island has suffered some considerable abrasion, but no repair is recommended at present, as the study of the survey of this part of the harbor has not yet been completed. Gallop's Island.-The western, northern, and eastern shores of this island at the close of 1871 had been protected by a granite sea-wall 1,785 feet long, and by an apron (covering also the foundation of the sea-wall) 3,050 feet long. Both the sea-wall and apron were in good order June 30, 1885. No work was done on them during the fiscal year. To more completely protect the northwestern bluff of this island the seawall should be extended about 150 feet to the southward. This, it is estimated, will cost $7,500. The present sea-wall and riprap shore protection are in good order. Deer Island. The three prominent heads of this island had been protected by granite sea walls originally built about 1827. They are of the following lengths: The north head wall 1,740 feet; the middle head 840 feet, and the south head 380 feet. In 1865 and 1869 these walls were partly rebuilt, and in the weakest places were backed with concrete. All these walls were originally built dry, and they have from time to time required repairs. On the 30th of June, 1885, the necessary repairs were estimated to cost $150. These repairs were made in October, 1885. No other work was in progress during the fiscal year. The present condition of these walls is as follows: The north head wall is in fair order; in the middle head wall about 50 feet of the paving in rear of the wall, near its northern end, requires relaying, and 105 feet of the coping stones, near the southern end, must be reset (the stones have been thrown off the wall and the paving in rear of them injured); these repairs will cost, it is estimated, $750. At the south head wall, near its northern extremity, about 75 feet of the wall has been demolished by the winter storms, and requires entire rebuilding, and, for an additional length of 60 feet, one or two courses require resetting. These repairs are estimated to cost $3,000, but in view of the value of this south head in the defense of the harbor it would seem better policy to rebuild this wall, which would cost, for 250 feet of new wall at $75 per foot, and including about 10 per cent. for contingencies, $20,000. Long Island. The north head of this island was protected by a granite sea wall 2,0813 feet long, completed in 1874. The foundation of the sea-wall and its southern and western ends are protected by an apron of rubble stone aggregating 1,375 feet in length. This apron was built in 1874 and extended in 1884. All was in fair order June 30, 1885, at which date it was estimated to cost $400 to make some repairs to the pointing of the masonry. During the fiscal year no operations were in progress. The present condition of the work is as follows: The wall and riprap are in good order, but some repointing should be done, which is estimated to cost $1,000, and the southeastern riprap shore protection should be extended 250 feet. This is estimated to cost $2,000. Rainsford Island.-The north head of this island had been protected by a dry granite wall 1,500 feet long, originally built in 1840, and extensively repaired in 1884-'85. It was in excellent order June 30, 1885. No work was done on it during the fiscal year, and none is anticipated to be necessary during the year ending June 30, 1888. Castle Island. This island had been protected by a dry, granite seawall 3,300 feet long, built in 1835, and a high riprap extension of it to the southwest 300 feet long, built about 1865. June 30, 1885, the riprap shore protection was in good order, and the wall required some repairs, which were estimated to cost $350. No work was done during the fiscal year. The present condition of the work is as follows: The riprap is in good order, but about 100 feet of the sea-wall has undermined and requires taking down and relaying. This will cost, it is estimated, $1,000. Governor's Island.-The bluffs and shore-line of this island have never been protected. They stand, however, in very important relations to the main ship channel at the Upper and Lower Middles. In addition to this the bluffs are occupied by important heavy batteries for the defense of the inner harbor and the navy-yard. Serious abrasions of these bluffs have been in progress for some years. The two main bluffs, the east and south, should at once be protected by light sea-walls. That at the east battery will be 500 feet long, and is estimated to cost $30,000; the south bluff wall should be 1,800 feet long, and is estimated to cost $50,000 WORKS OF IMPROVEMENT. The condition of the works of improvement on June 30, 1885, was as follows: The main ship-channel had been widened, straightened, and deepened by dredging and the removal of sunken rocks so that it was nowhere less than 600 feet wide and 23 feet deep at mean low water; originally it was but 100 feet wide and 18 feet deep. In effecting this improvement to the main ship-channel dredging and