Money statement. July 1, 1881, amount available.. $9,991 25 July 1, 1882, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1881... 9,476 97 July 1, 1882, amount available... Amount appropriated by act passed August 2, 1882.......... 514 28 10,000.00 Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1883...... 10,514 28 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project...... 20,000 00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1884.. 20,000 00 Abstract of proposals received August 8, 1881, for dredging Moose-a-bec Bar, at Jonesport, Me Abstract of proposals received March 27, 1882, for dredging Moose-a-bec Bar, at Jones port, Me. $0.321 Abstract of contracts made during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1882, for the improve ment of Moose-a-bec Bar, at Jonesport, Me. Date of contract. 1882. April 15 Geo. C. Fobes & Co., of Baltimore, Dredging 28, 000 cubic yards, more or less. Price per cubic yard.* $0.321 Measured in scows. COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. CUSTOM-HOUSE, MACHIAS, ME., SIR: Your letter of May 19, 1882, received. In answer I have the honor to state: 1. That there was collected at Jonesport for the year ending December 31, 1881, $737.-3. 2. There were no exports or imports at Jonesport during that period. 3. During the year above mentioned 144 vessels (mostly in ballast) cleared from this district for foreign ports, and four vessels entered from foreign ports. Twenty vessels entered from, and five vessels cleared for, domestic ports during that period. The above shows but a small part of the vessels doing business in this district, as the great majority of them are under coasting licenses and are not required to enter and clear. During the year 1881 there were built in the district nine vessels of 393 tons. 4. It is difficult to estimate the amount of commerce and navigation that will be benefited by the improvement contemplated and now in progress at Moose-a-bec Bar, Maine. Hundreds of vessels pass through this reach annually, and if this passage can be made safe at all times of the tide, many more will avail themselves of the privilege. This improvement will be of advantage to the steamer Lewiston, of the Portland, Bangor, Mount Desert, and Machias Steamboat Company, which is often delayed at Jonesport after dark waiting for the tide to rise before venturing over the bar. The steamers of the International Line, running from Boston to Saint John's, pass through this reach in rough weather if the tide is up, and will use the passage oftener after it is improved, While this improvement will benefit Jonesport and this district, it will also be a benefit to the large fleet of vessels constantly passing that are engaged in trade with the British Provinces. IMPROVEMENT OF BELFAST HARBOR, MAINE. The following appropriations have been made by Congress for the improvement of this harbor, to wit: By the river and harbor act of August 14, 1876.. Total $5,000 12,000 5,000 3,000 25,000 The work projected for the improvement of this harbor under the above-named appropriations consisted of the removal of the sunken ledges and shoals in front of the wharves, from Lane's Wharf down to McGilvery's Wharf, so as to have a depth of not less than 10 feet at mean low-water (or 193 feet at mean high-water) down to the Boston Steamer Wharf, and thence down to McGilvery's Wharf, a depth of 11 to 12 feet at mean low-water. This work was commenced in August, 1877, and completed in September, 1879, leaving unexpended the appropriation of $3,000 made by the river and harbor act of June 14, 1880. Belfast Harbor is the only port of entry in the district of Belfast, Me. The nearest light-houses are those on Dice's Head near Castine, and on Fort Point-both about 10 miles from Belfast; and the nearest fort is Fort Knox, opposite Bucksport, about 18 miles from Belfast. The following information in regard to the revenue and commerce of the district of Belfast for the year ending December 31, 1881, has been furnished by the United States collector of customs at that port, viz: A 5. IMPROVEMENT OF ROCKLAND HARBOR, MAINE. By the river and harbor act of June 14, 1880, the sum of $20,000 was appropriated for the improvement of this harbor. The project that has been adopted for this improvement consists in the construction of two breakwaters to a height of 5 feet above mean low-water, with a width on top of 10 feet, one commencing at Jameson Point and extending in a direction about S. 1640 E. for a distance of 1,900 feet, and the other commencing at South Ledge and extending in a direction about N. 9° E. towards Jameson Point for a distance