During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885, $9,329.56 was expended in securing a moderately well cleared 6-foot navigation at all stages (8 to 9 feet at ordinary stages) from New Berne, 30 miles, up to Quaker Bridge, and thence a thoroughly cleared 3-foot navigation, at least 50 feet wide at all stages, 13 miles further to Trenton, and an excellent turning-basin at Trenton. In consequence thereof the above mentioned steamboat line has been extended to Trenton, with weekly trips in summer and tri-weekly trips in the busy season of winter. The commerce is steadily increasing. It is estimated that $15,000 can be advantageously spent upon this improvement during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887, to thoroughly clear the present channel of its remaining obstructions, and that the above amount together with the funds now in hand will complete the present approved and adopted project, after which about $1,000 to $2,000 per year may be needed to secure the maintenance of the improved channel. Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884 ......... July 1, 1885, outstanding liabilities.. July 1, 1885, amount available..... $10,000 00 $6,217 65 9,329 56 670 44 10,670 44 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project .... harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix M 2.) 10,000 00 3. Neuse River, North Carolina.-Before improvement in 1878 this river possessed during nine months of the year a 9-foot depth of channel from its mouth, 16 miles, up to New Berne, thence a 3-foot depth 46 miles further, to Goldsboro', and thence a 2 foot depth 62 miles further, to Smithfield; in low water this channel being reduced to an 8-foot depth at New Berne, 2-foot depth at Kinston, and 1-foot depth at Smithfield. Over the whole 174 miles it was so blocked by artificial and natural obstructions that navigation was impracticable. The projects of 1878, 1880, and 1883, as continued to date, proposed to clear out the obstructions placed in the river during the civil war, to remove all sunken logs, snags, and floating obstructions, and to contract the channel-way so as to insure, during the entire year, an unobstructed 8-foot navigation 16 miles, up to New Berne, and a similar 4-foot navi gation 50 miles further, to Kinston, and during nine months of the year a 3-foot navigation 108 miles further, to Smithfield. The total amount spent upon this improvement up to June 30, 1884, was $184,137.03, giving a moderately well cleared channel over the entire length of river, allowing an 8-foot navigation 16 miles, to New Berne, and a 2-foot navigation 50 miles further, to Kinston, all the year; also a 3 foot navigation 46 miles further, to Goldsboro', during nine months per year, and 62 miles still further, to Smithfield, six months per year. In consequence of this two steamboat lines were permanently established between New Berne and Kinston, and the river commerce increased from almost nothing to over $1,000,000 per year. During the last fiscal year up to June 30, 1885, $12,131.27 has been expended upon this improvement in artificially contracting the waterway so as to increase the channel depth from New Berne to Kinston to 3 feet depth at all stages of water. These works, which will probably be completed during the present year, have given quite satisfactory results as far as their construction has been carried; but they cannot produce their effect upon the river commerce until they are finished over the entire distance thus improved. It is estimated that $60,000 can be profitably spent upon this improvement during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887, of which $30,000 will thoroughly complete the present work of contraction from the river mouth 66 miles, to Kinston, so as to secure an unobstructed 8-foot navigation at low water from its mouth, 16 miles, up to New Berne, and a similar 3-foot navigation 50 miles further, to Kinston; and the other $30,000 will thoroughly clear the rest of the river of its sunken logs, snags, and floating obstructions, and will thoroughly clear caving banks of those trees which otherwise would soon fall into the river, thus assuring, during nine months of the year, a 3-foot channel from Kinston, 46 miles, to Goldsboro', and a 2-foot channel, 62 miles further, to Smithfield, with great advantage to the river commerce. It is estimated that it will probably cost $100,000 more to complete the present project so as to assure a 4-foot navigation all the year to Kinston ($20,000), and a 3-foot navigation during nine months of the year over the 62 miles from Goldsboro' to Smithfield ($80,000). After this is done, from $3,000 to $5,000 per year will be needed to insure the maintenance of the improved channel. 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 July 1, 1885, outstanding liabilities July 1, 1885, amount available... 160,000 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project. (See Appendix M 3.) 60,000 00 4. Inland navigation from New Berne to Beaufort Harbor, via Clubfoot, Harlowe, and Newport rivers, North Carolina.