FIND OUT WHEN, WHO, WHAT/WHY*
Short Version
1861-1917 (56 years) Begun by Harvey Pike; completed by Hiram Chittenden; Commerce (aka Greed).
Long Version
- 1861 Harvey Pike obtains deed to 200' wide strip for a canal crossing. Goal is to transport coal from Newcastle to Puget Sound.
- 1871 Pike deeds property to Lake Washington Canal Company. Petitions Congress for title to submerged lands that might be reclaimed if canal is built.
- 1871 Army Corps of Engineers evaluates canal potential for fresh water storage of Naval Ships in Lake Washington but doesn't act.
- 1883 David Denny, Thomas Burke, F.H. Whitworth, H.B. Bagley, C.C. Phinney form Lake Washington Improvement Company to dig the Montlake Cut to transport logs but they abandon job.
- 1883-85 Lake Washington Improvement Company hires Wa Chong and 25 Chinese laborers. They excavate .2 miles south of current Cut.
- 1903 Army Corps of Engineers decides demands of commerce don't justify the expense.
- 1903 Break in earth dam at outlet of Lake Union allows saltwater to infiltrate the Lake and threaten fresh water. Lake Union drains down to within a foot or two of high water in Puget Sound.
- 1906 Congress authorizes James Moore to build Canal. Moore was a contractor for the Denny Regrade. He asks King County for $.5 million.
- 1907 State Supreme Court rules against the legality of issuing Bonds for this purpose.
- 1907 Moore assigns rights to Lake Washington Canal Company.
- 1907 Major Hiram Chittenden gets Congressional appropriation for land survey to study an alternate route that would take the canal through UW.
- 1907 Ballard millmen organize to halt construction.
- 1909 Washington State Legislature appropriates $250,000.
- 1910 King County votes bond issue of $740,000; Congress authorizes the remaining in Federal money.
- 1911 Chittenden oversees groundbreaking and construction. 4,000,000 cubic yards of dirt are dredged from the Ship Canal. 230,000 yards of concrete are poured to form the Locks.
- 1916 The Locks and Montlake Cut are completed, Between August 25 and October 21, the overall Lake drops by 8'9". 2506 acres of land are "reclaimed".
- 1917 Ships first pass from Puget Sound through Lake Union to Lake Washington. Grand opening celebrations are held on July 4.
- 1917 Hiram Chittenden dies October 9.
