willows or brush. The great difficulty to be contended with would be the ice; and in order to avoid this as much as possible, the work should be commenced early in the spring in hopes that the banks might gain sufficient solidity to withstand the action of the ice. If at any future time it was thought advisable to make a greater improvement, this work would not interfere in any way. This plan seems to me to do all for Brunswick Harbor that can be done with benefit unless the lower part of the river is also improved. RECAPITULATION. Cost of channel 150 feet wide and with a depth of 9 feet at high-water : Dredging 100,000 cubic yards, at 25 cents Contingencies... Total.. Cost of retaining present channel in Brunswick Harbor, and making a survey with a view to the improvement of the river from Brunswick to the Kennebec River: SURVEY OF HARRISECKET RIVER, FROM WESTON'S POINT TO FREEPORT LANDING IN FREEPORT, MAINE. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Portland, Me., December 12, 1881. GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report on the survey of Harrisecket River from Weston's Point to Freeport Landing in Freeport, Me., called for by the act of Congress approved March, 3, 1881, "making appropriations for the construction, completion, repair, and preservation of certain works on rivers and harbors, and for other purposes." This survey was made under my direction in July, 1881, by Mr. A. C. Both, assistant engineer, whose report and map of the same are also herewith submitted. This river empties into Casco Bay at Stocksbridge's Point, about 12 miles northeast from Portland, Me., from which point up to Weston's Point (a distance of about 2 miles) it has a depth of not less than 10 feet of water at mean low water, or 19 feet at mean high-water, without any obstruction to safe navigation. From Weston's Point up to Freeport Landing, a distance of 4,500 feet, the depth diminishes from 10 feet below mean low-water to 32 feet above mean low-water, the greater portion of the river bed being bare at lowwater. From borings made in this survey it appears that this bed consists of soft mud mixed with some shells to a depth of about 5 feet below mean low-water. To meet the wants of the commerce of Freeport and its vicinity would require a channel not less than 60 feet in width, with a depth of about 123 feet at mean high-water, or 3 feet at mean low-water, which, together with the proposed basin, 180 feet wide, at Freeport Landing, would require : 47,180 cubic yards of dredging, the estimated cost of which, at 25 cents per cubic yard, measured in situ, is Adding for engineering expenses and contingencies Total $11,795 1,205 13,000 From the character of the material composing the bed of this portion of the river, it is not improbable the proposed channel would soon be more or less shoaled by the action of ice and tidal currents. The accompanying letter of Mr. S. A. Holbrook furnishes such information as can be obtained in regard to the commerce und navigation of this river and the benefit that would probably accrue from the improvement of its navigation as above proposed. Respectfully submitted. Brig. Gen. H. G. WRIGHT, GEO. THOM, Colonel of Engineers, Bvt. Brig. Gen., U. S. A. Chief of Engineers, Ú. S. A. REPORT OF MR. A. C. BOTH, ASSISTANT ENGINEER. UNITED STATES ENGINEER Office, GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report on a survey of the "channel of Harrisecket River from Weston's Point to Freeport Landing in Freeport, Me.," made by me in compliance with your orders in July, 1881. A map of this survey made to a scale of 1:2000 is also herewith submitted. The survey was commenced July 12 and completed July 16. A base line 505.85 feet in length was measured near the northeasterly shore, opposite Freeport Landing, between triangulation Stations V and VI. These points are marked by half-inch drill holes and corresponding numbers in red paint. Station VI can be considered permanent, the rock being quite large, but Station V, marked also by a drill hole in a small bowlder, cannot be considered permanent. Most of the other triangulation stations are marked by drill holes in solid rock or large bowlders, as shown on the accompanying plan. The shore lines were determined by telemetric measurement. All the soundings were taken on ranges and located by transit angles from shore, and are referred to the plane of mean high-water. This plane, approximately re-established from three high and three low water observations (the mean rise and fall of tides being known, viz, 9.4 feet) was permanently fixed by a bench-mark established on the north side of Chandler's Point, as shown on the plan. It is a hole one-half inch diameter and one-half inch deep, drilled into the nearly vertical face of the solid ledge at this point. A circle, painted around this hole with red paint, and the letters B. M., will aid in finding its location. The reference of this bench-mark is 10.3 feet above mean lowwater, or 0.9 feet above mean high-water, the plane of reference of this survey. Borings made along the proposed line of channel showed the material which will have to be excavated to open the proposed channel to consist of soft mud, mixed with some shells. It is proposed to open a channel from Weston's Point to Freeport Landing in Freeport, Me., a distance of about 4,500 feet, having an average width of 60 feet and a depth of 124 feet at mean high-water, or about 3 feet at mean low-water. At Freeport Landing, it is proposed to excavate a basin, having a width of 180 feet so as to allow vessels to turn around, also to extend the dredging in front of the wharves for a distance of 400 feet and a width of 40 feet. : This improvement, shaded in red on the accompanying plan, will require Total cost of improvement... Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Bvt. Brig. Gen. GEO. THOM, Colonel of Engineers, U. S. A. $11,795 1,205 13,000 A. C. BOTH, COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. DEAR SIR: AUGUSTA, ME., April 14, 1881. At Freeport Landing there are two points, one called Bartols, the other Porter's, which are the most convenient places in the town for ship building, provided the contemplated improvement is made, being one and two miles nearer the railroad depot and center of business than other ship-yards; vastly more convenient for many mechanics living in town and adjoining towns. Vessels of greater draught of water coming to these landings with not only ship-timber, but all kinds of lumber, coal, &c., would increase trade to a much larger extent than is now carried on in those articles, as it is the natural seaport for quite a large territory not only in Freeport, but Pownal, Durham, and a portion of Brunswick. Some few years ago I bought in Boston fifty tons of coal and freighted it to Freeport by a coaster, being the largest quantity up to that time brought there at one time; the next season shipped to Freeport from New York one hundred and fifty tons; the next season three hundred; the next season five hundred, since which I have been out of the business. The quantity brought into the town has increased every year, and if it could be shipped in large vessels direct from New York or Philadelphia, thereby making cost of transportation less, the quantity consumed would be very large; the farmers would use it instead of wood; forests would increase in value, producing timber near tide-water; coasting would be revived; potatoes, hay, &c., shipped. All these matters will come to your mind, I have no doubt. Very truly, * General GEO. THOM, Colonel, Engineers, U. S. A. A 24. S. A. HOLBROOK, EXAMINATION OF MERRIMAC RIVER FROM LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS, TO MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Portland, Me., December 16, 1881. GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report on an examination of Merrimac River, from Lawrence, Mass., to Manchester, N. H., called for by the act of Congress approved March 3, 1881, "making appropriations for the construction, completion, repair, and preservation of certain works on rivers and harbors, and for other purposes." This examination was made under my direction in August and September, 1881, by Mr. Sophus Haagensen, assistant engineer, whose report and three drawings of the same are also here with submitted. Under the several appropriations made by Congress since 1870 for the improvement of this river, the work thus far done is as follows, viz: In Newburyport Harbor numerous sunken ledges, piers, and wrecks have been removed so as to give a depth of not less than 9 feet at mean low-water (or about 163 feet at mean high-water) from its mouth at the outlet of Newburyport Harbor up to Deer Island Bridge, a distance of about 5 miles; and thence up to Haverhill Bridge (an additional dis tance of 12 miles), a depth of 12 feet at ordinary high-water, the rise and fall of the tides varying from 74 to 4 feet; and thence up to the head of the upper falls of the series of falls known as Mitchell's Falls (an additional distance of 4 miles), or 211⁄2 miles above the mouth of the river, a depth of 44 feet in the ordinary stages of the river with the mill-water at Lawrence running, the rise and fall of the tides varying from 4 feet at Haverhill to 0 at the foot of the upper falls. Between the head of the Upper Falls and the foot of the locks at Lawrence (an additional distance of about 5 miles, and distant about 261 miles from the mouth of the river at Newburyport) numerous sunken rocks have been removed, but there remains additional work to be done for giving the same navigable depth as now obtains in Mitchell's Falls and below, the estimated cost of which (see accompanying special report of Mr. Haagensen, of October 15, marked B) is $11,000. In order to continue the navigation of the river to the basin above Lawrence a fall 283 feet has to be overcome from the lower lock to the top of Lawrence Dam. This is now accomplished by the Lawrence Canal, about 1 mile in length, which has one lock at the dam and three locks at its lower end. These locks are 100 feet long and 20 feet wide. But on the miter sill of the lower lock there is but 2.6 feet of water, which would necessitate the lowering of the same to the requisite depth, or else the building of a new lock below it. With this alteration there are still many difficulties to overcome, owing to the fact that in Lawrence the streets and the gas and water mains cross the canal on bridges which have but 3 feet of space between them and the canal level. To provide these bridges with suitable