The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1909-05-19
ENGINEER CURTIS RE-
PORT ON SLIDE
FULL TEXT or HIS FINDINGS
AND SUGGESTIONS IN THE
GRAVE MATTER.

{ TO the Honorable Chairman ant
: Committee on Streets and Publ,
Ways Of the City Of Astoria: In &C
cordance with request, have mad,
an Investigation and consultation witt
your City Engineer to determine IN,
cause of landslides in portion b
; Adair's Astoria and suggest generl
outline Of a plan for stopping them.
There appear 10 be two drainage
basins where trouble exists, these two
basins being separated at the lower
end by ridge which extends NORTH
TO Franklin Avenue in the neighbor,
hood Of Thirty.sixth Street The
water courses in both these basins
run IN a general direction from South
cast to Northwest, from points South
Of Irving Avenue In both these
basins the general conditions are
similar and | think the remedies
would be similar. 1t should be said,
however, that in the easterly one,
most Of the water from which comes
down, 3Sth Street conditions are not
nearly so bad as in the other, and the
occasion for radical changes does no.
seem very pressing.
The cause OF the trouble seems to
be twofold. First, the obstruction Of
natural drainage by grading OF lots
and streets without the substitution Of
adequate artificial drainage; second,
the seepage Of water confined BY ma.
tural obstruction much further up the
hill, which will be discussed in detail
further on.
Under the first heading it seems
evident that il the artificial drains pro
vided were ever sufficient for the
purpose intended, they are now so
badly out Of repair that they no
longer serve the original purpose.
The most effective remedy probably
consists of opening the natural water
courses, commencing at the river
front and digging trenches throughout
the entire length Of the main water
channels, These trenches should be
excavated down to some material i'm
pervious TO water or, if this is inn
practicable to some material which
will furnish stable and unyieldinC
foundation for suitable drains. Ii IS
also important that If closed drains
are constructed they should be large
enough 10 allow for inspection ami
cleaning from the inside and strong
enough to allow for inspection and
cleaning from the inside and strong |
enough 10 withstand reasonable pres
sure from the unstable ground above
| understand one difficulty in tho
way of this scheme would be the fact
that the two channels suggested could
not be constructed on streets but
would run diagonally across private
property, 1t will be exceedingly dif
icult however, to provide suitabla
drainage by following street lines.
In the first place, such system
!, c. on street lines would be partly in
excavation and partly on embark
nents. This is very likely to cause
freaks in drains of any material, on
account Of the difference in the solid
ty of the foundations.
In the second place, the square
urns at street corners are almost GER
ain to leak as soon as any deteriora. {
ion takes place in the drains
In the third place, any drains which a
10 not continuously follow the bot
ON Of the main water courses win
lmost certainly fail to catch some OF
he seepage water from the sides.
If some such scheme as above sug-
ested were carried out throughout
his portion of the sliding districts
North of Irving Avenue, | think there
'ould be little further trouble from
he 6rst of the causes mentioned,
1t remains to consider the second.
n even casual inspection discloses
lie fact that there are many springs
merging from the slopes OF the hill, \
lie sources of which are not at first
pparent A pretty thorough inves-
gation convinces ME that these are
rgely caused by the extensive
yamps lying from about 400 to 1000
ct South of Irving Avenue and from
10 to 400 feet above the river and
lown on the map submitted By the
lty Engineer with the report Of Sep
mber 2, 1902, ! do not believe the
des which are causing SO muen
ouble will be stopped till these
amps are thoroughly drained So
r as we have been able to ascertain
soundings within the limited time
command, the depth of these
amps is from 20 to rs feet.