The Canal That Would Reshape Seattle

Captain W. W. Symons, of the United States Army Engineer Corps, arrived in the city yesterday morning and will remain until Tuesday, during which time he will consult with the Seattle and Lake Washington Waterway Company regarding the building of the south canal. He talked with the Post-Intelligencer yesterday concerning his view of its ultimate completion. Like all enterprises of this magnitude, there are formalities and difficulties to be met and overcome, but no serious obstacles will be met in connection with the company from an engineering standpoint. He believes the whole work will be accomplished within four years after the money is available. After the formalities are gone through, the money will be available in accordance with arrangements made by Mr. Semple and Mr. Hale while in St. Louis. As soon as possible the work of excavating the tide flats and the building of the locks will be commenced. Dredging companies have been notified so that the work can begin in the shortest possible time and employment be furnished for a large number of people. A large party from St. Louis, with engineers sent to look after the proposition, is expected the latter part of this month. The tide land commission has employed E. L. Bogue, formerly chief engineer of the Union Pacific and Northern Pacific railroads, to go to the principal cities in the East and study the question of platting the tide lands so as to arrive at the best solution for dividing the lands in the interest of navigation and commerce generally. In addition to excavating channels through the tide flats for the canal, it will be necessary to build a lock to overcome the difference in level between Lake Washington and the Sound. The method proposed for dredging the tide flats is the same as that now employed at Olympia—hydraulic dredging and the transfer of materials by water carriages and pipes. The outlook remains favorable.