The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-08-27
EVERETT APPROPRIATION
The Good Result Of Mr. Leutxy's Per-
sistent Efforts.

WASHINGTON CITY, Aug. 20-lSFecial. -
The river ard harbor bill having become
las by the failure OF the president TO
veto il within ten days. all appropriations
FOR Washington state stand as last pub
lshed IN the PosT-iNTEIIIGEScER The
report Of the naval board ana the Indorse-
ment Of Secretary Herbert. secured az the
personal solicitation of Senator Squire,
were what cIinched the Lake Washington
appropriation. To be sure. the appropria-
tion is a very small one, but 1t Is start,
and as e weE-known engineer said TO me
yesterday. IF the people really want the
canal. let them provide the right-of-way
as required in the act and the money TO
carry on the work will be provided fast
enough. The navy department sees the
value of it, and the estimates sent TO the
next congress will undoubtedly contain
strong recommendation for the continual
ton and rapid completion OF this work.
One of the most remarkable pieces OF
work done in connection with the river
and harbor bill was the securing OF an APP
preparation of $40. 600 for the dredging OF
Egerett harbor. Mr.. ]. I. Lentzy, a rep
resentatIve of the Everett Land Company,
was in Washington City for seven months
working for the recognition OF Everett's
claim to harbor Improvement In his
labors he was fortunate IN having not
only the friendship and support OF the
entire Washington delegation, but also OF
such influential men as Senators Brice
and Quay and Representative Lefever.
When the movement for the Everett
appropriation began 1t seemed an almost
hopeless task. There was on file in the
Office of Gen. Casey, chief of engineers,
report from Capt. Thomas ". Symons.
dated October II, 1892. of preliminary
examination Of Everett harbor, as result
OF which the conclusion vas reached that
the mouth of the Snohomish was not
worthy of improvement. All correspond
ence in the engineers office relating TO
Everett was then called for by Senator
Squire by means of a senate resolution,
and il was found that over a year later
conditions in regard 10 commerce and
other matters had so changed that Capt.
Symons had considerably modified his
opinion.
The house committee, however, could
not be induced to insert an appropriation
for this object, and when the bill went to
the senate it met another stumbling block
that had not been provided against. There
was no estimate for the proposed improve
ment. 1t took some hard quiet work to
get the war department 10 fix up this. A
concurrent resolution, dated June 20. 1894,
was passed through both houses direct
ing the secretary of war to cause a survey
and estimate TO be made OF the cost of
dredging the bar at Everett. WASH"
The survey was made, but time had
flown and it was suddenly discovered that
a report could not possibly reach Wash
-. -. o~4s,
the bill. Then an unheard of thing oc-
Cured. SIR. Lentzy went to Secretary
Lamont and asked him to have Capt
I Symons telegraph his report Immediately.
/ The very breeziness of this Western way
1 OF rushing things nearly took Secretary
| Lamont off his feet. When be recovered
| he courteously but emphatically refused.
| Such thing had never been heard of in
| the history of the war department. There
was no precedent for il and il could not be
/ done. Nevertheless. notwithstanding"
| 10 quote from Senator Vest. Mr.. Lamont
| did what he was asked, and the very next
/ dav. Several senators visited him and he
/ finally concluded to set precedent for
| other secretaries to follow in the case Of an
/ emergency like this.
/ Capt SYmons' report was telegraphed
! in brief, but it gave the information
wanted by the senate, and before his full
| report had been received by mail the bill
I had passed the senate with $4,000
| amendment for Everett, and had gone TO
| conferences. The history OF its reduction
/ in the conference committees 10 SIC, 900 Is
already known to the PosT-lSTELLI6EScER
/ readers.
| The plan proposed for fresh water
/ harbor at Everett is based on harbor plan
/ and harbor lines approved by the secre-
/ tary Of war. 1t provides harbor basin
1 90 feet wide. 5, 800 feet long and % feet
/ deep st mean lower low water adjacent
/ 10 deep water of Port Gardner bay, also
/ a fresh water inlet and navigabie chsnnel
| from head of harbor basin around PENN
sula 10 deep water in Snohomish river
/ a. head Old river. this 10 be loo feet
| wide and six feet deep at mean lower low
/ water. Also pie and brush bulkhead
/ from lower end Smiths island TO deep
water interposed between harbor and
/ inlet channel and the Sound. Material
/ exeavsted is to be deposited behind bulk
4 head. Capt. Symons estimates !. 40, 600
I cubic yards dredging. al Is cents. s252. go;
Il, 500 feet ba.khead $50 90; engineering
AMI contingencies, SIS, $40; total estimate,
4 SS5i,9
John Cooper has wife Anne. and Mrs.
! Emma Matthews. Mrs. Cooper's mother,
1 OF IhompSanvIlle, Conn. were instantly
I L flasf ffrh ei 81 he a ~ ~fltt-