The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-08-16
Governments Proposed Work on
Lake Washington Canal.
CAPT. TAYLOR TELLS OF IT.
Goes ON the Witness stand in Con-
domination Proceedings and In
forms an Anxious Jury That
Washington Officials Contemplate
the Establishment of FRESH
Water Naval Basin in the lanai.

The last suit for the condemnation Of the
rght-of-way for the Lake Washington
ship canal Is new ON trial in the superior
court before Judge Benson. The 1rst Wit
ness called on behalf of the piainJIn IN
the case. the county of King. when the
trial commenced yesterday. was Capt.
Harry TAYLOR. of the United States en-
gineer corps. who is stationed al Seattle,
ard is looking after the governments in
terests in obtaining the rish1-of-way. In
his testimony Capt. Taylor confirmed the
statement that the government IS eontem-
plating the establishments OF a freshwater
naval basin In Lake Washington. and an
alteration OF the present plans for the
canal accordingly The present plans.
Capt. Taylor stated TO the jury, We're Cor
A canal for merchant ships only, with a
depth OF 70 feet and a width OF ". Such
q canal would be too small for battle
ships 10 sail through into the fresh water,
A large battleship is nearly 10 feet wide
and of deep draft. For naval purposes
the big waterway Will have 10 be at least
~ feet wider than at present intended and
fully 30 feet deep. All of Capt. Taylor's
testimony was OF much interest to the peo-
pie of Seattle and King county at large as
=
ton TO expend far more money on the
canal than was at first contemplated.
Capt Taylor'S testimony served as a
statement 10 the jury of the scope and
character OF the condemnation suit, and
after he had finished the case was ad-
journed al the request of Prosecuting At
torney McE.lroy for the purpose of allow
ing the jury to inspect the lands proposed
to be taken for the right-of-way. which
he shores %
are partially covered by valuable improve
ments within the city limits OF Ballard.
1t Is proposed 10 raise the level of the
water in the bay to the same height as
Lake Union, thus overlooking much low
lying property on the shores of the bay
the owners of which must be compensated
according to the awards made by the jury.
One mill company at Ballard, Ii is said.
will insist upon $J0.0e5 damages where the
county is willing 70 allow but about $1,000.
This morning the jurors will make their
examination of the mud flats about Sal
mon bay. They will meet Bailiff G. w.
Prouty and Stewart f. Smith. at the foot
Of Columbia street at $50 O'Clock and be
conducted 10 the ground and shown the
property of the different defendants by
Mr.. Smith. who is familiar with the whole
matter. 1t Will be a junket on the same
order as those given Judge Moore's juries
during the Cedar river water system con-
demratonS. IL Will take the whole day to
go over the ground and the jurors will eat
lunch at the county's expense. Prosecut-
ing Attorney McElroy advanced the baiiif.
s. for the purpose yesterday. with the
parting injunction to make it go as far as
possible.
The jury will report to Judge Benson to-
morrow morning and then the trial will
go on. Prosecuting Attorney McE.lyoy
thinks that the default cases. in which
tfe,4Te * toe -ia
ages, will he disposed of by the end of the
week. These involve the greater portion
of the condemned property. over the con-
tested cases a great deal more time VIII
he spert. and IL is impossible to say jus;
when the jury will finish its work.
The following are the names of the jur-
ors selected yesterday TO try the case:
W. J. Richards. S. r. Giiland. c. r.
Boyce J. II. Julian. Joseph Gavin. T T..
Runkle, Morgan Davis r. Il. Gregor. Rob
ert I.egg, A. J. Bush, II. Hayes Frank
Terrace.