ffl
m&t giailtj slxxmu
ASTOKIA OREGON
ISSUED EVERY MORNING-,
t Monday Excepted),
jidoywJt, Building, Cass Street.
Terms of Subscription :
srod by Carrier, nor Treai; .25 Gent.
Bent by mail, iour months s; qo
Soot Iiy mail, cno yoar..... y Oy
free of Puingo tc Subscribers.
tiisr Advertisements msortod by th year at
iiio rate of SI M iut t(unrc per montlu
TrAi'ieiitadvortiins:, by tho day or week,
fifty conr per snuara for oach insertion.
the" city!
ISf-Thc Kmly Astoriax will he xent by
wulal 75 n titx a mnnth. frc nf pxiayc. Heart
r who amtcmvloicaUtumccfrom the citfl can
hare Tint Atokian follow litvm. Daita
or Wkkkly etlitiunx In anu pl-ofivc ivilh
tntf Oiirtilfrtnai expense. Addrcxxcx mat he
cruintial ax afbxi ax dcslretL Leave ordorx at
the couutina rwm.
Fresh California butter just re
ceived and for sale by J. Strauss.
Mr. E. C. Holden auctioneer ad
vertises his regular sale at 2 p. m. io-
Any.
- .
Best Salem flour is -sold in this
city at -$5 50 per barrel iy Warren it
IcGuire. . ,.-.
, t
The Prince Amadeo has complet
ed her cargo of wheat, -she has on
board 8S,4J9 bushels, valued1 ;at
0l3500. :
AVarrtut- fe MeGuire have the
carly rse potatoes for seed. Farmers,
please remember this.
The wind m Astoria on Thurs
day morning was but a quiet zephyr
when compared with it up the Colum
bia and Willamette rivers.
i - v
Onion sets, sugar corn and garden
seeds, ax, J. W. Gearharts. Also, best
Salem flour sold at 5 50 per barrel.
We understand that Mrs. Eliza
Kinney of Salem, will eooii buihi on
die lot in Union house 'block, which
he has lately bought of Mr. Job Ross.
Services at Presbyterian hall.
Sabbath morning and evening, will be
conducted by the pastor Hev'E. N.
Condit. ATcordial invitation extend
ed to all. Sabbath school it 12
o'clock.
We learn from the Oregon 'Daily
Statesman that Mr. G. W. Gray has
'been elected mayor of Salem by the
common council to fill vacancy occa
sioned by the resignation of Professor
Tiros. Gatch.
The British ship Centennial came
down from Portland yesterday in tow
of the Ordway, Reed pilot, and is now
laying at the Oregon Steam Navigation
companys upper docfc, receiving bal
ance of cargo from barge alongside.
,
- -Hill's theater has been enlarged
xnd refitted, and the now private boxes
will be opened to-night for the first
time. The new drop curtain and
scenery executed by Mr! W. West is
' an artistic piece of workmanship.
Rev. J. T. Wolfe will discourse
in the Congregational church to
morrow morning on "Man's life a
Plan of God," and in tho evening on
"Christian Faith." Sabbath school,
Judge Dowlby superintendent, will
assemble immediately after the morn
ing sermon.
In consequence of the fact that
Mr. Carl Adler must go below, in
about fifteen days, and must have
money, he has marked his goods down
and is selling at reduced rates to
make room for now goods. Persons
in want of Blank Books, .StationerjT,
Brackets, frames, toys, baby-carriages,
or anything in his line, are invited -to
cull around.
The attention of our readers is
directed to the advertisement of E. C.
Holden in another column, announc
ing a special sale of valuable furniture
"for account of whom it znay concern,"
on Tuesday next '11th, inst., at half
past ten a. si. Parties furnhhinjj
private residences or boarding houses
preparatory to the opening of the
titthing season will do well to avail
themselves of this opportunity of buy
dug good furniture at auction prices.
Ileal Estate Sale.
.Mr.'E. C. Holden, real estate agent,
..yesterday effected the sale of a valu
able lot, belonging to Job Ross, esq.,
situated in the heart of the-city.
The'CoIumbia Eircr Bar.
Its aistory During tue Prcscnl Cpntury-
Report of 5'ajor Gillespie.
United Stxtks Enginkkr Office. .
Portland, Ogn.. December 18, 1S7S. J
General: I have the honor to for
ward herewith nvy report on the sur
vey of the bar at the mouth of the
Columbia river, Oregon, made in com
pliance with the requirements of the
river and harbor act approved June
13, 187S.
