dinarily heavy storm to produce breakers in 3-fathom depths, and as the outer ends of the jetties will not be in water more than 18 to 20 feet deep, it follows that during such storms, when vessels are most desirous of making a harbor, it would be impracticable for them to enter the comparatively narrow and long channel between the jetties. As the bar is about 1 miles seaward of the inlet, it follows that the jetties, to produce a scouring effect, must extend across the bar, they must also be continuous from the inlet, and being of such length and sufficiently strong to resist heavy sea action, they must necessarily be expensive. It would be useless to dredge the bar without protecting works. These necessarily would be of the nature of jetties. Deeper water over the bar outside of Atlantic City would undoubtedly be of great local benefit to the place for reasons which I have stated. As a site for a harbor of refuge, Atlantic City is well situated, being about 75 miles south of Sandy Hook and 50 miles north of the entrance to Delaware Bay; but unfortunately for Atlantic City, even if there was deep water on her bar, there is no large harbor inside and only the maller classes of vessels could find harbor-room inside. A survey of the locality, ordered by act of Congress of June 14, 1880, was made by order of Col. J. N. Macomb, Corps of Engineers, in September, 1880, under the direction of Capt. William Ludlow, Corps of Engineers, and a full report thereon, with maps, charts, and current measurements, was forwarded to the Department. This report is printed on page 831, Part I of the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for the year 1881. Appended will be found two letters from Mr. James Brady furnishing commercial statistics.* For the reasons which are stated in this report, and from the fact that a detailed survey has been made, it is thought that no further survey is necessary here; that the improvement, if made, would be of great local commercial benefit to Atlantic City, but might ruin the fine surf bathing there for several years. I am not prepared to say that the harbor is not worthy of improvement, but as the cost of making the improvement is far greater than the benefits to be derived therefrom, and as the works if constructed would not necessarily effect a permanent improvement, and as there is no public necessity for the works, the deduction from the facts must be that the harbor is not worthy of improvement. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Brig. Gen. JOHN NEWTON, Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. G 25. W. H. HEUER, PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF WEST BRANCH OF THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER BETWEEN SALT LICK AND BUTTERMILK FALLS, PENNSYLVAΝΙΑ. UNITED STATES ENGINEER Office, Philadelphia, Pa., October 18, 1884. GENERAL: In accordance with the instructions contained in the letter from the office of the Chief of Engineers, United States Army, dated July 31, 1884, and in compliance with so much of the act of Congress * Omitted; printed in House Ex. Doc. No. 71, Forty-eighth Congress, second session. of July 5, 1884, as requires an examination of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River between Salt Lick and Buttermilk Falls, Pennsylvania, I have the honor to state that I made a personal examination of the river at the locality referred to on September 16, 1884, and respectfully submit the following report: The West Branch of the Susquehanna River between Salt Lick and Buttermilk Falls, at its present stage, which is reported lower than ever before known, has not sufficient water in it to float an empty skiff between the two places referred to, which are about 2 miles apart, Salt Lick being the name of the piace or settlement farthest up stream. The settlement consists of two or three houses. Buttermilk Falls, about 2 miles below, has only one house, and there are probably from six to ten houses between the two places. Between Salt Lick and Buttermilk Falls the river makes two very sharp bends, the upper one being very acute, considerably sharper than a right angle; the lower one is more gentle, but is almost a right angle. The bed of the stream in which the water is now flowing has an average width of about 100 feet; the depth of water in portions of this waterway may be several feet. The bed is covered with bowlders, varying from small pebbles to large masses of rock, some of which would weigh from three to four tous. While I did not attempt to cross the river by stepping from bowlder to bowlder, dry shod, there were several places in the 2 miles examined where it is believed it might have been safely accomplished. In the deepest place which we could find in the river, a short distance above the upper bend, a