IMPROVEMENT OF THE HARBOR OF MOBILE-REMOVAL OF THE BAR AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE HARBOR OF CEDAR KEYS, FLORIDA-IMPROVEMENT OF THE NAVIGATION OF THE CHOCTAWHATCHIE, APALACHICOLA, CHATTAHOOCHEE, AND FLINT RIVERS. Officer in charge, Capt. A. N. Damrell, Corps of Engineers. 1. Improvement of Mobile Harbor.-This has been continued in accordance with the plans recommended by a board of engineer-officers in 1872 and 1873. The cut through Dog River Bar has been widened through its whole length (73 miles) to 120 feet, one mile of this to 150 feet, and one mile to its contemplated width of 200 feet, with 13 feet of water at mean low tide. One of the wrecks in this channel has been taken out, and the removal of another nearly completed. The re-opening of Choctaw Bar Channel, which was commenced in January, 1874, was interrupted by an unusually high freshet on the river, which caused another partial filling up, although part of the dike across Pinto Pass, and of the jetty at Pinto Point, had been removed. Dredging in this channel was resumed again in June, and at the close of the year a cut of 120 feet in width, 13 feet deep at mean low water, through the new bar was nearly completed. With the unexpended balance, and the appropriation of June 23, 1874, this work will be brought so near completion that an appropriation of only $26,000 is asked for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873 Amount in hands of officer and subject to his check, (including $7,823.94 Amount available July 1, 1874. Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876.. (See Appendixes S 1 and S 2.) $110,287 34 24, 186 22 100,000 00 96, 945 35 123, 185 12 26,000 00 2. Improvement of the harbor of Cedar Keys, Florida.-During the year proposals for dredging were advertised for, but the bids received were too high to secure, with the funds available, ($7,500,) sufficient work to be of service. The bids, therefore, were not accepted, and the work is postponed until further appropriation is made, unless more reasonable offers can be received. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873.. Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874. Amount available July 1, 1874 Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876.. (See Appendix S 3.) $7,500 00 44 41 7,455 59 30,000 00 3. Improvement of Choctawhatchee River, Florida and Alabama.-No appropriation was made for the improvement of this river for the last fiscal year. It is proposed to apply the appropriation of June 23, 1874, to the removal of snags and overhanging trees, beginning at the mouth of the river, and working up as far as the appropriation will allow. In estimation of this work during fiscal year ending June, 30, 1876, $10,000 could be profitably expended. 4. Improvement of Apalachicola River, Florida.-No appropriation was made for the last fiscal year. By act of June 23, 1874, $10,000 were appropriated for this improvement. It is proposed to apply this amount to the removal of dangerous snags, and any remaining balance to improving Moccasin Slough on this river. Twenty thousand dollars could be profitably expended upon the improvement of this river during the next fiscal year. Amount appropriated by act approved June 23, 1874.... Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876 (See Appendix S 5.) $10,000 00 10,000 00 20,000 00 5. Improvement of Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers, Georgia.-No appro priation was made for the last fiscal year. It is proposed to apply the appropriation of June 23, 1874, to the removal of wrecks and snags, and the improvement of the worst of the bars on these rivers as far as the appropriation will allow, from their mouths to Columbus on the Chattahoochee, and to Albany on the Flint. The amount' asked for continuing these improvements during the year ending June 30, 1876, could be profitably expended during that year. Amount appropriated by act approved June 23, 1874 Amount available July 1, 1874.. Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876. $25,000 00 25,000 00 50,000 00 (See Appendix S 6.) ATLANTIC COAST. IMPROVEMENT OF RIVERS AND HARBORS ON THE COAST OF SOUTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, AND THE ATLANTIC COAST OF FLORIDA. Officer in charge, Lieut. Col. Q. A. Gillmore, Corps of Engineers, hav ing under his immediate orders Capt. D. P. Heap, Corps of Engineers, until December 19, 1873, First Lieut. F. A. Mahan, Corps of Engineers, from December 10, 1873, to April 24, 1874, Capt. J. W. Cuyler, Corps of Engineers, after March, 1874, and Capt. J. C. Post, Corps of Engineers, after June 17, 1874. 1. Improvement of ship-channel in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina.The original project for this improvement comprised the removal of sundry wrecks sunk during the civil war, the removal of 125 feet from the outer end of Bowman Jetty, projecting from Fort Moultrie into Beach Channel, and dredging in that channel to 15 feet at mean low water. A subsequent further shortening of the jetty was left contingent on the results secured by the first reduction of 125 feet in its length. During the last fiscal year the depth attained over the section of 125 feet was in no place less than 113 feet. Only 738 cubic yards of stone were removed during the year. There were also removed from the east side of the jetty, and lying close to it, the wrecks of the Stono, the Prince of Wales, and the Juno. The wreck of the monitor Keokuk was removed from the main ship-channel abreast of Morris Island. No dredging was done in Beach Channel. During the present fiscal year it is contemplated to remove the 125 lineal feet from the outer end of Bowman Jetty, upon which work is now in progress, to a depth of 16 feet below mean low water, and to begin and possibly finish the necessary dredging in Beach Channel to a depth of 15 feet at mean low water. A further reduction of 50 feet in the length of Bowman Jetty is indicated as desirable by the results already attained. