the creek, in accordance with the provision of the cession of right of way for the canal. The effects of this work upon the rice interests of the neighborhood have been and will be beneficial rather than detrimental. July 1, 1888, amount available.... Received sale property to harbor at Beaufort, N. C.......... July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year exclusive of $5,240.00 36.90 24,000.00 29, 276.90 $2,001.04 19, 525.40 22, 439.27 6, 837.63 246, 750.00 July 1, 1889, balance available..... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project..... (See Appendix N 10.) 11. Wateree River, South Carolina.-In charge of Capt. W. H. Bixby, Corps of Engineers, until August 21, 1888. When placed under improvement in 1882, this river had a low-water depth of from 3 to 4 feet from its mouth in the Santee, upward 68 miles to Camden, its practicable limit of steam navigation. From its mouth upward 14 miles the river was completely blocked at all stages of water by sunken logs and stumps and by floating obstructions, and at moderate stages by the bridges of the South Carolina and Wilmington, Columbia and Augusta Railroads (without draws); thence 54 miles to Camden navigation was possible, but dangerous, except during high water. The original project proposed to secure a safe and unobstructed 4-foot navigation over this entire distance at all stages of water. The estimated cost is $60,000. The total amount appropriated therefor up to June 30, 1889, is $47,500. No work has been done under the appropriation of August 11, 1888; but the railroads have been required to put in draws, and this work is well advanced. Up to June 30, 1889, a total of $35,338.79 has been spent upon this improvement, giving a thoroughly cleared 4-foot navigation at all stages of water, from the mouth of the river 11 miles upward, and thence a fairly well cleared 4 foot navigation over the rest of the river, 57 miles to Camden. July 1, 1888, amount available.... Received sale property to Cape Fear River, North Carolina.... July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888.. July 1, 1889, outstanding liabilities.. July 1, 1889, balance available............... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project......... (See Appendix N 11.) 12, 164.33 12,500,00 12,500. 00 12. Congaree River, South Carolina.-In charge of Capt. W. H. Bixby, Corps of Engineers, until August 21, 1888. When placed under improvement in 1886, this river had a low-water depth of from 3 to 4 feet from its mouth 48 miles upward to the railroad bridge at Columbia, and thence a 1-foot low-water depth 2 miles further to its head, the navigation of the lower 47 miles from the mouth upward to Granby being blocked at all stages of water by the South Carolina Railroad Bridge, (without a draw), and by sunken logs, snags, overhanging trees, and the navigation of the upper 3 miles above Granby being prevented by a swift current and numerous rock ledges and bowlders. The project proposes to secure a cleared channel 4 feet deep at all stages below Granby, and a cleared channel 100 feet wide through the shoals above. The estimate was $54,500. No work has been done with the amount of $7,500 appropriated August 11, 1888. The South Carolina Railroad has been required to put a draw in their bridge, and this work is well advanced. Up to June 30, 1889, a total of $7,438.38 has been spent on this improvement, giving a fairly well cleared navigation of 70 feet width and 4 feet depth at low water over the entire river below Granby. July 1, 18-8, amount available.... Received sale property to Roanoke River, North Carolina Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888....... July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888.. July 1, 1889, outstanding liabilities July 1, 1889, balance available $571.14 4.50 7,500.00 8, 075. 64 $509.52 511.29 7,564. 35 39,500.00 10, 000, 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... (See Appendix N 12.) 13. Wappoo Cut, South Carolina.-Wappoo Cut is a narrow, crooked, tidal stream, separating James Island from the mainland, and connecting Stono and Ashley rivers. The original project of improvement contemplated the establishment. of a straighter channel, 6 feet deep and 90 feet wide at low water, at an estimated cost of $34,000. In its unimproved condition only 2 to 4 feet could be carried over the principal shoals at mean low water. The project was revised in 1888, and now comprises securing a channel 60 feet wide and 6 feet deep at low water, training walls at the Stono River entrance, revetting the banks of Elliott's Cut with stone, making another cut through the marsh, constructing three more closing dams, and dredging Ashley River bar. The total estimated cost, including work already done, is $88,000. Five appropriations, aggregating $33,000, have been made for this work. There is now a continuous 6-foot channel through from Ashley to Stono River at low water. This is narrow in some places. Part of the southern bank of Elliott's Cut has been revetted with stone, and some trees and stumps have been removed during the past fiscal year. The total amount expended to June 30, 1889, is $31,350. July 1, 1888, amount available.. Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1883. July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888 ... July 1, 1889, balance available Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project............ (See Appendix N 13.) $203.58 5,000.00 5, 203. 58 3,553.58 1,650.00 55,000.00 35,000. 00 14. Waccamaw River, North Carolina and South Carolina.-In charge of Capt. W. H. Bixby, Corps of Engineers, until August 25, 1888. When placed under improvement, in 1880, this river was navigable for 12-foot draught boats at all stages of water from Georgetown, 26 miles, to Bull Creek, and at high water 6 miles further to Buck's Lower Mills; thence for 7-foot draught boats at high water 31 miles further to Conwayborough; thence it possessed an obstructed channel for 3-foot draught boats at ordinary winter water, 109 miles, to Reeves' Ferry, the present head of steam navigation; thence an obstructed channel with 3 feet depth at high water for 42 miles to Lake Waccamaw. The commerce of this river is estimated to have been about $400,000 per year. The project provides for a channel 12 feet deep at all stages of water, with 80 feet bottom width, from the mouth of the river to Conwayborough, thence a clear channel to Lake Waccamaw. The estimated cost is $138,400. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889, about 2,000 obstructions were removed from the channel, and 5,000 obstructions overhanging the banks were cut. Up to June 30, 1889, $58,584.18 has been spent, giving a thoroughly cleared channel, with 100 feet least width, and 8.8 feet least depth at high water (7 feet at low water) as far as Conway, and with 45 feet width and 3 feet depth 72 miles above Conway. July 1, 1888, amount available............. $786.46 6.60 15,000.00 Received sale property to Neuse River, North Carolina.. ........... 15,793. 06 July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888.. $8,970.64 July 1, 1889, outstanding liabilities.. 1,386.00 10, 356. 64 July 1, 1889, balance available...... 5,436, 42 73,000.00 25,000. 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... (See Appendix N 14.) EXAMINATIONS AND SURVEYS FOR IMPROVEMENT, TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF THE RIVER AND HARBOR ACT OF August 11, 1888. The required preliminary examinations of the following localities were made by the local engineer in charge, Captain Abbot, and reported by him as not worthy of improvement, with facts and reasons for such opin ion. The Chief of Engineers, concurring in the conclusions reached in these instances, has given no instructions to make further survey with the view to their improvement: 1. Broad and Saluda River, above Columbia, South Carolina.-(See Appendix N 15.) 2. Connect North Edisto and South Edisto Rivers by St. Pierre River and South Creek, South Carolina.-(See Appendix N 16.) 3. Combahee River, South Carolina: Examine whether the breaking of Bull River into Combahee River, near the head of Bull River, will injure the navigation of Combahee River, and report a plan for obstructing said breaks, and the cost thereof.-(See Appendix N 17.) The required preliminary examination of Socastee Creek, South Carolina, from its entrance into Waccamaw River to the bridge at Socastee, was made by the local engineer in charge, and he considers it worthy of improvement to the extent of $10,000, to be expended in making a cut about 40 feet wide and 4 feet deep at low water through the Cypress Swamp from the bridge at Socastee for about three-fourths of a mile, also in clearing out obstructions, widening and deepening in places, just below the proposed cut. This opinion being concurred in by the Chief of Engineers, and the result of the preliminary examination containing information sufficient to indicate to Congress the probable cost of the work required, no further report or survey appeared to be necessary. About $1,000 would probably be needed annually for maintenance. (See Appendix N 18.) Captain Abbot also made a preliminary examination, provided for by the act, of Ashepoo River, South