18 feet. The modification of 1886 was with a view to a possible depth of 30 feet by means of jetties, to be supplemented, if need be, by dredg ing. These jetties to be of rock and to be built to a height of 5 feet above mean low tide. The cost of the modification of 1886 (the present project) was estimated at $7,000,000. The total amount expended under the foregoing plans, to include June 30, 1892, was $2,712,843.53, in addition to which there was expended $100,000, subscribed by the city of Galveston in 1883. It has resulted in a depth of 134 feet in the channel on the outer bar at mean low tide, and a depth of 21 feet where the inner bar was. The expenditure during the past fiscal year of $646,796.29 has resulted in obtaining 14 feet on the outer bar and 23 feet where the inner bar was, an increase in depth of three-quarters of a foot and 2 feet, respectively. The work during the past fiscal year has consisted in extending the south jetty 8,000 feet and building an apron 839 feet long at the sea end, which completes this jetty for the present. Work on the north jetty was commenced in April, 1893; 1,500 feet was completed and 2,100 feet was partially completed. The total of work done since operations began in 1887 is represented by 32,829 feet of south jetty, of which 32,000 is completed and 829 feet uncompleted, and 3,600 feet of north jetty, of which 1,500 feet is completed and 2,100 feet uncompleted. The appropriation asked for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1895, is to be applied to the extension of north jetty and necessary repairs to south jetty July 1, 1892, balance unexpended... July 14, 1892, repayment of amount of compromise in suit of J. H. Mooney Amount appropriated by sundry civil act approved August 5, 1892.. June 30, 1893, amount expended during fiscal year............ $665, 156. 47 118.00 450, 000, 00 1, 000, 000.00 2, 115, 274. 47 646, 796.29 July 1, 1893, balance unexpended... 1, 468, 478. 18 July 1, 1893, outstanding liabilities.. $32, 138.97 July 1, 1893, amount covered by uncompleted contracts.. 1, 328, 104. 33 1,360, 243. 30 July 1, 1893, balance available.... 108, 234.88 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project..... 3, 650, 000.00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1895.. Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867 and of sundry civil act of March 3, 1893. (See Appendix U 1.) 1,000,000.00 2. Ship Channel in Galveston Bay, Texas.-This is a channel dredged by the United States Government from Bolivar Channel to Morgan Cut, the latter terminating at a point 4.8 miles from Morgan Canal, an excavation across Morgan Point at the mouth of the San Jacinto River. Morgan Cut and Canal were formerly the property of the Buffalo Bayou Ship Channel Company, but were purchased by the United States and the transfer was made May 4, 1892. The natural depth on the line of the Galveston Bay Ship Channel averaged 81 feet at mean low tide, with a depth in some places of but 7 feet; the ruling depth in Morgan Cut was 73 feet, and in the canal 17 feet. The project for this improvement was adopted in 1871, modified in 1877, and again modified in 1892. This latter modification became necessary owing to the acquisition by the United States of the Morgan Cut and Canal. The object of the improvement is to excavate and maintain a channel, 100 feet wide at the bottom and 12 feet deep, from Bolivar Channel to the San Jacinto River, a distance of 24.33 miles, thereby giving an outlet to the commerce of Buffalo Bayou, of San Jacinto River, of Trinity River, and of Cedar Bayou. A channel, having a least width of 100 feet and depth of 12 feet, was excavated from Bolivar Channel to Morgan Cut in 1888 and 1889, this being the first work that was done since operations were suspended in 1883. No dredging was done from July, 1889, to the end of the last fiscal year; consequently the channel shoaled to an average depth of 8 feet. The amount expended to June 30, 1892, on this improvement was $540,831.16, and during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893, the sum of $16,484.64 was expended in sloping the banks at Morgan Canal, which required the removal of 12,550 cubic yards of material, and in completing the revetment on the west bank of the canal, the length constructed being 1,959 linear feet. This work prevented further erosion of the banks of the canal. No dredging was done, the contractor's plant having met with an accident while en route to Galveston, and repairs were not completed at the close of the fiscal year. There was no change in channel depths from those previously reported. The project is not capable of permanent completion, it being estimated that the sum of $100,000 will be required annually to maintain the channel after it has been fully excavated to the required width and depth. Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1895 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867 and of sundry civil act of March 3, 1893. (See Appendix U 2.) 269,675,44 200, 000. 00 3. Channel in West Galveston Bay, Texas.-The channels through West Galveston Bay were originally dredged in 1859 by the State of Texas to a depth of 5 feet, but during the storm of 1875 they shoaled to a depth of from 2 to 3 feet at mean low tide, and at the same time became too narrow to allow vessels to pass through them except at full tide. Subsequent storms probably caused further filling of the channels. The project for this improvement was adopted in 1892 and consisted in widening, deepening, and straightening the channel by dredging, so as to afford a least width of 200 feet and depth of 33 feet between the railroad bridges and San Louis Pass in the bay, and a least width of 100 feet and depth of 3 feet along Christmas Point, the channel to be marked by suitable beacons. The total estimated cost is $28,998.80. No money was expended on this improvement up to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1822, consequently there was no change in the condition of the channel, except possibly a further filling due to wind and currents. The amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893, was $2,317.71, mostly in erecting beacons and inspecting dredging done by contract. The small amount of material removed by the contractor during the year, 2,928, cubic yards, was not enough to benefit commerce to any great extent. Amount appropriated by act approved July 13, 1892. $15,000.00 2, 317. 71 July 1, 1893, balance unexpended 12, 682. 29 July 1, 1893, outstanding liabilities $220.00 July 1, 1893, amount covered by uncompleted contracts........ 11,500.00 11, 720.00 July 1, 1893, balance available...... 962.29 14,000.00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project . 14,000. 00 4. Trinity River, Texas.-The natural channel on the bar at the mouth was narrow and shoal. The project for improvement adopted in 1873 consisted principally in dredging. Between 1885 and 1889 no work was done, and the channel, which had been deepened in 1885 to 5 feet, had shoaled to 3 feet 2 inches. The project was modified in 1889, the modification principally consisting in parallel timber jetties to effect the required deepening to 6 feet on the bar. The total expended to include June 30, 1892, was $56,119.68, at which time one jetty was nearly completed, resulting in a depth of 3 feet 6 inches on the bar and straightening the channel. The amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893, was $627.25, and was used principally in making a survey with a view to preparing project for expenditure of amount appropriated for this work by the river and harbor act of July 13, 1892. The depth of 3 feet 6 inches over the bar has been practically maintained by the jetty previously constructed. Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1895 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867 and of sundry civil act of March 3, 1893. (See Appendix U 4.) 10, 192.89 22,500.00 22,500.00 5. Cedar Bayou, Texas.-The navigation on this stream was ob structed by a bar which had formed at the mouth of the bayou where it emptied into Galveston Bay. The depth of water in the bayou above the bar was 7 feet, and in the bay beyond the bar 5 feet, whereas the natural depth on the bar between the two was but 3 feet. The project adopted for this improvement consisted in the construction of two stone and brush jetties, about 250 feet apart where they crossed the bar, and extending from the mainland to the 5-foot contour in Galveston Bay. These jetties were to protect a channel having a depth of 5 feet and a width of about 100 feet, which was to be dredged, connecting the 5-foot curve in the bayou with the 5-foot curve in the bay. The amount expended to June 30, 1892, was $13,258.22, which was applied to dredging a channel on the bar and protecting it by jetties, resulting in a channel 1,840 feet long by 64 feet wide, and having a ruling depth of 5 feet. The amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893, was $11,220.23 and was used in extending the jetties already built. The total amount of jetty constructed was 842 feet; the south jetty having been extended 517 feet and the north jetty 325 feet. Dredging had not been commenced up to the close of the fiscal year. This work has been successful in maintaining the channel previously dredged, and has also slightly increased its depth as well as that on the bar just beyond. The officer in charge states that the revised estimate of the cost of this work made in 1891 was too small, as proved by experience, and that it will require the further sum of $6,500 to complete it, making the total estimated cost of the work $38,750. July 1, 1892, balance unexpended........ Amount appropriated by act approved July 13, 1892 June 30, 1893, amount expended during fiscal year.. July 1, 1893, balance unexpended..................... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project...... Submitted in-compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix U 5.) $4, 891.78 14,000.00 18, 891.78 11, 220. 23 7,671.55 6,500.00 6. Buffalo Bayou, Texas.-The channel of this stream between the city of Houston and Simms Bayou, a distance of 11 miles, was, in its natural condition, narrow and tortuous, and the natural depth in many places was not more than 5 feet. Below Simms Bayou it is wide and deep. The project for its improvement was adopted in 1881, the object being to straighten the channel, widen it to 100 feet, and deepen it to 12 feet; also to remove such snags, stumps, and overhanging trees as were obstructions to navigation. The amount expended to June 30, 1892, was $165,803.99. It has resulted in clearing the channel of the most prominent stumps, snags, and overhanging trees, in easing most of the bends, and in removing such shoals as obstructed a 7-foot navigation. The amount expended during the past fiscal year was $7,413.99, and has resulted in a further easement of bends and deepening of the bayou, so that a 10-foot channel is now available in the portion of the bayou worked over this year. Obstructions were also removed from the bed and banks of the stream. These obstructions are renewed in more or less degree every year through action of floods. The project is not capable of permanent completion. July 1, 1892, balance unexpended........ Amount appropriated by act approved July 13, 1892 $2,946. 01 25,000.00 June 30, 1893, amount expended during fiscal year July 1, 1893, balance unexpended July 1, 1893, amount covered by uncompleted contracts 27, 946. 01 7, 413.99 20, 532.02 $4,633. 07 11, 957.98 16,591.05 July 1, 1893, balance available..... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project...... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1895 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867 and of sundry civil act of March 3, 1893. (See Appendix U 6.) 3,940.97 191, 549. 75 50,000.00 7. Harbor at Brazos Santiago, Tex.-In its natural state the channel over this bar was shifting and its depth varied from 6 to 8 feet. The present (original) project for its improvement was adopted in 1881, the object being to fix the position of the channel over the bar at the extrance and to deepen it. The total amount expended to June 30, 1891, was $189,608.59, besides an appropriation of $6,000 in 1878 applied to removing a wreck. It has resulted in no useful effect upon the bar, and the works heretofore constructed have practically disappeared. The amount expended during the past fiscal year was $60. It was applied to the keeping of a record of commercial statistics. July 1, 1892, balance unexpended June 30, 1893, amount expended during fiscal year. July 1, 1893, balance unexpeuded ........... July 1, 1893, outstanding liabilities July 1, 1893, balance available $57, 701. 41 60.00 57, 641. 41 15.00 57, 626. 41 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... 1,071, 090. 22 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix U 7.) EXAMINATION MADE IN COMPLIANCE WITH RIVER AND HARBOR ACT APPROVED JULY 13, 1892. The preliminary examination of Brazos River, Texas, from its mouth to the town of Richmond, required by act of July 13, 1892, was made by the local engineer, Maj. Charles J. Allen, Corps of Engineers, and his report thereon, dated December 7, 1892, was submitted through the division engineer, Col. C. B. Comstock, Corps of Engineers. Maj. Allen considers that Brazos River is worthy of improvement by the General Government from Richmond downstream to the point near the mouth to which the Brazos River Channel and Dock Company intends to extend its works, provided the cost of improvement, to be determined by a survey, the cost of which is estimated at $2,500, be not out of proportion to the commerce to be benefited. It is the opinion of the division engineer, concurred in by this office, that below Richmond the river is worthy of some degree of improvement by the United States. ENG 93-17 |