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remote from shelter, which makes its construction difficult and expensive.

The prospective commercial importance of the harbor is treated in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1882, page 2165.

The object to be attained by the construction of this harbor and the desire of the citizens in reference to it are stated in the Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1880, pages 1940 to 1947.

At present there is but little transportation to and fro by water. Traffic by water is confined to lumber carrying mainly, the boats landing at an exposed pier-head.

The nearest collection district is Chicago, Ill. The nearest port of entry is Chicago, Ill. Amount of revenue collected at the nearest port of entry during the last fiscal year, $4,133,845.11.

Money statement.

July 1, 1884, amount available......

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, amount available ....

Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project
Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1887
Submitted in compliance with requirements of section 2 of river and
harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

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REPORT OF MR. W. H. HEARDING, ASSISTANT ENGINEER.

UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE,
Milwaukee, June 30, 1885.

SIR: The following report upon the harbor at Waukegan, Ill., is respectfully submitted:

In the bill passed by Congress July 5, 1884, the sum of $20,000 was appropriated for the improvement of this harbor. Since July, 1882, the work has been done by hired labor, and purchase of materials in the open market.

As soon as the money appropriated became available, circulars were forwarded to all such parties in Wisconsin and Illinois as it was thought would be desirous of furnishing the necessary materials for the construction of a section of pile pier, and they were procured at fair rates.

The pile-driver was stationed on the shore on the alignment of the south pier, upon which it had been used in 1883. In order to take it across the basin to commence the construction of the north pier, foundation piles were driven from the shore to the south end of the east arm, on the proposed line of the north pier, the distance across being 370 feet. Cap timbers were laid on the piles for supporting the track timbers for the whole distance. The bridge thus constructed has been of great service in transporting materials of construction, fuel, &c., from the shore to the work, and will continue to be serviceable until the north pier is completed. The engine of the piledriver was put in order and work was commenced on August 15, and continued until October 31, upon which date work was suspended for the season. Five sections of the north pier were constructed, in length 170 running feet.

The quantity of stone required for the work is in excess of the estimates. This excessive quantity is due to the mobility of the material overlying the clay of the lake bed, which is 19 feet below the plane of reference for the water level of Lake Michigan. The movable material is a deposit of sand and gravel. A description of the effect of a storm which occurred October 7, last, will be sufficient to illustrate its changeableness. The piles had just been driven for section 3 of the north pier, and were secured with wales, rods, binders, and struts, placed from binder to binder, but the stone ballast had not been supplied. The water in which these piles were driven was from 6 to 9 feet in depth, both in and outside the pier.

The storm was from the northeast and was of not more than thirty hours' duration. After it had subsided, the depth of water inside the section was 18 feet, and from 17 to 19 feet outside, so that during this short period of time, a volume of this overlying

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material of more than 10 feet in thickness had been removed by the action of the water. The only effective method of supplying a deficiency thus caused, is to fill the excavated space with stone. By this method the work as far as it has been accomplished has been satisfactorily sustained. At the close of operations such repairs as were necessary to the engine of the pile-driver were made.

During the winter oak piles were purchased at very favorable rates, for the work of 1885, and as the pier extended to such a depth of water as to permit vessels to discharge stone directly into it without running excessive risk; stone has been obtained at much more favorable rates this year than it has heretofore.

The work up to this time has been prosecuted under great disadvantages, which are only fully understood by persons who are conversant with the difficulties attending the construction of such a work in shoal water, upon such an exposed coast, and at a distance from shelter.

Work was resumed upon the extension of the north pier on the 25th day of last month, and up to this time four sections, Numbers 6, 7, 8, and 9, equal to 128 running feet in length, have been built. It is expected that one more section of 32 feet in length will be completed by the 16th of July, when operations will be suspended.

The accompanying plat which shows the work done during the past fiscal year, and the soundings taken by me on the 23d instant, also illustrates the advantage gained by an increased depth of water to the southward of the new work.

The work of construction has been ably conducted under the immediate supervision of Mr. Hugh Gillen.

