The Legislators Who Came to See a Ditch—and Left Believers

The members of the legislature from east of the mountains who yesterday visited the scene of the proposed canal will wake up this morning with considerably more interest in and respect for that important commercial enterprise than they had before. Many of them confessed that they had been deluded into the belief that it was, if not exactly a "ditch," a mere scheme for the aggrandizement of a few men owning property along its route. They were shown one of the finest natural fresh water docks in the world, which only needs a mere span of earth removed to insure a perfect waterway from a landlocked harbor to the Sound. They saw that nature had apparently devised the scheme herself, and that the money required is not so much to "dig a ditch" as to construct the locks necessary on account of the difference—a most valuable factor in a canal proposition between the lake level and the tide level.

During the morning Seattle's guests rested after the festivities of the night before or listened to one or other of the city's eminent divines. By 12 o'clock between eighty and ninety of the visitors arrived at the depot of the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern railway, where they were met by President O. Graves, of the Chamber of Commerce; by President J. S. Kloeber, of the house of delegates, who apologized for the absence of Mayor Ronald and did the honors for the city government; Hon. John Leary, Judge Burke, Jacob Furth, D. E. Durie, E. F. Wittier, Dr. A. P. Mitten, A. B. Stewart, Henry Fuhrman, Judge Humes, Judge Osborn, Lee J. Pitner, W. E. Boone, Andrew F. Burleigh, Angus Mackintosh, H. W. Wheeler, D. A. MacKenzie, and many others. In all there were about 200 boarded the cars for a trip to the canal site and the lakes.

A few minutes' ride brought the train to the line of the Smith's Cove route, and Clarence Hanford there distributed lithographed maps on hand cards showing in outline the city and surroundings, with the survey lines of the alternate routes marked in red. They were highly appreciated and greatly assisted in a ready comprehension of the subject. The party then went on to Smith's Cove, and were shown the natural outlet from Lake Union to the Sound, through which a swift and affluent current was running. It was shown that here it was proposed to widen the natural bed to eighty feet and deepen it to twenty-six, a distance of 6,700 feet between deep water and Lake Union, with an outer lock at the mouth.

Mr. Furth and Judge Burke explained the details to the more interested members of the party, among whom may be named Representative Ludden, of Spokane, who remarked that he had been one of the most persistent advocates of the canal because of the beneficent results it would bring to Eastern Washington, but who had never visited the spot before.

Returning to the train, a second stoppage was made at the Lake Union entrance to the lower canal. There lay Lake Union, a sheet of water covering 908 acres with a depth of twenty-five to sixty feet, and whose shores are already lined with mills and factories. Boarding the cars again, the next halting place was on the site of the proposed university of the state of Washington. Maj. J. R. Hayden, one of the regents, was called upon, but he delegated the task of explanation to Representative Edmond S. Meany, who made a brief address, telling the audience that here on a campus covering 190 acres, in a healthy location, amidst delightful scenery, and between two lakes available for aquatic exercises, the site and building commission and the regents hoped to see erected a university which should be the shining light among educational institutions of the Northwest. He reminded them of the pride every man in Michigan took in the splendid university of that grand state, and appealed to members of the legislature to lend a hand in endowing the state of Washington with a similar advantage.

The short trip thence to Yesler station was then made, and a few minutes' ride brought the party to the steamers. On the steamer C. C. Calkins were placed the ladies, members of the legislature and reception committee. On the Katherine were conveyed the other guests and citizens. On both a dainty lunch was served, accompanied in plenty by a sufficient variety of liquid refreshments. The day was superb; the threatening sky of the morning cleared up, and Lake Washington put on one of its most enchanting aspects. Those who saw the magnificent sheet of water for the first time, with its picturesque shores and its sparkling waters, were delighted. Hon. Steve Judson, the Democratic warhorse of Pierce county, related his austerity and admitted, "It isn't so bad."

The steamers passed the mouth of the portage and the committee pointed out how, by widening that attempt of the people of Seattle to cut a canal for themselves, the finest harbor in the country would be opened up to the largest ships afloat. The cut between Lake Washington and Lake Union will be nearly 2,600 feet long; and it is proposed to make it eighty feet wide and twenty-six feet deep. The members asked innumerable questions, but they found it hard to believe that the lake is not only over nineteen miles long and from two to three miles wide, or about fifty square miles in area, but has a depth ranging from twenty-five feet to 300 feet, with a known depth in places of 600 feet. They were told that the cost of the whole enterprise, for a single track lock, with composite masonry, was estimated by the government engineers at $1,527,000; but that they recommended, as most economical, the long run, a double track canal to cost ... Mr. Furth also explained how great the saving would be in handling freight because the wharves have to be renewed every three years on account of the destructive teredo, whereas, in the lake, the piles would be radically everlasting; also that the great variance in the tides, about fourteen feet, made it expensive to ships alongside the outside wharves which would be entirely obviated by the steady level of the lake.

While the gentlemen were listening to the descriptions on the deck the ladies enjoyed much in the cabin, and afterward sat in the stern and sang hymns, led by Dr. J. S. Kloeber, Edmond Meany and Mr. and Mrs. W. P. McElwain.

Representative Mead, of the judiciary committee, became deeply interested and remarked that the information acquired that day by the Eastern Washington people could not fail to impress them with the fact that Seattle had a substantial ground for her pertinacity.

Somebody remarked to Senator Cameron, of Walla Walla, that there would not be enough business to justify the expense of putting up buildings for warehouses. "As to that," he replied, "I heard the same thing said in San Francisco. I was there when there were only a few adobe houses. I have since stood on Montgomery street, which was then the tide line, and have seen dug up the timbers of boats left to rot on the shore. The shore is now three quarters of a mile further out and that depth over a mile and a half long is covered with whole blocks of warehouses. When the Palace hotel was built it was considered a folly, because it was so far from the heart of the city, now the postoffice is half a mile further inland, so as to be nearer the center."

In reply to further questions of ultramontane members, it was explained that the eastern part of the state now produces about 20,000,000 bushels of grain every year, and has a productional capacity of nearly 100,000,000 bushels, much of which should reach foreign markets by the cheapest hauling and handling so as to give a profit to the farmer. The question was also asked why Seattle considered that the Federal government should build it; and the reply was made that the canal, to give the best results to the entire state, ought to be free of toll.

Some very thoughtful questions were asked, demonstrating an earnest interest in the subject.

It was about 2 o'clock when the steamer arrived at Madison street wharf and the visitors landed. After a quarter of an hour viewing the scenery of the lake, Dr. A. P. Mitten, president of the Madison street cable line, placed a number of cars at the disposal of the committee, and the visitors were quickly brought back to the business district.

In the afternoon and evening those who were accompanied by their wives were invited to partake of private hospitality, and the lobbies of the hotels each formed a public reception room.

The visit has been greatly appreciated by the guests of the city, who were unsparing of their praise of Seattle and the welcome they had received. The main body will return to Olympia at 6:15 this morning, but several intend to remain until the 1 o'clock boat.