6. Ice-Harbor at mouth of Muskingum River, Ohio.-Owing to the lack of funds no work was done during the last fiscal year. The amount that can be profitably expended during the next fiscal year is $51,400. July 1, 1883, amount available. outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883. July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of $7,916 96 July 1, 1884, outstanding liabilities $2,326 79 2,394 06 5,522 90 50,000 00 55, 522 90 July 1, 1884, amount available... Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884. Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885..... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. 51, 400 00 (See Appendix A A 6.) 7. Harbor of Refuge near Cincinnati.—No work was done during the last fiscal year. With the funds on hand and the appropriation made by the act approved July 5, 1884, it is proposed to build a third dike on the Ohio shore which will complete the project for this place. No further appropriation is needed. July 1, 1883, amount available July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883 July 1, 1884, amount available Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884.. Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885. $16,000 00 63 00 15,937 00 17,000 00 32,937 00 (See Appendix A A 7.) EXAMINATIONS AND SURVEYS FOR IMPROVEMENTS, TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF THE RIVER AND HARBOR ACT OF AUGUST 2, 1882. The following locality was examined by the local engineer in charge of the district and not recommended for improvement: 1. Tionesta Creek, Pennsylvania. (See Appendix A A 8.) Upon a favorable report after preliminary examination LieutenantColonel Merrill was charged with and completed the following, the results of which were transmitted to Congress and printed as Senate Ex. Doc. No. 77, Forty-eighth Congress, first session: 9.) 1. Ice-Harbor at Middleport, Meigs County, Ohio. (See Appendix A A 2. Ohio River at Rochester and Freedom for ice breakers. (See Appendix A A 10.) 3. Survey and estimate of cost of excavating a channel through Grand and Little Chains in the Ohio River sufficient to pass boats and give a depth of 6 feet at low water. (See Appendix A A 11.) 4. Youghiogheny River, from McKeesport to Connellsville, Pennsylvania. (See Appendix A A 12.) 5. Taggart's Valley River, West Virginia, above Grafton, to the Three Forks of Buckhannon. (See Appendix A A 13.) IMPROVEMENT OF KENTUCKY AND TRADEWATER RIVERS, KENTUCKY ; BIG SANDY RIVER, KENTUCKY AND WEST VIRGINIA; AND OF GUY. ANDOTTE AND LITTLE KANAWHA RIVERS, WEST VIRGINIA. Officer in charge, Capt. J. C. Post, Corps of Engineers. 1. Kentucky River, Kentucky.-The present plan of improvement adopted contemplates slackwater navigation on this river from its mouth to the junction of the Three Forks, at Beattyville, a distance of 252 miles. This required the repair of five locks and dams, constructed by the State of Kentucky, and the construction of twelve new locks and dams. The operations of the past year have been confined to the repairs of the first four locks and dams, and maintaining slackwater navigation by. their means for a distance of 82 miles, or 17 miles above the city of Frankfort. The latter has been practically continuous, the only interruptions being during the season of extreme low water in the Ohio and the freshet of February, 1884. A survey has also been made for the location of locks and Dams Nos. 7 and 8. The project of the construction of a lock and movable dam at Beattyville, Ky., was submitted to a Board of Engineers for discussion. Their preliminary report was printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 36, Forty-eighth Congress, first session, and will be found in Appendix B B 1 of this Report. No work was done upon this dam beyond preparation of the necessary drawings in conformity with the report of the Board. During the present fiscal year such repairs as are yet unfinished will be made upon the four Locks and dams now in operation; Lock No. 5 will be repaired, and Dam No. 5, and that at Beattyville will be constructed as soon as the land needed for the latter can be acquired. The land for Lock and Dam No. 6 will also be obtained, and their construction will be advanced as far as the appropriation will permit. A survey will be made for locating the remaining locks and dams. The attention of Congress is invited to the necessity of obtaining the required land for the additional locks and dams that are to be built at an early date. Delays, oftentimes of a year or more, in the construction of the works can in this way be avoided. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886, it is proposed to complete the construction of Lock and Dam No. 6, and construct four addi tional locks and dams. Total amount appropriated to date July 1, 1883, amount available.... July 1,1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883..... July 1, 1884, amount available Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884.... $800,000 00 475,547 94 107,772 03 33, 319 97 74,452 06 250,000 00 Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885.. 324,452 06 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886 (See Appendix B B 1.) 2,221,639 26 500,000 00 2. Tradewater River, Kentucky.-The present project for improving this river was submitted January 21, 1881. This had been commenced and the improvement extended 7 miles. During the past fiscal year a distance of 12 miles was cleared of snags and overhanging trees, and the river has now an unobstructed channel for 19 miles. Several steamers have been running upon this river during the present season. This improvement will be continued with appropriation made by the act of July 5, 1884, and it is proposed to extend it with the amount asked for. Total amount appropriated to date Total amount expended July 1, 1884 July 1, 1883, amount available July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883.... July 1, 1884, amount available .... Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884.. $8,500 00 6, 441 22 3,502 92 3, 444 14 58 78 2,000 00 Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885.... 2,058 78 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. (See Appendix B B 2.) 8,000 00 5,000 00 3. Big Sandy River, West Virginia and Kentucky.