water width of the river, leaving a narrow but deep channel on the Cincinnati side.

The total removal of this bar would be very costly, and there is no good reason for undertaking such a work. It operates to keep the lowwater channel on the Cincinnati side, where it ought to be, and any radical change in existing conditions would be injurious to commerce.

On the other hand, it is both practicable and advisable to cut a channel through this bar into the Licking River, as the latter stream is much used during ice-floods as a harbor of refuge, and at all times for harboring coal barges; moreover, its banks are lined with manufacturing establishments that need free communication with the Ohio at all stages of the latter.

2. The cost of making a channel through this bar.

There are two ways in which this work can be done. One is to surround by coffer dams a given portion of the area to be excavated, and, after pumping out the water, to blast out the rock in the usual way. By repeating this operations until the whole area has been treated in this manner, we ultimately obtain a channel of exactly the required width and depth, and we remove no more rock than is absolutely necessary. The objections to this method are that it is very costly; it can only be carried on in low water; it requires many seasons of work before it can be completed, and the coffer-dams are serious obstructions to navigation while the work is in progress. The stage of the river at Cincinnati is so variable that during some seasons no work might be possible, and during others sudden rises in either river might destroy the coffer-dam and entail heavy expense. A contractor can only guard against such contingencies by heavily loading his estimates of net cost.

For the same reason an engineer can only make approximate estimates of the cost of doing the work in this manner. After careful investigation, I put the probable cost of obtaining by this method a channel with 4 feet depth in low water at $150,000.

The other way is to drill holes from a flat-boat in a prescribed order, blast them out with dynamite discharged by an electric current, and subsequently to remove the débris by dredging. This is both quicker and cheaper than the other method, notwithstanding the fact that the excavation must go deeper, in order to be sure of securing the depth required. The chief advantage is that navigation is not obstructed during the progress of the work, and floods do no injury.

I would estimate the cost of blasting out a 4-foot channel by this method at $75,000, and would recommend that the plan herein outlined be adopted for the work.

3. The practicability of connecting the navigation of the Licking River with the Ohio without the removal of the said bar or making a channel through the same.

To this I would reply that the navigation of these two streams cannot be connected in low water without the removal of this bar.

I inclose herewith a map of the locality.

Respectfully submitted.

Brig. Gen. JOHN NEWTON,

Chief of Engineers, U. S. A.

Omitted.

WM. E. MERRILL,

Lieut. Col. Engineers.

APPENDIX D D.

IMPROVEMENT OF GREAT KANAWHA AND ELK RIVERS, WEST VIRGINIA AND OF NEW RIVER IN VIRGINIA AND WEST VIRGINIA.

REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL WILLIAM P. CRAIG HILL, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, OFFICER IN CHARGE, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1885, WITH OTHER DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE works.

IMPROVEMENTS.

1. Great Kanawha River, West Virginia. 4. Examination of models and plans, &c., 2. Elk River, West Virginia.

3. New River, from the Mouth of Wilson,

in Grayson County, Virginia, to the
mouth of Greenbrier River, West
Virginia.

for movable dams.

EXAMINATION.

5. Greenbrier River, West Virginia.

(For letter of transmittal see Appendix I.)

DD I.

IMPROVEMENT OF THE GREAT KANAWHA RIVER, WEST VIRGINIA.

The object of the improvement has been to give a depth of not less than 6 feet all the year round throughout the whole river, 96 miles. The means are locks and dams. The locks are about 350 by 50 feet in the clear. The following table shows the present condition:

One more site is to be occupied above and six below, but the portion of the river (about one-third) on which work is now complete or in progress is that which needed it most. Some dredging is also required in the pools, as well as the removal of snags and rocks.

If there had been an appropriation at the session of Congress of 1884-'85, the completion of Dam 2 would have been assured in 1885, a very important step in the improvement. Work could also have been commenced at Site 7 or 1, or both. Unless the next appropriation be early in the session of 1885-'86, the completion of Dam 2 and operations of any extent at 7 and 1 cannot be expected until 1887.

Mr. A. M. Scott has continued to exercise the local charge in his usual efficient manner. His report, which is appended, treats in detail of the operations of the year.

The United States land at Site 6, abutment side, has been more than two years crossed without proper authority by the track of the Ohio Central Railroad Company, which extends from Charleston along the right bank of the Kanawha River to its mouth. It is supposed the crossing can be really authorized only by Congress. It is just to state that while this is technically a trespass no absolute injury has thus far resulted to the United States, and it is supposed that by restoring the fences which bound the site the crossing could be stopped. The railroad is now in the hands of a receiver. The attorneys promised to make an effort to obtain from Congress at the last session a proper authority for the crossing, but no such permission was granted.

As the improvement of the river has progressed, the commerce on it, notably the shipment of coal, has greatly increased. This has not been to the disadvantage of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, as some supposed would be the case, for the statistics show an increase in the coal business of that highway of trade and travel; the full advantage of the improvement cannot be realized until it be complete.

The telephone line has been maintained between the central office in Charleston and the locks, and is used by night as well as by day, being found indispensable for the proper oversight and direction of operations as well of construction as of maintenance.

A gauge-reader has been kept at Kanawha Falls, near which place the Gauley joins the New to form the Great Kanawha River; and another at Hinton, where the Greenbrier empties into the New River. The compensation of these men is but $10 a month each. They send to the central office daily reports by postal card of the stage of the river at their respective stations, and by telegraph when there is a rapid rise. These reports are necessary as warnings to the central office in Charleston, in order that such maneuvers of the dams, &c., may be had in time as the height and duration of the freshets may require.

For perfect security a similar station should be occupied at some point on the Upper Gauley, and perhaps also on the Elk, when No. 6 Dam is completed.

July 1, 1884, amount available

Money statement.

Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884

July 1, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of

outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884

July 1, 1885, outstanding liabilities.

July 1, 1885, amount available

Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... $1,857,500 00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1877

Submitted in compliance with requirements of section 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

500,000 00

OPERATING AND KEEPING IN REPAIR THE LOCKS AND DAMS ON THE GREAT KANAWHA RIVER, WEST VIRGINIA.

UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE,

Baltimore, Md., July 27, 1885.

GENERAL: Since the receipt of your authority of August 15, 1884, the expense of operating the locks and dams on the Great Kanawha River in West Virginia has been paid in the manner indicated by section 4, act of July 5, 1884.

In compliance with the proviso to that section which requires the rendition of an itemized statement of such expenses, I have the honor to forward the inclosed paper.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. P. CRAIGHILL,

Lieut. Col. of Engineers.

Chief of Engineers, U. S. A.

Brig. Gen. JOHN NEWTON,

STATEMENT OF AMOUNT EXPENDED DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1885, OUT OF THE GENERAL APPROPRIATION FOR "OPERATING AND CARE OF CANALS AND OTHER WORKS OF NAVIGATION," IN OPERATING AND KEEPING IN REPAIR THE LOCKS AND DAMS ON THE GREAT KANAWHA RIVER, WEST VIRGINIA.

Gauge-keepers:

For pay of gauge-keepers and reporters at Hinton and Kanawha Falls. Steamer Bee:

60 00

For part of running expenses of steamer Bee.....

90 00

Total

5,811 51

Abstract of proposals for building the foundations and the pier and abutment of Dam No. 6, Great Kanawha River, West Virginia, opened at 12.5 p. m., August 25, 1884.

Abstract of proposals for the iron work in the foundation of Dam No. 6. Great Kanawha River, opened at the United States Engineer Office, Charleston, W. Va., at 12 m., December 2, 1884.