The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-06-24
rlyAL AT THE SOUTH.
pvonosed Waterway From Har'
Dor Head to Lake.
c.pr. sYMon's DETAIL REPORT.
~--.eny Formed to Construes . Canal
!. Cost % 900. ooo-Advastsgss
of the Project

r,oiect Is on foot to construct canal
-, the head of the bay, starting near the
- Wv brewery. Just south Of the city
<--ndary. and thence running east 70
-. Washington. It Is estimated TO cost
nsaoa A corporation Ii being organ
~ Of which. il Is stated, ex-Gov.
rsrrx will be president. The
80 through the tide fats and through the
-, .cath OF Beacon hill, utilizing the sur
-. soil to Eli in the tide fats. Under
stats law the company undertaking the
~ork rould benefit By the increased value
4 the tide lands.
r.nl symons, the weIl-known army
nxinssr. was requested to investigate the
.asssct and report upon the feasibility Of
he plsn. His report is as follows:
The general project as outlined. presents
~alnsnrmouutable engineering diff custies.
- i remarkable chiefly for the magni-
ssde Of the interests. areas. elevations and
.nsounts of material involved.
I. il remarkable also as q case In
~hseh. by a proper ombination, two
Srezt and most desirable objects are accom-
ssIsAed at the same time. i. O., the un-
healthy and unsIghtly tide fats are filed
n and fitted for the various uses Of the
rlty. and g ship canal Is constructed be-
There are many minor and auxiliary adj
.sntaves which will be noticed further In
his report.
TIE work, If carried through, must be Of
.nn-rnous advantage TO Seattle, create
ssIues ~ great magnitude and richly re-
yard those who originate and carry 1t to
completion.
After carefully considering the matter
ana looking over the map, profiles and
faA hw
personaIly over the ground. l can state
That the general project meets with my
most hearty approval. There are certain
leatures Of the project which seem worthy
Of special consideration
Harbor lines-The plan As outlined il
based upon the harbor lines aud water
ways as they were laid down by the old
harbor line commission. inese lines ano
WATERWAYS form very imperfect and in
ADEQUATE basis for the Improvements OF Sc.
attle harbor and the construction and
operation OF the canal for giving connec-
ton with Lake Washington.
IL il aAite essential to your project and
for the Interest OF Seattle that these lines
and waterways be modified by the board
nov having the matter in charge, so as
TO provide adequate wharfage facili-
ties in channels receiving all possi-
bic benefit of fresh water for
protection against the teredo, so as to pro-
vide for the proper handling OF the Du-
vanish river, so as 10 give ample room
for the approach of the canal proper, and
20 as TO make il practicable and easy for
railroads 10 reach every portion of the
harbor where ships can lie.
The main waterway should leave the
deep water near the existing city front.
and run due south TO junction with the
riYer section Of the waterway and the
canal waterway. Another waterway
should be laid out running due north and
south. some 1900 feet further west. and
sonnecting also with the Duwamish river
H aTiver waterway.
The main eastern waterway should be
thouf 800 feet wide. to provide for slips
10 feet deep on each side. ineiining to-
sr1s the outlet. The western channel
sid permit the detection Of the Du-
pnish river into IL IL il were found to
a mp the main waterway TO too great an
uisnt The fresh water for the main
ssisrway would then be entirely the clear
vaisr from Lake Washington.
By DETECTING the outlet to near the ex-
hting city front, this fresh water would
Mfse to dilute the salt water about the
txisting wharves, and would almost GER
iainiy have a marked effect in limiting the
rasages of the tsredo along the present
wharyes.
Tide land seefions-Through the tide
land sections of the work the problem is
Of the simplest nature. Buikheads can be
posted at any point at q very low price
per cubic yard by means of some type Of
hydraulic d-edge.
BY excavating the channel ways only
within 90 70 100 fee. of the bulkhead lines,
these bulkheads instead of having to sup
port a bank Of earth IS feet high as out
lined in your project would only have to
agf afsx a fe.f - -. l.
enee in cost of these bulkheads would be
very great. the lower costing not more
Than one-hfth Of tho higher.
me depth OF the cut, p feet at mean
low water, is ample. The few ships draw
ing more than this can be accommodated
IN slips with q greater depth. access TO
which could be had at q suitable stage of
the tide
think II would be well consider the ill
70 an average elevation to at least two feet
seose extreme high tide. Grades must be
sstaDlished on these tide fats when they
sH hiled In and occupied, suitable to give
proper and adequate surface drainage
ne total amount OF cut and fill in these
Aae land sectious will depend upon the
waterways established by the land COM
mission having the matter in charge.
~ - practically certain that the water
Ways established hy the land commission
havlng the matter in charge will be
eater IN aggregate area than were those
"a Gown by the old "harbor line commits
son on which your estimates are based.
AUS VIII be OF advantage TO your project,
- " viii enable better elevation TO be
a.FSa 70 the hlled lands and better balance
Tue cuts and fills
These waterways when completed will
ssseise fresh water from the Duwamish
user and from the canal, and will enable
..aArses and slips 10 be built, freed from
sae fasages of the teredo. The river being
seanhed 70 limited channels will carry
-ess ~ It's sedimentary matter out TO the
me waters efthe bay for deposition.
me hiA sectlon--The canal through
sae ali section is projected 10 have water
- 80 thiriy feet in depth, eighty feet in
"a IL The bottom, with side slopes OF
- 70 one, and with level for tow-path
- railroad purposes on either side forty
vide, and forty feet above the bottom
TIE canal.
a. II Is proposed to make tue canal
AaAse canal to carry the surplus water
a9at into Lake Washington by the
-. aud Samamlsh rivers and
sze thss for water mower the
lia Of water and the velocity in the
vii vary according 20 the season Of
'saf. THIS can be regulated by prop
eensiructed Hnlilways and auxiliary
- 49, Tor power purposes by the use Of in
aos through the locks and in accord
- With the use of the canal for shir-
n naking the cut through the hills
- &c estilaatine the excavation. side slopes
49,, 70 one are proposed and used Ia
a. construction these slopes must 10
s. @ined according 10 the material aud
.-asAlaoa found. The evidence from
- ifom exposed faces and cuts,
aae sever tunnel q little wav 90 the
H. q. -. 4.