The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-06-20
PLAN OF WATERWAYS
Capt. symonds' Scheme for I'm
proving the Harbor.
WANTS TWO WIDE WATERWAYS.
To BE Bant From Deep water 70
mauth of the DawamIsh and Each
1000 Feet I'm Width.

last evening PRESIDENT T. ". ufhsr1
called the Chamber OF Commerce 70 order.
and stated that the object Of the meeting
was TO listen to Capt 7. w. symonds' plan
for the improvement of the Seattle haroor.
Can't. symonds said he had been called IN
TO consider the feasibility Of the plan 10
constr uct the canal 10 the south OF the
CITY and the best method OF laying out
waterways in the southern part oil the
barbor. lie had gone over the ground
and carefully observed the situation, ana
gave bis opinion o. man Of the world
and an engineer. He had been employed
bv the canal company 10 look into the
feasibility of the construction OF the canal,
and had been requested BY the state land
commission to give his views as TO the
best system Of waterways to be adopted
The canal scheme he considered TO be
perfectly feasible. and only remarkable
because Of the magnitude of the material
20 be handled. but there was an excellent
place to dump the earth from the canal,
which could be utilized 70 the very best adj
vantage on the tide fats.
In relation to the improvement OF the
waterways, he had submitted plan TO the
board of state land commissioners at
Olympia that morning. and the members
OF that body had requested him to submit
the same TO the citizens OF Seattle.
In brief, Capt. Symonds' plan is as fol-
lows: To lay out two parallel waterways
from deep water TO the mouth OF the
Duwarnish river. These waterways are TO
run north and south, and each Is to be
1000 feet in width. The eastern waterway
was to drain the eastern mouth OF the
Duwamish river, and the western water
way, which was TO be 2, 800 feet west OF the
eastern waterway, would drain the west
ern mouth of the river. The object OF this
would be TO drain the river and protect the
wharyes along the waterways from the
rayages OF the teredo.
Four hundred feet Of the middle of each
waterway could be utilized as channel
and would be wide enough for ships TO
pass each other, while 300 feet on each side
could be devoted 10 wharves and ships.
The advantages claimed by Capt. Sy-
monds were that his plan would furnish
better accommodation for railroads. would
almost entirely do away with numberless
bridges, and the cost would be small when
compared with the stixrud plan; one effect
would be to carry of sewage and it would
be Immediately available, as just as soon
be used. Mr.. Stixrud's plan could not be
available until II was all completed.
ut would give" he said, ''the maximum
of accommodation with the minimum of
expense"
Capt. symonds then criticised the Silk
rud plan at length. The cost of the sea-
wall under that plan would be enormous.
For instance, there would be 10000 feet of
bulkhead ut $40 q foot under that plan,
which would cost 81. 400. 600 while under
his plan there would be only 1900 feet
ut IS a foot. which would be saving on
this single item of 81. CSC. 900. Under the
stixrud plan there would be no chance to
carry of the sewage from the southern
part Of the city, as the water in the basins
would be stagnant. He held that it
would be inconvenient for the rail-
roads and that numerous bridges would
have to be built across the six waterways
contemplated. The cost of locks alone
under the Stixrud plan would be between
two and three millions. At this juneture
the meeting became informal and the
members crowded around the table to
examine tho map of the Chamber Of Com
merce plan and the Stixrud plan, and the
next three-quarters of an hour was spent
In asking Capt Symonds questions regard
Ing this plan. The trend of opinion
seemed 10 be strongly in favor of the plan
submitted by Capt Symonds.
When the meeting was called 10 order
y. +. Whittier moved that the board accent
On offer made by Capt. Symonds TO furnish
the board with map of his plan and that
public meeting he called on Thursday
evening to consider Il. and IL the senti-
ment was favorable. TO adopt the plan.
u. r. Duris seconded the motion and il
was unanimously carried.
IL was resolved on motion OF DR.. Ram
sey to notify the land commission of the
action of the chamber.
On motion of ID. +. Durie. which was
seconded by L. q. Graves. vote of thanks
Was rendered TO Capt. Symonds for his
plans