COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. Amount of revenue collected, 1891, $73,536.29; 1892, $73,808.36; 1893, $47,330.06. Coasting vessels drawing from 7 to 13 feet frequent the harbor. B 18. IMPROVEMENT OF HARBOR AT KINGSTON, MASS. Kingston Harbor is one of the three divisions which together constitute Plymouth inner harbor. North of it, at a distance of 3 miles, is Duxbury Harbor, and 4 miles south Plymouth Harbor. The wharf at which supplies are landed for the town of Kingston is about 2 miles south from the center of the town, and is known as the Plymouth Cordage Company Wharf. The object of the improvement is to obtain a channel of approach to this wharf. The project for the improvement of Kingston Harbor was submitted May 25, 1891. It proposed to dredge a channel 4,000 feet long, 100 feet wide, 6 feet deep at mean low water, from deep water to the Cordage Company Wharf, at an estimated cost of $10,000, The act approved July 13, 1892, appropriated $10,000 for this work. On July 18, 1892, it was recommended that the available funds be expended in completing the improvement; this was approved July 25, 1892. On August 6, 1892, an advertisement was issued inviting proposals for this work. The bids received were opened September 6, 1892, and an abstract of them will be found in the annexed table. On September 16, 1892, a contract was entered into with the National Dredging Company, of Wilmington, Del., to dredge 30,000 cubic yards. Operations under this contract were commenced in April, 1893, and satisfactorily completed in June, 1893. The improved channel is at the date of this report 100 feet wide, 6 feet deep at mean low water, or as proposed by the project. Kingston is in the collection district of Plymouth, Mass., of which Plymouth is the port of entry; the nearest light-house is Duxbury Pier Light. Commercial statistics are included in the statement for Plymouth, Mass. But one appropriation has been made for this work, viz: By the act of July 13, 1892, $10,000. Abstract of proposals for dredging from Kingston Harbor, Massachusetts, opened September 6, 1892, by Lieut. Col. S. M. Mansfield, Corps of Engineers. The contract was awarded to the National Dredging Company, with the approval of the Chief of Engineers. B 19. IMPROVEMENT OF HARBOR AT WELLFLEET, MASS. Wellfleet Harbor is situated on Cape Cod Bay, 12 miles southeast of Provincetown Harbor, Massachusetts. A chart of the harbor was published in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for the year 1888, Part I, p. 478. The harbor consists of an outer anchorage south of Smalleys Bar, and an inner harbor north of same bar. The outer harbor is sufficiently capacious, free from obstructions, and protected to meet the present demands of commerce; but the inner harbor, although capacious and perfectly protected, had no low water navigable connection with the town wharves. It was, in the original condition of the harbor, 4,200 feet from the 6-foot contour to the wharves, and not to exceed 6 inches draft could be carried to them at mean low water. The original project for the improvement of this harbor was submitted November 3, 1871. It was based on the survey provided for in the act of January 31, 1871. It proposed to dredge two channels, each 150 feet wide and 4 feet deep at mean low water, one 2,060 feet long to reach Central and Commercial wharves, and one 1,400 feet long to reach Mercantile Wharf. It was also proposed to remove 204 cubic yards of sunken rocks. The cost of this project was estimated to be $30,000. On November 28, 1887, a revised project was submitted. It was based on the survey provided for in the act of August 5, 1886. It proposed to dredge a channel from the Deep Hole to the town wharves, 6 feet deep at mean low water, 100 feet wide, and 4,200 feet long, at an estimated cost of $24,000. The total appropriations for this harbor to date have been $16,000. The total amount expended to June 30, 1892, was $11,350.37, and the condition of the improvement was as follows: Mayo, Bay, Lobster, and Lumpfish rocks had been removed, and a channel had been dredged from the Deep Hole to the town wharves, 4,200 feet long, 4 feet deep at mean low water, and 25 feet wide. Opposite the town wharves the channel was enlarged to 75 feet wide, to facilitate the docking of vessels. The act of September 19, 1890, appropriated $4,000 to continue this improvement. No appreciable benefit to commence would result by the expenditure of this amount, and it is to be retained in the Treasury until additional funds are provided. To complete the improvement will require an appropriation of $22,000, all of which could be expended to advantage during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1895. The accompanying commercial statistics for the fiscal year ending - June 30, 1893, have been furnished by the collector of customs at Barnstable, Mass. Wellfleet is in the collection district of Barnstable, Mass., of which Barnstable is the port of entry. The nearest light-house is Mayo Beach Light. Money statement. July 1, 1892, balance unexpended.. Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project $4, 649.63 4, 649.63 22,000.00 22,000.00 COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. Amount of revenue collected, 1891, $231.40; 1892, $91.60; 1893, $53.00. B 20. IMPROVEMENT OF HARBOR AT PROVINCETOWN, MASS. Provincetown Harbor is situated at the extremity of Cape Cod, about 40 miles southeast from Boston Light. It is one of the most val uable harbors of refuge on the Atlantic coast. The entire commerce of New England and a very large local fishing interest are directly benefited by its maintenance, which depends entirely on the preservation of the sandy beaches which inclose it. Since 1826 the project has been a general one, and provides for the preservation of the harbor by building dikes, bulkheads, and sandcatches, and extensive planting of beach grass to repair or prevent storm damages to the beaches. From the nature of the work it can at no time be considered completed. A full history of the improvement will be found in the Annual Reports of the Chief of Engineers for the years 1876, 1879, and 1886. A special dike across House Point Island Flats, to be built contingently, was recommended in the Annual Report for 1886. A plan of the harbor was published in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1886. The total appropriations for this harbor to date have been $152,918.44 The amount expended to June 30, 1892, was $147,635.09. The condition of the several works of preservation in this harbor on June 30, 1892, was as follows: Long Point. This long, narrow, low point forms the southeastern limit of the harbor. It was in good order, but to more fully protect the light-house lot at its easterly end the breakwater should be extended 100 feet farther to the northwest. Abel Hill Dike.-This dike was built to prevent the rush of water from Lanceys Harbor over House Point Island Flats into the main harbor. The rapid wearing away of the southern sand spit that forms Lanceys Harbor had threatened to make a breach through the beach south of the dike. To guard against this, brush and wooden sandcatches had been built on the outer beach opposite the west end of the dike. The dike and sand catches were in good order. House Point Island Flats.-These flats remained essentially unaltered from the condition shown by the last survey, and as stated in the Annual Report for 1887, it still appears unnecessary to commence the dike projected to be built across these flats. Beach Point, High Head Dike, and Cove Section.-These works were all in good order. During the fiscal year no active operations were in progress, and, at the date of this report, all of the works of preservation are in good order with the exception of the brush and wooden sandcatches at the west end of Abel Hill Dike. These need repairs, for which the available funds will suffice. The nature of the works of preservation of the harbor requires a small sum to be always available for immediate repairs. Such necessary repairs have averaged $1,500 per annum. The prospective benefit to commerce is the preservation of an important harbor of refuge. The accompanying commercial statistics have been furnished by the deputy collector at the port of Provicetown, Mass. Provincetown is a port of entry in the collection district of Barnstable, Mass.; the nearest light-houses are Wood End and Long Point lights. The dates and amounts of appropriations for this work are as fol (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. $3,783.35 1,500.00 5, 283. 35 42.40 5, 240.95 1,500.00 1,500.00 COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. Amount of revenue collected, 1891, $1,932.75; 1892, $571.47; 1893, $492.77. All classes and nationalities of vessels visit the harbor for shelter or with cargo. Four thousand vessels entered the harbor during the year. ENG 93-50 |