The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-05
Chamber of Commerce Will Petit
ton Navy Department.
MORAN'S SUGGESTIVE LETTER.
Discussion OF the Thirteenth Light
house DiSaxict-rracttcal Aids to
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Charts need
Revising and Suppleme ntinw--Se-
Word-A Letter From Lewis.

In a communication addressed to the
Chamber OF Commerce and brought up at
the meeting of the board OF trustees at
yesterdays meeting. the Moran Bros. Com
pany. builders of the torpedo boat Rowan.
urged upon the chamber the subject OF
again applying to the navy department, for
the retention OF the war vessel upon the
waters OF Puget sound.
The letter Sc, forth that the armament
and terpedoes for the Rowan's equipment
are now at Mare island navy yard, and 1t
was represented that they could be ga cas-
lily transported from San Francisco TO Sc
attic as the vessel could be delivered inside
the Golden Gate.
A pronounced change In conditions since
the navy department denied the previous
request has been brought about by the war
and the Morans expressed the belief that
the claims OF Puget sound would now he
recognized IL the chamber took the matter
ID with the Washington delegation in
congress. From the position that has been
taken in the past relative TO the permanent
retention OF the first vessel of the navy
built on Puget sound. the chamber decided
10 petition the navy department once more
through the Washington senator's and con-
gressmen. and with the idea OF presenting
the claims OF the Northwest for additional
protection Secretary Ling was instructed
TO address the delegation as suggested,
Mr.. Ling introduced the subject OF divi-
sion OF the Thirteenth lighthouse district.
President Graves stated that in his opiu-
ion OF the details Of the lighthouse tenders
Manzanita and Columbia, were such that
any movement at the present time would
be unproliiic of results. c. J. Smith, In
connection wit, a discussion OF the sub
iect took up me matter of aids to uaviga-
ton which The coast Of Alaska Is decidedly
lacking In. Mr.. Smith said that the charts
of the coast and geodetic survey are incom-
plete and In many Instances inaccurate. and
advocated the drawing OF the governments
attention to these facts OF error ana asking
It TO have them renedied.
There are few lights In the lighthouse
department OF that section of Alaska, as
signed to the Thirteenth district. and the
rest of the aids to navigation consist prln-
cipa,ly of a few buoys With the increase
OF traffic with the north, the amount of
tonnage engaged In trade is entitled to
greater protection. Mr.. Smith cited the
case OF the Corona. which ran on rock
where seven fathoms OF water were shown
on the chart. At the request OF the cham
Der. Mr. Smith agreed to secure tho neees-
sary information from the captains Of ves-
coupled with his knowledge of conditions.
will be put In the shape OF a memorial to
be forwarded 10 the proper department in
Washington. through the members OF the
Washington delegation. The chamber Will
indorse a movement looking to an increase
OF the aids to navigation In the waters
along the Alaskan coast, and the Canadian
government will he asked TO toin with the
United States in making survey Of the
routes TO the towns OF Alaska and provtd-
ing an adequate system OF protection TO
mariners.
Upon motion OF Mr. elise the chamber
decided TO ask the war department TO make
a part of the war appropriation applicable
10 the establishment OF the battery AT Mag
nolia Bluff The fine work In connection
with condemnation proceedings for the
route OF the Lake Washington canal OF
Prosecuting Attorney James F. McElroy
was recognized by a motion. and Mr.. Nc
Eiroy will be the recipient or n letter com
plimenting him and asking him. now that
the route has been selected by Shilshoie
bay. to continue the work a. fast as his
other duties win allow him. much OF
the appropriation u Immediately available.
The following letter was received from
Congressman Lewis
II beg 10 enclose you a letter sent to me
bv the secretary or war which contains
items In response TO my request that tho
amount 10 be given 10 the seattle army
post be itemized.
II am happy to inform the chamber that
the Seattle assay office bill has been or
ylered to be put upon the calendar and will
be called up unless Speaker Reed declines
TO permit Il for scene reason now unseen.
next Monday. I am also pleased TO inform
your body that WE have secured t26a 0no
upon the house civil s1ndry appropriation
bin for lighthouse and marine seYvire i'm
provcments AT Point Roberts and Point No
Point ar Puget sound. and tina; your rem
resentativea have also secured the estah-
lishment Of a government fish plant on pu-
get sound, a counterpart of The one which
has been al Cedar KEYS. Fla. for some
years. I es' innate SO H0o will be allowed at
once for this and iss permanent continn~
ance VIII mean patronage OF SieeO a
year To the sound"
The items referred ~ by Congressman
Lewis were published In recent issue OF
the Post-intelisgencer. and related to
segregation OF the appropriation.