The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-16
The south Waterway.

san FRANCISCO. TAI, Sept. 1891
Sir have the honor 70 report that
in compliance with the departments
order of September 8. 1897, directing me
10 investigate the project of a fresh
water basin for vessels of the navy, as
requested in letters from the Seattle &
Lake Washington Waterway Company. l
went to Seattle from Port Angeles by
steamer. and on my return, finding that
the ship had been coaled. sailed irnme-
diately for San Francisco. obeying the
departments telegraphc Instructions:
therefore. have been delayed until the
present in submitting my report
At Seattle / conferred with the officers
of the company. visited the locality of
the suggested basin. and went over the
line OF the proposed canal. So far as
could be ascertained by observation from
the nearest points OF approach on shore
and on causeways. and from the deck of
a tug that was placed at my disposal
the work Of dredging the eastern of the
two proposed waterways through the fats
OF the mouth OF the Duwamish river and
by which its waters are to be discharged
into the harbor OF Seattle, had been adj
vanced TO the full distance reported in
the company's letters /. O.. 2,oco feet from
the fiye-fathom line, a bottom width of
500 feet and a depth OF 80 feet low water
having been maintained. For about 200
feet from tho entrance the sides of the
cut nave Dten given tho slope tnat Is IN
tended to be permanent. In different
places in the letters and reports enclosed
depths OF g. % and 30 feet are referred
TO, but / am informed that IL has been
decided TO dredge and excavate I'm the
main waterways and In the canal TO a
depth of - feet A fair estimate OF the
amount of land reclaimed appears TO have
been made. sales by which the company
received s27o. 600 under the terms CT their
agreement with the state Of Washington
having hetn reported. and $4,000 more is
ready TO be paid as soon as the lots al
ready purchased from the state have been
filed 10 the required level. Work has
been suspended. the reason given being
that the dredging contractors have met
with some financial difficulty which did
not affect the company except 10 delay
progress temporarily.
The project for a basin for naval yes
sells at that point. suggested and marked
on the charts. does not commend itself
10 me. II Is by no means certain and
IL could not be certain until a series of
careful observations had been made, that
II would be fresh-water basin. for, with
two such large waterways. 7 doubt IL
the flow OF the Duwamish river would be
sufficient to prevent the salt water from
coming up with the food tide, especially
in the lower depths. as far ms the point
selected The basin could b.. located far
T.
bu; that would mean additional dredging
and perhaps an Increase III the cost of
site. Gates could be used and from the
advantage that can be taken of the rise
and fall Of the tide In wet docks. they
might be considered desirable in any
event.
But, in my opinion. there are facts con-
nected with this project that should be
carefully considered In the first place
the company Is ready at any time TO fur
nish the government with a clear title
20 any amount OF land that may be re-
CURED and 10 state the price. They viii
also undertake 80 do any dredging ex-
cavatng. filing or pulkhea1ing. and 10
enter into Il contract for the Immediate
performance Of the work How urgent
may be the departments need Of fresh
water basin for the navy on the Pacific
coast I am Of course ignorant. but the
advantage OF dealing with the company
that ia carrying out a weii-consIdered plan
Of waterway Improvement is manlfe&f
Their ultimate OBJECT. that OF reaching
Lake Washington by j canal through
which the largest ships can pass should
Tot b. lost sight Of. The intention as
SCI forth in the articles Of incorporation
and subsequent amendments TO reclaim
al the land that covers and uncoyerz
with the tide a. the mouth OF the Du-
vanish river. and TO reach Lake Wash
ington by canal having depth Of % feet
and a bottom width OF $ feet car, IL Is
claimed. be made good because the earth
that is taken out OF the waterways and
from the ridge through which the canal
must pass $50 feet al the summit with
an average height 81 y fee; the whole die
tance. Ie - feet1 VIII BE- about the amount
required Borings made AT the required
depth and drainage tunnel carried
through the divide bur little above the
sea level Win an air shaft as tho high
eat point show that rock is rot isxelv
20 be encountered. The canal would have
but ons lock. and owing TO the turn
where IL would leave fns Sound there
would be no position from which Il YES
sci could open a direct FIRE AT the lock. IN
the lire OF the canal. II. as the Off
GERS OF the company state. It's lock could