The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1903-02-07
THE BOARDS REPORT.

Tho report of the board OF engineers
appointed 10 recommend plans for the
improvement Of the Columbia river bar
is gratifying in the extreme. If the
board mad been male up Of residents
of Astoria the recommendations could
not possibly have been more in line
with local opinion. 1t is evident
that the engineers comprising the
board knew exactly what they were
about when they entered upon consid-
GRAFTON of the matter and that they ex-
ercised more care in the formulation
of their report than is customarily
observed by boards of the kind Work
along the lines suggested by the board
can be undertaken with every assur-
ance that it will permanently deepen
the entrance to the Columbia river and
restore to this harbor its erstwhile
prestige.
The Columbia river bar is sand
fiat some miles in extent, and lies from
four to six miles beyond a line drawn |
from the northwestern corner of Ore |
gon 70 the southwestern extremity OF !
Washington. The present jetty. pro-
jecting from the Oregon shore, runs
along this bar for some distance. Be
tween the Heads" there is depth
varying from 45 10 90 feet, the shoal
or bar being far out.
II has often been contended that the
south jetty has merely had the effect
Of forcing out the bar. and this express |
sion mas frequently come from suppos-
edly well-posted persons. But the bar |
is now in precisely the same position |
that it has always occupied. The en-
gineers at the mouth of the river make
frequent and careful surveys. and
their blue prints for 80 years past show
that the bar has not been forced out a
single foot. This fact is Of import
ance as demonstrating that channel |
must be cut through the bar, and that
relief cannot be looked for by forcing
the bar out to the ''jump-off' two and a
half miles beyond the outer end of the
present jetty.
It is not difficult to understand what
effect the extended south jetty will
have Everyone knows that the south
channel is the natural one, else there |
would not be the greatest depth on the
Astoria side of the river. One jetty |
will not contract the channel, but il |
will serve as guide for the water and
thus increase the depth To secure
the desired depth it may not be neces-
sary to build the jetty out to the edge
of the "jump-off'' which, by the way,
goes down at an angle of almost As de-
grees. The currents running along the
coast from the south have had the eff
feet of eounteracting the results that
would otherwise be obtained from the
outward flow of the river. Int an
extended jetty will serve as a barrier
to these currents and permit Of the
cutting Of channel.
The engineers have recommended
that the south jetty first be extended.
They appreciate that this lead may
bring 4O-foot depth, and that, even
if it should not do So full length
south jetty will be essential to the pro-
posed spur from the Washington shore,
the necessity for which will In due time
be determined. 1t is our belief that
an extended south jetty will be suffic-
lent. but in any event permanent depth
can centainly be secured with two jet
ties, The dredge may bring some
temporary relief, but we have little
faith in its utility. Deepening of the
river entrance rests with jetties, and
we are very much pleased with the
boards report. 1t is also gratifying
to know that the jetty is in shape for
the immediate resumption of operations
and that there viii be no delay other
than that necessary.
And now a concluding word to As
torans and Oragonians generally
Don't knock! We must have 40 feet
depth at the Heads and the recommen-
dations Of the board will, If approved,
secure it. Any effort to discredit these
recommendations will serve to retard
the progress of the work. Let us fol-
low the advice of one reasonable Port
lander--George Taylor Jr.-who per-
haps anwittingly scores the oregonian
when he says:
am very glad to see that the board
Of engineers has agreed on a scheme Of