Arrivals and departures of vessels during the year ending December 31, 1884. Amount of revenue collected during the year ending December 31, 1884... $28,984 95 Value of imports same year.... Value of exports same year.. Greatest draught of vessels, 12 feet. 159,541 00 208,471 00 NN II. IMPROVEMENT OF OSWEGO HARBOR, NEW YORK. I relieved Lieut. Col. H. M. Robert, Corps of Engineers, of the charge of this work, on January 28, 1885, in compliance with Special Orders No. 6, Adjutant-General's Office, January 8, 1885. Colonel Robert's report upon this harbor, as furnished to me, is as follows: During the first seven months of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885, operations have consisted in dredging of the inner harbor at the mouth of the Oswego River, the partial building of a spur to the west breakwater, to be placed near the entrance to the harbor, and the repair and rebuilding of a part of the superstructure of the west breakwater. The dredging was in continuation of the work done during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884, under the agreement made September 5, 1883, with Franklin Lee; 1,929 cubic yards of material were removed, or an aggregate under the agreement of 34,124 cubic yards. The dredge was further engaged during an aggregate working time of one hundred and sixteen hours at the rate of $10 per hour, in excavating the trenches for the foundation of the spur, and in removing injured and submerged parts of the breakwater under repair. Under a contract with James B. Donnelly, dated August 29, 1884, the proposed spur to the west breakwater, described in the Report of the Chief of Engineers, 1884, page 2149, was built to a height of 234 feet. By the terms of the contract the spur was to be completed by November 1, 1884. The contractor, finding that the lateness of the season and the continued rough condition of the lake would operate against the placing and the completion of the spur within the time required by the contract, made application on October 17, to the officer in charge, for such an extension of time as would permit the work to be completed early in the season of 1885. The desired extension was made to June 15, 1885. The United States prepared the foundations for the proposed spur by excavating trenches about 25 feet wide and 5 feet deep, or to a firm bottom, along the lines of the spur, and then filling these trenches with stone to 214 feet below the zero of the gauge, or to about the height of the natural lake bed at the site of the proposed spur; 265.12 cords of stone were placed in the foundation. This work was done by hired labor and purchase of material in open market. The rebuilding of the superstructure was in accordance with the plan set forth in Report of the Chief of Engineers, 1884, page 2144. The work was done by hired labor and the purchase of the principal material under competitive proposals submitted in response to circular letters addressed to dealers in the materials required. The rebuilding of the superstructure, on the parapet plan, covered 2,970 linear feet of the western part, and 570 linear feet of the eastern end of the west breakwater, or an aggregate of 3,540 linear feet. Upon these repairs 1,700,000 feet, B. M., of white pine timber, and 292,000 feet, B. M., of cresoted Georgia pine were used. The latter was applied to the construction of the decking of the parapet, and comprised the upper tier of cross-ties, the deck-joists, and the plank covering of the deck-the white-pine timber costing from $15.35 to $16.70 per M feet, B. M.; the cresoted timber costing $44 per M feet, B. M., delivered in canal-boats at Oswego. The cost of rebuilding the superstructure, on the parapet plan, over the 3,540 linear feet of the west breakwater above described was as follows: Or at a cost, including office expenses and superintendence, of $25.63 per linear foot; or, excluding office expenses, at a cost of $25.18 per linear foot. In the eastern 570 linear feet built no creosoted timber was used and the comparative newness of the work was such as to remove the item of cost due to cutting the old work down to the water-surface, which obtained on the western 2,970 linear feet built; for these reasons it would be fair to assume that the cost per linear foot of building the eastern 570 feet was about one-half the cost per linear foot of building the western 2,970 feet. On this basis the cost of the complete rebuilding of the superstructure on the parapet plan would be $27.87 per linear foot, including office expenses and superintendence, or excluding office expenses and superintendence $27.42 per linear foot; the estimated cost of the work was $30 per linear foot. During a severe gale from the northwest, early in November, the breakwater was injured at a point about 500 feet east of the angle made by the shore-arm with the west breakwater; the injury covered 145 linear feet, or a length of four cribs. Over this length of break water the superstructure, together with the substructure to a depth of about 12 feet below the water-surface, was forced southward, or into the harbor, from a few inches to 3 feet. Superficially the effect of this displacement was to distort the previous lines of the work; to practically remove the stone through the bottom of the displacement, and produce a partial fracture on the lake face of the timbers of the superstructure at the point of junction of the displaced work with the intact work. The decking of both parapet and banquette remained in place