The total length of the new Kempe Levee is 19,588 feet, and it contains 442,487.20 cubic yards of earth. At date, 10,994 feet of levee, containing 217,146 enbie yards have been completed. Remaining to complete, 8,594 feet of levee, containing 225, 341.20 cubic yards. Deer Park Levee is a line of light embankment to close a gap caused by caving banks in the United States Green's to Fairview Levee. Its total length is 12,22 feet, and it contains 58,006.45 cubic yards of earth. The grade of the levee is about! feet above the high water of 1882, crown 6 feet, with side slopes of 2 and 3 to 1. The contractor was very dilatory in the prosecution of his work, and it was only when suit against his bondsmen was threatened that a proper force was put on th levee. This was on November 21. From this date until February 19 a fairly goo force was kept upon the work, and 36,273.14 cubic yards of earth were placed in th levee. About this date, February 19, the contractor's outfit was seized by his ered itors and work virtually suspended. As there seemed to be no prospect of the con tractor completing the work, it was decided to enforce paragraph 13 of the specifica tions, which gives the engineer in charge power in such cases to employ additions labor and purchase additional outfit and place them upon the work. Accordingly I received instructions from you, February 15, to proceed to Deer Par Levee, put on the necessary force and outfit, and complete the work. I arrived o the ground March 1, and commenced work on the levee March 2. It was four somewhat difficult to obtain labor owing to the lateness of the season, and rain weather delayed operations considerably. However, on April 17 the levee was con pleted. In the latter part of December information was received that a portion of th United States Levee from Shipp's Bayou to Hard Times had settled and needed r pairs. An inspection was made and the report found to be correct. Arrangemen were made to obtain a small force of men with outfit, and on January 27 repair wor was commenced. The total length of levee worked on was 542 feet, and in this di tance about 4,200 cubic yards of earth were placed. The repairs were completed Fe ruary 23, and the embankment left in good condition. In the early part of March Glasscock Levee was again reported to be damaged 1 beavers. Repairs had previously been made at this levee. (See Report of the Chi of Engineers for 1887, page 2911.) An inspection was made, and it was discover that the beavers had again burrowed into the levee at one of the places previous repaired. Owing to the lateness of the season and rising river it was not deem advisable to cut the levee and make extensive repairs. An attempt to destroy t beavers by exploding small charges of dynamite, so that the fumes would penetra their dens, was made. It is believed to have been successful so far as this one place concerned, but it is more than probable that they have injured the embankment other points besides the one discovered. The ditch previously dug to drain the wat out of the borrow-pits had been dammed by the beavers, and this dam was destroy by being blown up with dynamite. It would seem that the only way of effectual getting rid of the beavers will be to drain all the water from the pits in front of t levee and thus destroy their harbor. The flood of 1888 has been a very moderate one in this district, and none of t levees have been strained. Residents in the immediate vicinity of Morganza Leve became somewhat apprehensive as to its safety, but there were no grounds for the fears, and the slight damage to the embankment, consisting principally of rain wa and settling of the banquette behind the levee, has been repaired by the parochi authorities. The State of Louisiana and the Fifth Louisiana Levee District have undertak the closure of the Diamond Island Bend Gap. A levee 34,930 feet long, and contai ing 602,414 cubic yards, was staked out. Work was commenced in the fall of 18 and is now well advanced, 402,806 cubic yards having been placed in embankme and the levee completed for a length of 28,330 feet. The recent high river compell a suspension of work, but it will be resumed this fall, and the levee completed. Diamond Island Bend being virtually closed, the only gaps in the lines of levees the district are now Bougere Crevasse, about 23,400 feet long, and from Black Haw to Red River, about 90,000 feet long. After the subsidence of the present high wat some few additional gaps will probably be caused by caving banks. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Capt. DAN. C. KINGMAN, Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, La. H. S. DOUGLAS, APPENDIX VV. NNUAL REPORT OF THE MISSOURI RIVER COMMISSION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1888. MISSOURI RIVER COMMISSION, SIR: The Missouri River Commission beg leave to submit herewith heir annual report upon the operations committed to their charge durag the fiscal year ending June 30, 1888. SURVEYS. This work has been carried on by allotments from the appropriations or improvement, there being no specific appropriation for the purpose. The only field work done consisted of a line of precise levels run from Saint Charles, Mo., to the Saint Louis city directrix to fix accurately the elevation of the Missouri River system of levels. In the office work has been continued on the reduction and compilation of all physical data in possession of the Commission, with a view to its publication. The survey of the