The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-06
THE WORK Of A Year
IN NATURAL HISTORY.
Series of Articles Compiled for the SUNDAY
Post-lntelligencer by Professor
Edmond s. Meany.

anu nan niles. The narrnweSt chan
nei lies between Mercer island and a pcipe
Oh the east shere about three-Quarsers a.
a mile north OF Mercer slough. The cir
Of Seattle is situated upon the west sAor.
about equally distant from the north ana
south ends OF the lake. There are numer.
Gus bays and lndentations. which give ths
lake a total shore line Of about IS miles
The lake has an elevation of 81 fsue
above low tide at Seattle. The prinr!pal
Quite, is Black river. AT the extreme south
ern end of the lake. The river is ~ mt,ss
long. and unites with White river 70 form
the Duwamish river, which flows into n
lott or Duwamish bay a short distance
south OF Seattle. And about a half nil
below the lake Black river receives thu
Cedar river from the east.
few years ago channel was cut from
Union bay through Lake Union 10 the
Sound Considerable water tiows ,hrousA
this channel and small beats are aba "a
pass through il.
At the north end Lake Washington r..
ceives Sauak slough. which Is the quite;
Of Lake Sammamish. This slough rum
in tortuous channel through Law
rlarshy ground. it's width varying socord.
Ing 10 the height Of water IN The lakes
which II connects. When the water IL
very high the slough overfiows and cove
the low land on either side.
During heavy rain the Duwamish rivee
is unable TO carry OF readily all he water
brought down by the White Cedar and
other streams and as result BLACK
river becomes. for the time being. an inlet
instead of an outlet 10 Lake washington
The lake, therefore, rises perceptIhly, the
intiowing water from Lake SammamisA Il
held back. and Squak slough ove.novs
the adjacent iowlands.
Lake Washington Ia "A heau.ffui hnsiv ~
water. surrounded by high hills frcn
which a fine view OF the surrounding
country may be had. The Cascade mocn
tains are plainly seen TO the eastward
and on the south Mount Rainier conss
into conspicuous view. In many places
steep banks make down 10 the WATERS |
edge. indicating deep water. Nearly "a
the hills are covered with dense growth
of trees. except where oiearings have been
made for homes and settlements. The
shore line In nearly all parts is frnsea
with a dense underground Of brush and |
small trees: tue grass is found AT vefy |
low point ard slight indentatian. Small
trees along the shore interfere with the |
hauling Of seines. and only limited coiec-
tons can he made. In November and D.
eember a large amount of dccayed vege-
tation covers portions Of the shore lsI
summer various forms Of minute animal
and plant life inhabit the water.
selne-hauing grounds-only In feuI
places along the shore OF the entire lAks !
is the bottom sufficiently free from snsex
fallen trees. and other material to per- /
nit the successful hauling OF nets. onI
the west side OF the lake. about two mlles |
above Union bay. Is long stretch OIL
sandy shore mixed with fine gravel; IN |
June, 1885. several attempts were made u /
haul seine here, but on account Of the |
many obstacles no FISH were taken. 0aI
the east side, n, Hunter point. Is CON.
parativey good ground. but tule grau |
grows In considerable quantities. though |
by wadng out and bending II down where !
the seine Is to be landed fairly good ~ |
suits can be obtained. Several hauls verei
made here and number of iish taken |
In the fall and winter months there u 81
great scarcity OF life here. several
trials demonstrated. From Hunter poaai |
southwark for about two and one-hals
miles the shore makes down TO the lake |
with a gradual slope. but owing to the |
great amount of vegetation that extends !
in most places into the water, II II n /
most impossible 10 use "A seine. This also |
may be said of Mercer slough and che !
shore farther south On the east side q
Mercer island the bank lis usually quite |
steep; on It's west side the land II more
soping The water all round the BLAND |
is deep. In the extreme southern p0riios |
of the lake. in the vicinity of Renton and
| Black river. the land In marshy and allied
with small sloughs. The bottom Is Of soft
mud
ON the north and west sides ~ Lake /
Washington from Webster point 10 Sand
point are scattering sandy patches, butt
only In a few places can seine be haul |
cd ewing TO a thick growth OF scrub,r |
trees al the waters edge. High banks IN |
most places overhang the shore nee
Nor,hward from these points the land y |
more sioping and In some places com
paratiysiy level. Rocky and grava 1
beaches crop out from the banks Ia many
places and In number OF indentatiops MI
water makes OFF shallow from the shore |
distance Of nifty feet or more. The bot
tom here ~ very muddy and covered win
tule. The shore on this side OF the hs
Is shickly strewn with iogs. slabs ma 1
small floating debris. Few rocks afsk
noticeable. and none at any great distances |
from shore. i
The sandy and graveliy beaches referred
10 on the west eide OF the lake below sara
point are usually narrow only In ons
place observed is the beach OVER ten -
wide. here the width from the watefsk
edge 10 the bluff Ia about thirty -
The clear ground Indicates smooth ~ 1
limbs prevent seine collecting The@
beaches are formed by wave action.
water having washed away the bass
the bluffs leaving a deposit u SAND Az
| gravel In many places. particularly ~
/ the west side Of the lake. bushes ssa
/ small trees have taken root IN the sps
and gravel deposit. only tn lev -
| stances doeT the sand and gravel fcsns
| ton extend any great distance b.lcs 20 Il
| waters edge. thirty or forty feet from y y
/ shore is soft muddy bottom. As - M
| Gated by the high perpendicular bun
/ the beaches make of al n sharp a1sA
! deep water beirtg found 4 short distaa
/ frean the shore. Taken as a who'es
| shore Of Lake Washington Is not W
/ adapted TO collecting with seine. 4
So,e~The next article viii contain "
I record 81 scientific souudinEs In
/ Washington which explode Old traosue~
:. Of unmeasura bic depths Of water.
Counterfeit Pennies u
In sNara .g4z "A EfSIrt&EfK