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873.. Amount in hands of officer and subject to his check. $26,700 00 9, 142 44 Amount appropriated by act approved June 23, 1874.. Amount available July 1, 1874.. Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876. (See Appendix T 1.) 2. Improvement of Savar th Harbor, Georgia.-During the past fiscal year the operations have consisted in deepening the channel at various points by dredging and by the removal of wrecks, as specified below. 55,369 cubic yards of material have been dredged from the shoal northeast of Fort Pulaski, which obstructs the passage of vessels from Tybee Roads into the channel nearest the fort on the north side. The channel thus secured over the shoal is 13 feet deep at mean low water, and nearly 200 feet wide. 57,688 cubic yards of materials were dredged from the long shoal abreast of Elba Island, giving a channel 13 feet deep and 100 feet wide; 2,436 cubic yards were dredged from the shoal kuown as the "Wrecks," opposite the lower end of Fig Island, this amount being the deposits that had taken place in this channel the previous year. The wrecks of two large wooden vessels were removed from the channel near the oyster-bed beacon, opposite Fort Pulaski, where they were sunk as obstructions during the civil war. A loaded lighter was also removed from the channel near Fort Pulaski. No dredging was done opposite the lower end of Elba Island, nor opposite the upper end of Long Island, and none on Garden Bank, near the city of Savannah. During the present fiscal year it is contemplated that the work of improvement will be carried on substantially as follows: 1. In dredging the shoal northeast of Fort Pulaski, in order to establish a channel 13 feet deep and 150 feet wide at mean low water. It is probable that the width will exceed 150 feet. 2. In dredging at "the Wrecks," opposite the lower end of Fig Island, so as to secure a channel 133 feet deep and 125 feet wide at mean low water. 3. In dredging the shoal abreast of Elba Island, so as to secure at that point a channel 134 feet deep and 125 feet wide at mean low water. 4. In dredging "Garden Bank," opposite the lower portion of the city of Savannah, so as to establish along the city-wharves a channel 133 feet deep and not less than 125 feet wide in that locality. 5. In removing a crib sunk during the civil war in the channel at the entrance from the Savannah River into St. Augustine Creek. These operations will be in furtherance of the project submitted last year by the engineer in charge, in the extension of which it is intended to establish a channel of such capacity that vessels drawing 22 feet of water can ascend from Tybee Roads to Savannah City on the flood-tide, and lay at the Savannah wharves at all stages of the tide without grounding. An essential feature of the project is a deflecting-jetty or sluice-dam at "cross-tides," four miles above the city, the object of which is to increase the volume and the velocity of the water flowing past the city on the ebb-current and augment its scouring effects upon the shoals. It is believed that the effect of this jetty or sluice-dam would be to increase the scouring effect of the ebb-current upon the shoals below, and therefore diminish the cost of dredging and of longitudinal jetties for contracting the water-way. To provide for its construction and continue the dredging, the engineer in charge recommends an appropriation of $175,000. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873.. $70,000 00 1,805 64 Amount appropriated by act approved June 23, 1874 Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876. (See Appendix T 2.) $50,000 00 71, 149 55 50,656 09 175,000 00 3. Improvement of the bar at the mouth of the St. John's River, Florida.— The operations here consist in dredging upon a bar which is constantly changing in its location and magnitude, as well as in the position, direction, and depth of the channel over it. The dredging is carried on with a centrifugal pump and suitable suction-hose, placed on board an ordinary side-wheel steamer. The improvement has always been regarded as temporary in character. During the past fiscal year dredging was carried on between the 29th of September, 1873, and the 10th of January, 1874, resulting in the removal of 14,649 cubic yards from the bar, at an average cost of 265 cents per cubic yard. Work was confined to the channel north of Pelican Bank, it having been found that the channel previously dredged south of that bank had shoaled to such a degree, and had become so long and crooked, that the north channel offered the best promise of useful results with the small sum available for the purpose. The work done did not result in any material improvement