and only suffered from the distortion of the work. The injury to the breakwater was such as to make it highly probable that subsequent gales would produce a breach at the site of the injury, which, if unarrested, would spread to an unlimited extent. The lateness of the season precluded a systematic repair of the injury, and all effort was concentrated upon limiting further injury to that part of the work already impaired. To accomplish this very heavy bulkheads were built entirely across the banquette and parapet at the eastern and western limits of the injury, or 145 feet apart, and in such a manner as to permit all of the injured part of the breakwater being carried away, and at the same time checking the destruction at the bulkheads. Early in December a severe gale from the northwest swept through the breakwater between the bulkheads leaving a clean opening in the work 140 feet in length, and from 8 to 12 feet below the surface of the water. Since the formation of this breach the work has been subjected to unusually heavy gales, but so far the bulkheads have successfully held the breach within the limits of the first injury. The site of the foregoing described injury to the west breakwater covers that part of the work repeatedly breached before, and especially the site of the injury of November, 1883, in which three cribs or 105 linear feet of breakwater were swept away to a depth of about 12 feet below water-surface. In repairing this injury, in the spring of 1884, the gap was closed by sinking cribs from 12 to 14 feet deep, and subsequently carrying the parapet over this new work. The injury of 1884 was due to the sliding off of these subtops upon the old work. The results of the past indicate that this part of the west breakwater, over a length of about 300 feet, is subjected to a force of wave action largely in excess of that impressed upon any other part of the work, and it is imperatively necessary that in subsequent repairs this part of the breakwater be given a stability in excess of that found necessary upon the remaining parts. The repairs should be carried to a greater depth than attempted before, the mass of the superstructure increased beyond that given to adjacent parts, and the substructure and superstructure so connected by iron plates as to make the two parts practically one. During the past season an effort was made to obtain data relating to the height, velocity, and force of the waves thrown upon the western part of the west breakwater. Three dynamometers were attached to a vertical shaft and placed near the angle made by the shore-arm with the main breakwater; one dynamometer was placed at the water-surface; the second at 8 feet, and the third at 16 feet below the water-surface. They were arranged so as to present their discs directly to the seas; the area of the disc was exactly one-half a square foot. The height of the waves was deter mined by a level placed upon the high lake bank west of the shore and directed lakewards upon the incoming waves. The height determined was that obtained by the wave when distant about 1,000 feet from the breakwater. The velocities were determined by the time required for the wave to sweep along the shore-arm of the breakwater. The results of such observation may be summarized as follows: During a severe gale from the northwest the waves attain a height of from 14 to 18 feet above the normal surface of the lake, with a velocity of from 30 to 40 miles per hour. The dynamometers placed at the surface of the water recorded a pressure of 400 to 600 pounds per square foot; while the dynamometers placed respectively 8 and 16 feet below the water-surface gave no indications of even a pressure of 10 pounds per square foot. Late in the season a dynamometer was placed in proximity to the others, but attached to the pier and at an elevation of 8 feet above the water-surface; but one reading was obtained in this position which was 940 pounds per square foot. The gales from which these readings were obtained were far from the most severe, and it is highly probable that parts of the breakwater are subjected at times to a force of over 1,000 pounds per square foot. In addition to the damages reported above by Colonel Robert none others have occurred at the breach, with the exception of the washing out of stone filling from the cribs, the tops of which had been carried away. The cribs are now gone to a depth of 4 to 8 feet below extreme low water level, and the stone filling to a depth of 8 to 14 feet below the same level. The parapet for 100 feet on each side of the breach shows decided signs of yielding, but the timbers as yet seem to be unbroken. At 300 feet west of the breach the platform deck is raised 6 inches for a length of 50 feet. For 60 feet eastward of this latter position two timbers are gone from the harbor face and some of the deck plank are broken. At a point 656 feet to the west of the east end of the west breakwater a partial breach exists. The deck plank and joists are gone from 25 linear feet of the half of the work next to the harbor face; two timbers are gone from the harbor face and the stone filling is washed out to a depth of 4 feet. A breach may be expected at this point next fall. The amount required for the repairs above mentioned is, for their present condition, $80,000. On June 3, 1885, the spur-crib was sunk 250 feet west of the harbor entrance. It was completed June 30, 1885. The following expenditures were required: Excavation for foundation, 1,250 cubic yards, at 