-The river and harbor act of August 2, 1882, made an allotment of $5,000 from each of the appropriations of that year for Beaufort Harbor and New Berne, to be applied to this line of inland navigation. The adopted project of 1884 for the expenditure of this $10,000 as continued to date, proposes to widen and deepen Harlowe Creek so as to secure a through canal of 5 feet depth at mean low water, and 30 feet bottom width from the mouth of Harlowe Creek upward, 3.25 miles, to its head, and to use the remaining funds in similar work upon Clubfoot River. The sum of $194.40 was spent in all upon this improvement up to June 30, 1884, in preliminary surveys, and $1,879.91 more has been expended during the last fiscal year up to June 30, 1885, on necessary surveys and in commencing the proposed canal cutting. Work was commenced, but on account of unexpected obstacles and the small amount of available funds, the contractor could not afford to build or hire the expensive plant that he would need in order to be able to fulfill his contract. Beneficial results have therefore not been as yet obtained, and little can be expected with the present small funds. Work was directed to be stopped to await further action of Congress. It is estimated that $50,000 can be profitably expended upon this improvement during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887, of which $35,000 will complete the proposed channel through Harlowe Creek, and the other $15,000 will complete the similar channel through Clubfoot Creek, and that it may cost $40,000 more to complete this 5 foot depth of inland navigation from New Berne to Beaufort in widening and deepening the existing canal between Clubfoot and Harlowe rivers. This will be needed before commerce will be benefited by the improve ment. July 1, 1884, amount available July 1, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884 July 1, 1885, outstanding liabilities July 1, 1885, amount available $9,805 60 $1,720 43 1,879 91 7,925 69 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.. (See Appendix M 4.) 50,000 00 50,000.00 5. Harbor at Beaufort, North Carolina.-Before improvement in 1880 this harbor had a bar entrance of 15.3 feet least depth at mean low water, with an average rise and fall of tide of 3 feet. From the bar it possessed a channel of 25 feet depth upward, 3.7 miles, to the Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad Wharf at Morehead City; and a branch channel of 9 feet depth for six-tenths mile up Bulkhead Channel, and of 2 feet minimum depth six-tenths mile further, to the wharves of Beaufort City, where coasting vessels had a good wharfage of 7 feet depth and 1,800 feet length. The main harbor, in front of the railroad terminus at Morehead City, with a least depth of 25 feet, is the only one of importance between the Chesapeake Bay and Wilmington, a distance of over 300 miles, and with its bar channel is especially valuable as the natural outlet to the inland commerce of northern and middle North Carolina, and as a natural harbor of refuge to vessels overtaken by storms on this the most dangerous part of the Atlantic coast. The projects of 1881, 1882, and 1884 as continued to date propose to secure this harbor by protecting from further erosion at Shackleford Point and Fort Macon Point the sand-banks which limit the width of the harbor entrance, and which had been worn away 500 feet between the years 1864 and 1880, and 900 more between the years 1880 and 1881; and by stopping deterioration of the bar entrance which was rapidly shoaling; and they also propose to afterward extend the 9-foot depth of water from Bulkhead Channel to Beaufort City, by a cutting 200 feet wide, and thence to dredge a 6-foot channel 100 feet wide to North River and Core Sound, to accommodate the small craft of the neighboring sounds. The sum of $43,801.04 was spent in all upon this improvement up to June 30, 1884, in stopping the erosion of Shackleford Point and Fort Macon Point, with great success and with reclamation of about 300 feet at Shackleford Point; and in probably arresting the shoaling on the bar, where only 14 feet was then (1884) to be found at low water, and $28,980.40 more has been expended upon this improvement during the last fiscal year, in further strengthening the works already constructed, in continuing the improvement at other places on Shackleford and Fort Macon points with equally marked success, and in making a careful survey of the present condition of the harbor entrance preparatory to the definite location of further protecting works. No improvement of commerce nor of depth of water at the bar entrance was thereby expected nor obtained, but the retrograde movement has been in general arrested. It is estimated that $84,000 can be profitably expended upon this improvement during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887, of which $80,000 are needed to further protect Shackleford and Fort Macon points from erosion, and to probably increase the depth of water at the bar entrance, and the other $4,000 will dredge a channel of 100 feet width and 5 feet depth at low water from Bulkhead Channel to the inner harbor of Beaufort City. It is not possible at the present moment to tell exactly what it will cost to permanently protect the harbor entrance from all further deterioration, as the present survey of the harbor entrance is not completed, and marked changes and deterioration of channel and bar entrance have taken place since the last survey of 1874. One hundred and fifty thousand dollars is probably a moderate estimate for thoroughly re-establishing this valuable harbor and for deepening its bar entrance to that which it is said to have possessed in 1737 and 1830, viz, 18 feet least depth at low water. 