The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-05-29
LEWIS ON THE CANAL
waahEnstoA Ceawressnan speaks
vjgeroosay In DeAalf 81 the wet

Vigorously IN Dehalf 81 the WoA-
erway TO The Lake.
When the amendment 10 the ssndry civil
bill appruprfafing sic.o00 for q cadaStral
survey was reached In the house recently.
Congressman Lewis spoke at some length
IA favor Of the amendment. In the course
Of rae debate he said:
'xAr. Chairman and Eentlemen of tina
conlniftee the amendment which has just
oeen read u very largely self-expaanasory.
II il subject OF importance to the nation
IN general. am from the state of WASH
ankton. which Is most greatly interested
tie. from whence hail and which is my
holle. 10 particularly so.
Frxsn the city OF Seattle. the farshess
porssnce upon the O. paeISe cosst sou move
out a distance of 500 miles in . straight
course. and you find yourself in the port
e al, aoncnonc ;, and N Yokohama- Five hun,
q the falu river. the scene of the Anal
naval engagement between Japan and
I :. ,h Going a distance OF LOO miles
70 the northwest. you are amid the gia-
ciers of Alaska From Seattle. with six
ana oue-half lays travel southwark. you
are u the islands of Hawaii.
We are 20 situated as to he the main
ara 1rst port OF Importance at which
Otner commercial or naval vessels can
strike anchor. More than forty-fve years
Mcclellan. recognized the fitness Of this
point Tor all government purposes, and in
nis c1icid capacity recommended to the
her waters be utilized for the purposes Of
naoonai defense. az well as Of universal
TN front Of us lies Puget sound. that
Venetian inland seattle right arm Of the
Pacific ocean. Behind us, we will as
sumo n the cloakroom Of my friends on
room On NE e IS, union d and r the sab
m9ton, much larger body Of fresh water,
twenty-five miles Ia length. three and q
raw raw m ~ "a n width. and having depth OF
oody naturally. . capacious lake az beau
tMM as Geneva and as necessary to COM
merce as Lake Michigan.
The report Of Gen. Mcclellan proceeded
20 SUGGEST that this be made a fresh water
n .s ioT the purpose of marine protec-
rloa: and likewise Tor defensive and COM
thoroughly this idea was accentuated. I
rsntnd tho honorable gentlemen that the
commerce going out Of the city OF Seat
S tons 9a , yearly Il s dis.
Scr 90 fees q timber e' IS sss1l1osa
Improvement. 1000 tons OF coal from the the
King county mines saying nothing as to
the limitless quantities Of grain which
YOU'D = n seek market through this source.
ana the only way in which It could be
utIiiseo. vas TO cut canal or waterway
through from the salt water to this fresh
water lake. and with locks prepare 1t for
such narbor. This was the project: this was
the national necessity. Gen. Alexander
one o. the engineers OF this. government
to this necessity, and urged this utilization.
The subject came before congress IN
alnerent ways upon different occasions
prorriated $4,000 TO. t the accompiishment
OF that end. In a subsequent congress this
appropriation was increased to $50 900. But
coon '1 anat a sns Dsops II y vca
iU and state should give to the govern
1ent the necessary land. and should pro-
uor lana esea, r.. AL
ment Of the enterprise. and this without
expense to the government.
Lately, IN the last congress. In the
mitted appropriating 10000 for a cadastral
survey OF the new route along which the
land was to be condemned.
ized by congress N 1897 to make survey.
/ and $4,000 out Of the appropriation pre-
viously made was designated by congress
In order that It might be determined in
what exact direction to 90 and what land
should be taken and the names of the own
ers and descriptions Of the Rl!otments to
TN pursuance Of previously enacted
state law. land has been condemned: our
sna seven and oneha times the Value
OF this appropriation sought from the Fed
eral government. could read, II neces-
department sustaining my position.
I'm the conference committee in the last
congress this item OF $4,000 to be taken
rnm the snssns e for the
method Of expenditure. and for the survey.
was stricken out under the assumption. az
! am In Informed. that !; was new appro-
to the manner of the use Of an old one.
The matter came up lately in the senate.
where, for reasons which | trust in z mo.
ment Will be apparent this amendment
was again offered and accepted When 1t
came before the open committee of the
senate. some objections We're made. appa-
cated---that Is, upon the lire OF the cbjec-
lions formerly obtaining or fancied to exist
of new legislation or diverted appro-
II find that Senator Allison. Of Iowa.
made objection to the amendment on the
ground that II was a diversion OF previ-
His attention was called by Senator Tur-
ner to the fact that this Idea. which had
been INDUCED previously, was mistake.
honorable senator from Iowa Withdrew his
objection. 1t appearing that the amend-
ment proposed to expend merely part
clearly the manner Il, which these lands
could De further surveyed. l read from
the Record CT Wednesday last.
me matter IS DeIore TINS hOnoraci0
committee now to concur In this amend
nent. ! do not know what objections may
be urged to Ii. I am informed by most
eminent gentleman, and particularly by the
eminent and distinguished chairman OF
the committees cMr. Cannon, that, rs to
himself he was originally opposed to the
enterprise. and that he shall INCREASINGLY
night II; that from Information from nigh
authority he understands II to be, in legfs-
lative parlance. a job. But insist that,
the whole question having been considered
by former sessions ana discussion year
after year proceeding upon the subject.
and the wisdom of the house having been
sought upon 1t and conclusion favorably
be forever hanished. I fancy the eminent
gentleman would not assume at this time
that such would be an interruption TO such
degree that would go to defeat the use
The appropriation having been twice
made and increased 1T each successive
congress. the only question before 1t now
Is the utilization Of that which has already
der that the further survey upon the now
suggested change OF route be proceeded
with. and that this appropriation be used
or permitted to be used in order TO have .
pie may know along which line they shall
further condemn. having condemned up 10
. certain point. and being compelled to
stop by reason az this interruption.
Shall g@ogra phicai situations be taken
into account IN making these appropria-
tions9 Tie gentleman from Illinois saws
he would be willing for our STATE of Wa sh-
ington 10 get something. / say 20 him that
most respectfully claim that that state
shall share well In the future al the hands
of this government. That state has seven
teen rivers. Ii has the largest amount OF
water % any state In the Union save the
state o. New York.
1T has population Of 4te.ooa with eight