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REMOVING SUNKEN VESSELS OR CRAFT OBSTRUCTING OR ENDANGERING NAVIGATION.

(1) Schooner Wild Pigeon.--The schooner Wild Pigeon was sunk December 22, 1892, on the east side of Main Ship Channel, New York Harbor, about 1,500 feet eastward of Buoy C 4. The length of the schooner was 128 feet, beam 30 feet, depth 10 feet, and gross tonnage 387 tons. Her cargo consisted of 468 tons of soft coal.

Sealed proposals for the removal of the wreck were opened March 6, and with the approval of the Chief of Engineers the work was awarded to the Chapman Derrick and Wrecking Company, at a cost of $3,500. The wreck was practically removed by May 10 and deposited in deepwater at sea, but payment has not been made for the service rendered since an examination shows that a small amount of wreckage projects above the bed at the site.

(2) Canal boat in Bronx River.-This wreck was an old canal boat that had been abandoned in the Bronx River by its owner, and had drifted into mid channel about one-half mile below West Farms. As the entire width of the river at that point is only 60 feet, it formed a serious obstruction to navigation above it.

Sealed proposals for the removal of the wreck were opened May 13, 1893, and the bid of L. M. Valentine, the lowest bidder, was accepted with the approval of the Chief of Engineers May 16, but on trial the bidder failed in his efforts to remove the wreck and declined to complete the work.

With the approval of the Chief of Engineers, May 29, the work was then awarded to Geo. McClintock, the next lowest bidder, and the wreck was successfully removed early in June, 1893, at a cost of $100.

Money statement.

March 1, 1893, allotment from appropriation for removing sunken vessels
or craft obstructing or endangering navigation, act June 14, 1880; for
removal of wreck of schooner Wild Pigeon, New York Harbor
March 4, 1893, additional allotment from same appropriation....

$2,000.00

May 4, 1893, allotment from same appropriation for removal of wreck of canal boat, Bronx River...

1,600.00

100.00

July 1, 1893, covered by agreements.....

3,700.00

3,600.00

July 1, 1893, balance available

100.00

E 14.

PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF FORT POND BAY, AT THE EAST END OF LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK.

[Printed in House Ex. Doc. No. 110, Fifty-second Congress, second session.]

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS,

UNITED STATES ARMY,

Washington, D. C., December 5, 1892.

*

SIR: I have the honor to submit the accompanying copy of report, dated November 9, 1892, with map, by Lieut. Col. G. L. Gillespie, Corps of Engineers, of the results of a preliminary examination of Fort Pond Bay, at the east end of Long Island, New York, made to comply with provisions of the river and harbor act approved July 13, 1892.

It is the opinion of Lieut. Col. Gillespie, concurred in by this office, that the locality is not worthy of improvement by the General Government.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

THOS. LINCOLN CASEY, Brig. Gen., Chief of Engineers.

Hon. S. B. ELKINS,
Secretary of War.

REPORT OF LIEUT. COL. G. L. GILLESPIE, CORPS OF ENGINEERS.

ENGINEER OFFICE, U. S. ARMY,
New York, N. Y., November 9, 1892.

GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report on a preliminary examination of Fort Pond Bay at the east end of Long Island, New York, in compliance with the requirements of the river and har bor act approved July 13, 1892.

The river and harbor act of August 11, 1888, made provision for a conditional survey of this bay, and the preliminary examination to ascertain whether the bay was worthy of improvement was assigned to Col. D. C. Houston, Corps of Engineers, copy of whose report may be found in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers, 1889, Part 1, p. 733-741.

The preliminary examination made by Col. Houston was complete and exhaustive, and it will be observed that the opinion is expressed in the report that "the harbor is not worthy of improvement in view of the present and prospective demands of commerce" (p. 736). There will be found appended to that report copies of letters received by Col. Houston from the agents of the leading transatlantic steamship lines, and also from the president of the Long Island Railroad Company, in reply to letters addressed to them asking their views relative to the worthiness of the improvement of Fort Pond Harbor.

Since the examination provided for by the act of July 13, 1892, was confided to me by letter from the Chief of Engineers, July 19, 1892, a personal inspection of the bay has been made and letters have again been addressed to the agents of the principal steamship lines and to the president of the Long Island Railroad Company, asking if anything has

* Not reprinted; printed in House Ex. Doc. No. 110, Fifty-second Congress, second session.

lately transpired affecting ocean navigation which would lead them to change the views expressed by them on the same subject in 1888. Copies of the replies to these inquiries are submitted, and attention is respect fully invited to them.