of 2,640 feet, as shown on the sketch accompanying the last Annual Report. The estimated cost of these breakwaters (as revised) is as follows, to wit: 1. For breakwater DE. at Jameson Point, 135,000 tons of rubble stone, at 90 cents per ton $121,500 2. For breakwater AC (extending from South Ledge towards Jameson Point), 378,000 50,500 550,000 Total It having been decided that the breakwater at Jameson Point should be taken in hand first, a contract was made on the 8th of March, 1881, with the Bodwell Granite Company, of Rockland, Me., the lowest of nine bidders, for 24,000 tons, more or less, of granité grout, at 743 cents per ton of 2,240 pounds, the same to be completed or or before November 30, 1881. Under this contract 13,006 tons of stone was delivered up to the 30th of June, 1881, and thence up to the 23d of November, when the contract was completed 11,119 tons additional were delivered, making an aggregate of 24,125 tons delivered and placed in the work in satisfactory completion of said contract. This work was commenced at a point 120 feet distant from high-water line, and completed outwards for a distance of 663 feet. The appropriation of $40,000 made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1883, will be applied to the extension of this breakwater outwards, the work to be done by contract after having invited proposals therefor. Rockland is a port of entry in the collection district of Waldoborough, Me., and the nearest light-house is at Owl's Head, about 2 miles distant. The accompanying letter from the United States deputy collector of customs furnishes a statement showing the extent to which the commerce of this harbor and coast would be benefited by the projected breakwaters, in affording shelter for the shipping in the violent and dangerous easterly storms to which it is now so much exposed. Money statement. July 1, 1881, amount available. July 1, 1882, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1881.. $9,176 08 9,048 88 July 1, 1882, amount available.......... 127 20 Amount appropriated by act passed August 2, 1882 40.000 00 Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1883 ... 40.127 20 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... 490,000 00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1884. 75,000 00 COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. CUSTOM-HOUSE DISTRICT OF WALDOBOROUGH, ME., DEAR SIR: Yours of the 19th instant received, and the information required by it is given below as far as I am able so to do, viz: Revenue collected, $1,336; value of imports, $12,000; exports, nominal; entry of vessels from foreign ports, 139; clearance of vessels to foreign ports, 155; vessels built, 3 schooners, aggregate tonnage 723, during the year ending December 31, 1881. Since January 1, 1882, there have been launched 2 schooners and 1 steam-coaster, and now in course of construction 2 schooners, 1 barkentine, and 1 steamer. The movement of tonnage coast wise I have no official knowledge, but we have belonging to this port 220 vessels which are constantly entering and departing from our harbor, carrying away lime, granite, and cement to Portland, Boston, New York, Richmond, Va., and ports south, making from six to twenty trips per year; and, again, there are a large number of vessels belonging to ports east which make from fifteen to twenty trips each per year to this port, bringing kiln-wood and lumber, and taking away lime, cement, breadstuffs, W. S. goods, &c.; and, in addition, we have four steamers per week from Boston during eight months in the year, and six steamers four months; five steamers per week to and from Portland a part of the year; one line owned here, which makes three trips to and from Mount Desert; and one line owned here making three trips to and from Ellsworth, besides steamers of a smaller caliber which make daily trips to the islands during the whole year. As far as the amount of commerce and navigation that will be benefited, I should not want to make an estimate; but our harbor situated as it is at the entrance of all the thoroughfares leading to important ports east of this place, which send out thousands of vessels during the year loaded with valuable cargoes. A port of refuge, as this will be after the breakwaters contemplated are finished, caunot, in my opinion, be overestimated; even the small piece under water, as it is, is now used by vessels that never before entered our port, but have taken the risks, and in hundreds of cases fatally. of trying to reach some of the western harbors. I am, sir, very respectfully, General GEO. THOM, United States Engineers. J. W. CROCKER, Deputy