draws, and to carry the gas and water in siphons below the canal bottom, would be so expensive that it might be found advisable to construct a new canal and lock on the south side of the river. From the top of the dam at Lawrence to the top of the Pawtucket Dam at Lowell is a distance of about 12 miles, in which distance the river falls 48 feet. From Lawrence Dam up for a distance of 7 miles the channel is free from obstructions to a depth of 4 feet; thence, for a distance of 2 miles up to the foot of Hunt's Falls, it is obstructed more or less by scattered rocks, which would need removing, at an estimated cost of $5,000. At Hunt's Falls, 9 miles above the Lawrence Dam, there is a fall of about 11 feet to be overcome in a distance of 5,700 feet, which fall is mainly in two chutes with a pool between them, as shown on the accompanying drawing. Above Hunt's Falls there is a deep basin which extends in front of the city of Lowell for a distance of about 1 mile, and would afford a good terminus for the navigation of barges or other craft destined for that city. From the head of this basin to the top of Pawtucket Dam there is a rise of about 364 feet in a distance of three-quarters of a mile. The distance from the mouth of the river at Newburyport to the Pawtucket Dam is about 39 miles. Two projects have been considered for making the river navigable at Hunt's Falls: 1. By excavating through them three straight channels, 50 feet wide and 4 feet deep, as shown on the accompanying drawing, in which barges could be warped up by means of stationary engines, as is now done in Mitchell's Falls below Lawrence. The estimated cost of this is, say, about $205,000. 2. To provide slackwater navigation through the falls by means of two sets of locks and canal walls, as shown on the accompanying drawing-the estimated cost of which is about $230,000, if built as described in the accompanying special report of Mr. Haagensen, of November 9, 1881-marked C. Of these two projects the former would appear to be preferable, owing to the damage that would be done by the proposed locks and canal to the valuable water power in Lowell in reducing the area of the crosssection of the river at the falls and thereby raising the water level. Adopting the first project above proposed, the estimated cost of the improvement of the river, from the Lawrence basin up to the Lowell basin (below Pawtucket Dam), is $210,000, or from the head of Mitchell's Falls, $221,000, not including new locks and a canal at Lawrence. At the head of Hunt's Falls, Concord River enters the Merrimac, which at a distance of about a quarter of a mile above its mouth is connected by the Pawtucket Canal (which passes through the city of Lowell) with the basin of the Merrimac above the Pawtucket Dam. In order to extend navigation from Hunt's Falls to the river above Lowell, the channel of Concord River will have to be improved up to the foot of the canal, as shown on the accompanying drawing, at an estimated cost of about $15,000. But in the Pawtucket Canal the same difficulties are met with as in the canal at Lawrence, in regard to the crossing, at a low grade, of the streets, and of the gas and water mains. Moreover, the locks of the Pawtucket Canal are only 12 feet in width, and would not admit a craft of more than 3 feet draught, so that it might be advisable to build a new canal and locks of suitable width and draught on the Merrimac River at the Pawtucket Dam. The estimated cost of the several works projected as above for making the channel navigable from the head of Mitchell's Falls (6 miles below Lawrence Dam) up to the basin above Pawtucket Dam in Lowell (exclusive of new locks at Lawrence and Pawtucket dams), is $236,000. Between Lowell, Mass., and the mouth of Nashua River, in Nashua, N. H., a distance of 13 miles, the depth of the channel is not less than 8 feet; but there are some bowlders and ledges in it that should be removed, the estimated cost of which is $8,000. (See accompanying report of Mr. Haagensen, marked A.) At the foot of Cromwell's Falls, 4 miles above Nashua River (or 173 miles above the Pawtucket Dam at Lowell), the smooth water of the Lowell mill-pond ends; from there to the foot of Merrill's Falls, in Manchester, N. H. (a distance of 123 miles), the channel becomes much shoaler and more rocky, and is obstructed by a series of falls and rips, in which there is a rise of 33 feet to be overcome. A description of these falls and other obstructions in the chanuel, with an approximate estimate of the cost of the work necessary for their improvement, will be found in the accompanying report of Mr. Haagensen, marked A, from which it will be seen that the probable cost of the same will be about $304,000, making the cost of the projected work from the head of Mitchell's Falls below Lawrence (21 miles above the mouth of the river) up to Manchester, N. H., a distance of 70 miles above its mouth, as follows, viz: 1. Mitchell's Falls to Lower lock at Lawrence. 3. Pawtucket Dam to Nashua, N. H 2. Lawrence Dam to Pawtucket Dam at Lowell. $11,000 225,000 4. Nashua, N. H., to Manchester, N. H. 8,000 304.000 Total which does not include the cost of new canals and locks at Lawrence and Lowell, or of the cost of adapting the present ones to the purpose of navigation. 548,000 |