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 July 1, 1885, outstanding liabilities.. July 1, 1885, amount available..... [Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.. Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1887 Submitted in compliance with requirements of section 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. 86,218 56 84,000 00 (See Appendix M 5.) 6. New River, North Carolina.-This is a fine basin of brackish water of about 14 miles length, of 500 to 10,000 feet wide, and of at least 5 feet channel depth, with 40,000 acres of oyster farms, and with rich agricultural surroundings, but with no facilities for transporting its goods to market. Its communication with the ocean is blocked by an oysterrock barricade, through which there now exists only a narrow channel of 50 feet width and 3 feet depth at low water. Its present commerce, limited to wagons and small boats, is estimated to be about $400,000 of goods per year. The original project of 1882 as continued to date proposes to secure a 150-foot channel 5 feet deep at low water, from the upper river to the ocean, by dredging it to its full size through about 7,000 feet of this oyster-rock barricade. Ten thousand dollars has been appropriated, but no money has been spent upon this improvement prior to June 30, 1884, because the available funds were too small to allow of their being spent profitably. No money has been expended during the last year up to June 30, 1885, for the same reason. It is estimated that $40,000 can be profitably expended upon this improvement during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887, to secure a 5-foot channel at low water from the upper river to the ocean, and this improvement will bring at once into existence a commerce of over $1,000,000 per year. The above amount will complete the approved and adopted project, after which about $1,000 per year will be needed to secure the maintenance of the improved channel. July 1, 1884, amount available..... Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884.. July 1, 1885, amount available Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.. (See Appendix M 6.) 7. Cape Fear River, above Wilmington, North Carolina.-In 1881, before improvement, the Cape Fear was navigable during the nine flush-water months of the year from Wilmington, 112 miles upward, to Fayetteville; but the channel for the upper 75 miles was badly ob structed by sunken logs, snags, overhanging trees, and shoals, and for the upper 66 miles had not water enough to furnish a continuous channel without an artificial contraction of its low-water bed. At that time its navigation was owned by private parties. Its commerce is estimated to have then been about $800,000 per year. The original project of 1881-82, as continued to date, proposed to clear out its natural obstructions, and to further provide a continuous channel over its upper 66 miles by dredging and by artificially contracting its water-way through at least twenty-two shoals. The sum of $42,502.54 was spent in all upon this improvement up to June 30, 1884, giving a moderately well cleared channel over the whole length of the river, a moderately good continuous 4-foot channel during the entire year from Wilmington, 44 miles, to Kelly's Cove, thence a similar 2-foot channel 26 miles further to Elizabethtown (a place of considerable commerce), and thence a similar 1-foot channel 42 miles further to Fayetteville. In consequence, three permanently established steamboat lines have been running over the entire distance with 5-foot draught for seven months each year, and with 18 inches draught most of the rest of the time. The commerce during these two years increased about $200,000 per year, and has been further benefited by its exemp tion from tolls. The sum of $16,511.29 has been expended during the last year up to June 30, 1885, in further clearing and bettering the channel, especially through its worst shoals. The commerce has been largely increased thereby, and is now over $2,000,000 per year. It is estimated that $40,000 can be profitably expended upon this improvement during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887, toward insuring a continuous 3-foot channel from Kelly's Cove, 26 miles, to Elizabethtown, and a similar 2-foot channel 42 miles thence to Fayetteville during the entire year, with great advantage to the river commerce. It is estimated that it will probably cost $120,000 more to thoroughly complete the last described channel, and $40,000 to insure a 4-foot chan |