This survey was intrusted to the
charge if my predecessors, Maj- J.
M. Wi.son, corps of engineers, and
was conducted in person by Lieut. A.
H. Payson, corps of engineers, who
was by a telegraphic order from the
chief of engineers, dated August 15.
1S78, temporarily detached from the
orders of Lieut. Col. C. S. Stewart,
corps of engineers, at San Francisco,
and assigned to this district for that
purpose.
On relieving Mstjor Wilson, in com
pliance with special orders" Ko. 103,
paragraph 3 current series, headquar
ters of the army, adjutant-general's
office, the duty of submitting plans
and estimates fr the permanent im
provement of -ike bar developed upon
me. The able and comprehensive re
port of Lieutenant Payson for the sur
vey of the mouth and bar of the Co
lumbia river, to which is appended a
supplementary report on the current
observations, taken in both north and
south channels and inside of the river's
mouth, gives a summary of the chang
es winch have occurred since the sur
vey of 1809 by the United States
coast survey, and enables one to form
a very clear conception of the condi
tion of the river's mouth and bar at
the present time, and to judge approxi
mately of the forces at won; there
tending to disturb the relations be
tween the two channels through the
outer bar, to modify their depths and
directions, and to distort the form and
positions of the inner-lying shoals.
The entrance to the river's mouth
from the sea is virtually G miles
wide, extending from Cape Han
cock', or Disappointment, on the north
shore to point Adams on the south.
The whole area comprised between
these points, however, is not available
for navigation; from the former, a
shoal makes out to the southwest,
forming what, is called the north
breakers, or Peacock spit; and from
the latter, a shoal toward the north
west, forming Clatsop spit; between
these two shoals, and lying somewhat
inside of them is a consistently-shifting
Sand island, which is at the pres
ent time nearly 1.V miles in length bv
1,000 to 1,200 feet in width. From
the western end of this island the
submerged bank known as the mid
dle sands extends within the 3-fodt,
curve in a direction a little south or
west for nearly four miles, and thence
runs south for an equal distance
parallel to and overlapping Clatsop
spit. Thcgridle or submerged sands
in front of the river's mouth is crossed
by two channels leading into the
river; one. passing north of the middle
sands, and called the north channel;
and the other passing south of the
middle sands, and called the south
channel.
These channels unite east of -the
eastern end of Sand island. The
north channel is wide, deep and
straight 4u its outer part, and has 23
feet at low water on the bar, but on
the inside, near its union with the
south channel, there is a bad shoal
about half a mile wide,' with only IS
to 17 feet of water upon it. The south
channel, though shoaler and more
tortuous than the former in its outer
reach, is yet the one principally used
by shipping at the present time. This
preference is due in part to the pro
tection and cover given to its entrance
by the middle sands, and to its being
the more direct and convenient route
for vessels making the harbor from the
south. It has at mean low water a depth
or2U teet on the bar, though the tides
sometiniesceduce this depth by 1 or 2
feet, and a-ininimuin width between
the 18-foot curves of about three
fourths of a nautical mile. Durin"
ordinary weather, then, the bar can be
conveniently crossed at mean low
water by vessels drawing not to
exceed 20 feet, a depth which is rare
ly exceeded by the shipping of the
port.
The outer harbor, however, is nar-
ticularly sensitive to high winds and
their consequent seas, and there are
times when sailing-vessels are detained
in port or at sea for several weeks
waiting fur the sea to grow sufficiently
calm on the bar to enable them
to cross. Steam-vessels are not
so much embarrassed by this
state of affairs, and their detention i3
seldom protracted beyond oneor two
days. From early autumn to sprin",
shipping has its most trying experien
ces in entering or leaving the harbor.
During this period strong southerly
winds prevail all the time, and the
waves break heavily upon the coast,
almost normal to the line connecting
cape Hanaoekwith Point Adams.
In 'Connection with the survey, I
have had prepared and submit with
this report an outline tracing of tho
harbor, showing in differently colored
lines the shore-lines of the capes and
of the mid channel shoals, so as to
present at a glance the chances which
J have occurred since the survtv ofdG9
by the United States survey. These
changes, which are noted in detail in
the report of Lieutenant Payson, are
brought out clearly on an examination
of the tracing, and one. cannot fail to
be impressed with the conviction that a
new channel is preparing to be opened
accross the Middle Sands a short dis
tance west of the western extremitv
of Sand island. The depression in
the sands, which indicates the direct
tion of the prospective new channel,
has already been used for some time
by vessels -during favorable winds and
tides, both for entering and for passing
from thenorth channel into the south
channel, and the precipitous slope on
the seaward side and the very dimin
ished distance across the sands between
the 18-foot curves are strong indica
tions of an enry dee'ine of the old
channels and the inauguration of a
new, deep, and direct channel midway
between them.
