The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-04-28

WINE no htofak" uaIn s"n y" bu"'
a. Gorge creek. on the sksEit. the re-
port submitted for the councils con
alteration today by Special Engi.
neers u. G. Heney. Of Portland. and
q. n. linden. Of spokane. declares
that q low diversion dam nj that
point IN feasible.
Their report was given 20 the ooun'
Ell by City Engineer Dimock. who
wants the city Ia rush an appropris'
ton, 80 that work can b. begun at
once.
No estimate OF the cost In made by
the special engineers.
This In the most important
point" declared Councilman Eriek'
son. 1T IL not whether n dam esn
be built at any site. but whether nj
reasonable coat"
Originally Il was estimated that
the firrt unit of the skagit develop
ment would cost $500. ooo.
whether this win be possible. now
that n storage dam at Gorge creek In
Impossible. has not been asoertaincd.
The letter from Engineer Dlmock
follows;
II beg 20 transmit herewith copies
OF a report on the Skagit river pro
,ect by ID. &. Kenny, consulting
engineer OF the reclamation service.
and by &. n. Uhden OF Spokane.
formerly chief engineer Of tho
washington water Power company.
The point 10 which ! desire 10
call particular attention is that both
u these engineers agree with me
that a perfectly safe and stable dam
can be built IN the vicinity OF Gorge
creek. 81. ~. o'shauKbnessy. city
engineer OF Han Ffsnoisco. also. ~
. recent letter says:
81 note your proposed treatment
Of the problem has low dam which
acts as n diversion weir. ana your
request as % my opinion ~ 10 its
feasibility. have no doubt what
ever but tina, such a structure can
well be built and viii divert ~ low
stage periods nv much as ~ per
cent Of the flox Of the stream
Thru selsd Kork
.Ail OF tho other features Of this
development are absolutely safe and
secure. tn. tunnel will be built
thru solid rock. The power house
will be built on solid rock. There
IL no difficulty whztsvsr about
transmission. We can r~f; as-uerd.
therefore. that the entire project
Va absolutely sound.
There ID urgent need OF the de.
veiopment Of this power AT the
earliest possible moment. especially
In view of the fact tina, " may be
necessary 90 take over the street
car load In few YEAR,. II will
require tho remainder Of this year
10 complete tho road. build q saw.
mill and . construction power plant.
No work whatever can be done on
the dam. tunnel or power house un.
ui this preliminary work 10 com.
pleted.
During this summer and fail
plans may be prepared and con
tracts let 70 that upon the compls.
,son Of the preliminary work the
construction Of the plan, i,rsif may
b. Immediately begun. Bonds have
been soid and the nancy for this
work IL asaiiable. therefore rec
ommend tina, the construction Of
this road be begun at once Delay
an starting the read now means .
years delay in the construction Of
the plant
Csualsing EneiseesS' Rspsst
Following is the report Of Messrs.
Kenny and linden 20 City Engineer
Dimock:
lat your request we have visit.
ed various dam sites on the Skaxit
river and studied the results OF 'sss
pit work ana borings near Gorge
creek.
.--Expiora,ion work 10 not yet
complete. but In sufficiently ad.
vanced TO justify the opinion that q
diversion dam 20 or 80 feet hish
can be built with entire safety At
almost any point along the river.
The gravel which ovsriiss bedrock
TO a depth of 100 or more feet IL
mixed with eobbies and bouiders.
some OF which are OF very large
sixe. These ties, plts and borinss
indicate that the volds IN this mass
are well filled with sand. as nigh,
be expected IN ihe bed Of n sand.
carrying stream. and that pcrcois
ton thru this mass will be very
slow.
3---Th~ dam mos, suitable for such
foundation will probably be of the
hollow or solid concrete type. with
long overflow crest. extensive aprons
up and down stream and large
siuioe gates.
P~vvieD<s Exist. Tswy Say
Many precedcn's OF this type OF
construction on gsrvei exist. The
necessary width for overflow crest
and space for tunnel intake can be
obtained at several points. The
further Investigations In this imme-
date locality need not be extended
up stream beyond two miles from
Gorge creek. above which the river
grade for some distance becomes
too fiat for profitable extension OF
tunnel. carrying water from dam 20
powerhouse.
1.-The possibility exists that bed.
rock may be found At shallow depth
across the canyon at Deviis Elbow.
two miles below Gorge creek and
within one half mile Of the power.
house. A dam at this point. In or.
der TO create approximately the
same power head az q low diver.
-. ts,o 4, ty.~ ,,l.i~ts.. - x,x-.