The drill scow was engaged a portion of the time between August 6 and November ...cubic yards.. 7,963 $1.15% The bank measurement was not entirely completed. The dredge and scows occupied the space from cross-section 666 to cross-section 689, aud this was not sounded. It is estimated that in this unsounded area there had been excavated 860 cubic yards, bank measure. Adding this to the amount actually measured in bank makes a total of 6,850 cubic yards, and the cost, bank measure, per cubic yard, $1.34%. The scow measure exceeds the bank measure by 16 per cent. CONTRACT WITH JOHN HICKLER, DATED SEPTEMBER 5, 1884. This contract is for 19 feet depth of water, 100 feet wide at bottom between cross sections 819 and 943. The contract price is 58 cents per cubic yard, bank measure. The following estimates have been made: Estimate for October, 1884. Estimate for November, 1884. Estimate for May, 1885.. The June estimate is not yet completed. .cubic yards.. 25,764 ..do.... 6,989 ...do.... 7, 162 CONTRACT WITH HICKLER & GREEN, DATED MAY 18, 1885. This contract is for a depth of water of 14 feet between cross-sections 509 and 818. The contract price is 89 cents per cubic yard. The contractor has two dredges on this work. No estimate has yet been given. PRESENT CONDITION OF THE CHANNEL. The channel is now excavated so as to give a depth of water of 19 feet from the upper end down to cross-section 509, and from the lower end up to cross-section 796, leaving between these two points a space of 2,870 feet undredged. This space is covered by the contract of May 18, 1885. The dredged channel is 100 feet wide at bottom, except from cross-section 485 to 509, and from cross-section 796 to 819, a total distance of 470 feet, where it has a varying width of from 30 to 90 feet at bottom. Should the present contracts be completed within the specified time there will be at the close of this season a depth of 14 feet of water through the Middle Neebish into Hay Lake. SURVEY AT LOWER END OF HAY LAKE. Soundings were taken over an area 14,500 feet long and 400 feet wide, extending from section 9, at the angle at head of Middle Neebish Rapids, up to section 290, in Hay Lake, where the water was 19 feet deep. The sections were 50 feet apart and soundings taken every 10 feet on each section, making 11,931 soundings. In June, 1884, two lines of tamarack stakes, 400 feet apart, and consecutive stakes on each line 500 feet apart, were driven with a pile-driver placed on the drill-scow, the position of which was located by theodolite intersections from two shore stations. Nine men were employed in making this survey after the stakes were driven, viz: One assistant engineer, one sub-inspector, and seven laborers. The method employed for locating the soundings was as follows: Two side lines, each 500 feet long and three sixteenths inch in diameter and on which were fastened cedar corks every 50 feet, were stretched between consecutive stakes on the side channel lines. Two small boats, in each of which were two men, were anchored at corresponding corks on the side lines. A coil of ratline, on which was fastened, alternately, cedar corks and flannel tags every 10 feet for 400 feet, was stretched between the side boats, and then the soundings were taken from a third boat with a sounding pole at each tag and cork on the cross-line. Water-gauge readings were taken quarter hourly at gauge A. We began sounding on July 17, and continued at odd intervals on eleven different days till October 18, 1884. The continuous stormy weather that prevailed during the season added greatly to the cost of the survey. All the soundings have been corrected to a uniform water-surface of 20 feet above a grade-line, that is 21 feet below bench-mark A. The soundings and the surface and grade lines have been platted on cross-section sheets. The computations have been made for a channel 20 feet deep and 300 feet wide at bottom with side slopes of 2 horizontal to I vertical. The amount of excavation in such a channel is 912,800 cubic yards. It is estimated that this material could be removed at a cost of 15 cents per cubic yard if done in large contracts. This would make the estimated cost $150,612. SURVEY AT LITTLE RAPIDS. Two routes have been proposed for the improvement of Little Rapids. With your approval surveys of both of these routes have been begun. For this purpose a system of triangulation has been carried from Topsail Island down through Little Rapids into Hay Lake. Ten points have been selected and stations built and properly marked with stones. The lines of sight have been cleared and the angles at four stations measured. The central line of one of the routes has been cleared through the wooded islands a distance of about half a mile. DOCK AT MIDDLE NEEBISH. A small dock has been built on Neebish Island opposite the cut. It is about 40 feet long and extends out to 6 feet of water. A blacksmith shop has been built near this dock. The cost of the dock and blacksmith shop is $175.47. The land on which the shop and dock stand is owned by the United States and at your request has been withdrawn from sale until after the completion of the Hay Lake Channel. FITTING OUT. The quarters' boat Swallow, tug Myra, and small boats have been cleaned, calked, and painted. The drill-scow has been put in complete repair; a large boiler has been put in place of the small one previously used. A new hall, stairway, and entrance door have been built in the warehouse. The survey at the lower end of Hay Lake and computations have been done by Assistant Engineer Ripley. The monthly estimates have been made by Assistant Engineers Ripley and Burns. The experimental dredging by the hour was under the charge of inspectors Common and Reed. The drill-scow was under the charge of Mr. A. F. Hursley. Mr. A. F. Hursley resigned his position as captain of the United States tug Myra on the 8th June, 1885. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Lieut. Col. O. M. POE, E. S. WHEELER, Corps of Engineers, U. S. A. L L 2. IMPROVEMENT OF SAINT MARY'S FALLS CANAL AND RIVER, MICHIGAN. This improvement, originally projected to obtain a 16-foot navigation between Lakes Superior and Huron, has been completed accordingly at a cost of $2,405,432.83 to June 30, 1885. And scarcely had vessels drawing more than 12 feet begun to use the channel before a demand sprung up for a still greater depth. The commerce using it also increased enormously, until it is now evident that at an early day additional lockage facilities must be supplied to the canal which forms part of the route. Only 11 per cent. of the freight passing the canal during the season of 1884 was carried in vessels the draught of which would permit the use of the old locks. The amount of freight passing the canal has increased from 1,567,741 tons during the season of 1881 to 2,874,557 tous in 1884, or in the three years an increase of 1,306,816 tons, or 833 per cent. in the amount of freight actually passing the canal in one season. Should this rate of increase continue, the present lockage system will be insufficient to pass the commerce long before it can be, in the usual course of appropriations for river and harbor improvement, enlarged to meet the greater demands upon it. For the fifteen years preceding 1884 the annual increase in the regis tered tonnage using the canal was comparatively uniform, and averaged about 107,313 tons. In 1884, however, the increase was 955,578 tons. This increase was alone equal to the entire commerce through the canal from 1855 to 1860-the first five years the canal was in operation-and is well calcu lated to startle all who feel any interest in the route by lake-between our great Northwest and the sea-board. It urges, in the strongest way, that the work of preparing to take care of a commerce greater than the present canal and lockage system could accommodate shall be entered upon without delay. In my annual report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884, I submitted a project with estimates of the cost of so much of the work of enlargement as pertains to the canal. (See pages 2011 et seq., Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 188+.) Upon further consideration I am inclined to think the estimate there given is too small, especially in the item for deepening the canal above the locks, and that the total estimate ought to be increased by such amount ($140,915) as will make the grand total $,750,000. I also desire to modify the project then presented to such extent as to leave open the question of the dimensions of the lock proposed to be built in place of the present old locks. I further desire to emphasize the fact that in the proposed enlargement every part of the present work will be utilized without loss except the "old locks," and of these a considerable portion of the materials, especially the stone, can be used again. It is not proposed to disturb the present "new lock," which is all that can be desired for no greater draught than about 17 feet. When my annual report for 1884 was submitted I was strongly impressed with the necessity for an early commencement upon the new project, but did not fully realize the emergency as it was shown to exist when the statistics of the season's commerce were fully made up. When that occurred I prepared and submitted my report of January 8, 1885, printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 102, Forty-eighth Congress, second session, of which the following is a copy : LETTER OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, UNITED STATES ARMY, Washington, D. C., January 14, 1885. SIR: In the last Annual Report of this office, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884, pages 302 and 2011, attention was called to the rapid increase of the commerce passing through the Sault Saint Mary's Canal, being such that, should its rate be maintained for the next eight years, the period would be then reached when the present lockage system would be found insufficient. To guard against this it was recommended to begin at once the construction of a new lock of large dimensions upon the site of the two old ones. I have now the honor to submit herewith a copy of a report to this office of the 8th instant, from Lieut. Col. O. M. Poe, Corps of Engineers, in charge, containing official returns lately received of the tonnage passed through the canal during the season of 1884, showing the increase in tonnage to have been beyond all expectation, and so largely in excess of that of previous years that should the rate be maintained (of which there seems to be no doubt) the insufficiency of the present lockage system will be felt at the expiration of one-half the length of time above estimated, or, say, in four years, and indicating beyond question a more urgent necessity for an early commencement of this indispensable work. In the view of the great importance of this subject, I beg leave to suggest the transmission of this report to the House of Representatives for the information of the Committee on Rivers and Harbors. