I. BELOW NASHVILLE. Work on this section was carried on from August 15 to December 1, when the available funds were exhausted. The engineer property was then collected at Dover, Tenn., and placed in charge of a watchman. Assistant Engineer C. A. Turrill was in local charge, with an average force of 22 men. The work done below Nashville is given in the following table, which also shows the locality and present condition of each improvement: The snag boat removed 142 snags and one wreck between Nashville and Little River Shoals. No work was done at the mouth of the river, as the water was not low enough to cause trouble at that locality at any time during the year. The funds available and the appropriation herein estimated for ($50,000) can be profitably expended in continuing work upon the shoals below Nashville, in accordance with the present plan, including bar at mouth of river. The original estimate for improving Cumberland River below Nashville was made more than thirteen years ago, and it was recommended by General Weitzel (in 1871) that at least $80,000 should be appropriated the first year, in addition to the $30,000 already appropriated, which he stated was insufficient to remove either of the three formidable obstructions below Nashville. As the annual appropriations have been distributed over so many years, of course there can be no close relation between the original estimate and the actual cost of the work. Boats and tools have had to be renewed several times, and the cost of engineering and contingencies has been out of proportion to the cost of the work done. For these reasons, and with a view to the more thorough improvement of some of the most serious obstructions, I would respectfully recommend that the estimate be modified to $348,000 instead of $248,821 as it has heretofore been held. This increase I believe to be fully justified by the amount of commerce on the lower Cumberland, and it is probable that a careful revisal of the project and estimate which ought to be made at an early day, will show that a much larger increase is desirable. The original estimate of cost of improving Cumberland River below Nashville was... -$248,821 00 348,000 00 242,500 00 234,938 86 Money statement. July 1, 1883, amount available.... July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883. $5,268 26 $5,044 76 July 1, 1884, outstanding liabilities.. 162 36 July 1, 1884, amount available..... Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884.. Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885.................. 5,207 12 61 14 7,500 00 7,561 14 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project...... II.-ABOVE NASHVILLE. FROM NASHVILLE TO FOOT OF SMITH'S SHOALS. This section lies in both Tennessee and Kentucky. 105,500 00 50,000 00 Work was in progress at the close of the last fiscal year, and was continued without interruption until September 1, 1883, when the appropriation was exhausted. The United States property was then collected at Saunderville, Tenn., and placed in charge of a watchman. During July building of riprap dams, dredging in the channel, and snag-boat work were carried on. During August snag-boat work alone was carried on, other operations being suspended on account of the small amount of funds on hand. The following statement shows the work done and results obtained : The object of the work at Welbourne's Bar is to form a new channel by shutting off the right-hand chute and dredging out a channel on the left of the main island. This new channel has been entirely used during the past season, and gives general satisfaction. The depth of the channel at the localities where work was done during the year is about as follows: Assistant Engineer C. A. Turrill was in local charge of the work, with an average force of 50 men. The amount available and the appropriation asked for ($400,000) can be profitably expended in operations above Nashville, in building locks and dams, and in such open channel work as will be needed whether the lock system is carried out or not; the work to be carried on in a tentative manner, so as to ascertain just how far wing and training dams can be used to advantage in place of the lock system. A small portion of the funds now available may be used to advantage in making such detailed surveys and investigations as will be necessary in locating the first locks and dams. Original estimate for improving Cumberland River from Nashville to foot Amount appropriated of Smith's Shoals (old plan) $213, 764 162,000 Amount expended..... 162,000 Estimate for improving Cumberland River from Nashville to head of 4,077,922 50,000 Money statement. July 1, 1883, amount available..... July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883.. July 1, 1884, outstanding liabilities. $2,388 23 $2,212 05 2,388 23 Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884.... III.-SMITH'S SHOALS. 