The number of steamers and sailing vessels which arrived and discharged cargoes at the bridge pier during the year was 65, the number of departures 65. The receipts and shipments of merchandise and products are chiefly conducted by railroad. I have the honor to subscribe myself, very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. H. HEARDING, Assistant.

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IMPROVEMENT OF THE FOX AND WISCONSIN RIVERS, WISCONSIN.

During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885, the work on the Fox and Wisconsin rivers improvement has been restricted from lack of funds, the appropriation made in the river and harbor act approved July 5, 1884, not being available until the cost of the necessary lands and sites for the Menasha Dam may be determined.

Detailed statements of all work done during the year are given in the reports of Assistant Engineer C. A. Fuller and Overseer J. W. Allen, jr., herewith.

On the Wisconsin River a small party was employed in the months of August and September in repairing the dams in the improved section of the river just below Portage. A rise in the river put an end to this work, after eight dams had been repaired, September 13, 1884.

No work is contemplated on the Wisconsin River beyond keeping in repair the dams already built over the improved section until the question of their efficacy in improving the navigation of the river is determined.

On the Upper Fox the necessary work for maintaining the navigation of the river from Portage to Lake Winnebago, including repairs to locks and dams and the maintenance of the existing channel by dredging, was done. The boats and dredges pertaining to the work were repaired, and 74,371 cubic yards of sand were dredged from twentythree bars and shoals between Montello and White River locks.

On the Lower Fox thorough repairs were made to the old lock at Menasha and to Appleton fourth and Little Chute first locks. A new abutment was built for the Cedars Dam. A new abutment was built

and an apron begun at Little Kaukauna Dam. The canals were deepened by rock excavation and dredging at Little Chute and Kaukauna, and more or less extensive repairs made to the locks, dams, and canal banks throughout the line.

Stone was quarried and cut for the abutments and sluice-ways of the proposed new dam at Menasha; for coping for the proposed stone lock at Menasha, and for new abutments for all dams where injured by washouts during the extraordinary floods of 1881-'82.

Navigation was continued throughout the season from Portage to Green Bay until suspended by ice, except through the Menasha Lock, which failed and was closed for repairs October 23, 1884. Three feet depth of navigation was maintained on the Upper Fox, and 5 feet on the Lower Fox, save at Menasha, where there is but 42 feet depth.

All work of improving the navigation of the Fox and Wisconsin rivers done during the year has been paid for from the balance from the specific appropriation of August 2, 1882. The expense of maintai...ng the existing depth of navigation throughout the Fox River and canals; for repairs to old locks and dams, and for repairs to mechanical constructions that have been completed and in use, but afterwards injured by flood or otherwise, and for lock-keepers' services, have been paid from the indefinite appropriation for "Operating and care of canals and other works of navigation" provided by section 4 of the river and harbor act approved July 5, 1884. A detailed statement of the expenditures under this latter appropriation accompanies this report.

PROPOSED APPLICATION OF FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR EXPENDITURE DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1886.

The funds appropriated by the act of July 5, 1884, and the balance from former appropriations are to be used (1) for the purchase of the necessary lands and sites at the Menasha Dam as directed by the proviso attached to the river and harbor act approved July 5, 1884, and (2) for making the necessary changes at the outlets to Lake Winnebago for carrying into effect the proviso attached to the river and harbor act approved August 2, 1882, as recommended in the report of the Board of Engineers dated September 17, 1884, approved by the Secretary of War, December 10, 1884, and in deepening to 6 feet, by rock excavation, the channels of the Fox River at the outlet to Lake Winnebago at the head of Menasha Channel, and at De Pere, in accordance with the report of the Board of Engineers above mentioned, approved by the War Department December 10, 1884.

The proceedings for acquiring title to the necessary lands and sites at the Menasha Dam are about concluded, and this vexed question finally at rest.

Under the indefinite appropriation for the "operating and care of canals and other works of navigation," the locks at Governor Bend and Montello are to be thoroughly repaired; the existing depth of navigation maintained; current repairs to locks, dams, and canal banks made, and the works operated and cared for during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886.

PROPOSED APPLICATION OF FUNDS ASKED FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1887.

The estimate herewith submitted is for continuing the work under the project contained in the report of the Board of Engineers dated

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