Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1907-02-04

lar advantage to the people Of the coun-
ty.' Our greatest need today is for har.
Dor improvements, and if you can make
any suggestions or assist us in any way
to secure them you will have done some.
thing for thirty thousand people which
they have been unable to do for them.
selves"
The railroad lobby has probably been
no small factor in getting our apppropria-
tioa OF 1887 600 through committee. AS
matter OF fact it has been hard pull
on the part Of many on the harhor and
elsewhere, as well IS, some unknown
here elsewhere. in case the appropriation
is finally passed as it probably will be by
congress.
Major Abbott's recommendation to
bond the county was largely diplomacy
to spur the locality to greater efforts, as
we'll as to nag our delegation in congress
to strenuous efforts to help get the ap-
preparation we wanted, as he knew that
the delegation would not care to put a
whole county to the extremity OF bond
ing because Of its delegations impotency
to get an appropriation to improve our
waterway; at the same time il it had
bonded, its $6OO,00O would come in very
opportune. rs it will probably be some
time before the jettys are completed.
a IN
also make interesting and, at any rate,
true history. The appropriation probably
about to be gotten Of 1887 900 would
doubtless have been obtained. or a por.
ton OF II, between 1900 and 1904, except
that the diversion OF that OF ISL, 900 to
remove Cow Point in 1900 TO point near
HoQuiam. probably stopped any other
money being gotten for the harbor until
it was expended, which wasn't, it is be.
lieved. until l9o4-about four years. In
the meantime, desiring favor from Alb.
erdeen about the time Of the great fire,
which was within it's power.to grant. and
being refused, Major Abbott concluded
as he had not advocated asking for an
appropriation from 1900 to 1904 and none
was obtained, because of the $50, 900 be-
ing hung up, to let this community try
to get an appropriation single handed.
How we'll it succeeded 10 shown by the
Bowes letter. Why should it get it now
any more than then?
In the fall of 1903 a special board of
engineers was ordered to report on the
advisability OF making further improve.
ments on Grays Harbor. Its finding was
as follows: appropriations have al
ready been made to the limit of cost
heretofore authorized by congress. The
demands for the further improvement of
the bar channel are very urgent and are
fully warranted by the commerce Of
Grays Harbor and the towns situated on
it," The government. concluding to ex-
pertinent by dredging the Columbia river
bar, in 1904, reconvened the above men.
toned special board Of engineers, and its
report rendered January %, 1904, is as
follows: "1n view of the great cost in.
volved in the proposed jetty project and
the possibilities OF dredging operations
now in progress on the Columbia river
bar, demonstrating the PRACTICABLE OF
obtaining the desired results at Grays
Harbor at a much reduced cost, the
board cannot recommend as desirable
that the United States should undertake
at the present time the further improve
ment OF Grays Harbor."
Says General Mackenzie, Chief OF En-
gineers, U. S. A.: "In this conclusion l
concur" This was his approval.
After receiving the Bowes letter in
1905. Major Abbott's effort, in 1906.
after returning to Washington, D. c.,
from the South, was to try and get the
above decision revoked, and 90 an appro.
priation was reported favorably for about
$1S7, 900 for the harbor in 1906, and it
would doubtless have gone through, but
no rivers and harbors bill passed that
session. The correspondence to get the
" SOt dbIuC tuo ucCl6lOu, Ill
1904, not to further improve our harbor
would make this statement, already
lengthy, too cumbersome for any local
paper, and therefore will not be given to
the public.
Thus, owing to an unfortunate COM
bination Of circu instances locally, no ap.
preparation was obtained for about six
years for the outer bar. Had it been
known that any one locally was trying
to divert the $50, 900 from Cow Point it
could have been prevented, early in
1900, and other appropriations would
have been obtained before
1904. There are other interesting facts
connected with the last six wears OF the
history Of our waterway, but it is i'm
practicable to give them here.