blasting was done at the following places (reference being had to the plan of the harbor accompanying Report of the Chief of Engineers for the year 1883): At Nashe's Rock Shoal, during the years 1876-78, 365 yards of ledge. were removed. At Kelly's Rock and Shoals, during the years 1869 to 1879, 222 cubic yards of ledge were removed. Tower, Corwin, and Channel rocks were removed during the years 1867-75; they aggregated 6083 cubic yards. From the west end of Brewster Spit, during the years 1874-'76, 29,226 cubic yards of sand and gravel were dredged and 95 cubic yards of ledge were removed. At Lovell's Island, from the southeast and southwest points, 267,294 cubic yards were dredged during the years 1867-'77. At Castle Island Bar and Shoals, opposite the lower middle, during the years 1880 and 1883, 36,957 yards were dredged and 20 tons of rock were removed. At the Lower Middle, 1874-75, State and Palmyra rocks were removed. They aggregated 62 cubic yards. At the Upper Middle, during the years 1870 to 1876, 268,278 cubic yards were dredged and 1183 cubic yards of ledge were removed. At Anchorage Shoal, during the years 1879 to 1882, 65,327 cubic yards were dredged. At Man of War Shoal, 85,917 yards were dredged in the years 1878-'80. At Mystic River Shoal, during the years 1879-'82, 82,082 cubic yards were removed. This improved main ship-channel extends through the lower and upper harbors. The improvements along it in the lower harbor, with the exception of the dredging at Great Brewster Spit, have been apparently permanent. The exact condition of this part of the channel will be shown by, and any project for its further improvement based upon, the results of the survey made during the last year, the notes of which are not yet fully plotted. In the upper harbor the improvements of the channel have been permanent and show no deterioration. The original project of 1867 provided for a channel in this part of the harbor 1,000 feet wide and 23 feet deep. This project has been carried out so far that the channel is now 600 feet wide only and 23 feet deep. It should be at once widened to 800 feet, which it is estimated will require the dredging of 253,200 cubic yards (scow measurement), at a cost of $128,000. In addition to these improvements of the main ship-channel through the upper and lower harbors dredging and blasting had been done in the following tributary channels: 1. Charles River.-The original project for the improvement of this river consisted in straightening, widening, and deepening the channel, first, from its mouth up to the Western Avenue Bridge (a distance of about 43 miles), so that there should be a minimum depth of 7 feet at mean low water, with a width of 200 feet; second, from Western Avenue Bridge to Market Street Bridge (31 miles), so that the least width should be 80 feet, and the least depth 6 feet at mean low water; and third, from Market Street Bridge up to the dam at the head of tide-water (13 miles) so that the least width, should be 60 feet and the least depth 2 feet at mean low water. The original estimated cost of this improvement was $85,000. This estimate was revised in 1881 and then made $125,000. The following amounts were specially appropriated for this improve ment: By act of June 14, 1880. By act of March 3, 1881. Total $22,500 35,000 57,500 The total amount expended to June 30, 1885, was $55,398.18. The condition of the improvement on the 30th June, 1885, was as fol lows: The projected improvement had been completed from the mouth of the river up to the Arsenal Street Bridge, a distance of 74 miles. Work was stopped at this point for the reason that the draws and piers of this bridge do not conform to the projected channel above it; 127,971 cubic yards were dredged during the years 1880-'84. No work was done during the fiscal year. This improvement, so far as completed, is not regarded as an important benefit to commerce, for the reasons given in the Report of the Chief of Engineers for the year 1884. The balance, available July 1, 1886, $2,018.49, is not sufficient to con tinue the improvement, and will be expended in surveys and examinations of the work. To complete the improvement to the head of tide-water, in accordance with the existing project, will require the expenditure of $116,000. Of this amount $50,000 could be expended to advantage during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1888, in continuing the improvement above Arsenal Street Bridge, provided the draws of the two bridges on that part of the river are rebuilt, to conform to the projected channel. 2. Hingham Harbor.-The original project for the improvement of this harbor was made in 1874; it provided for a channel 100 feet wide and 8 feet deep at mean low water up to the wharves in Hingham. The cost was estimated to be $10,000. By the act of 1875, in the appropriation for Boston Harbor, it was provided that not exceeding $10,000 should be spent in Hingham Harbor. During the years 1875-76 and 1884 25,160 cubic yards were dredged and 83 cubic yards of ledge were removed, at a cost of $9,316.58, and the projected improvement was completed. 