of the channel, the weather having been so exceptionally stormy that the increased depth attained from time to time was always filled in again by succeeding storms. The engineer in charge doubts the wisdom of expending any more money in dredging upon this bar, and as the act approved June 23, 1874, appropriated $10,000 for the improvement of the bar, with a distinct. proviso that the money may be used in dredging out the inside passage between the St. John's River and Nassau Inlet, it is proposed to make no definite project for expending this money until the survey of this inside passage, also provided for in the same act, shall have been made. The object in either case is to improve the entrance into St. John's River. The improvement of the inside passage, if carried far enough, will result in making Fernandina, where an excellent harbor exists, the seaport for the St. John's River. It is not now contemplated to render this passage accessible to ocean-going vessels. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873 .. Deduct amount expended during last fiscal year.. Amount appropriated by act approved June 23, 1874 Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874.. Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876.. (See Appendixes T 3 and T 4.) $10,000 00 77 63 10,000 00 9,922 37 10,000 00 15, 000 00 IMPROVEMENT OF THE SUSQUEHANNA, NORTHEAST, ELK, CHESTER, PATAPSCO, AND WICOMICO RIVERS, AND THE HARBORS OF WORTON, QUEENSTOWN, AND CAMBRIDGE, IN MARYLAND; OF THE HARBORS OF WASHINGTON AND GEORGETOWN, D. C.; OF THE OCCOQUAN, RAPPAHANNOCK, JAMES, APPOMATTOX, ELIZABETH, AND NANSEMOND RIVERS, AND OF ACCOTINK, AQUIA, AND NOMINI CREEKS, VIRGINIA, AND OF THE ROANOKE AND CAPE FEAR RIVERS, IN NORTH CAROLINA. Officer in charge, Maj. William P. Craighill, Corps of Engineers, who has under his immediate orders Capt. C. B. Phillips, Corps of Engineers, and Lieut. Thomas Turtle, Corps of Engineers. 1. Improvement of Susquehanna River, near Havre de Grace, Maryland.The old wooden deflector has continued to stand as well as could be ex pected, and, according to the testimony of persons navigating the river, has been fulfilling its object of concentrating the flow of the water below the bridge and maintaining a better depth in the channel over the shoals below Havre de Grace It has not been possible, for want of funds, to make a survey of the locality. The deflector was seriously injured and breached by the extraordinary ice-gorge of March, 1873. A small amount of money, as much as was available, has been expended in closing the breach, as far as practicable, by sinking old hulks, (canal boats,) twelve in number, filled with stone. This expedient, which has proved successful, has been found cheap, owing to the nearness of the canal debouching near that point, as well as of the quarries at Port Deposit. It is believed there can be no reasonable doubt of the advantageous influence of the work already built there, and the opinion is still held that it should be replaced by a permanent structure, which might be built for $50,000. Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876 (See Appendix U 1.) $50,000 2. Improvement of Northeast River, Maryland.-Nothing has been done at this place since April, 1873, when Morris and Cumings completed their dredging. The results of their operations were the following: a channel 60 feet wide at the bottom, with a ruling depth of 5 feet at mean low water, leading from the 5-foot curve in the Northeast River to the wharf at Northeast; a basin about 120 feet long and 120 feet wide in front of the wharf; and a channel 25 feet wide, and 3 feet deep at low water, leading from the wharf to Alexander's mill. A special report was made May 28, 1873, by the officer in charge, accompanied by a sketch which showed the condition of the channels at that time. No money has been since available for an examination of the channels. The effect of the improvement has been to increase the trade of the town and enable a steamer to run regularly between it and Baltimore, as well as sailing-vessels to aid in the trade. It was estimated this improvement would cost $10,000, the whole of which was appropriated in one sum and the work done for it. No more money is now required. It is not improbable some filling may hereafter gradually take place where Stony Run empties into the channel. In time of freshets more or less sediment will be necessarily deposited from that stream. Amount in hands of officer and subject to his check.. Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874.. (See Appendix U 2.) $2.74 2.74 3. Improvement of Elk River, below Elkton, Maryland.-An examination of this river was made in January, 1873, and a preliminary report by the officer in charge, with an approximate estimate of the cost of the improvement, was submitted in reply to a call for information from the Senate Committee on Commerce, which was printed in House Ex. Doc. No. 124, March 24, 1873. See, also, pages 77 and 815 of Report of Chief of Engineers for 1873. See The estimates of the cost of the improvement now presented are based upon a more minute survey of the locality made in October, 1873. pages 4 and 63 of House Ex. Doc. No. 84, Forty-third Congress, first session. The improvement proposed by the officer in charge was to make, by dredging, a channel 6 feet in depth at low water, or 8 feet at high water, |