The bad shoal at the inner end of
the north channel almost completely
closes that channel for deep-draught
vessles, except under the most favor
able conditions of wind and tide. The
shoaling of the south channel and con
tractions of its outer part by the south
ward extension and eastward advance
of the middle sands, while not materi
ally interfering with its present effici
ency, still draws our attention to the
accumulating strength of the sand
girdle at this point, and invites us to
look elsewhere for a point of weakness
already developed or developing un-
er the demands ot the river tor anl
outlet for its own water, supplement
ed by the action of the waves and
tides of the sea. "Even if this new
channel is opened the benefits "accru
ing therefrom will, it is thought, re
main unimpaired only for a short pe
rion ot time, for the bar is of pure
sand which continually shifts under
prevailing winds and seas, advancing
m one direction, throwing wavelets of
sand into the open channels, reducing
their depth, at the same time reeedin"
and diminishing in depth in another
direction.
Such is the condition of tho harbor
at the present time, and if we review
its history from the beginning of the
century, when the first examination
was made, we shall find the same
forces at work, operating in the same
way and repeating the same cyclical
changes. Here I desire to express
my acknowledgments to Prof. George
Davidson of the United States coast
survey, for valuable information he
has gathered on this subject.
The earliest reliable survey of the
entrance to the river was made in 1790
undenthe orders of Admiral Vancouver
of the English navy. At that time
but one channel existed; it was six
miles long from the outer 5-fathom
curve to a long line joining Point
Adams and the cape; was located on
the north side of the entrance, li miles
south of Cape Disappointment; wis
li miles wide, and had not less than
4 fathoms of water. Chinook -'Spit
stretched nearly straight for about a
mile east of the cape of Chinook
point. In the space inclosed by the
three lines joining Cape Disappoint
ment, Point Adams, and Chinook
Point, 5 fathoms was the least found,
and the deepest water after crossing
the bar was under the north shore
eastward of Chinook Point.
BRITISH ADMIRALTY SURVEY IX 1839.
The next examination was made by
Sir Edward Belcher in 1839. The
Sand island of to-day, and its com
panion, the middle sands, bare at low
water, with its covering of snags and
trees, is mentioned for the first time.
It was lh miles long, covering about
4 square miles, and lay within the area
said to have given 5 fathoms water in
1792. Deep water was found at its
eastern end. Two channels were
formed by the w'aters of the river
passing on either side of the obstruct
ions, the north channel affording the
best water. This latter channel was
separated from Baker's Bay by a
middle ground. Chinook spit, as con
nected with Chinook Point, did not
exist. Tho western part of Clatsop
spit had been cut away to a distance
of 3 miles, and a channel opened along
Clatsop beach end South shore, and
the north breakers had advanced lh
miles to the southward .nearly across
the channel of '1792.
At the time of the survey of the
United States exploring expedition of
1841 but one channel accruss the bar
existed. The accretions to Clatsop
spit on the west side had practically
closed the south channel of 1839. The
north channel had changed but lit
tle, had G feet more water than the
south channel, and retained within
the cape its former shape and tlirec
tion. The shape and position of the
middle sands were nearly the same,
but the east end had been .moved
nearly half a mile to the northwest,
while the west end remained unchang-1
ed.
The Unitefl States Coast -survey
made its first examination in 1S50.
Again there were two channels. Clat
sop spit, which in 18U stretched the
6 miles westward of Point Adams, had
been cut through midway between the
point and its western extremity by a
wide channel with 17 to 18 feet of
water running south by west from
Sand Island, or at right angles with
the corresponding channel of 1S4L.
Thenorth channel had changed but
littlfc. ruid b:id still over a tathom
more'.water tthan .tho south channel.
It had moved to the southward, its
southern part cutting away over a
mile of tie west end of South sands
oflS41. Inside the cape it had re
tained its direction of 1841,but had con
tracted somewhat. The middle sands had
very much changed, but the northern
part was similar to that of previous
surveys. The eastern part had moved
north-north west three-quarters of a
niile since 1841. Sand Island had much
increased in size, and had apparent! v
moved with it. The western end of
the great middle shoal eastward of
Point Adams had been out away three
quarters of a mile, and Clatsop spit
had made from Point Adams m north
westerly direction for -over a mile.
