The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-01-15
REPORT ON QU|LLAYUTE.
PLAN For IMPROVEMENT SUBMIT-
TED By CAPT. HARRY TAYLOR.
of Extensive Survey Transmitted
without Reeomme ndatfon to the

Harry TAYLOR has submitted plan fer the
Improvement Ct Quilayute river and har-
hor. 10 cost s2o.tpa. the report OF the survey
made under his supervision can scarcely
be said 10 be favorable one. since IL says
that the people Of that section expect more
from the improvement that can be sccon-
piished. The report is submitted in a non
committal way, practically without rec
onamendalson- II IS forwarded in the
same way 70 the CHIEF Of engineers: by
him TO the secretary OF war. and by the
latter 10 congress
The survey Of The Quiliayute river and
harbor was authorized by the last con-
sress in the annual river and harbor ap-
preparation bill. The report has been de-
layed somewhat. but is now published. to-
gether with an extensive map of the mar
Dor and the proposed Improvement, show
ing Just what is IN be done
The plan OF Improvement submitted pro-
v!des for the closing OF the present river
mouth by means of dixie. the reepenins
OF the old mouth the protection of the
sand spit between the existing lagoon and
the ocean, and the making of a cut across
the sand spit TO the south of the lagoon
into Quillayute harhor. The cost OF the
work is as estimated above.
In Capt. Taylors report, which is now
presented 10 the river and harbor COM
mittee for its action. the engineer officer
says;
portion OF the state Of Washington. being
a smAl rcek-bound arm OF the Pacific
ocean. thirty miles south of Cape Flattery.
The ordinary means OF reaching Qullayu;e
harbor Is by boat 10 Cialiam bay, thence
over a rugged mountain trail to d small
town on the QuilIayute river, about two
miles above It's g1outh, thence down the
river by canoe. At the mouth of the river
IS small Indian town, known as Lapush.
In calm weather passengers can be taken
from this town by the Indians in a canoe
a
south of Cape Flat;ery. from whence is a
trail which leads over to Neah bay on The
Straits Of Fuca, where boats occasionally
call
''Quillayute river proper is only about
five miles in length. Il has a number OF
and navigable only by canoes. They.-arer
however, suitable for logging during six
or eight months of the year The princi-
pal tributaries OF the Quiilayute river rise
in the Olympic mountains and flow in
generally southwesterly direction. their
courses being parallel for the greater part
of their length. Two OF these tributaries
are abou. tlfty miles IN length. each Is
nayigable for canoes for about half the
distance, and ii is reported that logs can
be driven down these streams from near
their headwaters
The total drainage area of the Quilla-
yute and its tributary rivers Is about $50
square miles. The greater part Of this is
mountainous country covered with heavy
growth Of fir and spruce timber. The val
leys and river bottoms cover probably leo
square miles. and In addition there are
several plains or praiTies on which there
Is no timber and The soil Of which is ex-
tremely fertile. The largest of these
which is locally known as the 'ouiuayute
Prairie is four and three-quarters miles
In length and one-haif mile wide and con-
ta!ns about l. 500 acres. The second In i'm
portance is Forks Prairie. and contains
probably 1000 acres. The third is known
as Tyee Prairie, and contains about 500
acres. There are several other such prai-
ries OF smaller area.
The country IS at present sparsely set
tied, the population being probably $50.
large part of the land. however. has been
taken up In homesteads and timber claims.
but many of the settlers have left the
country during the past two or three years
the difficulty of making living I'm IA re-
gion so inaccessible from the markets of
the world and the. bases Of supply.
In addition to the white population there
are about 30 Indians Of the Quillayute
tribe, most of whom live in the village
called Lapush, on the ocean beach near
the mouth Of the river. where this tribe
has been settled for century or more.
These Indians subsist almost entirely by
fishing, whaling and sealing; but owing 10
the great diminution in the number Of
seals the last-named Industry has practi-
cally ceased 10 exist during the last few
years.
The greatest drawback 10 the Quilla-
yute country is the inaccessIhllity of the
region and the difficulty and expense Of
getting goods in and out Al the present
time everything must be brought into the
country over the trail from ClalIam bay.
on the Straits OF Fuca. or by way Of La
push Most Of the merchandise " htch is
brought into the country comes by way Of
Clallam bay. Little IS brought by way Of
Lapush except such supplies as are
brought in by the Washington Fur Com
paay. which maintains a post at that point.
This company owns It's own schooner and
brings goods directly 10 Lapush several
times year the schooner lying nj anchor
in the harbor while the goods are brought
ashore by Indians in canoes. The cost of
bringing goods In by way Of Clalam bay
Is about $50 per ton for packing from Cial-
lam bay 10 Quillayute river In addition TO
s. per ton from Seattle to Clallam bay
These rates keep the imports down TO the
lowest limit and practically prohibit any
exporting. The white settlers in the coun-
try are chiefly engaged In general farm
Ing.
porting 1t Is probable that sawnniIl would
BE- established at the mouth Of the Quilla-
yute river. There Is an abundance Of good
| timber in the country, and "a good site for
a mill could be found at or near the mouth
OF the river. There is no doubt that ample
Inducements would be offered BY the set
tiers 20 any company offering 20 build A
sawr!n in the country es its establish
ment would not only enable them Ia dis
pose OF their timber, bat would permit
them 20 obtain supplies from the outside
world al considerably lower freight rates
A map of the Quilayute harbor and
river. which Is forwarded herewith. shows
that the har60r Is we'll sheltered on the
northwest. but open to the southwest
which renders the harbor Useless In win
ter as the prevailing winds are from thai
direetion Although the harbor is hernmed
in ~ precipiious cliffs and high rocky ISL
ands. II is itself entirely free from rocks
It's prevailing doth IS twelve feet at low
tide. ~ feet from the low-water line IF
the beach. and the bottom slopes regularly
toward the ocean. ~ the entrance 20 the
hay there IS A general depth Of six TO seven
fathoms- The mean range OF tide ia about
eight fee. The mouth of the river was
formerly a the north end Of this bay. but
about twenty years ago this mouth became
closed W ard the river broke through a
narrow sand spit into the ocean three
f0urtns - a nile farther north forming a
new mouth whics varies IN width accord
jug 10 the seasons of the year and accord
Ing to the ga+sr flowing through Il. A.
. Use time ~ the survey 4 vas but little
ever forty feet wide
The Aay MO which the river new flows
"a rocky exposed and dangerous ard there
/ i bar fust oT the mouth % the river
/ No improvement OF this present mouth
seems feasible.
The Improvement desired t,v the 'jnhab-
itsnts ~ the Quiliay13;e country is the re-
! opening % The cid mouth az the river.
The lagoon which formerly formed bart
e. the river IS sepa "a ed from tfa sl~eau
~ narrow sand spill 30 teet wsde j. high
water and having A H;sxl mum elevation os
about Twelve feet al u3ean lower luH va
ter. This iaGoJn al The south end has a
depth Of four feet AZ mean tower luw va
seT referred 20 TIA: datum Ia the OCEAN
hGt the setus4 depth Is about eight feet a.
Ine surface - the water in the lagoon is
four fest higher than the oso@an when the
. tide = CUT. OF account % the n0rtn end az
he LAGOON having been c6okeG 40 with
sand 10 height q four feet above mean
e the river i wosid tse necessary 20 close
sHa present mouth by "A ike 10 protect the
Gs8d spit beta e@a tSae existing lagoon and
tfap OCEAN. and 10 make "A cut across tins
the t1aijiayuta narhn-.
The estimated cost Of this Improvement