30 cents. Levelling stone in foundation.. Hemlock for substructure, 216,560 feet, B. M., at $24 Oak for substructure, 8,640 feet, B. M., at $50. White pine for whole crib, 185, 180 feet, B. M., at $28. Stone filling, 3,223 cubic yards, at $1.18. Tank iron, 15,1024 pounds, at 4 cents Bar iron, 3,300 pounds, at 3 cents.. Screw-bolts, 21,435 pounds, at 4 cents Total...... $375 00 1,060 43 111 50 4,957 44 432 00 5,185 03 3,803 14 604 10 99.00 857 40 24.00 1,148 35 18,657 44 These expenditures have resulted in completing the crib itself. There will probably be necessary a strengthening of that portion of the breakwater which the crib adjoins in order to resist the increased wave action resulting from the construction, and also there will be needed some species of crib construction in the 10-foot space between the spur-crib and the breakwater to prevent the scour of the lake bottom in that space and consequent probable undermining of both structures. The estimated cost is $4,150. The shore arm of the west breakwater is very much in need of repairs, as is also the west pier. The old west breakwater is in a dilapidated condition and should be repaired, for otherwise the material of which it is composed will be washed into the harbor and become a serious obstruction. This breakwater no longer forms a part of the project for the improvement of the harbor, and I would recommend that such legislative action be taken as to authorize its being turned over to private individuals, several of whom have asked for the transfer, under condition of its being kept in repair according to plans. approved by the Engineer Department. The appropriation being practically exhausted, no work is contemplated during the coming season. Repair of the breakwater and west pier and extension of the east breakwater are the work contemplated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887. 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 70,682 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project........ Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1887 150, 682_00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of section 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. Name of harbor, Oswego, N. Y. Collection district, Oswego, N. Y. Nearest light-house, Oswego, N. Y. A fixed white light of the third order at the eastern end of the old west breakwater, a fixed red light of the fourth order on eastern end of outer west break water, a fog-bell attached. Nearest work of defense, Fort Ontario, N. Y. Arrivals and departures of vessels during the year ending December 31, 1884. Amount of revenue collected during the year ending December 31, 1884. $629,594 78 Value of imports same year.. Value of exports same year... Greatest draught of vessels, 12 feet 6 inches. 5,647,042 00 1,247,537 00 NN 12. IMPROVEMENT OF SACKETT'S HARBOR, NEW YORK. I relieved Lieut. Col. H. M. Robert, Corps of Engineers, of the charge of this work on January 28, 1885, in compliance with Special Order No. 6, Adjutant General's Office, January 8, 1885. Colonel Robert's report upon this harbor, as furnished to me, is as follows: During the first seven months of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885, operations at this harbor were limited to the construction and placing of a crib 18 feet square and 9 feet high upon the shoal which extends southerly into the harbor from the east end of Ship House Point. The object of the crib was to define the entrance to the harbor, and also to furnish mooring facilities for the vessels while lying in the harbor. The work was done by hired labor, and purchase of material in open market, at an aggregate cost of $533.65. This harbor has a depth of 12 feet at low water over about 6 acres of its area, except a small part thereof, where the presence of rock in place limited the depth to a little less than 12 feet. It is considered that the present facilities of the harbor meet existing commercial requirements and that a further development of the project can with propriety be delayed. Under the action of northwest storms there is a strong movement of shore-drift along Ship House Point and from thence into the inner harbor, tending to impair the work of improvement already made. This drift could, with advantage to the harbor, be arrested by low jetties of crib-work, extending from near the eastern end of Ship House Point northerly into the bay to about the depth of 3 feet at mean stage of water. This work would cost about $2,000, and would not increase the estimated cost for the completion of the existing project. No work has been done since I assumed charge, the appropriation having been practically exhausted. Money statement. July 1, 1884, amount available $429 41 July 1, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884 357 30 July 1, 1885, amount available.... 72 11 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... 15,000 00 2,000 00 COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. Name of harbor, Sackett's Harbor, N. Y. Collection district, Cape Vincent, N. Y. Nearest light house, Sackett's Harbor, N. Y. A fixed white light of the fifth order on Horse Island, 1 miles west of town. Nearest work of defense, Fort Ontario, N. Y. Arrivals and departures of vessels during the year ending December 31, 1884. Amount of revenue collected during the year ending December 31, 1884... 82,311 98 Value of imports same year.... Value of exports same year.... Greatest draught of vessels 9 feet. 22,330 72 3,774 00 |