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About The Daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883 | View Entire Issue (March 13, 1881)
f) 3i Vol. xiv. Astoria, Oregon, Sunday Morning, March 13, 1881. 2sTo. 61 mkt JNM'JI'ji'lJ VJ Jr JW Jv Jl' Jll' I !' The Propose! Harbor or Kcfngc. Letter from tin superintendent of the United SUtes const ami .. . o-eodetic survey, transmitting, in reponse to a resolution oi tne -natc of January 2S, lSSl,a copy of the report of A. F. Kodgers, of the ooast and geodtc survey, on the proposed hnrW of refuge for the Pacific coast. February 2, 3 SSI. Ordered to lie tn tne table and be printed. Unmtko Statks Coast and Gkodktic Sukvkv Oi'kick. "Wash ington, Feb. 1, 1SS1. Sik: By the direction of the secretary of the treasury, 1 have the honor to transmit herewith, in compliance with the following resolution of the senate: In the Sknatk ok tiii: Uxitbh Statks, Jan. 26, 18S1. - Unsolved, That the secretary of the treasury In directed to furnish tins Mjnate with a copy of the report of A. F. Kedgurs, of the coast and geodetic survey, on the proposed harbor f refuge fr the Pacific coast. Attest: .loin C. Rurch, Secretary. A copy of the report named in , that resolution, together with it-i accompanying sketch. Very re spectfully (I P. Patterson, Super intendent. Hon. William A. Wheeler, president of the senate. In i ted Stales Coast mill rilcUrSurcj. San Fi:.vxcisco,Jan. 10.1S80. Sik: I have the honor to acknowl edge the receipt of a circular let ter, addressed to myself and othei officers of the coast and geodetic survey, by the recorder of the board of engiueers for the Pacific coast, requesting an expression of opinion regarding the location of the proposed harbor of refuge on the Pacific coast, south of the straits of Fuca. 1 have the honor to submit to the board the following conclusions at which 1 have arrived, after care ful consideration of the several Questions involved, amonjr which mav name as most preminent: First. The geographic forma tion of the coast relative to natur al harbors. Second. The meteorology of the section of coast to which the inquiry of the board of engineers is directed; and Third. The routes of commerce now existing, and the future proba-1 bility of change J will only bi icily mention that! well knowngeographic fouture of j change, I have ! he honor to call the Pacific coast which perhaps the attention of the board of engi more than any other consideration neers to the accompanying trac seems to suggest the necessity ofjing, the shore line of which is a harbor of refuge, viz., that be-j copied from tlie charts of the coast twcen the straits of Fuca and the j and geodetic survey. Tpon this entrance to tin' Bay of Snn Fran- j tracing I have endeavored to show cisco there is not a single harbor i graphically by co-ordinates of de of safe access to a vessel in distress j parture and destination the pres duriiiir the southerly gales of ent rontes of commerce, data for winter. The distance named which had been carefully uoflaU-d covers nearly 11 deg. of latitude.: from the daily press rejKuts for the Within that distance we find jvear Ibb-TU. numerous summer anchorages, I For the sake o( perspicuity 1 most of them accessible to vessels I have divided this coast line, as of all classes when tlie winds bk:w j shown upon the tracing, into two irom the northwest, the north, the j apjroximateiy equal sections. Tlie northeast, or the east, but trisafc j northern one 1 iefer to as the straits for anchorage of any class when , of Fuca sectien: the southern one the winds are from the southeast, ; as the-San Francisco section, the south, or the southwest. The i It is well known that the ooast-first-named directions of the wind j ing trade north of San Francisco refer to a climatic period of about makes San Francisco bay the" ob fie months duration, commencing I jective point of arrival and de in June and ending in October; parture on each successive trip; the latter to a period of seven that all coasting vessels to the months, commencing in November straits of Fuca leave from San and ending in May. Nature has Francisco bay and return in thus provided half "of a irood bar-(regular trips; and that the same is bor at several points on the coast; between San Francisco bay and the straits of Fuca; among these 1 name only those which have at tracted most public attention as suitable for the proposed harbor of lefuge, viz., cape Gregory, at the entrance to Coos bay; Port Orford. Crescent city, ami Trinidad. It is here important to note that the asserted claims iu favor oi cape Gregory are based upon a fact exceptional to all others, in its af fording by natural formation partial protection, from the smith ward, while it is open to the north west winds. Referring briefly to the meteoro logy of the coast, as bearing upon the question of a harbor of refuge, it will be sufficient to say that the two climatic periods already inci dentally referred to are radically distinguished from each other; that one commencing in June and ending in October being marked by an equal barometic pressure and absence of rainfall; by north west winds usually strong during the days and light at nights, and wltcu tlie direction clmmres to the iKNlhwitrd tin- force would usually be epresed by the term "light mrs. mis period, ukmjsth exempt. n..w. - j- , . 