50,000 00 4,027, 922 00 400,000 00 These shoals, consisting of Shadowen Shoals, White Cliff Ripple, Long Shoals, and Mill Shoals, have an aggregate fall of 55 feet in 8 miles, and form the most serious obstruction to navigation between the Great Falls and the mouth of the Cumberland, a distance of about 591. miles. The original plan of improvement was based on the survey made in 1875. The method adopted for the improvement of the channel was to deepen it and make it as smooth as practicable, by excavating through the reefs and removing bowlders, and to contract it and change the direction of the current where necessary by the construction of riprap dams. The improvement as contemplated was completed during the last fiscal year, and no work has been done on this section during the present year. The expenditure during the year has been for the care and preservation of the Government property previously used on this section. These shoals are now in as good condition as the shoals higher up, and consequently are available for navigation. The practical effect of the improvement is shown by the increased number of barges and rafts which passed over the shoals during the year. As these shoals are included in the new project for Cumberland River above Nashville, no further estimate or project for their improvement is necessary. Estimate for the improvement of Cumberland River at Smith's Shoals..... $100,000 Amount appropriated Amount expended.... 115,000 115,000 Money statement. July 1, 1883, amount available.. July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1-83 July 1, 1884, outstanding liabilities.. $771 50 $690 90 80 60 771 50 IV.-CUMBERLAND RIVER ABOVE THE MOUTH OF JELLICO, KEN TUCKY. No work has been done on this section during the last two years, because of the nature of the obstructions and of the fact that in April, 1882, the legislature of the State of Kentucky granted a charter to a company to build locks and dams on this part of the Cumberland, with power to condemn mills, dams, and other real estate, and to collect tolls for the navigation of said river for 50 years. The act provides that the company may begin operations at any time within 3 years. An examination of the small dams, which form the chief obstructions to navigation in this part of the river, was made in June, 1883, and the information obtained was published in my last annual report. The amount expended during the year was for the care and preservation of the United States property formerly used in the improvement of this section. Estimate for improving the Cumberland River above mouth of the Jellico, Kentucky Amount appropriated. Amount expended.... $50,000 00 15,000 00 9,638 44 Money statement. July 1, 1883, amount available.. $5,727 56 July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883.. July 1, 1884, outstanding liabilities.. $282 00 366 00 July 1, 1884, amount available..... 5,361 56 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project 35,000 00 Z 3. IMPROVEMENT OF HIWASSEE RIVER, TENNESSEE. No work done during the fiscal year, nor since active operations were suspended in November, 1882. No commercial data obtained, but the impression in business circles and among steamboatmen is that the improvements already made are valuable and practically permanent. The following extracts from last annual report are still applicable : The commerce is partly carried on by steamboats from the Tennessee River, and partly by flat and keel boats. The appropriations for this river have been so small for several years past that a considerable portion of them has necessarily been expended in taking care of the plant, and other constant expenses, whether much or little be done. This has made the work actually done cost excessively, and it cannot be otherwise with such small appropriations. This river is now in a fair boating condition, and I would therefore respectfully recommend an appropriation of at least $5,000, or that the work be kept in its present condition until Congress deems it advisable to make such an appropriation. The tools and other property have been removed to the Tennessee River, where a part of them can be used, and the balance stored until they are again required for the Hiwassee, without expense to the latter. July 1, 1883, amount available.. Money statement. July 1, 1884, outstanding liabilities.. July 1, 1884, amount available Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884... Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885............. Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project..... $149 27 17 74 131 53 2,500 00 2,631 53 5, 000 00 5,000 00 Z 4. IMPROVEMENT OF FRENCH BROAD RIVER, TENNESSEE. No work has been done on this river since January, 1883, when operations were suspended for want of funds. To save expense of watching, the boats and tools belonging to this work were dropped down and placed under charge of the watchman at the mouth of the Little Tennessee. No satisfactory statistics of the commerce on this river during the past year could be procured, as there was no one in Government employ who could attend to their collection, but large quantities of lumber, grain, tanbark, &c., were boated down to Knoxville. The improvements so far as completed are useful and permanent. The amount available and the amount herein estimated for ($15,000) can be profitably expended in continuing the work of removing surface obstructions from the channel and in building wing-dams where necessary, so as to permit the passage of vessels drawing 24 feet as high as Leadvale during the low-water season. The original estimate of cost of improving French Broad River from Dandridge to its mouth was Amount expended.... From Leadvale to the North Carolina State line no estimate has been made. $150,000 22,500 18,500 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project........ 128,000 00 15,000 00 |