The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-05-23

congress provided money TO make a
survey q tho proposed canal route.
II the United States engineer In
Washington. II. c.. says the word.
tho survey viii be made. Col. c.
l.. sturdeyant q. s. engineer for the
Seattle district. acting under inHiruc-
lions from the head offices In Wash.
lnEton. is making a preliminary re-
port on the project
The proposed canal route is from
Tumwaier. a mile from Olympia. TO
Black lake. down Black river TO the
Chshalls river. from tho Chchaiis
river 60 the North river a few miles
below Montesano: down the North
river 60 Wiliapa harbor and across
the narrow neck OF land at the
southern end OF willapa hsrbor to
tho Columbia river. just inside the
bar. =
Tho experts who have gone over
tho route say ~ would require con.
siderable dredging TO make II naviga.
bic as a lock canal. and there IL one
hill atou, III fee; IN height just out
% Olympia that would have TO be
cut thru for "A aca.levcl canal
Grays Hsrbor. Too
Gray~ HRrbor people want the ca.
nal built directly down the Che
halls river from the Black river 10
Grays harbor. making the distance
by water from Olympia TO tho har.
Dor just Sc miles. The present water
route around Cape Flattery iR 900
miles. This. too. Is included under
tho proposed government survey. II
tho canal IL built IL will shorten the
distance from Seattle TO Portland. TO
Grays Harbor. thru one of the rich.
est mineral and agricultural belts in
Western Washington. by ?so miles
This. the hackers OF tho scheme de.
clare. viii give cheap transportation
half way down the Pacific coast. and
help promote development OF West.
ern Washington resources.
The cost OF the project has not
even been estimated by engineers.
but IL is declared TO be feasible by
some OF the greatest transportation
and water route experts in the
Northwest
Marvin Chase. state hydraulic en-.
gineer, and the states chief expert
In charge OF the survey OF the 81.
900 900 irrigation project in Eastern
Washington. declares the Puget
Sound Columbia river canal presents
no engineering difficulties that can.
not be easily solved
ut may look visionary 20 many
people, but II is good 10 keep this
canal In mind. IL can be done. 1t
might bo without n survey. but IL
looks like one of the things that VIII
take place on this coast some day
BY all means. IL should be given
careful study and n thoro survey
IT'S worth it," That's the decision
Of Hydraulic Engineer Chase
George +. Cotterill. chief engineer
for the state highway board. is en-.
Perhaps II lis going too far just
at this time to declare the canal
would greatly benefit ocean traffic. Z"
Enthusiastically for the project.
he asserted. ut looks probable. but
we are certain of the great good IL
would do by providing cheap barge
transportation. The difficulties are
few. The route follows the natural
channels. I believe II can be done
without spending too much money.
BY all means It should be surveyed
and investigated.
Need Cheap Trnusport
THE time Is coming when we
must look for cheaper transporta-
ton. It's becoming more and more
"A necessity. on the Eastern coast
net work of canals permits ship
mcnts To go by inside passage from
New England 10 Newport News
Plans are now being made TO extend
the canals thru TO the gulf 1t will
be done some day, too. II this Olym.
pia-Grays Harbor. or Columbia river
canal. is built. 1t viii permit vessels
10 go from Alaska to the Columbia
without passing out TO the ocean.
The benefits would be greater than
we can estimate"
The first record OF the proposed
canal route Is found In the state de.
partment records in Washington. -.
G. II was recommended to Jeffer-
son Davis when he was secretary of
state In President Folks cabinet
Farmers. mill -nen. lumber men,
prospectors and busiuegs mon of the