The War on the Wharf-Eating Teredo
After five years of experimentation, a Seattle developer discovers that creosoted piles are the only way to save the city's waterfront from the voracious wood-boring mollusk.
Five years ago last May, Mr. James Colman built a small plant as an experiment and creosoted 200 piles. With these, he constructed a wharf out from his property at the foot of Marion street. No attention was paid to them until a few days ago, when one of the piles was pulled up and found to be in a perfect state of preservation. It was cut to the core and found to be entirely free from the ravages of the teredo. Mr. Colman has resolved to carefully remove all of the creosoted piles and use them in constructing a wharf which he intends building out into deeper water. Although the plant erected cost Mr. Colman $5,000, and the experiment was a rather costly one, it clearly demonstrated that a creosoted pile will successfully resist the terrible teredo.
“Although the plant erected cost Mr. Colman $5,000, and the experiment was a rather costly one, it clearly demonstrated that a creosoted pile will successfully resist the terrible teredo.”
The 'teredo' (shipworm) was the bane of early Seattle's maritime infrastructure, much as modern saltwater intrusion and decaying aging piers challenge today's waterfront redevelopment. Colman's expensive experiment was a foundational step in the engineering required to sustain Seattle's port-based economy.
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