These obstacles make it difficult and expensive to secure charters for the cargoes of coal that have to be brought here. From the statements made to me it appears that the present channel below the bridge has altered very little, if any, since it assumed its present course after the building of the railroad bridge, and it is probable, therefore, that if it were improved the improvement would be of a permanent character. To deepen this channel to 9 feet at low water for a width of 100 feet would require the removal of about 20,000 cubic yards of material, which, at 20 cents per cubic yard, would cost $4,000. The improvement of the river above the bridge does not appear to be of so much importance at present, as but one mill would be affected by it, and the cost of making an unobjectionable channel would be out of proportion to the benefit which it would confer. But its navigation might be very much improved by cutting. off some projecting points and widening and deepening it in several places. The removal of 20,000 cubic yards of material would make this a serviceable channel, costing, at 20 cents per cubic yard, $4,000. Total estimated cost of both improvements, 40,000 cubic yards of dredging, at 20 cents per cubic yard, $8,000. The present demands of the commerce of the place I have already indicated, and these demands will increase with the growth of the town. The State of Connecticut has recently established its permanent military camp on the west bank of the Niantic River, just north of the railroad bridge, and has expended a good deal of money in the erection of permanent buildings there; and I am informed that the village is growing rapidly. In view of the facts herein presented, the little cost of making the contemplated improvement, and the desirability of giving to the community a means of supply which will act as a check upon extravagant railroad charges, it is my opinion that this harbor is worthy of improvement. The survey made under the direction of General Warren, in 1872, is so much in detail that no further examination or survey is needed here. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Brig. Gen. JOHN NEWTON, WALTER MCFARLAND, Chief of Engineers. D 32. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF HUDSON RIVER FROM TROY TO MOUTH OF CANAL, NEW YORK. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, New York, August 23, 1884. SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report upon a preliminary examination of the Hudson River from Troy to mouth of canal, New York, made in accordance with the requirements of the river and harbor act of July 5, 1884, as contained in your letter of July 31, ultimo. There being several mouths of canal in the vicinity of Troy, N. Y., all except one of which are below Troy, and in the portion of the river now and for some years under improvement by the General Govern ment, it is assumed that this examination is to be limited by the mouth at Waterford, above the State Dam at Troy. Having sent to Mr. F. J. Rodgers, overseer upon the improvement of the Hudson River, under this office, for certain information upon which to base an estimate of the cost of a preliminary examination, I was furnished in reply with a report upon this part of the river, which he was able to make without cost to the United States, which contains much more information than could be obtained by an ordinary preliminary examination. A copy of this report, with tracings, is inclosed herewith. The navigation of the river above the dam is evidently good enough to supply all the present demands of commerce, particularly as the rul ing depth in the river is greater than that allowed to enter the canal. Should any additional depth be required between the dam and the mouth of the canal at Waterford, it could be obtained most readily and probably most economically by raising the dam. Below the dam and above the Congress Street Bridge the river is rocky and dangerous to general navigation. Good maps of the river from the Congress Street Bridge to the State Dam, made under direc tion of this office, exist. A survey sufficiently accurate for making estimates for the improvement of the river from Troy to Waterford could be made for about $500. The river from Troy to Waterford has always been considered a part of the State system of canals, and all constructions and improvements have been made under the supervision and at the expense of the State of New York. Any comprehensive improvement of the river would be at large expense, and would probably give rise to a complication of the works and interests of the State and General Government, owing to the intimate relations existing between the river and the Champlain Canal. The commerce to be benefited now or in the immediate future is small, and is very well provided for with the river in its present condition. Under the circumstances the river is not, in my judgment, worthy of im provement by the United States. Respectfully submitted. The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A. JAS. MERCUR, Captain of Engineers. REPORT OF MR. F. J. RODGERS, OVERSEER. No. 55 NORTH PEARL STREET, SIR: I have the honor to transmit, in separate package, a tracing of map of survey of the Hudson River from Troy to Waterford, made in 1867, on file in the office of the State engineer and surveyor, together with tracings of the profile and cross-sections between the State dam at Troy and Waterford, as constructed therefrom, from which may be developed, probably, all the information necessary for the requirements of a preliminary examination as contemplated and referred to in your communication of the 9th instant. The Champlain