The Canal That Never Was: How Island Residents Tried to Cut Through the Sound
In 1892, residents of Vashon and Maury Islands held a rally to propose digging a canal through the portage between their islands, aiming to shorten travel times to Seattle and Tacoma.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
To Cut a Channel Between Maury and Vashon Islands.
The people of Vashon celebrated a sensation in a novel and interesting manner by organizing themselves into a company for the purpose of cutting a canal between the two large islands of the Sound. It is not necessary to say that anyone examining a topographical map will see that the distance between Seattle and Tacoma across the sound exceeds all other routes, while the route between these cities along Quartermaster Channel, thence by portage between Vashon and Maury Islands, thence in turn to Alki Point, is much shorter. The project has proved to all concerned that he who cuts away half of every traveler's time is sure to have the public favor, and the rapier lucrum will induce more active commerce for the quickest line and the pleasantest trip.
Mr. L. F. Cook has the option of the shortest route by building a half-way stop at the portage, making the entire canal a beautiful place for suburban muckers [amateurs] of either place. Estimates have been made and plans drawn for a fast boat carrying passengers, making the trip from Seattle to Chautauqua in an hour.
Mr. Cook met the islanders at the German school house, and having made M. F. Hatch chairman and J. McClintock secretary, proceeded to put on the backboard by Prof. Pierce of the university. They voted: 1. To build a canal through the portage between Maury and Vashon islands of sufficient capacity to carry craft drawing 12 feet of water at all times, and width of the canal to be not less than 50 feet. 2. To place a craft on the waters between Seattle and Tacoma to pass through the portage said craft to have a capacity for carrying at least 200 passengers. 3. To establish a mill or enterprise within Quartermaster or Tramp harbor to employ not less than 100 men daily. 4. Ninety days are asked to execute the preliminary work of this proposition; at which time all pledges should be null and void, except by mutual consent of parties concerned. 5. Construction to commence on or before June 1, 1892, and boats as described above to pass through the portage and to be in operation on or before January 1, 1893.
It was agreed that boat rates should never be over 5 cents each way from the island to Seattle or Tacoma. Three hundred and fifty acres and a long piece of water front were subscribed to the enterprise.
This 1892 proposal to dig a canal through Vashon Island is a fascinating glimpse into early infrastructure ambitions that never materialized. Today, the 'portage' is largely gone, replaced by highways and ferries, but the desire for faster connections between the islands and Seattle remains a central theme in Puget Sound transportation debates.
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