chinery belonging to the various boats, &c., of the United States, laid up in the canal, and the lock machinery. The convenience and economy of such a shop has been abundantly demonstrated during the last year. OFFICE BUILDING. I would again call your attention to the need of a proper office for the canal superintendent's use and the storing of valuable records. The office of the canal up town necessitates running to and fro, and it is very inconvenient in every way. Necessarily much of the Superintendent's time is at present occupied with the supervising of repairs to plants and machinery, a great portion of which is executed at the lower lock. The drawings and records should be close at hand for reference and use. Three thousand dollars is estimated for the construction of a suitable small building. The rent of the present office ($240 per year) amounts, capitalized, to $6,000. BUSINESS OF THE CANAL. There was a good stage of water nearly all through the year. As a consequence a great part of the commerce went outside of the canal and does not show on the traffic statement. EXPENSE OF OPERATING CANAL. The project submitted for past fiscal year and approved was as follows: There has been expended for operating and care, exclusive of outstanding liabilities reported July 1, 1884, the sum of $38,704.50, being $6,295.50 less than the estimate made at beginning of year. A large part of this saving was from the dredging required at Montrose proving less than was anticipated. The items for dredging the canal proper will constantly be increasing from year to year if the canal is to be kept in good condition. The lighter portions of the sediment brought in the canal are gradually filling it along its whole length. This deposit is not yet sufficient to interfere with navigation, but will finally, unless steps are taken to get rid of the mud as it enters from the creeks, necessitates a grand dredging, extending over some 5 miles in extent. The dredging heretofore has been pretty generally limited to the heavier deposits in the vicinity of the three creeks, the feeder at the upper end of the canal, and the lower entrance. Much of the light deposit, if not all, can be turned into the river by suitable sluices during the flood season without its spreading through the canal at all. The construction of these sluices has been referred to under the head of "Dredging in the canal." In the work connected with operating and care of the canal, I have been assisted by Mr. S. Edwards, Mr. W. A. Thompson, and Clerk O. S. Willey. To these and the members of the operating force in general I am indebted for faithful and efficient service. Tables A and B are appended. Very respectfully, Maj. A. MACKENZIE, M. MEIGS, United States Civil Engineer. Corps of Engineers, U. S. A. SCHEDULE A.-Traffic statement of the Des Moines Rapids Canal for the fiscal year ending SCHEDULE B.-Comparative traffic statement showing the total traffic that has passed through the canal since its opening in 1877 by fiscal year ending June 30. Logs. DRY-DOCK AT DES MOINES RAPIDS CANAL, MISSISSIPPI RIVER. The history of this work up to June 30, 1884, is given in my last annual report. During the past year the embankment has been completed, the earth has been removed from the prism of the dock and placed in embankment at its lower end, and the construction of the sluice-ways has been commenced. The details of this work are given in the appended report of Mr. M. Meigs, United States Civil Engineer. There is required to complete this work, according to original project, $65,000. This amount can be used to good advantage in one season. If the work is prolonged over a longer time it is probable the cost will be increased. The plant belonging to the United States and used in connection with the improvement of the Mississippi River, and the entire commerce of the upper river are liable to be benefited by this improvement. ABSTRACT OF APPROPRIATIONS. By act passed August 2, 1882. $30,000 30,000 Money statement. July 1, 1884, amount available..... Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884... $2,023 50 30,000 00 July 1, 1885, outstanding liabilities.. July 1, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884... 32,023 50 $23, 227 90 23,467 78 8,555 72 July 1, 1885, amount available..... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project ...... 65,000 00 65,000 00 Abstract of all proposals received and opened this 5th day of September, 1884, at 2 p. m., by Maj. A. Mackenzie, Corps of Engineers, for furnishing stone for construction of dry-dock at the Des Moines Rapids Canal. REPORT OF MR. M. MEIGS, UNITED STATES CIVIL ENGINEER. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Keokuk, Iowa, July 1, 1885. MAJOR: I have the honor to make the following report of work done on the drydock at the Des Moines Rapids Canal, Mississippi River, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885. This work was begun in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1883. At the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884, the outside embankment was partially completed. Three thousand cubic yards of riprap face stone had been delivered, and was partially distributed along the slopes. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885, the embankment has been completed, and the greater portion of the earth removed from the prism of the dry-dock and used to form the platform at the lower end of the dock. The cutting and laying of stone for the dry-dock sluice is now in progress. It was found expensive and troublesome to get a good foundation for the sluice walls. The 12-inch pump and engine belonging to the appropriation for improving Des Moines Rapids were used for the drainage of the dock-prism, and at times was taxed to the utmost in removing the large amount of water coming through the old canal embankment. Most of this leakage is now carried by a flume direct to the river, and the pump easily keeps the smaller leaks down. Two courses of stone have been laid in the side and breast walls of the sluice, and a large amount of stone is cut and ready for laying. The slope-wall stone on hand has been largely laid on the slope of the embankment. A portion of this stone that was laid rather prematurely, owing to the fear of injury to the bank by ice, has settled so that it will have to be taken up and reset. The experience of the two last winters shows, however, that the laying of this stone was necessary for the safety of the work, as the heavy ice in the spring freshets runs with great force against the dry-dock embankment. The iron gates and frames for the sluices, four in number, and for the pump-well, are completed, and ready to be put in place as soon as the masonry is prepared to receive them. It is hoped that the present appropriation will complete the sluice and gates so that the rest of the work can henceforth proceed without reference to the stage of water in the river. The following statement shows the work accomplished during the past fiscal year: Earth removed from Dry Dock Prism, about 11,000 cubic yards. A large part of the expense during the past year has been incurred in excavating earth and rock for foundation for masonry, building and erecting derricks, putting up pumping-engine, &c., which are good for all the work to follow in completing the dry-dock. During the fiscal year work has been carried on between July 28 and November 19, 1884, and from April 1 to June 30, 1885. In the above work I have been assisted by Mr. O. S. Willey, draughtsman, who made the drawings for the masonry work, Mr. John R. Carpenter and Mr. S. Edwards, overseers. My thanks are due these gentlemen for efficient and cheerful assistance in carrying on the work. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Z 12. IMPROVEMENT OF QUINCY BAY, ILLINOIS. There was no money available for work under this head of appropriation during the past fiscal year, but the river and harbor act of July 5, 1884, provided, under head of "Improving Mississippi River from Des Moines Rapids to the mouth of the Illinois River," for continuing work in Quincy Bay and an allotment of $12,500 for continuing dredging as directed by Congress was made from the general appropriation. The work was advertised and contract made with the lowest bidder, Mr. H. S. Brown, of Quincy. On September 1, 1884, before operations were begun, the work was transferred to Capt. E. H. Ruffner, Corps of Engineers. ABSTRACT OF APPROPRIATIONS. By act approved March 3, 1881. By act approved August 2, 1882 $10,000 15,000 By act approved July 5, 1884, allotment from "Improving Mississippi River, 12,500 NOTE.-Twenty thousand dollars additional alloted from appropriation for "Improving navigation of Mississippi River at Quincy, Illinois," has been used in the improvement. Z 13. REMOVING OBSTRUCTIONS IN MISSISSIPPI RIVER. No appropriation having been made in river and harbor act of July 5, 1884, under title of "Improving Upper Mississippi River, operation of snag-boats," an allotment of $15,000 from above appropriation was made for continuing snagging work north of the mouth of the Missouri, but it appearing subsequently that this allotment would seriously interfere with projected work on the Lower Mississippi and it being practicable in the emergency to provide for the Upper Mississippi by allotments from the general appropriations, the greater portion of the amount was transferred to Maj. C. R. Suter, Corps of Engineers. The amount expended was $2,049.37. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF SNY ISLAND LEVEE, ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Rock Island, Ill., September 9, 1884. GENERAL: In reply to your letter of July 31, 1884, requesting estimates of the amount of funds required for certain preliminary examinations provided for by the river and harbor act of July 5, 1884, I have the honor to report as follows regarding Sny Island Levee, on the Mississippi River, and the Secretary of War shall report what benefit, if any, this levee has been to the improvement of the channel and navigation of the river, and he shall submit an estimate of the probable cost of strengthening and preserving said levee so as to insure and maintain that benefit. Having already given some consideration to this subject, and having, in my opinion, sufficient data on hand, I do not believe any preliminary examination is needed for determining the general relation of the Sny Levee to the interests of navigation. Under date of August 24, 1882, a letter was addressed to the presi dent of the Mississippi River Commission by Mr. Clark, of Hannibal, Mo., in which the claim was made that the construction of the Sny Levee had greatly benefited navigation of the Mississippi River between Quincy and Hannibal. In my report on this letter, addressed to the Chief of Engineers under date of May 14 (or 17), 1883, I gave fully my views, which did not agree with those expressed by Mr. Clark. A copy of this report is transmitted herewith. The Sny Levee is about 50 miles long, and a thorough examination of the embankment, the channel and bed of the river adjacent, and the low grounds on both sides of the river, and the taking of proper discharge and other observations, would be a very lengthy and expensive operation. As regards the condition of the bed of the river since the levee was constructed, I would say that a complete survey of the river-bed |