Collector of Customs. A 6. IMPROVEMENT OF RICHMOND HARBOR, KENNEBEC RIVER, MAINE. By the river and harbor act of June 14, 1880, provision was made for a survey of this harbor, in Kennebec River, Maine, with a view to its improvement. This survey was made in November, and on the 10th of December, 1880, a report on the same was submitted to the department with a project and estimate for its improvement. Kennebec River is here divided by Swan Island into two channels, of which the main channel passes to the eastward of the island through "The Narrows," with a navigable depth of 10 to 11 feet at mean lowwater, while the western channel, which forms Richmond Harbor, so called, is navigable for the same depth except at the following places, to wit: 1. At the head of Swan Island. 2. At Hatch's Rocks Shoal, about 2 miles below head of island. 3. At the foot of Swan Island, about 5 miles below its head. The shoal at the head of Swan Island was improved in 1872 by dredging to a depth of 10 feet at mean low-water (or 15 feet at ordinary highwater), but, as was then predicted, it has been reproduced by the same causes as before. For insuring the continuance of its depth, if again dredged, it was recommended that a wing-dam be built out from the upper end of Swan Island, as shown on the sketch accompanying report on the survey, in order to create a greater scour on the bar by the diversion into its channel of a part of the water of the main channel of the river. At Hatch's Rocks Shoal it is proposed to dredge a straight channel through it to a depth of 10 feet at mean low-water for a width of 100 feet. At the lower end of this harbor, near the foot of Swan Island, icehouses have been built and projected to such an extent as to warrant an improvement of the channel at that place by widening and deepening the same. In this locality it is proposed to make the channel hot less than 11 feet in depth at mean low-water, or about 16 feet at ordinary high-water, to enable sea-going vessels of a larger class to engage in the transportation of ice, as this depth can be carried through to the ocean. The estimated cost of the improvement above projected, as revised, is as follows, viz: 1. Shoal at the head of Swan Island, 3,600 cubic yards of dredging, at 30 cents per cubic yard.. Adding for engineering expenses and other contingencies.. 4. Wing-dam at the head of Swan Island, 3,500 tons of rubble stone, at $1 per ton of 2,240 pounds.... 3. Shoal at the foot of Swan Island, 12,000 cubic yards of dredging, at 29 cents per cubic yard.......... 2. Hatch's Rocks Shoal, 30,000 cubic yards of dredging, at 33 cents per cubic yard. $1,080 9,900 3,480 3,500 2,040 Total...... 20,000 By the river and harbor act of March 3, 1881, the sum of $10,000 was appropriated for the improvement of this harbor, of which sum $6,000 was to be expended for wing-dams and dredging at the head of Swan Island and at Hatch's Rocks Shoal, and $4,000 in dredging and deepening the channel at the foot of Swan Island. Under the appropriation of March 3, 1881, proposals were invited for dredging at the shoals near Hatch's Rocks and near the foot of Swan Island, as well as for the rubble stone for the wing-dam at the head of Swan Island, for which contracts were made as stated in the last Annual Report. Under the contract made June 20, 1881, with Mr. James Ginn, of Bath, Me., for 3,000 tons, more or less, of rubble-stone for the wing-dam at the head of Swan Island, at $1 per ton of 2,240 pounds, 3,124,240 tons of stone were delivered and placed in the work by him in completion of the same. This work was completed on the 7th of October, 1881. Under the contract made June 30, 1881, with Mr. Sam. F. Purington, of Brunswick, Me., for about 10,000 cubic yards of dredging at Hatch's Rocks Shoal, and about 10,000 cubic yards of dredging at the foot of Swan Island, at 29 cents per cubic yard, measured in situ, the dredging operations have been carried on at the foot of Swan Island, resulting in about 5,300 cubic yards of dredging on the 30th of June, 1882.* Under the appropriation of $10,000 made by the river and harbor act of August 2, 1882, it is proposed to complete all the work projected for the improvement of this harbor. Richmond Harbor is situated in the collection district of Bath, of which Bath is the port of entry, and is about 10 miles above Bath, on the Kennebec River. The nearest light-houses are Seguin and Pond Island, near the mouth of Kennebec River, and the nearest fort is Fort Popham, at the mouth of Kennebec River, distant about 25 miles below Richmond. *The dredging on this shoal was completed on the 15th of August, 1882. |