Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1900-02-22
CITY OFFICIAL PAPER.
THURSDAY, FEB. 22. 1900.
ANENT THAT CANAL.

Handicapped by the adverse influences
of Puget Sound and the Columbia river,
If reorred hard struggle to have the
commercial Importance OF Grays Harbor
recognized by the national government.
Now that recognition has been obtained
a lighthouse and life saving station es-
tanlishal and the construction OF IA mil
lion dollar lefty we'll along. it is asking
too much Of the people OF this section TO
expect them to aid any proposition that
will operate to delay the advent OF the
great commercial business that will come
to this uarbor as soon as its waterways
are pnt in condition. 10 receive it.
The HERALD is OF opinion that the agi-
tation Of a canal to connect the llaibor
with the Sound, at this time, will tend to
retarl the development OF Grays Harbor,
two tn, u-htless contemporaries to the
contrary notwithstanding, and feels that
il has excellent grounds for that opinion.
The condition on Grays llarbor is this:
The coming season will probably, see
the entrance jctty two-thitds completed.
and the channel across tie bar consider
ably dcepened. The present congress
will be asked to appropriate from 100000
to $40O, 900 for the improvement Of the
main ship channel from Cosmopolis, or
NIontesano, to the sea, a work that will
we absolutely necessary III order to make
the entrance improvement OF any marked
benefit. To one with any knowledge of
the difficulties encountered in congress,
in getting a new measure placed on the
river and harbor bill, it is easy to see the
danger to necessary improvement on
l;rays Harhor, that would be occasioned
by pressing new, and, rs yet at least,
unnecessary canal, calling for several
millions more money.
Until Grays lIarbor is fully improved
the HERALD believes it to be the duty OF
the IIarbor people to concentrate their
energy upon that accomplishment. The
improvement OF tributary waterways NAV
then he undertaken with safety. The
Chehalis river might be made navigable
mp 20, and beyond, Chehalis, and other
tributary streams might be improved. \
canal to connect us with the Sound might
then he undertaken, but, whether it
would be advisable to follow the horse.
shoe wndings Of the Chelalis and Black
rivers is all open question. \ much
shorter route might be found by leaving
the river at Elma and cutting across to
Little Skookum Bay, at Kamiche. How
ever, ii this canal is built it will be as
Puget Sound measure. and not properly
chargable to Grays Harbor, and the PEG.
PIE OF this section will not permit it to
distract their attention nom their chief
interest j. e. the co nplete improvement
O. the waterways OF (;lays Harbor.
In an article in the State magazine fer
January, Mr.. Allen Weir, president of
the Olympia cham Der OF commerce, makes
an argument in favor OF his pet project,
that proves too much In showing how
much distance would be saved by the use
OF his canal, he simply demonstrates how
much nearer tirays Ha,bor is to the com.
msrcial marts OF the world than is Puget
Sound. In giving the amount Of tonnage
that would be tributary to the canal lie
shows but one item, lumber products,
that would use that route, and those only
to limited extent, as there would be no
alvansage to the mills on the lower
Sound.
With an improved Harbor here, grain
and other products for water shipment
would not be apt to go to the Sound,
when it could reach Grays lIarbor in a
s shorter rail haul, over easier grades, and.
Wien it reached here, be several hundred
miles nea!er it. destination than il would I