4 from storms, is marked ly the pie valence of heavy fogs, which may, jerhaps, be justly considered a source of trreat danger to the mnner than all other natural cause combined. During thir season for whistles are in much greater tfemajid than liarbor of refuse, unless in case of unforseen emergency. Tlie other climatic eriod, com mencing in November and ending in May, is characterized by a vary ing atmospheric pressure; by copi ous rainfall, increasing in quantity toward tin4 norUtern portion of tlc section of tiie coast under con sideration, alternating in fair weather and light variable winds, and strong gales from the south cast and northwest; these gales are accompanied by rainy, thick weather, but are usually preceded fioin twenty-four to forty-eight hours by a licavy ground swell I setting in irom tne east warn. When this swell commences ves sels at anchor in the northwest harbors, or those safe irom Mav to October, are obliged to get under way and stand out to sea, where, with a good offing from the coast, they must wait the breaking of the rale. Vessels are thus liable to be caught at any stage of the pro cess of loading or unloading, and are often forced to go to sea un prepared. It i during this period of seven months that a harbor of refuge would be of service to the coast fleet, and occasionally to deep-sea vessels in the foreign trade. It must be further remarked that all the winds cf the Pacific ctaist region under discussion blow at such an angle with the general coast line that any seaworthy vessel, with a fair offing, can work off or a way from the land. This fact, viz., that except to a vessel locallv 1 embayed, the coast is never a lee shore, while diminishing the ne- cessitv of numerous harbors of refuge, gives to disabled or dis- itiessed vessels many more chances of utilizing such general harbor of refuge as may be located with reference to the most active routes of commerce. Bearing upon the question of the existing routes oi commerce, and the probability of future true of the coast trade to the Co lumbia rivei and to Coos buy, and to all other points on the north coast between San Francisco and the straits of Fuca, and that there is no intermediate trade between these several ports. It follows, then, as a necessary conse quence, that vessels bound to the most northern port on the en trance to the straits spend half their sea time in each section as deline ated on the accompanying tracing, and that the portion of the sea time spent in the San Francisco section iucreases proportionately as the northern poil of destination is south of the straits and nearer to San Francisco bay. This appear, conclusive if so lauch of the coast ing trade as sails north of the San Francisco section, as shown in the tracing, and the statistics upon which its graphical illustration are based, show a large preponderance of numbers confined to the San Francisco or southern section. Of the future it seems sale to say that w must "find many vessels then where we find one now, ani that, therefore, even if contarative ; changes do occur as to the volume of trade at particular ports, no such change can take place as will impair tlie usefulness of a harbor' of refuge so located to-day as to . best meet the requirements of the; greatest number of vessels. I f doubts suggest themselves as j to futuie development and growth i of this great western empire. stretchiiiij from Arixona to Alaska, i they must be resolved if we ic ntembcr that the present develop ment of California not more than equals the ajje of one generation I .!.... 7l. -f.l ... ol men; tltat tlie area of the state of California equals that of New Vork and Pennsylvania and all of New England "combined; that it is to-day peopled by less than one million souls. 