14. Salem River, New Jersey.-As proposed in the last report, the appropriation of $3,000 was expended in excavating a channel through the shoals at Biddle's Landing, in what had been the upper portion of Salem River. During the three years which had passed since the original examination had been made these shoals had increased, partly on account of the presence of wrecks of two canal barges. A channel 60 feet wide and 6 to 7 feet deep at low-water was dredged from the head of the canal to about 200 feet above the landing, leaving about 700 feet to be traversed to reach deep water. To complete this channel and to remove other shoals from $4,000 to $6,000 will be required, depending on the contract price for dredging. July 1, 1881, amount available. July 1, 1882, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1881........... July 1, 1882, amount available.............. Amount appropriated by act passed August 2, 1882.. Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1883..... $3,027 14 2,889 21 137 93 1,500 00 1,637 93 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1884. 4,000 00 (See Appendix F 14.) 15. Chester Creek, Pennsylvania.-A contract was made in July, 1881, for the construction of a channel 73 feet deep at low-water, with a width of 40 to 50 feet, from Third Street Bridge to deep water in the Dela ware. Operations under the contract were to have begun in November, 1881, but an extension of the time for commencement until May, 1882, was asked for and granted. The contractor having failed to comply with the terms of his agreement, operations were deferred until action should have been taken by Congress on the additional appropriation under consideration. July 1, 18-1, amount available... July 1, 1882, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1881 July 1, 1852, amount available....... Amount appropriated by act passed August 2, 1882 ... Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1883... (See Appendix F 15.) $2,963 08 36 00 2,927 08 3,000 00 5,927 08 16. Rancocas River, New Jersey.-The general project under which this improvement is being made contemplates the establishment of a 6-foot low-water navigation from the mouth to Centreton, a distance of 74 miles, with a width of 150 to 200 feet, and a 5-foot low-water navigation, with the same width, as far as Mount Holly, 53 miles further. The worst obstruction was found to be at Coates's Bar, in the lower section, and the entire appropriation of $10,000 made in act of March 3, 1881, was expended at this point. A dike 723 feet long was constructed connecting the head of Hamill's Island with the mainland, and a continuous channel 85 feet wide and 62 feet deep at low-water was made through the bar. During the ensuing year it is proposed to continue the improvement at Coates's Bar by increasing the width of the 6-foot channel to 150 feet, and thereafter to proceed to points above. The sum of $25,000 will be required for the continuance of this work during the fiscal year 1883-84. July 1, 1881, amount available... $9,819 86 July 1, 1882, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1881. 9.819 86 10,000 00 Amount appropriated by act passed August 2, 1882 61,236 00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1884. 25, 000 00 (See Appendix F 16.) 17. Saint Jones River, Delaware.-It having been decided to defer the expenditure of the $5,000 appropriated in the act of March 3, 1881, until further action by Congress, no action has been taken towards applying the amount now available. July 1, 1881, amount available.. July 1, 1882, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1881.. July 1, 1882, amount available. $4,902 70 20 60 4.882 10 ===== 30,000 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1984. 30,000 00 (See Appendix F 17.) 18. Susquehanna River, Pennsylvania, above Richard's Island.-During July, 1881, 3,661 cubic yards of clay and gravel were removed from the shoal near the foot of Wilkes-Barre Island and the paving of the dike at the head of that island completed, finishing the projected improvement of this river as far as Wilkes-Barre. With the $15,000 appropriated by the river and harbor act of March 3, 1881, the project of June 17, 1881, was put into execution, and a contract made for the dredging of a channel above Wilkes-Barre Island through "Gas House Riff," "Hillman's Riffle," and the shoals between Forty Fort and Monockonock Island, the channel to have a width of 60 feet and a low-water depth of 3 feet. Dredging began in October and the cut through "Gas House Riff" was completed by the removal of 2,354 cubic yards of heavy gravel. Owing to the high stage of the river nothing further was done until the following spring, between which and June 30, 6,042 cubic yards gravel, sand, and bowlders were removed from "Hillman's Riffle" and the Forty Fort Shoals. The work in progress will have been completed in August, and a survey of the river will be made to show the result attained. July 1, 1881, amount available July 1, 1882, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1881 July 1, 1882, outstanding liabilities.. July 1, 1882, amount available.... Amount appropriated by act passed August 2, 1882 Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1883..... (See Appendix F 18.) $19,344 56 $11,697 04 14,089 18 5,255 38 15,000 00 20,255 38 19. Iron Pier in Delaware Bay, near Lewes, Delaware.