Carolina, from the Charleston and Savannah Railroad Bridge, 6 miles down the river, with view to removing obstructions and shoals caused by sunken vessels, and states that he does not consider the river worthy of an expensive improvement. Having carefully considered the report made by the local engineer, in my opinion this locality is not at present worthy of improvement, and no instructions were therefore given for the survey proposed. (See Appendix N 19.) It appearing from the report of the preliminary examination made by the local engineer that the following localities are worthy of improvement, and the public necessity therefor being apparent from the facts and reasons reported, which are concurred in by the Chief of Engineers, Captain Abbot was charged with their survey, the results of which will be submitted when received. 1. Beaufort River, South Carolina, from a point three miles south of the town of Beaufort through to Coosaw River, with view to its improvement, especially at Brick-yard. 2. Owendaw and Wando rivers and other waters and water-routes connecting Bull's Bay and the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina. IMPROVEMENT OF CERTAIN RIVERS AND HARBORS IN GEORGIA, AND OF CUMBERLAND SOUND, GEORGIA AND FLORIDA. Officer in charge, Lieut. O. M. Carter, Corps of Engineers. Division Engineer, Col. William P. Craighill, Corps of Engineers. 1. Savannah River and Harbor, Georgia.-The plan according to which operations have up to the present time been carried on in the Savannah Harbor and River was adopted in 1873, and modified and enlarged in 1879 and again in 1882. It contemplated the establishment of a channel from Tybee Roads to the city of Savannah, navigable at high water for vessels of 22 feet draught, and the widening of the river opposite the city to 600 feet, of uniform depth with the balance of the channel. The cost was originally estimated at $482,000, and as amended and enlarged at $1,212,000. The cost of obtaining a channel 26 feet deep at mean high water from the city to the sea is estimated at $2,900,000. In 1873, prior to improvement, the channel was, in places, not more than 9 feet deep at mean low water, and the usual high-water draught of vessels was not more than 14.5 feet. During the fiscal year just closed 92,922.45 square yards of log and brush mattresses, 8,108.5 cubic yards of stone, and 283.3 cubic yards of oyster shells have been used in the Oyster Bed training-wall. In the Fig Island training-wall 2,795.35 cubic yards of brush fascines have been used, and 622 cubic yards of stone removed. Between the city water-works and Tybee Roads 187,671.52 cubic yards of material have been dredged. The hydrographic survey of the river has been completed. The expenditures during the year amounted to $106,028.34. The total amount expended to June 30, 1889, including all outstand. ing liabilities is $1,170,664.55, and has resulted in securing a navigable channel from the city to the sea with a least mean low-water depth of 13 feet, a gain of 4 feet since the work was begun. The gain in navigable depth is somewhat greater than here shown, and vessels of from 20 to 21 feet draught now go from the city to the sea on a single tide. The estimated reduction in freight rates, due to the improvements already executed, is 25 per cent., which effects an annual saving in freights alone of more than the total sum of money expended by the United States upon the harbor within the last twenty-five years. There is no reason to believe that future expenditures for this work would yield a less valuable return. July 1, 1888, amount available........... Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888. July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888. July 1, 1889, outstanding liabilities... July 1, 1889, amount covered by existing contracts... July 1, 1889, balance available (Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project...... 2, 900, 000.00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1891... Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix O 1.) 500,000.00 2. Savannah River, Georgia.-The present project for the improvement of this river was adopted in 1880, the object being to secure a lowwater steam-boat channel not less than 5 feet in depth between the cities of Augusta and Savannah, Ga. The cost of the improvement was originally estimated at $91,000, and in 1887, for reasons given in the Annual Report of that year, at $176,000. Prior to the improvement navigation was much impeded by logs, snags, piles, and other obstructions. The depth at summer low water over some of the shoals did not exceed 2 or 3 feet. |