The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-07-26
RIVERS AND HARBoRs.
Progress Of the Engineering Work In
This state.

RIVERS AND HARBORs.
Progress Of the Engineering Work In
This state.
WAshington City. July u.-Spec3al.-
Capt Harry Taylor. corps OF engineers.
T. 8. A.. has submitted for the approval
Of the secretary OF war. his report upon
the river and harbor Improvement In
washington. and Idaho for the last fiscal
year and recommendations for similar
work for the current year. In proportion
10 the increased appropriations embodied
In the last river and harbor appropriation
act. his recommendations for future work
involves the expenditure OF much greater
sums Of money and work Of much great
er magnitude than was the case last year
Except In two instances in Idaho the Inn
prosements made last year and before
are 10 be continued and extended to the
utmost reasonable limit. constructed with
regard Tor permanency as well as for
immediate Improvement In the interest
OF Thea neighborhoods affected Nearly
All OF the specifications are accompanied
BY supplemental reports from Assistant
Engineer J. NJ. Ciapp. who has spent some
time In Washington during the past two
years investigating and preparing re-
ports upon the localities to be improved.
Capt. Taylor first considers the improve
ment OF Willapa river and harbor. WASH
n u
statement OF the work already done and
the plans of the department for the cur
rent year:
This harbor. known formerly as shoa,-
water bay. connects with the Pacific
twenty-eight miles north of the entrance
to the Columbia river. the principal port
being South Bend. The work most I'M
mediately necessary was the removal Of
several bars In the channel. TO be accom-
pifshed by means of the construction OF a
dixie of piles. brush and stone. across the
head OF Mailboat slough, one OF the Sec
ondary channels in the harbor. by dredg-
ing a channel 100 feet wide and eigsh feet
deep ut low water through the reef be-
low Willapa City and enclosing Louder
back slough with a dixie similar 10 that
ACROSS 1ailboat slough. This was the
project approved by the chief engineer
August -. 1884 and IL has been carried out
as at first projected Appropriations for
this purpose have been expended to the
extent OF So 11e. ~, up TO tho end of the
fiscal year 1896. At this time the dixie work
In the river and harbor had been COM
pleted and work commenced on a log jam
in the North river. With the expenditure
OF S. 20. IS. Of which sum s. ss5 80 was spent
on W!liapa river and harbor proper. the
work was adtudged finally completed,
June 50. 1895. A channel eight feet deep at
low water had been built 10 wiliapa City.
the dikes had deepened the water over the
cut through the Jam referred to of which
tho least depth at low water was fifteen
feet.
This leaves the engineer corps an avail
able balance OF ss.s7i.6i. OF which Capt.
Taylor speaks as follows: '"rhe funds
already appropriated being sufficient TO
complete the work projected. there is no
necessity for future appropriation 10 be
made, but IL II necessary that the bal
anee remaining after completing the VII
iapa river and harhor work be made avail
able for completing the channel through
the log jam higher up the river"
Work In planned under an appropriation
made June ;. 1895. at Grays harbor and
bar entrance. forty-five miles from the
mouth OF the Columbia river The harbor
throat, the report reads. Is between two
low. sandy peninSulas. fa,soo feet apart.
I'm which harbor throat II Is necessary to
build clear waterway or channel 100 feet
wide or more A broad waterway al
ready reaches two mIies out ~ sea to a
bar convex with the sea. with sand splits
on each side. II Il proposed TO expend the
81 oae. eee appropriated on the construction
of a single setty built in the sea three
and one-haif miles. combining the sow Of
the water SO that Il will wash through
the bar TO A depth OF twenty-four feet
The lefty will be huiit OF ruohie stone
sboye hira tide level. II is estimated that
a balance of $4,000 VIII remain unexpend-
Crav's harhor has been further Improved
hy work IN the Chehails river as FAR as
Aontssano. The obstruction between
Mansa~sno and the bay. consisting main
/, Of four shoals. was 20 Re overcome tn
fhree ways. First. by the construction OF
askes tn the upper end OF North haroor
propas. concentrating flow OF water IN
north channel: second. by the constrssc-
,tpu Of small dkes IN the river below Mon
tcsane cutting OF side sioaghs. which pro-
tect entasled the reference made 70 log
rsraev mentioned below: third. by
dredging channel through existing bar
% a serath of sixteen feet twelve feet at
low waterl Appropriations were made
Tor tnss rurpese in 1872 and succeeding
wears which aggregated sSae0 OF this
sum sTsTsilT was spent on the eonsfrac-
ton Of two dikes u. Sss feet long. which
closed the side slcn9hs. etc. and despeRed
ire water over Goa Point bar two feet
ard the channel very materially.
Further IMPROVEMENT en- the entrance 10
,hn hareor VAS proposed. calling for the
construction OF a channel twenty feet Ia
aaosh at low water. WAS authorized IN
,h@ last river ard harbov appropriation
81 ard win be started az an early date.
n even maintain the depth already Oh
tanned however. IL VIII De necessary 20
vnake extensive repairs to the skies al
vaasy built Consequently no future CO
erAtsons ether than those specified IN the
REORGANIZATION act STU t'4'+~*-NA 80
nsianee avaisabss for such purposes be-
Ing bat sesS4S
ssa,s TAYLOR raakes some rather polrtes
-AsN~en,-es 20 leg piracy In the nsieHAay-
hoes 81 Preacher slough as q result ef
u~nls.f Some vau3als attempted serious
asnare "a the dixie lie Is 81 the opaasaa.
he asserts. tsas such damage VAS az
ss.,,v,*.a rat ~ those sacemrede3 BY the
esrssrnetisn Of the dixie. bet BY suca rs-
rates.
Sshehasts river Is 70 BE further improved
ev continued EFFORT 80 remove the snsEs.
axer-hangtnx trees. 8rsF~wcsc heaps
shoals ard abe like in Jas bed. for which
nssfnAse appropriation axgTesataag
sssea have been made OF this safn
sxso naa been expended June 80 iS&
s,ass. Taysor emphasizes the necessity fcT
constant eAre Gn se@ring the channel clear