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, JOHN NEWTON, Hon. ROBERT T. LINCOLN, Secretary of War. Chief of Engineers, Brig. and Brt. Maj. Gen. REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL 0. M. POE, CORPS OF ENGINEERS. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE. SIR: In my annual report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884,* I submitted a project for the enlargement of Saint Mary's Falls Canal, including the construction of a new lock in place of the two old ones, and urged the matter in terms as strong as seemed proper. It was stated that the commerce through the canal during 1883 was 2,042,259 tons (registered); that the annual increase in tonnage for fifteen years had been quite uniform, averaging 107,313 tons per year; that only 11 per cent. of the freight passing the canal during 1883 was in vessels of sufficiently light draught to admit of their passing through the old locks, and that if these figures were maintained for eight years the present lockage system, although in constant operation, would be insufficient to take care of the shipping. We now have complete returns for the season of 1884, and the annual increase in tonnage has not only been maintained but largely exceeded; that is to say, the registered tonnage passing through the canal during the season of 1884 was 2,997,837 tons, an increase of 955,578 tons, or nine times the average annual increase for the preceding fifteen years. Or, to state it possibly with greater force, this increase in 1884 is equal to the entire commerce through the canal during the first five years it was open to navigation. Should this rate of increase be maintained, the full capacity of the lockage system will be reached within four years instead of eight, as estimated in the Annual Report. The following table affords the means of comparing, in detail, the business of the canal during the season of 1884 with that of 1883: Comparative statement of the commerce through Saint Mary's Falls Canal, Michigan, for the seasons of 1883 and 1884. Canal opened April 23, and closed December 10, 1884, being open to navigation 232 days. *Annual Report Chief of Engineers for 1884, Part III, page 2011. 1, 248, 143 12, 502, 894 1. 136, 071 561, 112 82 5,825, 869 87 344, 339 43 122, 389,000 35, 258, 000 40 72, 428 144, 804 37, 482 34 73, 906 104 9,731 207, 173 8, 917 1,095 15, 602 8 The increase in registered tonnage was 47 per cent. ; in grain, 87 per cent.; in flour, 82 per cent., and in iron ore 43 per cent. These are the great staples (although a notable increase in the lumber traffic was developed), and indicate the direction from which future increase must be expected. It will be principally from the cereal products of the Northwest, through the systems of railways terminating on Lake Superior. It is stated in the commercial columns of the newspapers that there are now stored at Duluth alone nearly 5,000,000 bushels of grain, and that this will be increased to more than 7,000,000 by the time navigation opens. If this be true (and I do not doubt it for a moment), the canal will be pushed toward its utmost during the season of 1885. But the facts adverted to do more than indicate the necessity for beginning the enlargement of the canal at the earliest date possible. They protest in the strongest possible terms against all propositions to fit the old locks for dry-dock purposes, or to build a dry-dock anywhere in the immediate vicinity of the canal, to be operated in connection therewith. Another point which I particularly invite attention to is the fact that no portion of the work of enlargement recently completed will be lost. On the contrary, it is just that much done towards the project now so strongly recommended. I have to request that this report be fowarded for consideration in connection with my aunual report for the year ending June 30, 1884. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. Á. O. M. POE, The table in the foregoing document compares the traffic for the two seasons 1883 and 1884. The following table compares the traffic for the fiscal years 1883-'84, and 1884-'85 : It brings the comparison down by periods six months later than in the former case, introducing the commerce of the first two mouths of the current year. Attention is invited to the great and continued increase in the grain trade. This was foreshadowed in the remark made in the report of January 8, 1885, that in the future the increase will be "principally from the cereal products of the Northwest, through the systems of railways terminating on Lake Superior." I confidently look for a continuance of the increase of this traffic. Comparative statement of business through Saint Mary's Falls Canal for the fiscal years 1883-84 and 1884-'85. Additional statistics of interest in this connection are given in the report on operating and care of Saint Mary's Falls Canal. Upon a series of sheets hereto attached an endeavor has been made to graphically represent the business of the canal by calendar years, from its opening in 1855 to the close of 1884. Sheet No. 1 shows total ton |