Missouri River is still incomplete. The triangulation is stiil to be carried from Leavenworth, Kans., to Trover's Point, Mont., 1,520 miles, permanent bench-marks over the same distance, and also from Berlin, Mo., to the mouth of the river, a total distance of 1652 miles. Topography and hydrography are required from Fort Pierre to Fort Benton, 1,100 miles. This work is of great national importance, and it is much to be regretted that adequate means have not been furnished for completing it. For details of work done reference is made to the report of the secretary of the Commission and its appendices. CONSTRUCTION. Under this head work has been carried on in the vicinity of Kansas City and Saint Joseph, Mo. These operations were in progress at the date of the last annual report and were continued until the practical exhaustion of the funds in the hands of the Commission. At Saint Joseph the revetment of Bon Ton Bend, constructed in the early part of the season, was completed by placing a covering of rock on the upper bank protection, and some 3,000 cubic yards of rock were also distributed over portions of the Elwood revetment. The greater portion of the plant was sent to Kansas City for use at that point. Recent changes in this reach indicate the immediate necessity of continu ing the Elwood revetment up-stream to Belmont, and work will also be needed in the bend above the Saint Joseph Water-works. At Kansas City the revetment of the east bottoms was carried to completion, a total distance of 9,035 feet, of which 6,135 feet had been constructed earlier in the season. Work was then carried on in Little Platte Bend above Parkville, and 4,500 feet of bank was protected by revetment. In addition to this work some small repairs were made to the revetment of 1885 in Upper Kaw Bend, and the dike across the slough at the lower end of Kansas City was repaired and strengthened. This dike, put in to prevent a change of channel in front of the city, has been entirely successful. All the work of construction was carried on under great difficulties, owing to the scarcity of reliable labor. PLANT. The fifteen new barges in process of construction at date of last an nual report were completed and delivered. For details of work see report of the president of the Commission and its appendices. SURVEYS AT SPECIAL LOCALITIES. No further work under this head was done during the year, but, in answer to a call for information from Congress, a special report was made upon the condition of affairs at Sioux City, Iowa, with estimate of cost of bank protection desired in that vicinity. (Published as Seu Ex. Doc. No. 149, Fiftieth Congress, first session.) RECOMMENDATIONS. The funds in the hands of the Commission are now about exhausted being only sufficient to provide for watching plant and public propert for a few weeks longer. Under these circumstances the Commissiou can make no exhibit of work contemplated for the present season, as thi must necessarily depend on the provisions of the river and harbor bil now before Congress. With regard to the year ending June 30, 1890, the Commission renes their recommendation that at least $1,000,000 be appropriated for con tinuing the general improvement of the river now in progress from Kansas City down-stream. This general appropriation should be in addition to such sums as Congress may see fit to devote to special lo calities. If less sums than the one recommended be appropriated an nually it will be many years before the work can be carried far enoug! to show any results of value, and the cost will be greatly increased No engineering difficulty has as yet presented itself to suggest any doubt as to the possibility of carrying the work to a successful conclu sion, provided funds are supplied as asked for; but it is proper to state here that during the four years of its existence the Commission have re ceived but two appropriations, aggregating $875,000 less, it will be seen than their estimate for a single year. For continuing the survey of the Missouri River; for the examina tions and observations required in a thorough study of the problem fided to them, and for salaries, traveling, and office expenses, the mmission recommend an appropriation of $150,000. They also rew their previous recommendation that the $15,000 appropriated for survey of the Missouri River above the Missouri River Falls, at Fort enton, be made available for the general survey of the river. The recommendations of the Commission for the year ending June , 1890, are recapitulated as follows: Appropriation for the improvement of Missouri River from its mouth to Sioux City Appropriation for surveys and examinations... Appropriation for office and traveling expenses and salaries of Commissioners... Re-appropriation for general survey of Missouri River of the item of $15,000 appropriated in the act of July 5, 1884, for survey of river above the falls.. $1,000,000 120,000 30,000 15,000 Money statement. uly 1, 1887, amount available.... ash received from sales of fuel to officers.. $177,995.86 182.96 178, 178.82 uly 1, 1888, amount expended during the fiscal year, ex- $155, 637.68 July, i, 1888, unallotted (appropriation for a survey of the 15,000.00 170,712, 37 July 1, 1888, balance available.... Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888... Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1889..... CHAS. R. SUTER, 7,466.45 1,000,000.00 1,007, 466. 45 Hon. Wм. C. ENDICOTT, Secretary of War. (Through the Chief of Engineers, U. S. A.) |