The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-05-21
SECRETARY ALCER
ON HARBORS
Asks Congress Por Further Instruc-
tlOnS as TO san Pedro.
A LARGE SUN IS INVOLVED
Shall IL be Spent For harbor Of Refuge.
or For 0ne OF Commerce and
Refuge The Whole rlan
A LARGE SUN IS INVOLVED

Wasangtpn. May 20 -eecrgthry Al
gcr has made response 10 tn senate
r'n tuition calling fpr statement as
10 what has beea or is about 10 be don.
with reference Ca making contracts for
the Improvement az san Pedro harbor.
Cal The secretary submits the whole
subject 90 congress for further lnstruc.
lions as TO its purp,s -wncther 10 ere
Ate simply harboy Of refuge or one
~ refuge ana commrrc,. The secretary
ci'en the action os the Walker board
In deciding 10 cxpcnd an Of the appr1.
prla,iou of ts,950c 600 upon a brcakwaic.
an1 then states his position as follows,
The department has had many in.
pat!ent inquiries as 20 when the work
w!ll bc advertised. and white there Il,
no disposition 10 rs.nrd the matter al
day the difficulty presented IS always
che same. T. e.. wha, was the intention
of congress when q made this apprn-
printion fnr a 'hHrbnr Tor commerce and.
refuge The report shows clearly thai,
tho entire APPROPRIATION and moro VIII
bc required for IN. breakwater and
that TO make a harbor for commerce
large additional sums will be required.
the exact amount uf which ls largely
conjecture. on account OF there being
the possibility ~ rock 70 cxcavate In
stead ~ slit or sand. but taking for
granted that no rock exists. the chief
n engineers has, by my direction and
from information thsrc IL In the de-
rar.m"n'. made Two approximate esd
mates f'r completing the harbor of
commerce according 20 tn pians aue-
g,7'tcd by ihr board II s. believed
by me ;hat a hRrbor covering 800 acr, =
or nAlf q ml!c ia AREA where hips
can be- towcd in. m1orcd, towel from
one dock &C. another windel or turned
Ground. etc. wuoll the leas, that
could he considered
Tho grsi estimate based on rcpor,
of board. deepening channel 20 inner
harbor 10 80 feet with width Of 100.
feet and construction Of two suitably
designed timber piers. located safe.
distance on either side Of the jetty ,n-
trance. carried out to fiyc-fathom curve
TO accommodate vessels whose draught
would prevent their entrance into the
Inner harbor Ia bc used during the.
completion of Improvements In inner
harbor; dredging fr,m central channel
To piers 10 so feet In depth; fourteen
thousand feet of huikhead for wharf
age. Is s2,i7S,OO0; cost OF ,brrakwater
S9.9Oi,1S7, Total, $5,SS0.7S1.
This plan has the Objectionable fea-
turc Of the destruction Of the piles py
tercdo unless cIN,osotcd, bcsiios the dis
advantage OF its great exposure TO fire,
as In case OF these wharves whore
steamers are moored alongside and en-
gines run upon them.
THE second plan Is to dredge into
the lagoon and eXcayate n space or
practically 500 acres. a half mile by
mile In area, AMI here the estimate Il
largely guess work Several islands
will have 10 be removed. as shown 10y
the maps. and II Is possible that there
may be rocks TO blast and remove. But
an estimate has been made 10 give
thirty feet of water for this area where
an average cut OF 20 feet win be re-
qulred. and for this inner harbor, with
the dredging of the channel into the
same. the estimate is $9,l75,OOO; cost Of
breakwater, $9.9Oi. .7S7--'maldng a total
cost for breakwater and inner harbor
OF S5,l76,767.
THE question Is, shall the eNpendl-
ture OF $2.9OO,OOO be made for the preak-
water or harbor Of refuge. leaving the
harbor for commerce for future legis-
lation and appropriation?
From my construction OF the law
have not felt justified in commencine
the work without fully understandings
what the intent of congress was. II It
was and Is It's intent that the work
ON the breal1water shall be advertised
and this appropriation expended for
that alone, the matter shall receive I'm
mediate attention If not. | hope such
instructions will be given as shall feave
no doubt as to what the duties of the
war department are In the matter.