Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1903-09-14
U. s. ENGINEERS
INSPECT HARBOR WITH A VIEW
TO DEEPER ENTRANCE.
Col. ". II. Hewer and Party Make Thorough
Examination Of Present and Prospective
Commerce Of Grsys narbor. Will Report
on Further Improvement Of Entrance.

Col. w. II. Hewer, of San Francisco,
Major w. G. Langtt. OF Portland. and
Major Mills and Engineer J. NJ. Clapp,
OF Seattle, arrived on Gravs Harbor, Sat
urday afternoon, under instructions from
the war department to examine the en-
trance to Gravs Harbor, and, after est
imating its future commercial POSSIBLE
tics, to report their judgment on the i'm
provements required to make the en-
trance OF sufficient depth for its
accommodation.
The party went to Hoquiam, where
public meeting was held in Engineer
Carpenters office, at which suggestions
were invited as to the plans desired. The
HoQuiam Commercial Club had adopted
resolutions Directing to the plan Of i'm
provement Of the inner harbor prepared
by Maj Mills, and for which contracts
have teen let. The board listened to the
objections cautiously, but at the concu-
sion Chairman Hewer inform ed the Ho-
GUAM speakers that this board had
nothing to do with inner harbor matters !;
that it's instructions were to investigate
the condition Of the south jetty, the
necessity for its completion to the point
contemplated at its beginning, and
whether the commercial possibilities OF
Grays Harbor would justify the expense
Of another jetty on the north side.
After this informal meeting the ell
gineers boarded the steamer Harbor Belle
and went up the river, to observe the in.
dustries along the water front as far as
the Chehals river boom. They were
accompanied by the following committees
from the different cities: Aberdeen
Mayor West and Editor H. d. Crawford.
Hoquiam-Geo. II. Emerson, G. II.
Jones, Geo. l.. Davis, II. g. Heermans,
]. IL. Suthof'. Geo. Hubble and Charley
Cant. Montesano-B. G. Cheney, ], w.
Hall, Eldridge Wheeler, +. r. Archer
and j. E. Calder.
While on the steamer the matter Of the
present commerce on the harbor and its
possibilities in the future were discussed
more fully. A compilation Of statistics,
prepared by Mr.. Crawford, chairman OF
the Abe -deen committee, was OF especial
use to the board, as it conveyed exactly
the information desired. AS this was
submitted in writing, it will be OF great
aid in making report Of the trip. Those
figures showed Aberdeen to be the largest
cargo lumber shipping port in the state;
that during 1902 there was shipped from
Grays Harbor 1877 1852 1881 feet OF lumber,
out Of total for the state OF 4,542, 1926
feet. OF this shipment la, G92 ,0lS feet
went from Aberdeen.
The board returned to Hoquiam, where
the members spent the night, and took a
tug boat at five O'Clock yesterday morn
ing to inspect the jetty at Westport, re-
turning in time for the morning train TO
Portland and the Sound. While the
board Of engineers gave no indication Of
their conclusions, there was no mistaking
the fact that they we're fully impressed
with the importance OF Grays Harbor,
present and future, and il is but reason
able TO believe that their report will
recommend the completion Of the jetty
ON the south side, as originally projected,
and a sufficient appropriation for the pre-
lin,inary work necessary for another jetty
projecting into the sea on the north side,
which, according to several engineers
+
low tide on the bar.