The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-09-16

Laks WssA3nwzaa. whicA never free1es N
, HiHtsr. Tbs axe kss snsxhsustlbss sap
pStss 81 coal mlzss on fss sarsss-s. vasea
ars n1w assns worked. and great 92sa-
ankoneAe1- Ii. thersss-e. IL were eon-
nertet wiih Seattle barber ~ NATURAL
e&rsl Of szHcssns eepsh. tho i've togsshsr
Nculd f1rnish Is wafh 81 sd1sranse
position for . naval depot. With almost
every re7u1rerzsnf tAat coz1a - de-
sired Bat there being no saeh
nasnrA navirsbLs charmed, The question
arises. Can ws make an artificial cse
wafnf1 reasonable limits Of expsnssf IL
> this eaestion shscn ] propose 20 inves
EE2se, with tns approval ot the chief Of
engineers An infaad establishment a.
Lake Washington vouid probably rot re-
qaare AfsY essenss. and Is - possanss tnAt
s@pAeasss snip canal stsh one. 81 essn
I've. locks coai1 be made ~ 9 nrss cost less
tnAn tnxs which sorld bs necessary 70
forstfy an exposed position X the esEAl
~ practicable TIE on4F dsfeass necessary
would De she oceu pssios 81 ths shores 81
Seattle hxrbor 81 bsrbetse bst.erses IN
order 20 ssenre the outer hsroor- This =
"a AN porsant qaession for the goFsrnmsas
70 decide ~ 81 early caT-"
Commenting upoa the details Of vcrk
and cost furnished 20 ths govsrnmsni.
Gen. Alexander ssidi
The question arises. In conclusion,
does the government want sneh . canal
sad such q ha<hor Of refuge IN this To-
caAity 90 Lake Washington sonld al
fordf'
He answers his oxn question most en-
phatically.
III. says Gen. Alexander, '-there we're
sueh chance to make . great naval depot
so entirely secure with 20 many ad-
vantaees Of climate, of coal. timber and
fresh w&ter. free from ice at aay suifanie
point along tue middle Of the Atlantic
'front.' or even Of fhs Gulf coast OF the
United States. do not imagine that there
would BE much hesitation on the subject
The work would probably be started at
once.
''5ut. situated ~ this harbor is, on one
flank Of the Pacific front OF the nited
States. In q country yet ISL in It's In
fancy as regards popaiasion and resources,
the case Is different. Nevertheless. II
should AZ all times be remembered, when
this subject comes up for consideration,
that there are only three places on the
Pacific coast Of the United States where
nary yards or navy establishments Of any
kind can be established where they can
be made secure.
lone Of these Is at San Francisco. one
~ san Diego and one 10 In the waters OF
Puget sound"
~tA@etss AAAbA natA AAAs an A@~st
the entire delegation in congress, worked
hard for the canal. and two years ago in a
speech IN the senate Senator Squire, re-
calling Gem Alexander's report said:
"The report 10 valuable one. 1t is i'm
portant as showing what . man of that
character. n man standing az he did in the
United States service thought ought TO be
done by the government at that time,
twenty-five years ago. Ever since that
time the people Of that state have ex-
pected, when the time came that they
should show Sufficient Development 10
warrant il. that the United States govern
ment would go on and perform this work.
1T seems TO me the time has arrived.
There is a city located between Lake
Washington and Puget sound Of about
o.. GO people. The census of $3.50 gave il
about a. 00 The postmaster, in his off,
csai letter 10 the supervising architect Of
the treasury with reference 10 the needs Of
the city in regard 20 public buildings,
states the population 70 be So 900. This he
derives from such sources are accessible
TO him. such IS the registration of chill
dren OF school age, business directories,
etc. which bear = recognized ratio TO the
whole population, az aseertaincd in the
past.
at the present time this right-of-way
can De procured for song. say a song;
II can be procured for. say 500. 600. The
people of that city would rsise that money
and pay $4,000. | know how feel about
IL as g citizen of that town. | have no in
terest whatever along the line OF the pro-
posed canal did have some years ago.
i have little property at the extreme
northern end of the lake In wild lands.
would gladly give that | would gladly
give any benefit that i may have as a con.
tribution. Ii il MAS matter Of individual
enternrise would do as much as any citi-
zen Of that town.
"But believe II is grand opportunity
for the government now. when they can
get this righf-of-way. II this right-of- way
had been obtained when Gen. Barton 8.
Alexander made the frst survey, IL would
have cost scarcely anything. Now, to
build a canal across that line will cost
millions on millions. There are solid
| inEs and residences, there for a mile and =
| half, and il would be entirely impra1ica-
| bic. liz seems 20 me that il would be a
| great mistake for the government 20 forego
| the present opportunity TO secure the
right-oi-way.
"As 10 the amount of money required TO
build this canal, IL is only about 81 900, o00;
that is. 10 build IL in the cheapest manner.
| The most expensive plan would cost
| IS. 5000 The chief If engineers asked
the officer in charge what amount could
| be probably expended in one year. and he
/ replied $500 coo The senate committee
/ have given 10000. and they have not
/ provided for any continuous contract; but
they did provide that the right-ot-way
| should % gwen gratuitousiy.
at seems to me that this government
/ ought TO step in for it, own sake in other
respects. We are building large navy.
We are building some magnificent vessels.
| Some OF the vessels, ! understand, will
cost IA the neighoorhood OF s. coo. CO. and
/ "a
/ practicable for them g. suend the time IN
1 cruising IN times Of peace. They ought 20
/ be laid up in ordinary IN suitable waters
where they can be taken care OF. the ma
/ chinsry kept IN order and everything kept
! In read iness for the time Of action. They
can 70 right into this fresh water, and the
saving 20 the government on such q score
/ as this would be OF immense value"
TEK POINTS IN Irs FAVOR
In order to make clear and concise
/ presentation Of the facts ia regard to the
| canal 90 connect Lakes Union and WASH.
/ inRton with Puget sound aud to show its
/ extreme importance 70 the state & is necss-
I ssry 10 consider II in three aspects. First,
/ ana Of primary Importance. as an i'm.
/ msnsely valuable improvement for the
I beneAt of commerce. Second, the con-
vsaienee Of the great commercial harbor
/ which would be termed for nAval purposes.
/ Third. engineers reports. plans and esti.
mates of cosi.
The immense benefit il will confer on
commerce IS cat Of al proportion 10 The
snoant Of money 10 be expended This
has been evident hot only TO the people Of
the state Of Washington, hus 70 every
| public man wh0 has visited this ssclioa %
the country An1 ever engineer Wbo has
a.. AZ -