1 n closing an area of one hundred and twenty millions of acres, only four millions are as yet under cultivation. Admitting anything adverse opinion may sug gest, these main facts require no argument to re-enforce them. San Francisco lwiy is situated in the center of the sea-board of this Treat reirion, aboundinic in mineral and agricultural wealth, without the possibility of a commercial rival within distances which reach to San Diego on the south and the Columbia river on the north. Within these distances of 500 miles on either side San Francisco ba' offers the only possible en trance and secure liarbor to vessels of all classes during all weather. I forbear to pursue further this topic. The considerations I have named seem to me ample to sug gest the conclusion to which I have already adverted. As a general principle referable to the Pacific coast, it may be as serted that any harbor of refuge located with regard to the interest and security of any port or fleet should be placed tb the northward of that port or fleet, for the rea son that the so-called storm winds are always from the southward, while the return of fair weather is marked by northwest and north erly winds, in other words, the storm-bound vessel or fleet sliould be able to run leeward for safety, and in case of a severe gale or in a disabled condition no other course would be practicable. I call your attention to this fact, and to one special to the present condition of the coast commerce of the Pacific between San Francisco and the straits of Fuca, viz., that the coast it is: fleet of these two sections is (tiviueo ootn iy distance ; and character. The San Francisco! section reaches its maximum north- em point of development at Hum- boldt bay. while tlie straits section makes its sotiiliern maximum at Coos bay or cape Gregory The distance ld'l mites, between Hum-1 Iwmtt ami Loos bays is a coin pant- j walls in such lorni that it would lively uiidevloel legion. A j le difficult for x storm-beaten vp harbo'r of refuse within this area sel to enter in a southerly nle: would lie of use to the San Fran - Cisco section, nut prxcucairy use- less to the straits section, if the assumption is true that a harbor of refuge sjiould Ik north and to lee ward, during southerly gales, of the fleet to be benefitted by it. I. am forced to the conclusion that if a liarbor of refuge is needed on the Pacific coast that vessels of the Sun Francisco section and the traits section are so widely divid ed in distance and in their char acter, their routes when in the same section so difierent, that it would be imjM)ssible to so locate a harbor common to both as to be of common benefit. On the contrary, a harbur so located would be re sorted to for refuge only by such passing vessels as might, by fortui tous circumstances, need its pro tection at the time of passing dur ing storms. Vessels from the San Francisco section could not run to leeward the 400 or 500 miles necessary to reach a refuge best located for the requirements of the north fleet, and if located with reference to the requirements of the south fleet all of the sail ves - sels of the northern fleet caught in a gaie oi wiuu nunu oi ine uaroor would be obliged to keep the sea as they do now, without regard to emergencies. In this view 1 sug gest that a harbor of refuge for the Sim Francisco section should be located at some point in the northern portion of that section, and for reasons which I think will be apparent fr6m further consider- ation. A harbor so located will best subserve the present interests ami the present development of the coastiuir commerce of the Pacific. Tf further development should render a second harbor of refuge nec&mtry north of San Francisco bay and near the straits of Fuca. I think it slmdd be north of the straits and ujkmi tle shores of Vancouver island. I am aware tliat such a location would involve international questions beyond the scope of present discussion. 1 make this assertion only as illustra- live of the general principle of the necessity of locating liaroors oi refuge to the leeward, during southerly gales, of tlie fleet to be benefited. I'.f Before proceeding to discuss the different locations proposed for a harbor of reluge, it may be projier to remark specially upon the first and greatest requisite in such a harbor in natural features. The first requirement is unquestionably in general safety of (approach from seaward, not in the approach from one direction only, but in all di rections as referred to tlie adjacent coast; for it must be remembered that the greatest risks of the mariner commence when he ap proaches the land with his vessel; risk often arising from mistaken reckonings; from mistaken laud falls; from fogs; from rainy thick weather; and from dark nights. That the greatest number of wrecks occur not froiy stress of weather in open ocean, but in ap proaching and leaving even the best natural harbors. "We need iro no further than the trade of the Pacific and San Francisco harbor records to see this illustrated. This question then of safety of general approach must be consid ered the first and greatest requis ite m a harbor of refuge. 