The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-03-24
hase Of Elwha River Water
Power by Capitalists.
ep,,D EMPIRES ON APRIL i.


1mn0 neid Dy James Catn Tor E84fkfu
1i 11llsss upon the great Eiwha river
ntog Dewer st Aldwelrs canyon viii ex-
- - April l, unless payment Of S3u-
= oade. Should this amount be put
m thoes viii follow the construction OF
Meo1m factories and foundries by New
Imk nnA Pfttsbarg capitalists.
~. Ca1n paid $i,000 10 inomaa T. Aid
III oWnH OF the property sometime ago,
~ uode m agreement TO pay 130O0
1Me o. April / and . similar amount In
esfow nDuthA making total OF $4,000.
I = fepresents several capitalists Of Pitts
I'M and New York who believe that Port
1nosies with this immense waterfall with
111u.hosse power as measured by the
1lnDted States bureau OF engineers, u
Sny 6ne location for factories and mills
- don't know whether or not Mr.. Cain
~ take up the bond" said Mr.. Aidweil.
Who b auditor of cialiAm county, at the
Iotel Seattle yesterday. 1T probably de-
D1nds on whether or not his Eastern
n1ends and hackers are yet ready To COM
uonce construction of their various plants
the bond Is taken up there will be
1ueeral Important industries started, for
III n the purpose for which they will
naat the power. I might name several
1l03eets now in view. hut IL would be
zach OF confidence and would only cause
G0culty and delay"
etsttsttes On Elwha River.
An investigation Of water power
throughout the United States was made
oonetime ago by the bureau Of engineers
ond the following is an extract concerns
~ the Eawi,a river:
On E1wha river are number Of water
0~vrs which are a. yet undeveiope1.
ne one Of most value il at AldweiFs
nnyon. Here fully 1870" horse power can
dssslopsd Ct hi. point a. comparative.
sonyon. which II from thirty to sixty feet
vide. 100 feet deep, and one-1uarter of =
M6i0 long. The walls are Of solid lime and
ate rock and are nearly psrpendicuisr.
ehA west side OF the canyon h such ~ TO
D1fmtt the overflow of surplus water DUR
nc frenhets. and avoid the possibility OF
e e'nn 70 Inc powsr work. Lns propo
power, II communicated. win Hood the
tiver bottom two and one-aaAlf miles above
ne canyon.
eastern slope Of Mount olympus. and il
the largest stream flowing into. the strait
Of Juan de Fuca. or Puget sound. from the
Olymp1c mountains. Its waters are clear
gravel and boulder bottom. Il IL a sossu-
Gus and turbulent stream. winding be-
tween high and preeipitous mountains. cut.
FORMING deep and narrow canyons. il
paARes through narrow valleys from a
QUARTER OF a mile TO a mile IN width and
Of various lengths. and finally discharges
into the atrnt of Juan d. Fuca, about
Wash.
AT tho head of Elwha river are num-
thousands Of & acres OF iand covered with WITH :
hixssriant growth OF grass. affording an
excellent range and abundant grazing
for sheep and cattle for about eight months
az The IAfftnw The. ~ xtark a>s
Be kept AZ q comparatively ANAL cost
These upper grass lands have never AZ yet
been utilized for stock raising. and only
numbers inhatat the country. There are
no scsflcu.ents along Eawha river above
Geyser valley, which Is about eighteen
miles from the mouth OF the river
'srhe bed % Eiwha river Is from 50 TO 30
feet wide and r. covered with houidefe and
large rocks. which have rolled down from
the mountain sides. The banks are high
and the channel or the river Is not babe
20 change 81 any place except on tina low
lands near the mouth. where IL has been
enown TO shfft tss course several times.
Srmsrs h the uiesns,y T aa sh.n 20 'a a
tho channel Is caused by log Jams. which
eorm In the river and back up the water.
causing il Ia seek Another outlet.
Land Betng Rapidly Cultivated.
The land OF the river valleys Is q very
fertile aiiuvial ioam- Owing to the recent
Sctt-etiieBt OF tie country. HUGH OF S1z
land Is stu uncultlvased. being covered
with vine maple. alder. cedar and sallal
brush. but the settlers are rapidly clearing
and bringing II under cultivation. Little
nas YET been done In fhe way OF irsiga>
uon, although a number 81 the farmers
eediiga that they wouid Increase the yield
end improvs the quality Of their crops II
mey should water their lands during the
airy season. which generally sets In before
The craps are faatsired-
While there to marked increase In
me volume of water I'm the Elwha river nj
certain seasons Of the year. yet the differ
NEE II not so great as in many streams In
einer sections OF the country The reason
kor this Is that during the rainy seanon or
1fnser months. while rain Ia falling along
tns coast and iowiansis. snew n being star-
q In the mountains. During THE dry SUM
nef seasons the snow gradually messs go
teAt There 81 q more regular supply OF WA
YER TO the streams here tssan those Ia re-
mons which do not have this tnexhaustihie
Nov supply
b believed by persons who are se-
eeainted With Mr.. Cain that he viii meet
tne payment due on this property on TIRE
nfM ~ the month. should he do SO THERE
WI very likely he large investment Of
capital about Port Angeles.