WW II. IMPROVEMENT OF NEW WHATCOM HARBOR, WASHINGTON. A channel 50 feet wide with a depth of 12 feet at low water and extending the whole length of the waterway on the south side from deep water to the inner end, about 3,300 feet long, and a basin of same depth at the inner end, having a length of 383 feet and a width of 330 feet, the full width contemplated for the completed waterway, were completed last year. Some additional dredging under authority of the Department was subsequently done by the contractors under a private contract, the material being used for filling land. The act of March 3, 1905, appropriated $35,000 for continuing the work. The work was advertised under approved specifications, and the lowest bid accepted. At the close of the year, completing the preparation of contract papers was in progress. July 1, 1904, balance unexpended. Money statement. $1, 683.33 Amount appropriated by river and harbor act approved March 3, 1905.. 35,000.00 36, 683. 33 June 30, 1905, amount expended during fiscal year, for maintenance of improvement 733.32 July 1, 1905, balance unexpended. July 1, 1905, outstanding liabilities. 35, 950. 01 144. 89 July 1, 1905, balance available... 35, 805. 12 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1907, in addition to the balance unexpended July 1, 1905: $20,000.00 25,000.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sundry civil act of NOTE. The large increase in exports and imports over previous years is partly due to the consolidation of the cities of Whatcom and Fairhaven under the name Bellingham. Previous reports were for Whatcom only. One hundred and twenty-six million feet, board measure, of saw logs were towed to the mills at Bellingham during the year. Total value, $965,653. REPORT OF MR. F. S. GREELY, SURVEYMAN. BELLINGHAM, WASH., April 4, 1905. SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith the commercial statistics of Bellingham (Whatcom) Harbor for the calendar year 1904, in accordance with your instructions. The statistics show a large increase over those of 1903, but this is due to the fact that the towns of Fairhaven and Whatcom were consolidated under the name of Bellingham, and the statistics of 1904 are for Bellingham. However, there was an increase in the amount of freight received and shipped over the docks of what was Whatcom. The estimated increase of population for 1904 is 5,000 inhabitants, and building permits were issued to the amount of $494,415. When the proposed improvement of the Whatcom Creek waterway is completed it will provide a protected harbor for small crafts that are engaged in traffic at this place, and will also provide room for any number of docks that may be needed for the handling of freight and passengers. Before the dredging of the waterway was started there was but one dock for public use and that about a mile from the business center of the city. There is now a dock on the east side of the waterway that was constructed last year, and a number of vessels discharged freight there, mostly hay and grain, but the present width of the dredged channel is not sufficient for safe navigation. After the present proposed dredging is completed vessels can dock within five blocks of the business center of the city and this will facilitate the handling of freight. Messrs. Roth and Roeder, who own the property adjacent to the inner end of the waterway, contemplate the construction of a dock from their property to the dredged basin for the use of any boats receiving or discharging freight or passengers at this place. Respectfully submitted. F. S. GREELY, Surveyman. IMPROVEMENT OF OKANOGAN AND PEND OREILLE RIVERS, WASH INGTON. No work was done on the Okanogan River during the past year on account of lack of funds. The plant was laid up near Alma and cared for by a watchman. Cables were laid to assist vessels over the rapids at the following places: Rapid No. 8, or Byers Rapids. Granger Rapids. "Riffle." Above Rapid No. 13. Rapid No. 14, or Guthrie Rapids. Rapid No. 15, or Chilowhist Rapids. Rapid No. 17, or Crazy Rapids. No work has been done on the Pend Oreille River since it was suspended on December 16, 1903, on account of lack of funds. The act of March 3, 1905, appropriated $15,000 for maintenance of the Okanogan River and for continuing improvement and maintenance of the Pend Oreille River. At the close of the year a project for the application of this appropriation had been submitted and was under consideration by the Chief of Engineers. In my opinion Box Canyon, on the Pend Oreille River, is not worthy of further improvement by the Federal Government, for the reasons that the canyon can only be made safely navigable, except perhaps at extreme low water, with a large expenditure, if at all, and that on account of the very short portion of the river that is navigable below the canyon, and the limited benefits that would follow from the necessary outlay, the expenditure is not warrantable. Necessary work of maintenance of navigation between Box Canyon and Newport is worthy of being done by the Federal Government. Money statements. OKANOGAN RIVER. July 1, 1904, balance unexpended. Amount appropriated by river and harbor act approved March 3, 1905.. $2,427. 21 5,000.00 7,427. 21 June 30, 1905, amount expended during fiscal year, for maintenance of improvement 1,638. 29 July 1, 1905, balance unexpended July 1, 1905, outstanding liabilities. 5,788.92 318.93 July 1, 1905, balance available 5,469.99 [Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1907, for maintenance of improvement, in addition to the balance unexpended July 1, 1905.. 5,000.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sundry civil act of PEND OREILLE RIVER. July 1, 1904, balance unexpended. June 30, 1905, amount expended during fiscal year, for maintenance of improvement a $746.83 Amount appropriated by river and harbor act approved March 3, 1905.. 10,000. 00 10, 746. 83 July 1, 1905, balance unexpended. 358.02 10, 390. 81 30.00 July 1, 1905, balance available 10, 360. 81 a $2 disallowed and deposited during year. |