FORT POND BAY AND ITS APPROACHES.

Fort Pond Bay Harbor is a small and comparatively deep harbor lying on the north side of Long Island 6 miles, approximately, west of Montauk Point, the eastern extremity of Long Island, and is 124 miles distant from Long Island City, opposite East Thirty-fourth street, New York City, 96 miles of which are measured along the Long Island Railroad and 28 miles along a proposed eastward extension.

The description of the bay and its shores given by Lieut. James C. Sanford, Corps of Engineers, in his report to Col. Houston (p. 734) is so full and accurate in its details that it only remains to emphasize certain of the facts stated. The two shores are composed of a course grade of sand and gravel, through which large bowlders are interspersed. By the action of the elements the slopes have been gradually degraded. causing the coarse material to descend progressively to and into the waters of the bay, fringing both margins with wide layers of bowlders extending outward to the 25-foot curve at mean low water. The 10-foot curve is uniformly about 1,000 feet from each shore.

Beyond the 25-foot curve the bottom of the bay is composed of mud, 3 feet thick, overlying hard sand. Northward of Rocky Point, the western headland, large bowlders are quite prominent, which reach, as Coast Survey charts show, to the 35-foot curve at mean low water.

The bay measures a little less than 1 square mile, and the available area exterior to the 30-foot curve, mean low water, measures 420 acres. It is well sheltered, being open to storms from northeast round by westward to northwest only.

A small wharf, located on the east side near the head of the bay, is the only one in the harbor, but as there is no commerce there is no shipping to be served.

The act under which this report is submitted states in effect that the object had in view by a survey of the bay is the preparation of "an estimate of the cost of an adequate breakwater."

The absence of any commerce at this point, the isolation of the bay, and its separation from any of the usual incentives to trade, all indicate that the proposed breakwater is intended, not for the protection of any existing local commerce, but for the promotion of some other interest.

The only important scheme for utilizing the bay commercially of which I have any knowledge is the one mentioned in the public press frequently during the past four years, which refers to transatlantic service. It has been stated that the plan of the promoters of such a scheme is to shorten transatlantic travel by running a line of fast steamers between Milford Haven, Wales, and Fort Pond Bay, Long Island, connecting at the latter point with the Long Island Railroad for quick transit to New York City, and substituting at the New York end 124 miles of railroad travel for 100 miles of ocean travel.

As the expediency of the adoption of this proposed route partly de pends upon the possibility of ocean steamers reaching or departing from Fort Pond Harbor day and night throughout the year, without

danger of serious detention, the physical character of the approaches is a proper subject of consideration.

It is not unreasonable to suppose that Long Island formerly extended eastwardly beyond its present limitations, and that its extreme eastern point, now Block Island, became detached by sea agencies assisted by land subsidence. The separating strait, 14 miles wide, has two shoal obstructions, which afford three passages from the ocean into Block Island Sound, with a maximum depth of 12 fathoms and a minimum depth of 4 fathoms at mean low water.

The western obstruction, called Phelps Ledge, lies 13 miles east of Montauk Point and has a least depth of 4 fathoms water, while the eastern, called Southwest Ledge, lies 4 miles west of Block Island, with a least depth of 5 fathoms water.

The water area north of the line connecting Montauk Point with Block Island and east of the entrance to Long Island Sound at the race is called Block Island Sound.

Block Island, lying on the south side of the eastern border of Block Island Sound, has a length of 6 miles north and south and an average width of 2 miles east and west, and the distance between the northern edge of the shoal reef, which extends out from the extreme northern point of the island, and Point Judith, Rhode Island, on the mainland, is 10 miles, approximately.

This last channel is entirely free from obstruction, and has a maximum depth in the center of 22 fathoms, diminishing toward the two shores to 4 fathoms.

Block Island Sound must be entered and crossed by vessels making Fort Pond Bay from the sea. In clear weather it is probable that it would be habitually entered to the westward of Block Island, but in thick weather it would doubtless be safer to enter the sound to the eastward of the island.

