The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-02-09

They say. 'Tn this vicinity thoro
prospecting should be done % dc.
termine tho depth and character Of
the glacial Frayels."
They say: Shafts. each four by
six feet. should be sunk 10 test the
amount OF Heepage." Tho shafts
should DO sunk TO bedrock before
the dam II begun"
Pudding Expensive
This was not done,
They continued The probable
tiles almost amount 20 n certainty
that there will DO n large ioss from
tho lake by seepago," They sug.
geated II might bo necessary 20
slnk q curtain wall OF concrete 20
bedrock, wherever that might be
found. along tho whole length Of
the north bank.
Pudding. thoy sahi, would be
"abnormally expensive" Bedrock
had not been found when tho new
council began tho dam.
Aside from hearing other ad.
verso reports. tho matter stood still
until In 1919 the now council took
II up.
In 1911. shortly before Mr.. Thorn.
son left office. | asked him IN open
conference on this subject 20 name
a consulting engineer. lie named
a very eminent one. Mr.. Freeman
However. later tho council. with
the approval OF Mayor Dilling. en-
ploycd board OF three engineers
did not select them. for | was
not on the committee which did 10.
But | examined tho credentials OF
all tho applicants before ! voted for
tho choice OF the committee.
Experts Employed
Their report OF 20 pages was
made In two months. Their fee
was $1,000.
The main questions asked them
were. whether the rocky spur was
suitable for a dam, land. ~ NOT,
WHAT LOCATION SHOULD BE
sELEcTEoT" and was there dan.
ger OF scepage thru the north
bank"
~ my instance. they were also
asked 10 submit 90 tho council their
Judgment upon anything concern
Ing the entire lighting. power and
water project"
Thoy answered that the rocks ai
Camp would hold a concrete dam.
They suggested that IN view of
certain seepaFo. u would DO well
TO consider a dam site AZ tho place
mentioned near tho crib dam.
They Haid information sRAa not
Sufficient and the risk was too
great 10 warrant then building a
dam much below the crib dam.
They warned again and again aS
30 the north bank.
They say: I'VE are led 10 be-.
iievo that not less than $4,000 20
|55.o 600 acre feet 90 storage would
be lost per annum. depending on
the actual stage ~ water maintain.
ed IN the reservoir"
These figures mean waste Of
nearly 5000. 900. 900 cubic feet per
year.
Advice Not Needed
They went on. "a loss Of such
an amount means 30 per cent de-
piotion OF the power possibilities.
and NO conceive IL 10 be entirely
possible that tho scepage iosses
may be greater than above eati.
mated We regard the matter OF
such vital importance In any event
that IN our opinion no definite
work should be done In the way OF
actual construction until this mat.
ter has been satisfactorily solved
by actual tests"
What they finally said HOW
TtE COUNCIL MAJORITY, YIN.
DER Mr.. ERicksoN's URGING.
|"cHuckEDs THIS REPORT IN.
TO THE WASTE BASKET AND
TOOK THE GAMBLERS CHANCE
how tho dam has been finished
for more than a year and will not
hold wnter-how the council. after
spending the money. r. now hiring
three experts 90 tell what ought 20
be done-~how this dan, rnuddie and
puddle will cost US. Including inter
eat on ali tho money now spent.
nearly three million dollars, | viii
set forth in my next letter.
AUSTIN T.. GRIFFTTfis.