1 he comparative fitness or unfitness of any immediate locality in natural formation, however important, is subsidiary to that of general ap proach, as being much more with in the control of the engineer. Turning to the several localities prominently mentioned as suitable sites for the proposed harbor ol refuge, I take Cape Urvsory As the most northern, and to this, whatever the claim in its favor, the obstacles to its usefulness seem to me almost insuperable; the reef of rocks upon which a breakwater would be naturally based closes to the southward; harbor lines suggested by the nat ural formation must be so close to the beach that the anchorage irround would be of very limited area, and tins area so close to the embouchure of Kars bay as to be a probable receptacle and sottlinir reservoir for the minor portion of the sediment discharged from that bay on each ebb tide. National ! formation at cape Gregory would enforce the projection' of harbor' ' difficult to make a nfe deimrture! witn norinwe-u winus, which usallv on the Pacific const mark the change from foul to fair weathei. 1 think that cape Greg ory, as a general harbor of refuge, has no good claim to consideration. Tori OrrurU Is one of the best and most com modious summer roadsteads on the Pacific coast; its geographical lo cation is approximately half way from San Francisco to the straits Fuca, on the dividing line between the San Francisco bay and straits of Fuca sections, as referred to herein and shown, on the accom panying tracing. Port Orford. as a site for a great commercial har bor to supplement the natural de fiicienees of the Pacific ciaist in respect to harbors, would be geo- graphibady perfect, but as" a harbor of refuge, where the storm-strained vessel may seek an anchorage in all weather, it has objectionable features In dangerous outlying reefs flanking its approach from the north and south; Orford reef and Blanco reef on the Horth, and ,that of Rogue river on the south, ! would be practical "dead-falls" to tlie manner, it ne snouiu oe torcea to seek a harbor t tefuge at port Orford during the fogs which prevail in summer, or in the thick, weather accoin- panyinjr . winter southcrly sales of on the Pacific coast. The next roadstead south of port Orford is crrreHt citj. f The approaches to this from the north are cut off by a dangerous reef. Saint George reef is inem- orabie in the annals of the Pacific est as the site of the "wreck of tlie steamer Bi other Jonathan, in volving the loss of many lives, among them that of Gen. George Wright and other officers of the army. A harbor based on natural facilities at Crescent city would be very contracted in area, involving an anchorage shallow and rocky. It has no just claim to the location of a general harbor of refuge. Coming south from Crescent city, the next roadstead is that known as Trhiiilnil Bay. As Trinidad appears on the chart. its geographical location as re ferred to the distance separating San Francisco bay and the straits of Fuca, it seems too far south, but referred to the magnitude of the coasting trade, as exhibited graphically upon the accompany ing tracing to which 1 again beg to call your attention it will be found by and comparison with any of the other localities under dis cussion the most adaptable to the use and objects of a harbor of refuge. It is immediately north of one of the most populous cen ters of industry and trade on the coast, that of Humboldt bay. The statistics upon which the accom panying graphical sketch are based show that GO per cent, of the whole number of vessels trading- north of ban Francisco conhnc their trips iu puns suiilii ui iiiiiiuuu, JlllUj consequently during southerly gales this GO per cent, of the total c , i i i i i nuiuoui vtuum ue in wit; ucsl pus sible condition to avail itself of a harbor of refuge at Trinidad. In addition to this GO per cent, which we find never sails north of Trini dad, we have the complemental 40 per cent, passing up and down the coast in regular trips, and as Trini dad is one-third of the distance north from Han Francisco bay to the straits, Throw In:; .Ithlr the Advantage of Columbia IMver And- Kars bay in favor of San Francisco section, we may credit one-third of the sea time of this complimental 40 per cent, to an area south of Trinidad, making a total To per cent, of the coasting fleet which in any given day during a winter gale would be able to make a lee behind a breakwater at Trinidad," as compared with a run ning 27 per cent, too far north to make it available; but when we consider this '27 per ceut. in num bers consist in lame vessels which habitually go off shore, and are better manned and equipped and prepared to weather out heavy gales at sea, tbere would appear to be no present apparent necessity for seeking a location Jor the pro jmwm harbor of refune even a single