light skiff with three men could not cross without grounding. From the water-marks on the banks of the stream, and from information obtained at this locality, it is known that during freshets, the high-water stage of the stream, the surface of the water is about 12 feet above its present level, and the stream then becomes almost a torrent. The Buttermilk Falls, so called, are nothing but rapids in the river, and the water being thrown into a foam by contact with the rocks in the bed and sides of the stream has given rise to the name. The falls or rapids are about one-half mile in length. The fall or slope of the river between the foot of Buttermilk Falls and Salt Lick, about 2 miles, is not known, but, judging by the eye alone, I should judge the fall to be about 10 or perhaps 12 feet. During a high-water stage of the stream, judging from the distance between the banks, the average width of the river would be about 400 feet. The right bank of the river is a steep bluff or mountain spur about 500 feet high, covered with timber, the slope of the mountain on the river side in some places being as much as 70 degrees from the horizontal, and averaging probably more than 50 degrees. The timber which is cut on the slopes and top of this range is shot down the bluff into the river. On the left bank of the river the slope is very much more gentle, and at a height of about 20 feet above the river's bed there is a bench, comparatively level, varying from 50 to 1,000 feet in width, which gradually rises into timber covered high hills. On this bench there is a railroad, the Clearfield and Susquehanna, extending from Keating to Karthaus, Pa., a distance of 221⁄2 miles. On both sides of the river, and from 2 to 10 miles distant, are valuable bituminous coal mines; iron ore and sandstone are also found in abundance. The people who live on and near the river use it for logging and rafting purposes. The timber when cut is conveyed to the river's bank and made up into rafts and floated to a market. In this sense only can this river be considered navigable. No steam or sail craft has ever been on the river. The people interested in logging and rafting in this section of the country desire a dam built about half-way between Salt Lick and Buttermilk Falls, at or near the upper sharp bend before referred to, the dam to have a chute at one side for floating rafts through, and gates within the dam to pass logs, and make a pool of dead water above the dam, so that at nearly all seasons of the year, except when the river is closed by ice, logs and rafts can be floated and find a safe harbor close to and above the dam. It is also asserted that there is no good harbor for rafts between Clearfield and Lock Haven, Pa., a distance of about 150 miles; that it takes a raft two days to float this distance; that where they desire this dam is nearly midway between Clearfield and Lock Haven; that slackwater here would enable them to avoid all danger of loss of rafts and possibly of life, and enable all rafts to make a good, safe harbor; that now all rafts down the river as far as the foot of Buttermilk Falls require double crews, on account of the dangerous narigation of this locality, and thereafter only a single crew. To give an idea of what the rafting interest is in this section of the country, it is said that as many as 3,000 rafts have come down here in one year; they are generally from 28 to 29 feet wide, average about 240 feet in length, and average about 7,000 cubic feet of lumber each. This lumber is said to be worth about 20 to 25 cents per cubic foot; this would make the value of the rafts for one good season to be worth in money between $4,000,000 and $5,000,000. This does not take into ac count the logs not rafted down the river, which is said to aggregate an amount not very much less than of the rafts themselves. The rafting generally commences in the spring with the first freshet, and lasts perhaps five or six weeks; in May another rise generally occurs, which gives several additional weeks of a rafting stage. In an exceptionally good season rafts can be floated from early in April to September 1. It is believed that a dam, chute, and gates, such as the rafting interests want, can be erected in the river for about $25,000, but it is not at all certain that one dam will be sufficient. It is probable that if only one dam be built near the upper bend below Salt Lick, it will still leave the stream in bad shape below this dam, and as soon as one is constructed the raftsmen will want another below the Buttermilk Falls, which will cost equally as much. They want stone dams about 8 feet high. Stone in abundance (sandstone) can be had for the digging within a few hundred yards of each site. If the dams should ever be built they would entail an annual expense