-The construction of this work was continued during the year, the river and harbor act of March 3, 1881, having appropriated $10,000 for this purpose. At the close of the fiscal year the state of the pier is as follows: The substructure is finished; the superstructure of the narrow part of the pier is laid as originally planned, but must be rebuilt, owing to the deterioration of the materials, due to exposure to the weather in an unfinished condition; the superstructure of the pier-head is in great part removed, awaiting reconstruction. The progress of deterioration, as heretofore reported, and the additional defects discovered in the course of rebuilding increases the estimate for completing the work to $6,000. July 1, 11, amount available July 1, 1882, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1881. July 1, 1882, outstanding liabilities.. July 1, 182, amount available.. Amount appropriated by act passed August 2, 1882 Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1883.. $8,927 16 $7,468 11 7,653 11 1,274 05 13,000 00 14,274 05 6,000 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.. 6,000 00 20. Ice Harbor at the head of Delaware Bay.-The necessity for an ice harbor at this point having been recognized, the Engineer Officer in charge proposes to make it of two lines of iron or steel pile piers, entirely detached from the shore, and in the vicinity of the intersection of the Finn's Point Ranges with the Port Penn Ranges. The details of this plan are not yet perfected or approved. The estimated total cost of a harbor formed by two piers, each 1,076 feet long, inclosing 13.8 acres, in the shape of a rhombus, is $300,000. The annual appropriation for the construction of the harbor should not be less than $100,000 to admit of favorable contracts for material. Amount appropriated by act passed August 2, 1882..... $25,000 00 275,000 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1884. 100, 000 00 (See Appendix F 20.) 21. Delaware Breakwater Harbor.-The history and character of this harbor and its value to the coasting trade of the United States have been dwelt on in numerous Annual Reports, and particularly in those for 1879 et seq. As has been repeatedly pointed out, its value is greatly impaired by the existence of the gap between the two works sheltering the anchorage, by reason of which the harbor affords insufficient protection from the northeast storms, and by the gradual shoaling, which is increasing year by year. The advantage to be gained by closing this gap is twofold: 1. The area protected from the northeast gales will be greatly increased. 2. The shoaling will probably be at least checked, because that considerable portion of the ebb-tide which now passes out through the gap will be compelled to traverse the entire harbor. It is recommended that the annual appropriation for this breakwater be made large enough to enable the Engineer in charge to prosecute the work without intermission. $125,000 00 At least $200,000 yearly should be granted until completion. (See Appendix F 21.) 550, 000 00 200, 000 00 22. Removal of wrecks from Delaware Breakwater Harbor.-The work of removing wrecks from the harbor was completed on October 10, 1881. A careful but unsuccessful search was then made for the wreck of the Addie Walton, which had obstructed the main ship-channel of the bay above Gross Ledge light. July 1. 1881, amount available.. July 1, 1882, amount expended during fiscal year.. July 1, 1882, amount available... (See Appendix F 22.) $21,967 02 16,677 55 5,289 47 23. Removing sunken vessels or craft obstructing or endangering navigation. Under the provisions of section 4, river and harbor act of June 14, 1880, preliminary steps for the removal of the wreck of the schooner John E. Hurst, lying on Bulkhead Shoals, Delaware River, were begun in the fall of 1880, but owing, first, to unacceptable bids, and afterwards to the failure of a bidder to enter into contract, the work of removal was not effected until May, 1882, when the wreck was floated and landed on the New Jersey shore, and subsequently sold at public sale to the highest bidder. In January, 1882, the attention of the Secretary of War was called by the Philadelphia Maritime Exchange to the dangerous obstruction to navigation caused by the wreck of the steamer Cassandra, sunk on Brigantine Shoals, coast of New Jersey, and its removal requested. In compliance therewith a contract was made, after due advertisement, in May succeeding, for the removal of the wreck at a cost of $15,000. The work was completed by the end of July following, and the wreck landed inside Absecom Inlet, where it will be sold in accordance with the provisions of the law. (See Appendix F 23.) 