The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-04-06
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The columbia River DEITY and liz
1'y7f Grand Work
+, A high tribute TO the ability and In
tegrity OF the engineers who superln-
tended the construction is paid by the
American Contractor in a recent issue
AS inquiries are frequently made as
10 the extent OF the work as compared
with other jetties. the article referred
to is published below In its entirety:
At the mouth Of the Columbia River
the United States government is build
ing what will be the longest jetty ever
constructed. II will also enjoy the dis
tinctlon OF being one Of the very few
public works whose ultimate total cost
falls far short Of the original estimates.
The Columbia Is by far the largest river
west Of the Rockies being considerably
over 1000 miles in length. and for 100
miles from It's mouth navigable for the
largest ocean vessels. At its mouth, too,
is splendid harbor capable Of shelter
inb In safety the largest vessels afioat.
II is the only safe barber between San
Francisco, 800 miles to the south, and
the Straits OF Juan de Fuca, 200 miles
TO the north However. prior to 1886,
the harbor was OF little use, because Of
the shifting sands that opposed a bar
first to one side and then to the other.
and all the way from Cape Disappolnt-
ment on the north to Point Adams on
the south. The United States Govern
ment, recognizing the value of this har-
Dor to our commerce. both present and
future, sent her most competent engin-
GERS to survey the harbor and present
plan to form permanent deep-water
channel.
The plans that were finally adopted
were for a jetty from Fort Stevens
out into the seething waters for between
foun and five miles. to be constructed
Of basaltic rock or lava This, 1t was
predicted, would entirely close up the
south channel or Tlllamook chute and
present firm break to catch the sands
that would otherwise form the shifting
bar In the north or main channel. That
erected, the powerful current of the
vast body OF water which the Columbia
pours into the Pacific would keep open
natural and perfect gateway into the
larbor. The Jetty Is now practically
completed and the engineers predictions
fully realized On the south side Of the
jetty, where formerly there was water
from six to twenty feet in depth, is now
over four thousand acres Of dry land
formed by the wash Of the sea, while
the largest ocean vessels sail without
aid through the main channel and an
chor In the channel one mile further
inland, within cable length Of shore.
But the surprising part of the building
of the jetty, and that which reflects
great credit upon the engineers IN
charge, Is that, while the construction
is pronounced frst-class throughout and
every way up to the specifications, the
total cost will fall short of the original
estimates by more than $l,5OO,OO0. Care
ful and intelligent computations made
In 1S82-18S5 placed the necessary total |
cost at $S,71O,OOO. Thus far the requl- |
sItions have amounted to but $1,6S7 ,O0O |
while less than 100000 more will pay
for every bill on It's account. In fact
only some finishing touches, but two
smaller supplementary jetties are being |
added, to perfect the action of the main
structure. The jetty is over four miles
long, fifteen feet wide at the top, and
built up to hlgh-water mark. The lava
blocks that form the filling are quarrled
near Portland and transported In barges
and by rail to the point where needed
over 6,OOO piles were driven In the space
covered by the Jetty the piles beinf
fonced down by huge hydraulic pile
driver. This powerful driver, with its
5000 pound hammer, rests upon a tram
way and is moved forward as required,
while the entire framework revolving
upon wheel whose radius is thirty-one
and one-half feet admits OF operating
the machine through a. corresponding
large circumference The huge hammer
however, was but seldom used In driving
a pile, except to give the final blow oil
two that set the long timber In Its !
bed OF sand. When sinking pile the
hammer was allowed to rest on It's
head Two and a half inch iron pipes
on either side of the pile, sent streams |
OF water, forced by a duplex power
pump. to open the sand beneath. and
the weight Of the hammer alone was
sufIicient m settle the nlla 10