The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-14
Government May Make Neah Bay
a Harbor of Refuge.
ARMY OFFICERS FAVOR PLAN.
Congress viii BE Asked TO Wake an
Approprtation to Begin Work ON
4 Project of Great Beneht to the
Commerce Of Puget sound-Plans
Are Drawn contemplating nm Ex-
pendftnre Of About s2,OOO,OOO.

In no single measure now before con-
gress has the city OF Seattle, and. IN
deed. the entire Puget Sound country,
more vital interest than the section OF
the river and harbor bill which carries
an appropriat ton for the preliminary work
on a system of breakwaters planned by
the engineering department of the army
for Neah bay. BY the construction OF
these breakwaters. at an estimated cost OF
100000 Neah bay would be made into
a hrst-ciass harbor of refuge.
The project has been talked Of and adj
vocated by Puget sound shipping men
for more than a decade rast. The great
increase I'm the volume OF commerce on
Puget sound has focused attention on
the project, which has received the IN
dorxement of Gen. Wilson. chief OF en-
aineers and of Capt. Harry Taylor, until
lately In charge Of the river and harbor
and Notifications work Of the government
II this stste.
Because of the Endorsement given the
scheme by Gen. Wilson and the strongly
favorable report made by Capt Taylor.
II Is believed that the river and harbor
bill now under consideration by congress
will provide for a substant al appropria-
tion with which 10 start the work 1t Is
the opinion Of Capt Taylor and OF his
successor. Maj. Mills. that in point OF
Importance the plan TO make Neah bay
q harbor OF refuge for the accommoda-
ton Of vessels entering or leaving the
straits OF Fuca in stormy weather Is sec
ond to no government Improvement now
under way on the Pacific coast.
capt. TayIor's Report.
Under authority granted by the river
and harbor bill Of 1899. Capt. Taylor made
. preliminary survey OF Ncah bay. taking
extensive soundings and gathering s'a-
tistics OF the commerce of Puget sound.
Extracts from the report he made to
Gen Wilson at the completion OF the sur
vey are given In the following article.
Capt Taylor said. as final summary:
TN my opinion there Is no river and
harbor work now In progress in this
state. or contemplated as far as my
knowledge extends. which lis OF so mucl
Importance TO the general commerce. OF
the state as the construction Of a hatb'r
Of refuge at Neah bay"
In his report, which Is now on file at
Washington, Capt, Harry Taylor said:
''Neah bay Is located at tire outer end
Of the straits Of Fucs, through when " n
ping arriving at or departing from Pu-
get sound or British Columbia ports.
1'hrongh the straits OF Fuca there is an
abundant depth OF water and very few
real dangers In the way OF rocks isolated
from the shore.
Dangers to Vessels.
THE real dangers which teset vessels
come from thick weather. fog. rain nnd
ns w sna rn ysy s neavy cross
seas of the entrance. which departing
vessels must encounter or return Some
tifty miles to place q ss safety and the
10 which to retire In case OF storm or
trauhle. -
During the summer, but little trouble
Ii experienced from the winds. but In
winter the strong southeast winds draw
directly out and create very heavy
cross sea of the entrance. the grea
southwest swell meeting that go ng out.
In such cases vessels going out to yea are
In peril. The alternative Is to put bac<
u Port Angeles or Royal roads. some
nifty miles. and wait for change OF
wind Neah bay Is also sometimes used
by vessels In which TO ride out rough
weather. clallam bay is also occasionally
used for this purpose.
'.'rhe telegraphic communication witt
Cane Flattery IL very frequently broken
during the winter, and In that case the
condition of the weather at the entrance
is not known, even when the vessel start !
from Port Townsend. as. on account Of
the high mountain range between Puge;
the weather ii, on the sound at any tine Is
apt to be a poor guide ~ to what II may
be the coast.
Under the existing conditions with no
safe harbor within many miles. vessel
oncc at the entrance of the straits will
almost invariably put TO sea. no mater
what the storm may be, and take the
the long tow back With steam Vessels
the same IL true only 20 a lesser ext MT
as they make the passage TO the entrance
In less time, and can more readily turn
back IL they desire to, They also run
less risk of being blown on TO Vancouver
island IN the southwest storms--the pre-
vaillng direction OF winter storms,
Well suited as "a Refuge.
The survey Of Neah hay shows that Il
II well adapted for conversion into
harbor of refuge As Il Is at present Il
Is well protected, except from the north
over a part OF the bay there IL excellent
anchorage IN water OF a depth OF up-
wards OF thirty feet AZ distance OF
side Of the bay. "a rocky reef projects out
from The " esteru shore Tor a distance OF
about half a mile. A hreakwater con
str9ictcd along this reef would have a
solid foundations would he In only mod.
crate depth Of water and would protect
an area inside OF sit acres having q
denth OF thirty feet or more. an area OF
2ti acres having depth Of ,wenty-four
feet or more. and an area Of SIS acres
having depth 81 eighteen feet or more
IA tho end OF heavy southwest blow
the wind viii frequently swing around into
the north aud drive directly into Neah
hay In order Ia protect the hay from
waves caused hy this swing. another
hteakWater would have Co be conRtruc eed
projected from the west shore % Wa-ah-
dab island
IAN opening Of about 80 feet Is left
between the two main hreakwsters the
eEsee t. each other that Vessels com.nE
into NeSh hay from the direction OF the
whlstisug buoy north OF wa-ah dab tsiand