—The project for improving the natural channels of this river and its forks, by the removal of snags, bowlders, and overhanging trees, and the concentration of the water at low stages into narrow channels, was adopted in 1878. This has been continued, and a clear channel was formed 50 feet wide and 2 feet deep, at ordinary low water from Louisa, Ky., to 100 miles above, on the Louisa Fork, or 15 miles above Piketon, Ky., the head of steamboat navigation. A channel of the same dimensions has also been formed from Louisa up the Tug Fork, 108 miles. This latter includes the Roughs of Tug, and extends 6 miles above it. A project for building a lock at Louisa, to form a pool extending several miles up the two forks, was approved in 1880. During the past year a contract was made for the delivery of the stone needed for the lock, and 2,768.58 cubic yards of stone of the required kinds have been received. The excavation for the foundation of the lock was commenced June 1, and 2,132.34 cubic yards of rock and 1,623.3 cubic yards of earth have been removed. The Louisa Fork was cleared of obstructions for a distance of 36 miles from its mouth, and the wing-dams that had formerly been constructed were repaired. New wing-dams were constructed at White House and Lost Creek Shoals. With the $50,000 appropriated by act of July 5, 1884, the construction of the lock will be continued as far as practicable. With the $10,000 of this sum designated by Congress for continuing the improvement upon the Tug and Louisa forks, $5,000 for each, these streams will be cleared of obstructions as far as practicable, and the wing-dams already constructed will be repaired. It is estimated that it will require an additional amount of $10,000 for each of the forks to complete their improvement. This amount has been added to the estimate for the completion of the present project. It is proposed to apply the amount asked for to the construction of the lock and dam and to the improvement of the Tug and Louisa forks. Total amount appropriated for this river to date.. $204, 000 00 Total amount expended to June 30, 1884 .. 74,225 99 July 1, 1883, amount available. July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883..... 101,564 72 21,790 71 July 1, 1884, amount available... Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884........ Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885 ..... 79,774 01 50,000 00 129,774 01 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project... 92,645 31 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. 50,000 00 (See Appendix B B 3.) 4. Guyandotte River, West Virginia and Kentucky.-The project for the improvement of this river was adopted in 1878, and operations have been continued in conformity with it. This consisted in removing obstructions, both natural and artificial, and opening a clear channel 30 feet wide and 18 inches deep at the lowest stages of water. During the past fiscal year operations were carried on upon that portion of the river extending from Dam No. 1, 7 miles from the mouth of the river, to Sand Lick Bar, a distance of 91 miles. Snags, trees, and rocks were removed, and new channels were formed where necessary. The completion of the present plan of improvement is estimated at $10,000. Of this amount $2,000 was appropriated by act of July 5, 1884. During the present fiscal year this improvement will be continued. It is proposed to complete the project with the amount asked for. Total amount appropriated to date... $12,500 00 10,500 00 July 1, 1883, amount available. 1,418 88 July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883.. 1,418 88 Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884. 2,000 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project 8,000 00 8,000 00 5. Little Kanawha River, West Virginia.―The present project, adopted in 1880, proposes, by the construction of an additional lock and dam, to extend the slackwater navigation upon this river a distance of 12 miles. No other operations than receiving the stone contracted for April 17, 1882, and preparing it for laying have been carried on during the past fiscal year. One thousand one hundred and fifty-four cubic yards of dimension stone and 1,404.2 cubic yards of rubble have been received. As the small amount of stone that remained to be received under this contract at the close of last season could be obtained at less cost than the contract price, and the contractor requested to be released, his application was granted. An examination of all the works constructed in the upper portion of the river for open river navigation in 1879 and 1880 was made. This developed that they needed repairs, which are estimated to cost $4,500. This sum has been added to the amount required for the completion of the present project. With the $31,000 made available by act of July 5, 1884, it is proposed to commence the construction of the lock. It is proposed, with the amount asked for, to complete the lock and dam and make the necessary changes required for the improvement of the navigation of the upper river. Total amount appropriated for this river to date. July 1, 1883, amount available . $129,300 00 88,323 05 62,267 70 21,290 75 40, 976, 95 55, 173 02 July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883... July 1, 1884, amount available Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. (See Appendix B B 5.) 55, 200 00 EXAMINATIONS AND SURVEYS FOR IMPROVEMENT, TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF THE RIVER AND HARBOR ACT OF AUGUST 2, 1882. The following locality was examined by the local engineer in charge of the district and not recommended for improvement: Extending the survey of the Louisa Fork of the Big Sandy River to Grundy Court-House. (See Appendix B B 6.) IMPROVEMENT OF WABASH RIVER, INDIANA AND ILLINOIS, AND of WHITE RIVER, INDIANA. Officer in charge, Maj. Jared A. Smith, Corps of Engineers. 1. Wabash River, Indiana and Illinois-a. Below Vincennes.-With the small balance available at the beginning of the fiscal year the only extended work which could be continued was at Little Chain. Through the reef at this place a new channel has been blasted and dredged 1,610 feet long and 35 feet wide, with an additional length of 250 feet 45 feet wide. The store has been placed in a dike on the Indiana side, with ringbolts at intervals of 200 feet, to assist ascending steamers if needed. The channel should be further widened to 100 feet or more, and it is expected to give at least 3 feet of water at the lowest stage. With the present channel, boats can pass with great care at stages when it has never before been possible. Some small repairs have been made to the planking of dam in New Harmony Cut-off. The detailed survey of the river has been continued to Mount Carmel, Ill. Improvements thus far have been followed by greatly reduced freight rates to all within the adjacent counties, whether shipping by boat or rail. The channel is fairly good for a distance of 80 miles below Mount Carmel, and the benefits have fully justified the outlay. The entire amount expended to June 30, 1884, has been $389,354.26. The principal points requiring further improvements, besides removing snags and making various small wing-dams and bank protections, are Widow Goss' Bar, Skidmore Bar, Little Chain, Grand Chain, and Grand Rapids. Several other points require attention, but they are not extensive. The lock and dam at Grand Rapids, the estimate for which is $130,000, is the only expensive work required. It is hoped to commence its construction the ensuing year. |