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United States Engineer Office Portland, Oregon, Dec. 17, 1887.
The Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army Washington, D.C.
Sir: I have the honor to submit the following report as to the present status of Yaquina Harbor, and as to whether the harbor improvements have been completed, and warranted the establishment of a light there. Yaquina Bay affords ample harbor accommodation; but at present vessels of deep draught cannot enter, as there is only about 12 feet depth of water over the bar, in the deepest channel, at low-water. The average range of tide is about 7 feet. There is little or nothing in the way of local resources to build up a commerce of any extent; but as an outlet to an important railroad, the harbor is rapidly growing in importance. Its future growth will depend much upon the improvement of the entrance to the harbor, and also upon the extension of the railroad to a connection with a trans continental line. At present, almost the only vessels entering and leaving the port are the passenger steamers running from Yaquina City to San Francisco. A jetty nearly 3,000 feet long has been constructed by the government, on the south side of the entrance. The results thus
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far obtained by this work are: the partial straightening of the channel, and the reducing of the limits of its movements; and the deepening of the water from about 8 feet to about 12 feet at low water. The project for the improvement contemplates extending the south jetty 1000 feet or more, and the building of a north jetty, some 3,000 feet in length. To carry out these works, an appropriation of about $500,000 will be needed. At Cape Foulweather there is a light of the first order; and as this is distant from the Yaquina Bay entrance only about four and one-half miles, there can be no great necessity for a light at Yaquina Head, for vessels simply holding and offing. This is particularly the case, as outside the Yaquina entrance are submerged rocks and reefs, making it extremely dangerous for vessels to hold in, close to shore. At Foulweather, on the contrary, there is good water close in. The only object, then, for re-establishing the light at Yaquina Head would be to, assist vessels in making bar crossings at night. For this purpose a light on Yaquina Head would be of very little assistance. To enable vessels to cross at night with any degree of safety, it would be necessary to establish range lights, which would have to be shifted from time to time, depending upon the movements of the deep water channel. The limits within which this shifting of the channel now takes place are much narrowed by the improvement-works already completed; but it is not proba
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ble that a fixed position can be assured until the North-jetty is built. The bar is short and the deep water channel through it is always narrow. The channel is crooked and in the shape of a flat S, so that it is doubtful if night crossings would be safe, even if range lights were established. Habitual nigh crossings, at present, should, at any rate, be looked upon with disfavor. When the improvement works shall have been completed, and a straight and deep channel assured, and when commerce shall have so grown as to demand it, it will be desirable to establish range lights to permit night crossings. For the present, however, I do not think the condition of the bar will warrant it; nor, it seems to, does commerce require it. I certainly can see no present need of re-establishing the light on Yaquina Head.
Respectfully submitted, W. Young Captain of Engineers.