24. Port Warden's Line, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-The commission of United States officers advisory to the board of harbor commissioners have in effect relieved the Engineer Officer in charge of the river and harbor works in the vicinity of Philadelphia from the formal consideration of this matter. 25. Advisory Commission to Board of Harbor Commissioners of Philadelphia. Several changes have taken place in the personnel of the advis ory commission since the beginning of the fiscal year. The commission has held several meetings and has embodied its recommendations in reports submitted to the board of harbor commissioners from time to time. (Appendix F 24.) EXAMINATIONS AND SURVEYS FOR IMPROVEMENT. To comply with provisions of the river and harbor act of March 3, 1881, Captain Ludlow was charged with and completed the following: 1. Newton Creek, Camden County, New Jersey, from Delaware River to head of navigation. (See Appendix F 25.) 2. Mantua Creek, Gloucester County, New Jersey, from Delaware River Delawar to head of navigation. (See Appendix F 26.) 3. Maurice River, from Delaware Bay to Millville, Cumberland County, New Jersey. (See Appendix F 27.) 4. Salem and Cohansey rivers, New Jersey. (See Appendix F 28.) 5. Mouth of the Mispillion, Delaware. (See Appendix F 11.) 6. Murder Kiln, Delaware. (See Appendix F 29.) The above were transmitted to Congress and printed in Senate Ex. Doc. 141, Forty-seventh Congress, first session. 7. Frankford Creek, Pennsylvania, from its mouth in Delaware River to Frankford Avenue, transmitted to Congress and printed in Senate Ex. Doc. 107, Forty-seventh Congress, first session. (See Appendix F 30.) 8. Indian River, in the State of Delaware, from its mouth to Millsborough, transmitted to Congress and printed as Senate Ex. Doc. 176, Forty-seventh Congress, first session. (See Appendix F 31.) 9. Delaware River. Survey still in progress. He was also charged with the following, the results of which will be duly submitted when received: 10. Fire-Mile Point, above Bridesburgh, Delaware River. 11. The harbor of Delaware Breakwater and the entrance thereto. IMPROVEMENT OF HARBORS AND RIVERS ON EASTERN SHORE OF CHESAPEAKE BAY, AND OF THE SUSQUEHANNA AND PATAPSCO RIVERS, IN MARYLAND, ON THE WESTERN SHORE; OF BROAD CREEK, DELAWARE; OF JAMES AND APPOMATTOX RIVERS AND ONANCOCK HARBOR, VIRGINIA; OF GREAT KANAWHA, ELK, AND SHENANDOAH RIVERS, WEST VIRGINIA; OF NEW RIVER, VIRGINIA AND WEST VIRGINIA; AND OF CAPE FEAR RIVER, NORTH CAROLINA. Officer in charge, Lieut. Col. William P. Craighill, Corps of Engineers, having under his immediate orders Capt. E. H. Ruffner, Corps of Engi neers, and Capt. Thomas Turtle, Corps of Engineers, during the year, and Lieut. C. McD. Townsend, Corps of Engineers, since June 10, 1882. 1. Susquehanna River, near Havre de Grace, Maryland.-The first appropriation by the United States for this river was made in 1852, and an examination soon after showed that the navigation was obstructed by two shoals between the light-house at Havre de Grace and Spesutie Island, upon which there were, respectively, depths of 5 and 6 feet at mean low-water. The originally adopted project for the improvement was to increase the depth by dredging to 12 feet at mean low-water. This had been done several times, but such an improvement not having been found to be permanent, it was proposed by the officer in charge in 1867 to contract the water-way by using a long jetty or deflector, commencing nearly opposite Havre de Grace. This idea was executed in 1868 and 1869 to as great an extent as the limited amount of funds available would allow, and the effect was found to be good. An examination of the river made in August, 1881, showed the effects of the dredging to 12 feet depth at low-water done between September, 1880, and April, 1881, had been obliterated under the action of freshets, ice, and the usual currents of the river and the tides. The subject of the continuance of operations on the river was presented in a special report from the officer in charge, dated January 16, 1882, which was accompanied by estimates for a permanent improvement of the channel to the respective depths of 12 and 15 feet at mean low-water, and for certain work desired by the United States Commissioner of Fisheries. This report may be found printed in Appendix F 28 of this report. By special direction of Congress given in March, 1882, the unexpended balance of the last appropriation of $15,000, made March 3, 1881, was applied to the construction of a channel and "breakwater for the Fishing Battery near Havre de Grace." Under this authority the facilities for the catching and hatching of fish were considerably augmented at the station. |