The project for improvement, adopted in 1871 and modified in 1875 and 1877, provided for making an entrance channel 100 feet wide and 8 feet deep at mean low water, by dredging through the bar and protecting the cut by two jetties. The estimated cost of this work was $79,000, which has all been appropriated. The channel has been dredged to the width and depth provided; the east jetty has been made 1,390 feet long, and the west jetty 940 feet; at the time of completion they extended, respectively, to 10 and 62 feet depth. No operations were carried on during the past fiscal year. This improvement is completed for the present; it may become necessary to extend the project in order to maintain the channel permanently. No appropriation is needed for the ensuing year. July 1, 1885, amount available...... July 1, 1886, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1885 July 1, 1886, amount available.... (See Appendix D 18.) $475 06 90 70 384 36 19. Flushing Bay, New York.-Before improvement the available depth in this broad shallow bay and in the channel leading to Flushing was less than 4 feet at mean low water. The project for improvement, adopted in 1879, contemplated building 16,700 feet of diking, to form a tidal basin, which, by filling and dis charging through the main channel, would maintain a channel depth of 6 feet or more at mean low water, after once dredging; the material of the bottom is soft mud. The estimated cost of this work was $173,500. Nearly all of the appropriations for this harbor, amounting to $60,000, have been expended. The dike on the west side of the channel has been built 3,057 feet long, and the channels through the bay and up the east and west branches of Flushing Creek have been dredged 6 feet deep; the former twice. No operations were carried on during the past fiscal year, except placing beacons to mark the dike at high tide. Thirty-five thousand dollars could be profitably expended during the ensuing fiscal year in extending the dike and in maintaining the channel depth. July 1, 1885, amount available... $699 02 July 1, 1886, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1885... 326 55 July 1, 1886, amount available.... 372 47 Amount appropriated by act approved August 5, 1886.. 10,000 00 Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1887... 10,372 47 Amonnt (estimated) required for completion of existing project.. 103,500 00 35,000 00 (See Appendix D 19.) 20. East Chester Creek, New York.-This is a small tidal stream emptying into Pelham Bay; it was navigable at high tide to vessels drawing 7 feet, up to Lockwood's, a distance of 24 miles. The rise of tide is 7.1 feet. Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project. (See Appendix D 15.) $17,000 00 3,000 00 16. Mamaroneck Harbor, New York.-This harbor consists of a narrow inlet opening into a broad bay. Several dangerous rocks lay in or near the channel. The low-water depth to the Old Steamboat Wharf, about half way up the inlet, was 5 feet; from there to the upper wharves it was about 1 foot. A project for improvement was adopted in 1882, providing for the removal of one rock to 4 feet depth, of five rocks to 7 feet depth, and for making a channel 100 feet wide and 7 feet deep up to the Old Steamboat Wharf, thence to the village wharves 80 feet wide and 4 feet deep; the estimated cost was $43,000. Fifteen thousand dollars have been appropriated for this harbor and nearly all expended. Three of the rocks have been removed to the required depth; no dredging has been done. July 1, 1885, amount available.. $301 23 July 1, 1886, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1885.... 77 00 224 23 28,000 00 July, 1, 1886, amount available............. Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project..... Submitted in compliance with requirements of section 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix D 16.) 17. Greenport Harbor, New York. This harbor, at the eastern end of Long Island, is exposed to easterly storms; its anchorage ground, which was sheltered by Joshua's Point, has materially shoaled by erosion of the point and by the influx of drifting sand. The project of improvement, adopted in 1882, provided for construction of a riprap break water, extending from Joshua's Point 1,700 feet in a southeasterly course, to arrest drifting sand, to check the erosion of the point, and to increase the sheltered area; its cost was estimated at $16,000. Twenty thousand dollars have been appropriated for this harbor, and nearly all expended. The breakwater has been built out to the 10-foot curve, a distance of 1,233 feet. $300 78 July 1, 1885, amount available...... July 1, 1886, amount available...... Amount appropriated by act approved August 5, 1886.. Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1887 .... Amount (estimated) revuired for completion of existing project.... 300 78 5,000 00 5,300 78 21,000 00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1888 10,000 00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of section 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix D 17.) 18. Port Jefferson Harbor, New York.-This harbor is a large, deep bay, with a narrow entrance at the outer side, of which the channel depth was but 3 feet at mean low water. Congress, approved August 5, 1886, which would leave $8,766 still to be appropriated. But of this amount over $35,000 have been already expended on the repair of the existing works, and the last two appropriations of July 5, 1884, and August 5, 1886, amounting to $56,250 must be applied in the same way to repairs and not to construction. Of the works included in the original estimate, six yet remain to be constructed or completed. These were estimated to cost in 1832.. To which must be added the removal of a rock near Van Wie's Point in the Overslaugh Channel, not included in the original estimate, estimated at ... Total...... $78,000 16,000 94,000 Since 1882 little or nothing has been done towards their completion, the funds having been chiefly spent in repairs, so that this amount, $94,000, is still required for the completion of the scheme of improvement. The act of August 5, 1886, reads: Improving Hudson River, New York: Continuing improvement, $26,250; of which which $15,000 may be used for the removal of the rock in channel at Van Wie's Point. Considering the satisfactory results hitherto obtained, the material assistance afforded by the State of New York every year, and the large commerce of the river, the present funds made available for this improvement, by act of Congress approved August 5, 1886, will be applied to the repair of existing works, and a further sum of $94,000 should be appropriated for the completion of the original project. July 1, 1885, amount available Received from sales of fuel................ July 1, 1886, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1885.... July 1, 1886, amount available..... Amount appropriated by act approved August 5, 1886 . Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1887.. $31,570 74 39 36 31, 610 10 3,091 70 28,518 40 26, 250 00 54,768 40 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project........ (See Appendix E 1.) 94,000 00 8,750 00 2. Harbor at Saugerties, New York.-To comply with the river and harbor act of August 2, 1882, two projects for the improvement of the mouth of this harbor, so as to give an 8-foot channel, by means of parallel dikes and dredging, were submitted November 28, 1883. For one plan the estimated cost was $46,419.80. For a second plan the esti mated cost was $43,113.50. In view of the fact that the State of New York had undertaken to make some improvement here it was decided not to begin work, but to wait until further examination could be made. No work has been done by the United States Government during the year, but the State of New York has dredged a channel 8 feet deep and about 200 feet wide from the 8-foot curve in the Hudson River to the 8-foot curve inside the mouth of the Esopus Creek. With the balance of the old appropriation and the $15,000 appropri ated by act of Congress approved August 5, 1886, it is proposed to begin the diking. Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1887 ... $4,955 95 4,955 95 15,000 00 19,955 95 26,419 80 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix E 2.) 3. Harbor at Rondout, New York.-The original condition of the navigable channel of this harbor showed a depth of about 7 feet at mean low water. A project adopted in 1872 provided for the construction of two parallel dikes running from the mouth of the creek into the Hudson River, and a longitudinal dike on the river side, connecting with the north dike in the creek, to direct the current of the Hudson River, and to protect the dikes from running ice, and finally for such dredging in the channel as would secure a depth of 13 feet at mean low water. The original estimate for this work was $172,000, subsequently modified to $104,000, of which $94,000 have been appropriated. The project has virtually been completed; there being a 13-foot channel between the dikes. No work has been done during the fiscal year. The $2,500 appropriated by act approved August 5, 1886, will be applied to widening the outlet between the dikes and making the necessary repairs to them. The estimated cost of completing the project and giving the outlet the full width originally proposed is $10,000, of which $2,500 has been appropriated. Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project..... 7,500 00 7,500 00 (See Appendix E 3.) 4. Harlem River, New York.-The survey of this work was directed by an act of Congress approved June 23, 1874, and was made in the fall of that year under the direction of General Newton. The preliminary report upon it was made February 18, 1875, and a final report was given in General Newton's annual report for 1884. It provides for securing a channel from the Hudson River through Spuyten Duyvel Creek and the Harlem River to the East River 15 feet deep at low water and 400 feet wide, except in the cut which is to be made through Dyckman's Meadow, where the width, for the sake of economy, is to be reduced to 350 feet. The estimated cost of this work is $2,700,000, of which $400,000 have been already appropriated, but with the condition attached that no part of it is to be expended until the right of way for the improvement is secured without cost to the United States. Under an act of the legislature of the State of New York all expenses incurred in securing the right of way and in paying for land damages are to be assessed upon the property bordering on the line of the proposed improvement. The report of the commissioners appointed by the supreme court of the State of New York to secure the right of way free of cost to the United States is still awaiting the action of the court, as stated in the last annual report. July 1, 1885, amount available. $400,000 00 400,000 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.......2,300,000 00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of section 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix E 4.) 5. Removing obstructions in East River and Hell Gate, New York.General John Newton, Chief of Engineers, retained the charge of these works, with Lieut. Col. Walter McFarland, Corps of Engineers, on duty in connection with them, and Lieut. George McC. Derby, Corps of Engineers, in superintendence of the operations at Flood Rock, and of the steam-drilling scow until December 31, 1885, when the works were put in charge of Lieut. Col. Walter McFarland, Corps of Engineers. In its original condition the channel of East River and Hell Gate was obstructed by many large and dangerous reefs, some of which projected above high water, others having least depths on them varying from nothing to 174 feet at mean low tide. Owing to the violence of the currents, the sudden change at right angles in the direction of the river, and the crowded condition of this thoroughfare, vessels were continually being wrecked on these reefs. The first project for the improvement of Hell Gate was adopted in 1867, and was subsequently modified in 1868, 1874, 1880, and 1884, by extending it to embrace the removal of other reefs in Hell Gate and in the East River. It now includes the removal to a depth of 26 feet at mean low water of all the dangerous reefs in Hell Gate, Diamond Reef, and North Brother Island Reef in the East River; the removal of Coenties Reef, East River, to 25 feet, the removal of a number of small rocks in the shoaler portions of the channels; and the construction of sea-walls on Great and Little Mill rocks, and on Hog's Back and Holmes Rock. The original estimate for this project was $5,139,120. The amount expended to the end of the fiscal year is $3,467,331.80, with which about four-fifths of the project have been completed, greatly to the relief of navigation. During the fiscal year the great mine at Flood Rock has been fired, and the whole of the Middle Reef broken with entire success. About $100,000, saved from the estimated cost of the blast, has been expended in dredging, resulting in the production of a through channel 320 feet wide and 18 feet deep at mean low water across the most dangerous portion of the reef. The appropriation of $500,000 asked for is to be applied to continuing the removal of the débris of Flood Rock by contract and to operat ing the United States steam-drill scow on Heel Tap and Frying Pan. |