Drafting the Future of the Duwamish
Prominent citizens and engineers gathered at the Chamber of Commerce to debate the future of Seattle's tide flats, laying the groundwork for the modern industrial harbor.
The story, cleaned up
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Suggestions as to the plan of waterways to be laid out in Seattle harbor by the board of state land commissioners were made at a meeting of citizens at the Chamber of Commerce. The plan, in brief, was to establish one main waterway in the channel of the Duwamish river, with three parallel waterways to the east and two to the west to facilitate commerce. Andrew Knox argued that such a plan would make Seattle's harbor the best on the coast, allowing railroads to reach the water and accommodate large ships. Others, like Captain H. M. Newhall and J. K. Pratt of the coast and geodetic survey, suggested the plan was too modest, noting that Seattle should plan for a city of millions, eventually expanding into Lakes Union and Washington. The meeting ultimately resolved to ask the state board to move forward with the waterway plan, including additional sites like Smith Cove.
“As the present work was to be for all time, a city of millions of inhabitants should be provided for.”
The 1894 debates over how to dredge and shape the Duwamish River reflect the same civic tension seen today regarding how to balance industrial infrastructure with city growth and environmental stewardship.
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