The point of divergence from the main ocean route would be in the vicinity of Nantucket Shoals Light-ship, and the distance thence to Fort Pond Bay, whether by the eastward or westward of Block Island, would be 100 miles, approximately, and to the bar at Sandy Hook 180 miles, approximately.

The submerged obstructions which lie in the strait between Block Island and Montauk Point, and in Block Island Sound north of Shagwong Point, Long Island, may be easily discerned in clear weather, as they are marked by the usual aids to navigation, but in thick weather, when the islands and headlands are enveloped in dense banks of fog, navigation into Block Island Sound from the southward must necessarily be attended with many apprehensions, however numerous and perfect the fog signals may be, as not only must headlands and submerged reefs be avoided, but also small vessels, which largely frequent these waters for anchorage. These conditions affect the speed of vessels approaching Fort Pond Bay, if they do not menace the lives of passengers and endanger property, and will not be materially changed so long as fog prevails on the coast.

APPROACH TO NEW YORK CITY BY SANDY HOOK.

It has been alleged, among other reasons, that Fort Pond Bay should be improved by the General Government in the interest of rapid ocean transit, because there is not adequate water on the Sandy Hook Bar to accommodate modern vessels and steamers of large size and deep draft,

and because fog prevails more at Sandy Hook than at Montauk Point. These charges will bear close examination.

(1) Since 1886 the deepening of the main ship channels through the lower bay, New York Harbor, has so far advanced that the depth of water on the bar at the southern entrance, by way of Gedney Channel, is to-day greater than 30 feet at mean low water, which is more than sufficient for any vessel or steamer afloat. In addition, Gedney Channel is clearly marked at night by an efficient system of electric lights, enabling vessels of any draft to pass in and out over the bar at night at any stage of the tide with nearly the same facility as in daylight, thereby destroying the terrors to mariners which have been ascribed to this channel and its bar.

The annual report of the Light-House Board to the Secretary of the Treasury for 1891, p. 201, referring to Sandy Hook Bar, says:

The monthly report of vessels passing the bar at night records as coming in the largest steamers plying to the port of New York, such as the Etruria, City of Paris, Majestic, Fürst Bismarck, Umbria, La Champagne, Lahn, La Bourgogne, Germanic, Ems, Augusta Victoria, Teutonic, etc.

The City of Paris and City of New York are of 10,500 tons' register and the Teutonic and Majestie of 10,000 tons.

By a coincidence the Teutonic seems to arrive off Sandy Hook at night, as by the known record she has passed the bar at night coming in some six times.

And on pages 205 and 206 of the same report it is stated that the number of vessels using Gedney Cut Channel (improved channel) between sunset and sunrise, for the fiscal year July 1, 1889, to June 30, 1890, was 569, 377 bound in and 192 bound out, and that the number for the fiscal year July 1, 1890, to June 30, 1891, was 767 vessels, 470 bound in and 297 bound out.

Unpublished reports to which I have had access record that during the year 1891-92, 785 vessels and steamers crossed the bar at night, 533 bound in and 252 bound out.

It is further stated in the report of 1891, p. 201, that

The highest [monthly] work done by electric plant since its establishment was in November, 1890, when 101 vessels passed the bar, 67 coming in and 34 going out, or an average of 3.4 vessels each night.

The best test of the plant is shown by the confidence with which pilots bring in from sea vessels of the largest displacement and length.

These records plainly show that the Sandy Hook Bar does not now cause detentions to vessels, day or night, on account of insufficient depth of water.

(2) Respecting the allegation that fog prevails more at Sandy Hook than in the vicinity of Montauk Point it must be admitted that the Government records for a series of years of the relative number of hours during which the fog signals have been operated, annually, at Sandy Hook and at Montauk Point, show, apparently, to the advantage of Montauk Point, but the difference is very slight, and too much importance should not be given to the records, for in the case of Sandy Hook the signals are required to be given so long as the lightship in advance of Gedney Channel Bar is obscured by fog, whereas at Montauk Point the keeper exercises his own discretion when to operate the signal.

In addition, pilots, familiar with the two localities by constant cruising in adjacent waters, have been questioned on the subject, and the general opinion is that fogs are more frequent and more dense at the eastern than at the western end of Long Island.

I am of the opinion that the usual conditions in regard to fogs differ inappreciably at those two points, and that all things considered it is reasonable to estimate that the time consumed in making Fort Pond

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