Canal connects Lake Champlain with the Hudson River at Albany. The distance between the two points is given as 73 miles. At Waterford, 12 miles north of Albany, it is connected with the Mohawk and Hudson by a "side cut." At a point 7 miles above Albany it joins the Erie Canal, and at West Troy, just below this point, the river is again reached by two "side-cuts" about 1 mile apart. Finally it empties into the basin at Albany, which is part of the canal system of the State, but at present, owing to neglect, the greater part is not navigable. The lower end of the basin is used as landings for steamers and as harbor during the winter. Of the four entrances and outlets to the Champlain Canal, the one at Waterford is least used, the greater bulk of the carrying trade entering and leaving the Hudson at West Troy and Albany. The greatest draught permitted to enter the canal is 44 feet. The yacht upon which I made the trip was tipped to 4 feet, but while under way probably drew the limit of 4 feet. In many instances she touched bottom, and occasionally was compelled to await the passage of a canal-boat coming from the opposite direction and having the right of way, owing to the narrowness of the navigable section of the canal. The width of the yacht was 13 feet, and of the canal-boats from 13 to 171 feet. The locks are single, designed to be 18 feet in the clear, and the prism of the canal 45 feet on top, 35 feet on bottom, and 5 feet deep. Returning by railroad from Whitehall, I stopped at Waterford, and from thence proceeded to the sloop lock or State dam on a steam-tug. Before leaving the "sidecut" I made a sounding on the miter-sill of the lower lock and found a depth of 5 feet, and others at the shoalest point in the river, the least of which was 64 feet. It is the opinion of the master of the tug that the river above the dam has shoaled somewhat on the west side, especially at the point where the small island designated Whale Island is located on the map. This island has disappeard, and is now said to be a middle ground, with a depth of 14 feet of water upon it. Another noticeable changeh since the map was made is the bridge at Lansing street, Lansingburgh, which I have drawn upon the tracing. The "pond" between the State dam at Troy (which is about 18 feet in height) and Waterford is called 3 miles in length, and is referred to as part of the Champlain Canal, upon which tolls were collected up to last year, when the canals were made free by constitutional amendment. There is little, if anything, necessary to be done between the sloop lock and the mouth of the "side-cut" at Waterford to give a depth of 6 feet, which is the greatest draught possible to be moved through the canal in its present shape. The condition of the river below the dam and sloop lock has been accurately determined by the surveys made from time to time by the United States Engineers, These surveys indicate a rocky and dangerous bottom between the dam and the Congress Street Bridge. If this section were improved and navigation made safe through it the number of canal-boats entering and leaving the Champlain Canal at Waterford would be largely increased and the time of each trip from and to Albany diminished two hours at least. I have not sought to collect any statistics of the amount of commerce to be benefited by any contemplated improvement at this locality. I learned, however, from casual inquiry, that the average number of canal-boats locked into the river from the canal during the first eleven days of August was 4 per day, and the number locked into the canal from the river, for the same period, averaged 10 per day. The boats coming from the canal were laden with ore, stone, lumber, &c., while the boats going into the canal, as well as those consigned to Upper Troy and Lansingburgh, were loaded generally with coal. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Capt. JAMES MERCUR, Corps of Engineers, U. S. A. F. J. RODGERS. APPENDIX E. REMOVING OBSTRUCTIONS IN EAST RIVER AND HELL GATE, NEW YORK. REPORT OF BRIGADIER-GENERAL JOHN NEWTON, CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, BVT. MAJ. GEN., U. S. A., OFFICER IN CHARGE, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1885. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, New York, August 12, 1885. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith the annual report upon removing obstructions in East River and Hell Gate, New York, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A. JOHN NEWTON, REMOVING OBSTRUCTIONS IN EAST RIVER AND HELL GATE, NEW YORK. Capt. James Mercur, Corps of Engineers, was on duty in connection. with this work until October 1, 1884, when he was appointed Professor of Engineering at the Military Academy, West Point; since that date Lient. Col. Walter McFarland, Corps of Engineers, has been on duty connected with this work, and Lieut. George McC. Derby, Corps of Engineers, has been in superintendence of the operations at Flood Rock and of the steam-drilling scow during the year. The appropriation of July 5, 1884, of $360,000, being limited in its application to "removing the reef at Hell Gate," no work has been done under this appropriation at any other locality under the project for the improvement of East River and Hell Gate. The whole amount appropriated will be applied to the removal of Middle Reef (Flood Rock). At the close of the last fiscal year work had been suspended on Flood Rock since May 31, 1883, owing to the failure of the river and harbor bill in March, 1883. Work was resumed on Flood Rock in August, 1884, and the operations were confined to extending the galleries in the northeastern sec |