mile to the northward of Jrinidad, unless it could be shown that there was some relative im- nortance m the trade to Lrescent city and port Orford; but, in fact, this is so inconsiderable as to be not worth considering. Nautically aud commercially considered. Trini dad bay is in location the most eligibly situated of any of the half harbors on the Pacific coast for the requirements of a general har bor of refuge, and if it were avail able to-day it would certainly be of the greatest use to the greatest present number of vessels in the coast fleet, and for reasons .1 have already suggested if useful to day, its usefulness in the future cannot be impaired by future changes, for whatever these may be they must tend towards gen eral development of volume in every locality, though special branches of trade may cease; though relative rates of progress mav change, and the relative im portance of minor localities may tbe different from the present. Briefly to recapitulate the con clusions at which I have arrived I have the honor, Colonel, through vou, to submit to the board of engineers my general conclusions in favor of I nnidad bay as being the most suitable location for a harbor of refuge on the Pacific coast south of the straits of Fuca. I have endeavored to avoid the discussion of special local details, in which I could not have added to the information of the boagd, and have confined myself to a gen eral argument and comparison of the different localities proposed for a harbor of refuge. I inclose herewith the tracings before referred to, based upon statistical data, graphically con densed into co-ordinates Of depart ure and destination, showing the number of coasting vessels and the comparative volume of trade in different localities upon tlie Pa cific coast north of San Francisco I have the honor to be, very respectfully, Aug. F. Rodgers, As- sistant, Coast and Geodetic Survey. Lieut. Col. C. is. Stewart, United States Engineer.. President Hoard of Enjii-i iiivrs. Pacific Coat. BUSINESS CARDS. f Q- A. BOWLI5Y. ATTORNEY ChenanuLs Street. - AT LAW. ASTOKIA. OREGON 1 XV. Fl'LTOX. ATTORNEY AT LAW, ASTOKIA - - - OltKGON OAkv over Ia;;e & Allen's :tf e, ( treet T AV. HOltlt. ATTORNEY AT LAW, ASTOKIA .... OKEGON Office over Warren & EatonN Astoria 5Iar ket. oppoMte the Occident Hotel. yt v. iioi,ik:v.i NOTARY PUBLIC, AtTTIOXKKK, COMMISSION. AND IN-rfk-SUKANCK AGENT. A. VAN DUSEN. NOTARY PUBLIC. Chenuiuus Street, near Occident Hote?, ASTOKIA. OKEGON. Agent "'ells, Fargo & Co. IT P. hicks. TF'T'IcVr astokia, - - - '- OKEGONi. ., . . ,r977r Kooiils In Aliens Imildmj: up stairs, coruc oiuass aim sa.emot-o.ne streets. PHYSICIAN AND SCKGEON. Graduate University of Virginia. 1M8. 'hysician to Bay View hospital, Baltimore City, tStaj-Tu. Okkick In Page & Allen's building, up .staus. Astoria. JAY TL'TTIjE. 31. I. PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON. Ofkick Over the WMle House Store, Kksiiikxck Next door to Mrs. Munsoals hoHnlin? house. Chennnius street. Astoriy Oregon. T C. OKCIIAKU. t J 4SV DENTIST, Dental Itooms. SlirSTKK's Photograph Ihiihliii; T A. .HcIXTOSH. MERCHANT TAILOR, Opulent Uotl IHrihlin, ASTORIA .-- OREGON Q II. BaTx & CO.. riKAI.KK IN Iooi-m. Windows. Blinds, Tru souis. Iiiimbpr. Etc All kind-, of Oak I.mtiler. Chtss. Uont Ma terml. ete. Steam Mill near 'AYMon hotel. Cor. Gen eviteaml Astor streel-.. 1 G. FAlllFOWL & SON, STEVEDORES AND RIGGERS ffffi Portland and Astoria, Oregon. Itefer by HHrini-Mun to Koger. Meyors Co Allen ,V Loww.Corbitt&Madeay, Portland. Oregon. VH- rilliEXIIAKT. Oqcldent Hotel Hair Dressing Suloon ASTOKIA - OKECON. Hot, Cold, shower. steam and sulphur BATHS. taj-Sneeia! attention given toladies'ani children".-, hair eiittiiig. Private Kntnuiee fw Ladies. WILUAIH FKY PRACTICAL root xxn siiei: MAKKK. CiiRVAMi's stkrkt. o)osite Ariler's Boole Ntore. - astokia, Okkcon. EST" Perfect MLs guaranteed AH work warranted. Olve me a trial. All orders promptly ttlied. J. T. B0RCHERS, CON COM LY STREET. ASTOxlIA. Manufacturer and Packer of CAVIAR, SMOKED SALMON. CjiIi paid for fre:li BLACK STUBGEON SPAWN. Smoked Sturgeon, and Mnoked Salmon put up in tins to ship to :ui part of tin' world. ANo, trout bait (.-aliinn cs) put up in cans and warranted to keep anv length of tim?.. Depot at Kot;ers Central Market, comer Cuxsand Chehaums streets. Astoria. ToSight. To-Nightm CftAND BALL, AT MUSIC HALL, THIS E VEX ING. JE2. -SL. CTTIITIXr. dealer in F.OUEV jroc:i:iuks. SAILS. MILL FEEI AMI UA Cash paid for country produce. SmaX profits on cash sales. Astoria, Oregon, cor-' ner of Main and Squeiuocuhe streets. OPILES. The undersigned is prepared to famisk a lance number of Spiles and Spars at hl place on short notice, at reasonable rates. Apply to C. (i. CAPLES, Columbia City &X Ti. Ja?p"Nr-