The second examination by the
coast survey was made in 1852. The
following changes since 1S50 were no ne
ticed: The new south channel had
been fully cut out and the bar had
moved three-quarters of a mile east
ward, with a wider entrance and
three feet more water. The ISorth
channel was contracted to half its
width at the bar with its northern line
in the line of 1850. The depth was re
duced, but there was still over one
fathom more water than on the south
bar. The channel was not so straight
as an 1850; and a south channel had
formed southward of the cape across
the north breakers. Chinook spit had
commenced to re-form. The middle
sands had increased in size, and Sand
Island had moved to the west-northwest
over a quarter of a mile, giving
8 fathoms of water where the beacon
of 1850 stood.
Compared with the surveys of 1S39
and 1841, we find that one part of
Sand Island retained the same posi
tion, but that position, one mile in ex
tent, stretching east by south half
south had been completely cut away
and was crossed by the south channel.
Clatsop spit had changed its shape and
extended westward. The western end
of middle-shoal east of Point Adams
had not changed. The course in over
the bar, through the south channel,
was straight for over G miles, until
abreast of Point Adam, and then fid
lowed that of 1839. Ko re-survey
was made until 18GS, but it is known
that early in 1S57 the west end of the
middle sands had -swung around to
the southward so aEto throw the south
channel within less than a mile of the
beach south of Point Adams, and in
October of that year that the south
channel had completely closed, while
the north channel had remained wide
and straight.
The third examination by the coa3t
srrrvey wa3 made in 18G8, and ex
tended from the 15-fathom curve out
side the bar the "Three Trees" point,
off Woody Island, in the Columbia
river, a distance of about 23 miles.
The following changes were devel devel
oped: The south channel had re
opened with a fathom more water than
in the north channel; the new chan
nel was over 2 miles between the south
point of the middle sands and the
southwest side of Clatsop spit, and had
over 4 fathoms in it. TOie north chan
nel was narrower, but held pretty
much the same position as in 1857,
and had Sh fathoms of water. The
north breakers extended 2$ miles
south-southwest from Cape Disap
pointment; 1? miles of this distance
had less than 32 feet of water, and for
five-eighths of a mile they were dry at
low water. Sand island was found to
.have separated into two .parts, each
three-fourths of a mile in length; the
eastern-most part lying east-northeast
and west-southwest, and the -westernmost
part north-northeast and south
southwest. At low water both parts
were joined, and the whole formed a
bare spit 2 miles long. From the west
end of this sand spit the great middle
sands extended first southwest 2 miles,
with an average width of five-eighths
of a mile, and then south-southeast 2
miles, the south point:bearing south
by east nearly 5 miles from Cape Dis
appointment, and southwest by west
4 miles from northern extremity of
Point Adams. Clatsop spit extended
west one-fourth north from Point
Adams to a distance of 2 miles, and
was composed of several spits bare at
low water; the spit was 2k miles wide
in a northeast and southwest direction
at a distance of 1- miles ifroin Point
Adams; from its northwest point to
the east end of the middle sands is ex
actly one mile between the 3-fnthom
curves; this is the narrowest part of
the south channel.
Chinook spit ran 5i miles west half
north from Chinook point; the ex
treme end of the shoal was about half
a mile east three-fourth.s south from
Cape Disappointment; at this point
the north channel was barely 400
yards wide between 3-fathoin curves.
Midway between Chinook point and
(Jape Disappointment; tho shoal was
bare for 2$ miles at low ;vater, form-j
mg an island lying in verv much the
same position as Sand island. Three
distinct channe's were noticed after
passing Sand island, all of which 'imite
at Tongue point only to break again
with divergent branches in crossing
the shoal areas immediately at tho
entrance to-the river; the north chan
nel hugs the north shore closely for
about 7 miles, and then breakes across
the great middle bank direct to Tongue
point; the -south channel skirts the j
couth shore for a distuice
of 7 miles
to Tanzy. -point,' thence across the
mouth of Young's bay, close to Smith's
Jpoint, .and after passing, Astoria turns
I .i , m . , .1 ...i'l
nortneast to xongue point; tne miaa."
channel occupies a line midway be
tween the two former channels, and
runs with slight curvature straight te
Tongue point.
