The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-07-26
IH WATERWAY.
ntions Delayed by Pending
Right-of- Way Suit.
- THOUSANDS HUNG Up.
oould Begin 1t Onos n Title
wswp rrcd-Eng1nsss1ng
work In This state.

1kmw TInnofcrrcd-EnG1noo
work in This State.
u unnorf 10 the secretary - WaR - to
- 9Vornment waterway be<weeD Lakes
- mo Washington has bes0 made ~
q - Harry Taylor. Of the engineer corps.
*5s1frned II this city. The report first
s5Sfe the development OF the psane for
~ 80. which are familiar to the peo-
- p he state. then treats Of the rres-
~ status Of tho proposition, and fnaily
nonde such action In the premises
% enem 10 the author Of the report most
711nnb;e. Appended to X are two letters
s@ Hon. Roger 8. Greene, OF this city.
& <1iru,nn Of the joint committee on Lake
11hlngkon government canal. which ex-
51la eonne reference In the body Of The
- - ~ controversy over The right
- river and harbor bin Of September
y - contained an item directing the
11utment Of board Of three officers
RI IL corps Of engineers, upon whom
71A devoEve the duty Of selecting ard
1rsnu3ux the most feasible location. and
W estimating the expense OF constructing
lhfp canal TO connect the waters Of
f Union. washington and Samamish
RI Puget sound. and appropriating $1o.-
r ~ the necessary expenses. The board
- Appointed consisted OF Cox g. II.
r1ne1I Mai. r. II. Haunury and Capt.
ri 6ymonz. Their report is contained
= Mouse Executive Documents. Fifty
mncnd congress. tirst session, and also In
- annml report OF the chief of engineers
- ~. page z76z ct seq.
- total length of the waterway from
- Inner end OF the lock nearest Lake
A61hsngton to the outer end of the lock
rgeet Puget sound viii be about six and
-tenths miles IL the ShiIshole bay
80 = selected. and somewhat less II tbs
nlih cove route 10 selected. The essi-
&61r6 cost Of q double track canal with
<1cnfy locks and including tho neceS-
~ hight -of-way. was &. 80 600 by the
Dadnoss bay route. or x.s00.000 By tho
- cove route: OF single track canal
IN compos.ta locks and exclusive of the
13-of-Way. was Q.7sl.ls7 by the Shii-
- bay route. or Q.Sls. iH by the Smith
- route. No definite selection Of the
- 70 b adopted has jet been mads
congress
Appropriations and surveys.
M total appropriations up to the pres
IT ose @l75.0 900. Of which 81. go was appro-
ft6tAd by the act of August II. 1894. and
Mc0 bv the act OF June 3. 1851 The act
Il 4ngust II. 1894. contained a provsso that
II art Of the amount should be expend-
= a the Improvement OF the waterway
I'll the entire riGht-of-wav and release
I'm I'll liability to adjacent property
<0ner1 had been secured to The United
1lnles free of cost and to the lAtisfaction
Il TIE secretary OF war. An endeavor
- made to have sufficient portion OF
~ appropriation made available for sur
wing the rsght-0f-way and marking II
Woa the ground. and for determining ac-
Gfataiy what property would he re-
llfed to be decided to the, United States
~ from which deeds OF release from la
ulfy would be required. but both the
secretary Of war and the comptroller OF
~ treasury decided that no portion Of ths
mprt1fiafion could be expended for ex-
WnsH connected with the donation OF the
AneA easements and releases 10 tho
U1lted States.
The duty OF making the requisite sur
w. and Of procuring the requisite deeds.
easements and releases therefore devoived
h1sR fully upon the people of Seattle in
0fested In the work. An organization
~ effected. in Seattle. 10 accomplish
~. but the work made very little pro-
usss. During the session Of the Washing
10 legislature OF 1895 a law was passed
nvinT the countv commissioners power of
eSndemnatiou of property for canal pur-
tezes. Through the medium Of this Law
&e people interested hope TO get the right
sway and easements required for ths
Dhip canal
In the sundry clvi bill. approved March
lSs6. prov.sion In made for the survey
nd determination OF the lands and ease
tents required. The provision authorizes
be secretary OF war to expend from the
APPROPRIATION OF SIS 900 the sum OF 5000
~ kxxxx A<a~ -
q the Improvement. ana In preparing a
eaaastral map showing each piecs Of
Fcperty REQUIRED to be decided TO the
Nnlted States or from which q release IL
Rqaired. with Its metea and bounds. The
emeant exnendea TO June 90 1886 was So
W.fs. Under the authority or the act
saeted above. survey was commenced
uAfch II. 1895. for determining with exactt-
nae the necessary data In regard 20 the
Wht-of-way. This survey was still In
Progress June 30 1895 The amount ex-
Wendell during the fiscal year ending June
y 1SS. was t2.2is.ef
By June %. 1896. the survey OF the right
ef-Nsy and all necessary mans had been
eenplssad. Under date OF August - 1895.
Qps. symons submitted q report OF. thu
Noryey. His report. accompanied by that
u Eugene Ricksecker. assistant engineer.
NAo had Immediate charge OF the survey.
3 published IN senate document No. 80,
1H's-fearth congress. FIRST session.
Mors. Hooked by Litigation.
cf the waterway at present Capt. Taylor
Nss:
The necessary rtght-of-way not having
zen obtained nothing further has been
eone. Tho accompanying communications
Fona thc chairman OF the joint committee
ExXs IN charge the matter OF securing
MrHss United States the title TO the right
NsNas show what progress has been
Mass. The aet OF February 2, 1885. OF tho
Gase % Washington. referred 20 In Judge
aFeene's letter OF June Is 1895 Is publish
g wsth Capt. Symens' report of August
= Is& In senate document No $50
The river and harhor bill approved
august II. fsat provided for the improve
eenf OF The waterway connecting the wa
80 Of Puget sound With Lakes Unses and
asnsngion. The only waterway being
ne one into Shilshoic hay. II would ar-
esr That this language would limit ths
mssetsan OF the route 10 that hay. and all
re survey work under this appropriation
:. been done on that route. hut the river
ssa haFbor act OF June 3 1896. provides
49, TIE canal may he constructed by THE
Ossasn cove route or hv the Shsl<Aoie hMy
s1se, In the discretion Of the secretary
y var,
aG~ oniy reason given by the beard az
FNated unier the authority of the river
- aarser bill ~ September ~, 1874 FOR
ssssefTlng the Shlisaole eay route 20 the
saSsa cove route vas sh~ lesser cost
- osheF stated reasons the Smith cove
.ssss was preferred. The difference n
- was principally sue % the greater
e9aas of excavation required IN the
$50 cove reate. IL = understood that
$500 de1i ~ the material that originally
1870 IN tas estimate Of che cost 81 this
sease las already been removed hy prf-