Ketchikan Harbor
WAR DEPARTMENT
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF
ENGINEERS
Washington, December 12, 192.
SUBJECT: Preliminary examination
and survey of Ketchikan Creek ami
Saxman Harbor, Tongass, Narrows,
Alaska
To: THE SECRETARY OF WAR
1. I submit for transmission to
Congress my report, with accom
panying papers and map, on prelim
inary examination and survey, auth
orized by the river and harbor act
approved March 3, 1925, of Ketchi
kan Creek, Alaska, and Saxman
Harbor, Tongass Narrows, Alaska.
2. Tongass Narrows forms part
of the inside passage used by ves
sels regularly plying along the Al
askan coast. It is located in south,
eastern Alaska and has a length of
about 12 miles. Ketchikan Creek
enters Tongass Narrows at the City
of Ketchikan. About two miles
southeast of Ketchikan and on the
same side of Tongass Narrows. Sax
man Harbor is located. There has
been no Federal improvement for
navigation, the through channel
having adequate depth. The im
provement of Ketchikan Creek or
Saxman Harbor is desired as a pro
tected harbor for fishing boats and
other small craft. The mean range
or tide is about 13 feet.
3. Ketchikan, which is the larg
est city in Alaska, is the supply and
marketing center for important fish
ing areas and mining districts.
The largest industries in the im
mediate vicinity are 2 large lumber
and shingle mills, 2 cold storage
plants, 11 canneries, 3 machine
shops, a ship repair plant, and 2
oil companies. The annual com
merce, which is moved entirely by
water, amounts to about 100,000
ton's. The fish handled at Ketchi
kan is said to be valued at about
$5,000,000 annually.
4. There Is no natural harbor
where protection can be found from
the severe southeasterly storms
common in Tongass Narrows with
the exception of Ward Cove, about
6 miles northwest of Ketchikan.
Breakwater construction would be
necessary for a harbor at any oth
er point in the Narrows. Ward
Cove is not particularly desirable as
a harbor for the locality since it
is remote from the active center
of Ketchikan and is subject to sev
ere northeasterly winds. Saxman
Harbor is also too remote from
Ketchikan to form a valuable site
for a harbor for the fishing fleet.
5. The district engineer reports
that more than 1000 boats operate
out of Ketchikan or make occas
sional calls at that point. There is
not sufficient area in the immediate
vicinity of Ketchikan to provide for
the safety of this large number of
vessels. It is claimed that the
boat3 have to be moored so close
together that they suffer damage
during rough weather of $25,000
each year. It is estimated that a
harbor which would accommodate
500 to 600 boats, properly moored,
Thwaites Photo Shop
Ketchikan
Kodak Finishing
Copying—Enlarging
Wrangell Steam
Laundry
M. O. JOHNSON, Prop.
First Class Work
Telephone 28
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Butterhorn Bakery
The House that Quality Built
Ketchikan, Alaska
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| HOGUE & TVETEN CO.
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KARL HANSEN
Port Alexander Alaska
Is equipped to supply all the needs of fishermen
at reasonable prices.
Alaska office, Seattle office,
Port Alexander. 1911 L. C. Smith Bldg.
itiinimniiiuiii
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The First National Bank of Ketchikan
A National institution operating under charter and supervision
of the United States Government. A safe and conservative bank
that you will like to do business with.
COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS SAVINGS ACCOUNTS
3 (yc and 4o?0 paid on TIME DEPOSITS. Safety Deposit Settee
for Rent.
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