The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-02-23

Engineers Opposed Ia Turning the Mock
saek Into Lummi Rax.

sack Into Lummi Bay.
FAfsHkvgs. Feb. 22.--lSpeciai. III. ].
Donovan, the well-known civil engineer,
has laid before the Chamber of Commerce
OF which he is a member and trustee.
copies OF his correspondence with Capt.
L. w. Symonds. of she United States en-
gineer corps, upon the question of improv-
ing the Nooksack river ito the extent
necessary to protect Bellingham bav from
shosling by reason Of deposits from river
water" The letter of Capt. Symonds Is
accompanied by a copy OF his report of Oc-
tober i3. lss2. and by an outline map show
ing the course Of the river and its present
and former outlet. On the question of
shoaling the captain says in his letter: 81
made some comparisons between the bot.
tom o. the bay as shown bv the Alden sur
vey of 1856. and the bottom ~ shown by the
survey of the harhor line commissioners In
front of Whatcom in 1897. Assuming that
the datum plane MAS the same land
there was probably scarcely any differ
ence) it showed that in front of
whatcom there had been no appreciabls
filing since the date of the Alden survey.
and that whatever sediment has been
brought down has been deposited In the
western portion Of the bay" Further
valuable testimony on this point is fur
nished by letter from the late Hon. Ed
ward Eldridge, written at Whatcom,
August S. is92. and which forms part Of
Capt Symonds' report. From this letter
the following extracts are quoted;
Ten years of my life were spent upon
the ocean, and in O few months will have
resided forty years on Beilingham bay.
during which period l have carefully
studied the advantages and disadvantages
of this place for com mmercial emporium.
Although there is great space where ves-
sells can safely ride at anchor, there Is bat
unload in perfect safety at all seasons, and
that Is inside of line drawn from Poe's
point TO the mouth of Squalicum creek.
and is in front Of the town of Whatcom
and part of Fairhaven, and following the
shore line Is nearly four miles in length,
but as there are extensive fats In front
of Whatcom, which are dry at low tide.
only portion of this space is
available for shipping, anu the avail
able space is constantly decreasing from
the sediment that is being deposited there.
Forty ears ago the deposits at
the mouth OF the river tthe Nooksack) }
were dry at low water nearsy three-guAr-
ters OF mile out into the bay. Now they
are almost two miles from the mouth OF
tHt titEEs ittI As knt tfAsF WR0ur
during the rainy season force the river
current along the north shore. 10 deposits
much OF this mud within the harbor area.
which Is shalowing now at the rate OF a
foot per annum. The best por-
:ion OF this harbor is in front OF hat Is
known as the Pattie donation claim. IL
mas deep water close 10 the shore, and Is
completely sheltered from all our heavy
winds. When | urst came here the largest
ship aaoat could. ut high water. haul in TO
the shore. make fast to the trees, rag a
gangway onto the bank and discharge her
cargo having kedgs out from her bos
aud quarter to haul of thirty or forty feet
as the tide went down. New, the same
sized ship could not get within lou feet Of
the bank"
Capt. Symonds' report is Addressed to
Gen. Thomas L. Casey, chief of engineers,
L. 5. a, and indicates thorough knowl-
edge of the situation so- far as sneh knosl.
edge can be had without such survey as
is recommended to determine the best
means OF preventing the desritus brought
down by the river from entering the bay.
or II it be brought down into the bay, TO
limit its dispersion and deposition to n
particular area where il will do little
harm" He says: ''Two methods seem
applieable 20 the situation. One il the
closing up of the present ontlet and the
opening Of the former outlet, and the com
pe.ling OF the river thus TO discharge into
Lumini Ray and the Gulf Of Georgia. The
second would besthe building OF dixie or
sand fence 20 prevent the sediment brought
down By the present river from going over
20 the eastern ana commercially import
ant part Of the bay. This could be built
at srst as far as there seems pressing ne
cessty, and be afte-sard extended from
time TO time as the area Of deposition in
creased" lie outlines the method of sur
vey which he THINKS should bs followed
and says There should also BE a study
made OF the currents in BelIingham
bay. and other physical data. TO determine
whether i: will be practicable 10 limit the
area Of deposition as previously suggested
Ths influence of the fresh waters Of tbs
Aooksaek In hnItsng or preEen.ing tbs
ravages Of the ieredo should also be con
s:dersd. as thers are persons who thinl
shis . al advantage paramount TO the dis.
advantage o' the sediment brought doNn
the river" Referring TO the bay, Capt
SyTBoH1s says; ''it ha. the peeuiiafiti
among Puget sound wafers oi being shal
los enough to afford anchorage to vessels
Its ordinary depths are from twenty-fY,
feet 81 tie whErTes TO loo feet IN the deep