for gate-keepers and maintenance, and in order to make anything like a close estimate of cost of this slack-water navigation for rafts a survey would be necessary, at an estimated cost of $500. If the improvement were made as desired by the parties interested, it would be entirely a matter of local interest; it would save thousands of dollars annually to the parties owning rafts, and to them as individuals the river is worthy of improvement; but as the river is not a navi gable river in the ordinary acceptation of the term, and as the improve ment, in my judgment, is not a public necessity, I cannot recommend any expenditure of funds for the improvement of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River between Salt Lick and Buttermilk Falls, Pennsyl vania. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Brig. Gen. JOHN NEWTON, W. H. HEUER, Major of Engineers. Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. APPENDIX H. IMPROVEMENT OF HARBORS AND RIVERS IN THE STATES OF DELAWARE AND MARYLAND-IMPROVEMENT OF MAURICE RIVER, NEW JERSEY. REPORT OF MR. WILLIAM F. SMITH, UNITED STATES AGENT, IN CHARGE, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1885, WITH OTHER DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE WORKS. IMPROVEMENTS. 1. Maurice River, New Jersey. 3. Ice harbor at New Castle, Delaware. 4. Duck Creek, Delaware. 5. Saint Jones River, Delaware. 6. Mispillion Creek, Delaware. 7. Broadkiln River, Delaware. | 13. Chester River from Sprye's Landing to Crumpton, Maryland. 14. Corsica Creek, Maryland. 15. Harbor at Annapolis, Maryland. 8. Broad Creek, Delaware, from its 19. Upper Thoroughfare, between Deil's mouth to Laurel. 9. Indian River, Delaware. 10. Susquehanna River above and below Havre de Grace, Maryland. 11. Elk River, Maryland. 12. Chester River at Kent Island Narrows, Maryland. Island and the mainland, Maryland. 20. Removing sunken vessels or craft obstructing or endangering navigation. EXAMINATIONS AND SURVEYS. 21. Harbor at Easton Point, Maryland, commencing at a point on Third Haven River where the Government work on the channel of said river was recently suspended. 22. Lewes Creek and Rehoboth Bay, Delaware, Assateague, and Chincoteague bays, Maryland, with a view to form continuous inland navigation from Chincoteague Bay, in Virginia, to Delaware Bay, at or near Lewes, Delaware. 23. Pocomoke River and Sound, Maryland. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith the annual report of the works of river and harbor improvement and the surveys in my charge for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885. These works were in charge of Lieut. Col. William P. Craighill, Corps of Engineers, and Maj. W. H. Heuer, Corps of Engineers, until July 31, 1884, and August 5, 1884, respectively. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A. United States Agent. H 1. IMPROVEMENT OF MAURICE RIVER, NEW JERSEY. The river and harbor act of July 5, 1884, made additional appropriations for this improvement, making the total amount available $20,000. A project was submitted and approved to dredge a channel 100 feet wide and 4 feet deep at mean low water, commencing 214 miles below the bridge at Millville to a point called Pea Lauding; also a cut of the same width and depth through a point of land at Silver Run, the right of way for this cut being conveyed to the United States free of cost. From Pea Landing to the bridge the channel will be 4 feet deep and 50 feet wide, and from the bridge for 400 feet the width of 100 feet will again be resumed, and above that point for a distance of 500 feet the width will be reduced to 50 feet. On the basis of this project the work was advertised and proposals opened on April 13, 1885, and contract awarded the American Dredg ing Company of Philadelphia, Pa. Dredging was commenced on the 25th of June, 1885, and is progressing satisfactorily. This work is in the collection district of Bridgeton, N. J., which is also the nearest port of entry. The amount of revenue collected at this port during the past fiscal year is $1,906.62. The nearest fort and light-house are, respectively, Fort Delaware and Maurice River Light. Total amount appropriated to June 30, 1885. Total amount expended to June 30, 1885 $20,000 00 1,004 80 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.. $3,000 00 17,000 00 20,000.00 1,004 80 18,995 20 July 1, 1885, amount available... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.. 92,000 00 35,000 00 Abstract of proposals for dredging in Maurice River, New Jersey, received and opened April 13, 1885, by General William F. Smith, United States agent. Commence work within thirty days after execution of contract, and remove 800 to 1,200 cubic yards per day until contract is completed. Fifteen cents, measured in buckets. |