3. Nantasket Beach Channel.-The project adopted in 1880 was to widen and deepen the channel, so that it should not be less than 100 feet wide and 94 feet deep at mean low water. During the years 1881 and 1883, 41,922 cubic yards were dredged, and 54 yards of ledge were removed; completing the proposed improvement. 4. Channel between Nix's Mate and Long Island.-In 1883, 19,899 cubic yards were dredged at this point, by which a channel 12 feet deep at mean low water, and 200 feet wide was obtained. This is a very important interior channel, and its usefulness in connection with the mean ship-channel will be much enhanced when its width and depth have been increased, and its proper direction determined after study of the new survey. 5. Barrel Rock.-An obstruction on the north side of Broad Sound was removed in 1869; it contained 116 cubic yards. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886, operations have been limited to the following: Repair of Deer Island sea-walls, noted above, and hydrographic survey of a portion of the lower harbor. This survey was authorized by Department letter of August 6, 1884. It was to include portions of the main ship-channel south of Boston Light, Brewster Bar and its slopes, the Narrows, Nix's Mate bar, and the flats west of Lovell's Island. The survey was commenced May 29, 1885, and the field-work was closed November, 1885. Reduction of soundings, drift studies, &c., were made during the winter, and the plotting of the notes was commenced in May, 1886, and continued as rapidly as the reduced office force would permit. No results can be as yet deduced from this survey, and it may be found necessary to slightly extend the lines of soundings running northwest from Nix's Mate, for the purpose of determining more accurately the direction to be given to the new channel on that side. A complete study of the condition and requirements of the main ship channel would necessitate a survey of the channel near the upper and lower middles; this is estimated to cost $3,000, and should be done as soon as funds are available. The balance available July 1, 1886, is $3,976.41, and will be applied to the completion of the chart of the late survey. The amounts recommended for expenditure for Boston Harbor during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1888, are as follows, viz : For repair of Great Brewster wall...... For extension of George's Island sea-wall, 1,400 feet. For repair of Lovell's Island east sea-wall. For extension of Gallop's Island sea-wall.. For repair of middle head-wall, Deer Island. For rebuilding south head-wall, Deer Island, 250 feet. For extension of the sea-wall at Point Allerton, 150 feet, at $100.. 750 20,000 For extending riprap shore protection at Long Island 2,000 For repair of Castle Island sea-wall... 1,000 1,000 For protection of east bluff at Governor's Island, 500 feet, at $60. 30,000 For protection of south bluff of Governor's Island, 1,800 feet.. For continuing the project of improvement of the main ship-channel, by re 50,000 For survey of Upper and Lower Middles.. For contingencies.. moving 253,200 yards at the Upper and Lower Middles, making it 800 feet wide and 23 feet deep at mean low water.. 128,000 3,000 17, 650 Total..... 320,000 The several works completed and projected for the improvement of this harbor are located in the collection district of Boston and Charlestown, Mass. Boston is the port of entry. The accompanying commercial statistics for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886, have been furnished by the collector of customs at Boston, Mass.: July 1, 1885, amount available. Money statement. July 1, 1886, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1885. July 1, 1886, outstanding liabilities.. July 1, 1886, amount available.. Amount appropriated by act approved August 5, 1886. Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1887 $8,528 99 $4,537 58 15.00 4,552 58 3,976 41 56, 250 00 60, 226 41 263,750 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.. Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30,1888 264, 000 00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of section 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. CUSTOM-HOUSE, BOSTON, MASS., SIR: In compliance with your request of May 25, I inclose report of the transac tions of commerce and navigation at this port during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. The records of that time in this office were not consolidated until to-day. In noticing your further request, I can only wish you such success in your efforts as will make this port the most safe and desirable on the Atlantic coast. Very respectfully, etc., Lieut. Col. G. L. GILLESPIE, L. SALTONSTALL, Collector. Engineer Corps, U. S. A. TRANSACTIONS OF COMMERCE AND NAVIGATION AT THE PORT OF BOSTON DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1886. |