During all these changes, exhibited
by the several surveys since 1792 it
will be observed that the north chan
nel has maintained itself better than
the south channel (the latter being
closed in -1792, from 1841 to 1850, and
from 1S57 to 1868), and is less subject
to change either in depth or direction,
owing to the firm and enduring char
acter of the north shore-line. Tho
outer harbor to-day is very much in
the same condition it was in the early
part of 1857, just before the south
channel was closed by the union of the
westward and southward extensions of
the middle sands with the beach south
west of Point Adams, with this differ
ence, that the spine of the middle
sands, midway between their western
extremity and Sand Island, has been
much reduced in height, leading 113 to
anticipate that the waters of the river
will again cut through these shoals, aa
was aone in ioou, though m a more
northerly direction, or more in the
direct extension of the inner reach of
the south channel, and closely approxi
mating to the direction assumed by the
single entrance noticed in 1S41.
With these facts before me, I am of
the opinion at the present time that
my improvement designed to be of a
permanent nature should be applied in
the north channel. 5n the event that
the new channel across the middle
sands is, contrary to my expectations,
not opened at a.i early day, it is be
lieved that the proper improvements
for the north channel, in ..connection
with an -easy and navigable channel to
be subsequently made through the
interior grand iniddle banks to the
'Three Trees" point, will consist of a
training-wall rising only--a few feet
above low water, starting at the outer
end of Point Adams, and running
norch by west (skirting the east sidcof
Clatsop spit at the inuer end), so as to
direct the ebb toward the north chan
nel at the point where the shoal now
exists east of Sand island. This wall
may extend li miles to hard bottom
at the 4-fathom curve; but its dimen
sions, exact direction, and cost, even
if such an improvement should be ad
judged proper and advisable, I cannot
now give by reason of the limited time
I have had for studying the question.
The artificial means necessary and
fitting to be constructed. W.riiaintain a
permanent channel across thenar can
only be determined uponaftea pn
longed and careful study, of .-the con-
ditions which affect the. qhaKicter of
the haibor. A hasty docisiolirn im
perfect data is liable to do nj.te harm
than good, and-an injury otbe done
require in its cesrectionsa vipfcer out
lay of money thsm is obtaijM8sle, not
to speatt oi me enioarassmenw wuicn
commerce might have ta snfier in 'the
meanwhile, imd which cannot be esti
mated in'ddllars andcentshe reason
cau8esme, then, to ask pfuiTssion to
defer any reeommendatiousqoking to
a permanent improvement (accom
panied by plans and .eGtBiaftftes) until
such time as I shall have been enabled
to study the problem more carefully
and become more familiar with the
wants of the .commerce which seeks
this port, d would recommend, how
ever, an appropriation of 5.000 to
provide for a limited survey and a
continuous dbservation oic the cur
rents.
It is not believed that dredging on
the bar will be of any value. The
season ofsevere storms covere.a,period
of six months, and the .material of the
bar is so light and shifting that we
may anticipate that a channel dredged
during a short period of calm would,
be filled up during the first succeeding
storm. Thosplace is so exposed, too,
that the times ut which a dredge could
work would be rare and of very limited
extent, and any dredging ho done
would not increase the confidence of
theipilots. The only 'remedial meas
ure, it seems tome, is to ascertain the.
best means of securing the full effect
of the ebb through some elected chan
nel, and then let nature undisturbedly
work out its own course.
Lieutenant Payson deserves great
credit for the energy and .judgment
displayed in the discharge of the work
assigned to him, and for the -seal and
devotion with which he labored against
the difficulties constantly -attending
him in the prosecution of the-srirvey-
T am, general, very respectfully,
.your obedient-servant,
G. L. GrLLTSPiR,
Major of-lSiigrneerB, BrevatXleutenant-Colo-.
nel.l.&A.
The .dniEF of Engineers U. S. A-
XOTICE.
"The closing out sale of Ladies Under
wear and Embroidery,, on Chenainus
street, next to Dements drug store, will
only be open until Tuesday, the 11th '
St. Now goods opened for this week
which will be sold at loy prices.
iRespectfuily, Maurice H.Btack.
important to-thc ImiIIhh of Astoria.
Mrs. A. Ginder, in David lngalls'buiid-.
ingT corner of Cass and. Jefferson streets-
i tikes pleasure in informing the ladies'
of Astoria and vicinity that she has just
j opened a well selected stock of Cadlee.
goods, to which sheiiivitcs-iht' a.ttentioiu
epurchasers.
Lodging House Persons requiring
rfurnished or unfurnished rooms c;ui hoi
accommodated at reasonable rites iO
Mrs. Munson-'s Gheuaxnus sWstaria.
V
- 1- H.t -
...
iv
s
m
Z$idtiPf522&X