche. coming within the range of the proposed
I Improvement The average width of the ditch
vii be eight feet and SIX inches, by en- average
| depth OF FIVE feet The grade Is an even one for
| tie whole length Ct the ditch, being two and
/ hall feet 10 a mile and giving the ditch a dis-
etsygiDg capacity o. abou. 50. 900 cubic fee. per
| hour, more than sufficient to carry off all the
Irsn and snow wster OF tie entire district which
Hits intended to drain. The ditch liz finished a,
BLACK river With solidly bull, siuice provided
with an automatic food gate, which will close
ll,sef before the water IN Black river at.ains
tfueh height would food the land inside OF
the Black river leyf:e. Tho whole work Is
divided into eleven working sections, TO give
The farmers a. opportunity of taking the con-
Itracts for the work on their own property.
/ The amount of excavation required Is I3 IT,
tcntic yaris. III days work OF clearing and $3.50
lworth OF work on road coverings, bridges aud
Ion the sluice box The cost Of tie survey, in
Ieiudng cross sectioniug and celebrations OF
lcot. il fs6 II per mile. There are 5000 acres TO
he benefited OF the proposed ditch, which have
TO pay the cost OF the improvement, the LOO
scres Of lower lands being assessed at 81 50 and
Itse 100 acres OF higher lands 73 cents per acre
/ The engineer recommends that the
i water in the sloughs connected with this
Iditch be kept clean. as they furnish the
1 drinking water for man and beast in parts
I Of the valley. The opening of the North
/ ern Pacific railroad track between Kent
/ and 0rillia is urgently recommended. so
! that the adjoining lands may be drained,
/ which the solid roadbed with It's occasional
! pipestem openings is presently not per-
hitting" says Mr. Wegener.
/ The report concludes with the following
explanation regarding the remedies to be
used to prevent the GOODS:
In my previous report have pointed out the
| !nsuficiency Of Dawamish river 10 carry OF
/ simultaneously the overflow of Lake Washing
| ton and the waters OF White river, for bo.n of
] which IL IS presently the only outlet. In proof
Of those statements can now add the follow
Ing figures. after having made careful observa-
| tons regarding the action OF the rain precei-
Ing the last food upon the rise OF Lake Wash
ington- During the week OF that food, whilo
| iae daily rainfall measured about one and Il
1 quarter inches, the lake rose the second of
fasse rainy days five inches in twenty-four
hours and kept on at that rate for several DAYS.
\ That sppears 10 be q matter OF small account
But afsse OF hve inches all over the lake repre-
Hats, in round figures, 500, 600 900 cutie feet Of
water; or. II this enormous quantity be brought
Ito more comprehensive form, il would
l completely ali river bed, such as Black and
| hwatnish rlye.s have. Of about $50 feet width
sad % ieet depth. for a length of forty ihrea
niles; and this the overflow for one day only,
Il These figures show the whole naked truth
\ ieoa;. and the magnitude OF, those floods.
I iaey point out what may DC expected in the fu-
] tare III every continuous rainfall during the
l vi season, when the ground IS already impreg-
! ns.ed with water. They prove that the Du.
! vanish already ii led with its regular supply
1 Of water from White river, cannot carry off this
l extraordinary overflow from the lake, but that
1 he whole OF * must 20 beyond its banks TO
4 so1i the country. They demonstrate that the
l proposed new outlet, via Lake Union to The
Sound, capnot 10 mere ditch, an or iiuary
N fece OF paoltc work, such as comes within the
hactIoas and financial means OF a county as
N sobe peop.e deslTe 10 make Us believe; but that
y ais improvement must he, to fully ans wer its
| purpose, Of such dimensions. aud will entail
| sseb al expense rs to req uire the helping hand
Of tie United States treasury for its successful
I Construction
", tasum up tho entire matter: There is over
| vasming evidence Of facts and figures that for
= the reclaim ag Of the Lake Washington and
isauaash lowands, and FOR the protection of
ne VAST area Of fine cultivated lands from
loailis and Reaton To Seattle (Which comprise
8ths beautiful. garden suburbs Of this city,, the
s'e Hoods point with great force and diTectne,s
10 The necessity OF the building of tae LAKE
eAashlngton ship canal by the national govern
ntht at the ear.iest possible date.
Regarding the upper part OF the valley. tho
a 4tAp 4nFeNf Fgfs Fasssf 4
! fVsf below It's confluence with Green river, is
s'eaiiiy becoming less able TO carry of the joint
{ ioo's oil these two mountain streams. aud
threatens he landowners with IA series ol rcgu-
laE foundations nj every wet season.
lee cause OF this evil is easily explained. TIE
caaigiaE Il the wood lands OF klug county into
o2ea farms has changed our climate. The cut
ING down % countless trees AID great ma SEES Of
ifasa which in warm weather acted as coolers
4 eplh The atmosphere, and whose millions aud
sa''ons Of leaves absorbed q large portion of the
ianldily contained III tie cir. has rendered the
climate warmer. the rainfall more copsous aud
lie thaw winds more frequent. which now
' weep The w-ccvered mountain sides where
hs'e streams are rising, with greater force than
eer before
Hence tie oyercrowding of both rivers with
| nAre snow and raiuwa;er than they can carry
4 ca when Is. by the way, ia every tim5erei
/ country tho consequence Of land clearing and
4 cultivation; the cost and damages inflicted by
a-se Hoods upon the settlements forming the
/ penalty which civilization has 70 pay for chang
4 As aud uataiHE the worA aud intention Of
4 hs'GTe bu', ia THIS case, thc evil IS being
] Ssfsyated ly the circumstance that not far
| t<ios the junction OF tue two rivers. where the
! easnnei ought 10 Re straight and unimpedeI
4 70 quickly discharge the increased volume eff
Il wafer, White river doubles up numter OF
/ tunes Tor distance @. three miles with such
: AZ effect 20 decrease is velocity u mini