an expense which would be almost entirely avoided had we a channel in the rear of our wharf where vessels might come alongside and land their fish. We could handle all the salt we use in like manner, where we now pay cartage on that. Had we a channel we would very soon be able to increase our business, thereby necessitating increasing our wharf area. We could engage extensively in the salt herring trade-send vessels to Newfoundland in the fall for trips. You can readily see the great advantage a channel would be to us. It means that we could double our business, and, where we now employ from twenty-five to thirty-five men, could give employment to many more. It would mean, we might say, like opening a new market for fish. Vessels that now take their trips to Gloucester would sell here if suitable accommodations could be provided for them in the way of berths and the like. You will confer a favor and numberless benefits to ourselves and the other firms engaged in the trade in this part of East Boston by doing all in your power to further our petition. We remain, very respectfully, yours, Col. MANSFIELD, Colonel, Engineers. GEO. C. FITZPATRICK & Co. LETTER OF JAMES EMERY, JR., & CO. BOSTON, MASS., October 18, 1892. DEAR SIR: We are doing a large amount of salt-fish business on Bowker's Wharf, East Boston, and owing to the water in the channel being so shallow, we find it impossible to get our fishing vessels alongside of the wharf to discharge their cargoes. We would respectfully suggest that the channel be dredged out so that the vessels can be got up to the wharf. By so doing we think it would be a great help to the fish business in East Boston. Very respectfully, yours, Col. MANSFIELD. JAMES EMERY, JR., & CO. LETTER OF R. G. LOFTUS & CO. BOSTON, MASS., October 17, 1892. DEAR SIR: We are engaged in the salt-fish business, and handle about $150,000 worth of fish a year. We believe that if a suitable channel was dredged our business would more than double. At the present time you can not bring any of the modern fishing vessels to any of the wharves, which fact considerably interferes with the proper development of the salt-fish industry of Boston. We sincerely hope that a channel will be dredged. Yours, truly, Col. MANSFIELD. Lieutenant-Colonel of Engineers. R. G. LOFTUS & Co. LETTER OF BARDWELL, ANDERSON & CO. BOSTON, October 17, 1892. DEAR SIR: Replying to your favor recent date, would say that a ship channel would be of great benefit to the commerce of Boston. We could increase our business if we could land on our property the lumber and coal we use, as well as deliver our product direct to vessels. Respectfully, Col. S. M. MANSFIELD. BARDWELL, ANDERSON & CO. PETITION. BOSTON, MASS., October 15, 1892. DEAR SIR: We, the undersigned wholesale fish dealers of Boston, believing that the lack of a channel around Jeffries Point works much against the proper development of the fish business in East Boston, do most earnestly request that a proper channel be dredged around that point. John R. Neal & Co, D. N. Freeman Co., Gloucester Fish Co., J. Burns & Co., Col. MANSFIELD. LETTER OF MR. GEO. C. FITZPATRICK. EAST BOSTON, October 21, 1892. DEAR SIR: The captains of the vessels named on this list have been waited upon by the undersigned, and we have filled in their names, with value of vessel they command, with their full sanction and approval. We remain, yours, respectfully, Col. MANSFIELD, Lieutenant-Colonel, Engineers. GEO. C. FITZPATRICK. PETITION. BOSTON, MASS., October 18, 1892. DEAR SIR: We, the captains of vessels, now selling our fish in Boston, do most earnestly request that a channel be dredged around Jeffries Point, East Boston, to increase the market for fish and thereby very greatly increase the commerce of Boston. LETTER OF MR. JAMES SMITH, PRESIDENT BOSTON FORGE COMPANY. BOSTON FORGE COMPANY, Their object is to develop the wharf property adjacent to the proposed channel, which is not now available on acconnt of the shallow depth of water in front of them. My opinion, as well as that of intelligent persons conversant with this property, is that such improvement would open up a long wharf front that would be of great benefit to the general public, the manufacturing, coastwise, and fishing interests; it would enable the manufacturers in this vicinity to receive their coal, iron, lumber, and other water-borne materials with greater facility, and conduce to the encouragement of commerce and trade. There is already established here a very considerable fish-curing trade, that will serve as a nucleus for a much larger business when vessels of comparatively deep draft of water can come to these wharves. Recently there has been manifested by the fish dealers of Boston much interest in this proposed improvement, and they assert positively that, in the event of its completion, these wharves will become the receiving and distributing depot, to a great extent, of the fish trade of Boston. The amount of commerce that would be benefited by this improvement it would be difficult, if not impossible, to estimate with any degree of certainty, but it is fair to assume that it would be quite large, because of the proximity of these wharves to two of the largest railroads in New England and the main channel of Boston Harbor. I can not more specifically answer the queries of your letter, but when these improvements are completed, doubtless this location will become of considerable importance to the maritime and manufacturing interests of Boston. Yours respectfully, Lieut. Col. S. M. MANSFIELD, LETTER OF THE BOSTON FORGE COMPANY. JAMES SMITH. BOSTON FORGE COMPANY, SIR: Replying to your communication of the 11th instant, will state that the Boston Forge Company bought their wharf January 21, 1866; erected buildings and started their furnaces May following. We chartered two-masted schooners and landed our coal, fuel, sand, kaolin, and other supplies on our wharf until 1873, when two vessels grounded on the flats, which had to be lightered (this was caused by the gradual filling in of the flats), after which the owners objected to charter to our wharf, and we have ever since been obliged to pay wharfage and cartage, which amounts on the average to $2,500 per annum. This outlay is a great detriment in close competition with other manufacturers who have water facilities, and gives no encouragement for further outlay. We have at present $150,000 invested in our plant, and if the contemplated improvement is made could add greatly to our works. We have done a business during the past twenty-seven years of $10,000,000; at present we have about 100 employés. It would be of great benefit to all the abutters and add largely to the commercial and manufacturing interests of Boston. Yours respectfully, Lieut. Col. S. M. MANSFIELD, JAMES SMITH, President. Corps of Engineers, U. S. A. B 27. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF NEPONSET RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS. [Printed in House Ex. Doc. No. 35, 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 October 31, 1892, by Lieut. Col. S. M. Mansfield, Corps of Engineers, of the results of a preliminary examination of Neponset River, Massachusetts, made to comply with provisions of the river and harbor act approved July 13, 1892. Lieut. Col. Mansfield states that in his opinion the river is worthy of improvement by the General Government, and he submits an estimate of $500 as the amount required to make the surveys necessary to the preparation of plan and project with estimate of the improvement proposed. I concur in his views. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, THOS. LINCOLN CASEY, Brig. Gen., Chief of Engineers. Hon. S. B. ELKINS, REPORT OF LIEUT. COL. S. M. MANSFIELD, CORPS OF ENGINEERS. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Boston, Mass., October 31, 1892, GENERAL: In accordance with the requirements of letter from your office of July 14, 1892, I have the honor to submit the following report upon the examination of Neponset River, Massachusetts, as provided in section 6 of the river and harbor act approved July 13, 1892. The Neponset River flows chiefly through marshy banks from the head of navigation, at the dam at Lower Mills, to Dorchester Bay, a distance of about 24 miles, and forms the dividing line between Dorchester (Boston) on the north and Milton and Quincy on the south. The natural conditions of the region are most favorable for the establishment of manufactories and the handling of coal, lumber, stone, etc. United States harbor lines have been established between the mouth of the river at Commercial Point and the Neponset Avenue |