Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1908-12-24
FOR CHEHALIS RIVER
$4,000 is ASKED FOR IMPROVE.
MENTS To M0NTESANO.
F1alor Chittenden Reports on Project
to Dredge out Channel to DeDth.
OF Six Feet at Low Tide, TO FaCiIi-
tate Vessels That Go to Monte.
SlnO.

w AcfllNb lON, Dec. Zl.-lne : re-
commended appropriation of $50
600 for the improvement of the Che
halls river up to Montesano contem-
plates the removal of 10000 cubic
yards of dredged material in order
to make channel six feet deep. The
report of Maj. Chittenden, the district
engineer, which has been sent to the
house of representatives with a ia
vorable Endorsement by the chief of
ens-Lcu.., IL as follows.
THE Chehalis river is the largest
tributary of Grays Harbor, and the
portion here considered is really a
tidal estuary or inlet of the harbor
itself. The average range of the tide
at MontesanO is feet, as compared
with la feet at Aberdeen. The OBJ
structions to navigation consist of a
series of shoals upon which the con-
trolling low water depth is feet.
Like Grays Harbor itself, the
commercial importance of the Che
halls river pertains almost exclusive
ly to the lumber industry. There are
several mills at Montesano and others
are projected there and farther down
"f"" - voa-~l6 load at Mon
tesanO, and it is desired by the local
interests they be given practically
the same facilities in this respect that
are enjoyed by the towns on Grays
Harbor.
Col. Lockwood, senior member of
the board of engineers on rivers and
harbors, wrote the following indorse-
ment on this report:
''The act of March 2, 1907, in the
item appropriating funds for the i'm
provement of Grays Harbor, inner
portion. and Chehalis river, directed
survey and estimate, with a view
to the Improvement of Chehalis river
up to Montesano by the removal of
bars. The within report OF the dis
trict officer on this subject contains
statement OF the commerce of the
locality which will be benefited by
the improvement contemplated by the
act, and an estimate of cost, amount
ing to $4,000, for dredging a chan
ne 8 set deep at mean low water up
TO MOntesano, in addition to which
certain dixie work will be required at
an estimated cost of $4,000, which
with suitable allowance for conting-
encies, makes the total cost of the i'm
provement approximately $4,000.
The district officer believes the i'm
provement of the stream to this eX-
tent is justified by the present and
prospective commerce to be benefited,
and in this opinion the division engi-
neer concurs, but believes that the
dredging, if authorized, should be
done by the hydraulic dredge now
under construction at Portland for
use on the Coast harbors of Oregon
and Washington"
The brief Endorsement of the chief
of engineers is as follows:
III COuueCllOu WIFI GTdyS ddTDOT,
inner portion, Chehalis river is at
present being improved under a pro-
ject which provides for securing a
depth Of Is feet at mean lower low
water up to the town of Cosmopolis
and removing snags and other OBJ
structions from the river above that
point.
The controlling low water depth
IN the river above Cosmopolis to Mon
tesano is four feet, and the local in
terests ask for an increase in this
o0-''1 +" st.: foet, which, it is believed
would permit the use of light-draft,
ocean-going vessels at favorable
tides. The necessary work is esti-
mated TO cost $4,000.
II concur in the opinion Of the
district officer. the division engineer,
and the board of engineers for rivers
and harbors that Chehalis river up
to Montesano is worthy of further
Improvement to the extent indi.
Gated"