The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1908-12-30
NOTHING DOING
ON SEATTLE DITCH
SENTIMENT HAS CHANGED RE-
GARDING THE NECESSITY FOR
BUILDING WASHINGTON LAKE
CANAL.
Special to the World.

Special to the World.
Seattle, Dec. 30.-A number of
the prominent citizens of Seattle are
putting in considerable time these
days writing long communications to
local newspapers telling the people
why the much talked-of Lake Wash
ington Canal should or should not be
dug Not since a celebrated state
campaign a number of years ago, In
which one Mr.. JAS Hamilton Lewis,
figured as a candidate for governor,
has there been so much talk about
the Seattle ditch" as one can find
these days in the local press. The
newspapers themselves do not seem
to manifest much interest in the mat
ter either way, the public does not
seem much concerned. but still those
who are in favor Of the canal and
those who are against it continue to
pour forth stirring appeals to the
taxpayer to line up one way or the
other.
There was a time in the history of
this thriving young city when it was
regarded as treason to say anything
against the Lake Washington canal,
just the same as it is an affront to
mention Mount Rainier to loyal cit
izen of Tacoma. Everybody was in
favor of digging the canal; just why
very few seemed to know. The aver
age person when asked why he ia
vored the canal, said it would furnish
a fresh water harbor where sea going
vessels could enter and lose their
barnacles. But a few old sea dogs
exploded that theory as being unwor-
thy of consideration; after that your
average citizen was more guarded
when asked to give his reason for
favoring the canal. The man, who
would have written to the local press
ten years ago that he was against the
canal wotld have been hanged in eff
figy in Pioneer place. Thousands of
columns have been devoted by the
local press to the virtues of the canal.
j. D. Farrell, Mr.. Harriman's man
in the west, threw a bomb into the
camp of the loyal supporters of the
canal recently by coming out in a
long article, which appeared in both
the leading newspapers of the city,
in which he declared that the canal
was foolish project; it would cost
the citizens of the county almost six
millions of dollars and would be of
no great benefit to them; Seattle, he
said, had all the dockage facilities
necessary to take care of her bust
ness for many years to come, and as
for factory sites on Lake Union and
Lake Washington, promised by the
canal enthusiasts, Mr.. Harriman's
representative said the tide flats
would take care of all the industries
that cared to make Seattle their
home. n addition, it was argued
that the Government has never given
it's Endorsement of the canal, and was
asking Seattle and King county to
put up the money; if the canal COM
pany should prove a good thing then
the government would take it and op-
crate it. These and many other
things about Seattle's favorite
scheme were said by Mr.. Farrell in
his communication to the press.
Since then, others have broken into
print for and against the canal.
In the meantime, Senator Piles
back in Washington, is supposed to
be doing something this winter for
the canal project, but press dis
patches from there do not indicate
that congress is going to give away
much money at this session for the
purpose of building canals out west.