The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1895-01-04
THE SANE OLD PROJECT.
A Plan to Extend the Old Re-
vetment Submitted by
Major Post,

Major Post, says the Evening Telegram,
after having made thorough exami nation
of the condition of the rsvetment at the
bend in the Willamette, a short distance
above Corvallis, has submitted plan, sub
| ject to the approval of the board OF United
States engineers. The question of improv
ing the river at that point has been the
subject of much public and press comment
| for several years. At that point the river
makes great, sweeping bend, and the cur
rent setting in powerfully against the bank
during high stages of water, has made very
perceptlble inroads, which threaten to do
great damage in the near future, unless
| some plan is speedily devised to prevent
| further erosions. Below, and west of the
bend, the land is low aud subject to inunda-
Should the stream once get start in that
| direction, there is no determining where the
| damage would end. A great channel might
soon be cut, through which large portion
of the waters of the river mig ght pass. It
| would naturally open a way to the river at
| some point below, and thus take ''short
| CUT across the neck of the peninsula. The
effect would be disastrous to ths country for
some distance east of Corvallis, which is
thickly settled. Many farms would be
destroyed entirely, or badly damaged, and
| Corvallis itself would probably he left on
| the west bank of a sluggish lagoon. The
question of taking such steps as would effect
uaiy prevent the Willamette from breaking
over its present banks and opening new
| channel, is most important one to the citi.
zens of both Benton and Linn counties.
Several years ago the attention of the
United States engineers was called to the
matter, and the great danger pointed out.
Major Jones, who was in charge here at
the time, made an examination of the river
at the point and finally caused to be placed
e revetment of piles for some distance along
the bank to protect it from erosions. Some
good results were effected by this improve
ment but subsequent floods carried away
portion of the revetment. Congress, at its
.st session, made special appropriation of
SS coo which was to be expended in making
sume enduring Improvement which would
avert the threatened danger and confine the
river to it's original channel.
Major Post, who is very competent and
experienced engineer, has had the matter
under careful consideration for some time.
He has made thorough examination of the
general and specific course of the river,
direction and nature of currents, and other
photographic features, condition of the
banks, nature of the soil, and topography
of the country which is threatened A
competent engineer was sent from his office
recently. who after making thorough
persoual examination, has submitted a
report to Major Post. With a full and
thorough knowledge of the situation, Major
Post has submitted plan for improving the
river, to the board of engineers. In brief,
his plan is to continue the revetment, a
portion of which was commenced at tho
bottom of the bank at a level with the
water at a low. or, ordinary stage, and to
exteHa the work far some distance up the
stream following the windings Of the shore
line. There are three places at which the
| river has commenced to cut away the bank,
and tho purpose III extending the revetment