APPENDIX A A. IMPROVEMENT OF THE OHIO RIVER; OPERATING AND CARE OF LOUISVILLE AND PORTLAND CANAL; IMPROVING FALLS OF OHIO RIVER AT LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY; IMPROVEMENT OF THE MONONGAHELA AND ALLEGHENY RIVERS; CONSTRUCTION OF AN ICE-HARBOR AT MOUTH OF MUSKINGUM RIVER, OHIO, AND OF A HARBOR OF REFUGE NEAR CINCINNATI. REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL WILLIAM E. MERRILL, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, BVT. COL., U. S. A., OFFICER IN CHARGE, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNÉ 30, 1884, WITH OTHER DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE WORKS. GENERAL: I have the honor to submit herewith the annual reports on the works under my charge for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884. Respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. E. MERRILL, Lieutenant-Colonel of Engineers. A A I. IMPROVEMENT OF THE OHIO RIVER. At the opening of the fiscal year, July 1, 1883, the following contracts were outstanding: Owing to the failure of the river and harbor bill no new contracts were made during the fiscal year. WORK DONE DURING THE YEAR. Davis Island Dam, 5 miles below Pittsburgh.-This work was under the local charge of Capt. F. A. Mahan, Corps of Engineers, except from October 11, 1883, to June 11, 1884, during which time it was under the charge of Mr. William Martin, assistant engineer. Captain Mahan submits the following report: REPORT OF CAPTAIN F. A. MAHAN, CORPS OF ENGINEERS. The work done during the year is as follows: All the frames for the fixed dams, 80 in number, which were not in place at the close of the preceding fiscal year, were set up and the plank all laid in the up-and-downstream faces and on the apron. The side-cribs were finished and filled with riprap. The spaces between the right crib and the island and between the left crib and the left bank of the river were filled up, with the exception of a small amount required to grade the slopes. The pier and abutment on the island of the movable dam were finished, and the timbers to support the traveler-track were laid nearly to the top of the island. The space between the abutment and the island was almost wholly filled up, mainly with gravel. The piers of the service bridge were all finished, including the platforms. The platforms of the third section of the service bridge were all placed, except the one which finished the connection with pier 3. In the navigable pass were replaced all the wickets taken off during the autumn of 1881. Some experiments were tried in raising and lowering the wickets. All the parts were found to be in working order. We could prove nothing beyond this by these trials, because we had no practicable way of closing the lock. The coping of the river wall and of the upper recess wall of the lock was put on. The work remaining to be done is as follows: Repair the left side crib of the fixed dam, it having been somewhat damaged by the flood of February 5, 6, and 7, 1884. Place in position about 2,000 cubic yards of riprap for protecting the aprons of the dam and the foot of the side-cribs. Grade up and pave the filling in rear of the side-cribs. Place the flushing valve in the abutment and grade up and pave the filling between the pier and the abutment and the island. Prolong traveler-track, if deemed advisable, on top of island. Attach all remaining platforms of the service bridge; one of wier 3 and all of weirs 1 and 2. Attach all chains to trestles, connecting them with each other and with the wickets. Build maneuvering boat for navigable pass. Build gates and guard-gates for the lock; clean out gate recesses; lay sills and tracks for gates; adjust valves for filling and emptying culverts; set movable dam at the head of the lock; put up machinery for moving gates and valves; fit flushing valves in lock-wall; put coping on lower walls of gate recesses. Under the term machinery, I include all water-wheels, pumps, tanks, pipes, gearing, cylinders, connections, &c., which may be required to set in motion any part of the system. The past year was wholly uneventful except for pier 1 having been twice struck by passing tows, and for the great flood of February 5, 6, and 7. As this flood was an interesting feature I shall give such details of its progress as we possess. During the twenty-four hours from 7 a. m., January 30, to 7 a. m., January 31, the river rose just 2 feet, reaching a point 5.3 feet above the low water of 1881, the lowest of which we have any knowledge. At 6 p. m., of the 31st., it reached 10.3 feet, and at 9 a. m., February 1, it reached a maximum, 17.5 feet. From this point it fell very slowly to 16.2 feet at 9 a. m., February 2; 11.7 feet at 7 a. m., February 3; 11.3 at 6 p. m., 10.3 at 7 a. m., February 4; 10.1 at 6 p. m., being the minimum. At 7 a. m., February 5, it rose to 11.8; to 16.0 at 5 p. m., to 24.6 feet at 7 a. m. The hourly heights after that date are: After 9 p. m., of February 8, the river fell slowly away until February 12, when it rose from 14.35 at 7 a. m., to 15.80 at 6 p. m. It remained at a stand all the night of the 12-13, and fell to 15.1 at 6 p. m. of the 13, rising to 15.80 at 6 p. m., February 14, and to 18.9 at 6 p. m., February 15. Thence it fell to 12.3 at 6 p. m. February 17. In the wachman's book I find these memoranda : Night of February 5-6, light on the river wall knocked off by ice 7.55 p. m.; light on lower end of guiding crib knocked off by ice 8.15 p. m.; river rose in six hours 4 feet, and rising fast at 12 midnight. Commenced raining 8 o'clock, has been raining heavy ever since; ice coming in spells; river rose 10 inches from 1 to 2 a. m; still raining at 2 a. m.; raining hard and dark at 3 a. m. ; rained most whole night through; . river rising 8 inches per hour 5 a. m. Day of February 6, river rising rapidly at 8 a. m., tenth over top of cement steps in front of house; deadman in front of office gave way from force of ice at 8.45. The first building on the island toward the main channel was swung around until it struck the adjacent building. Mr. Fairley's (the keeper of the workmen's boarding-house) family had to be removed by a tow-boat to the north shore for safety about 10.30 a. m. The tow-boat returned this p. m., about 3.30, to remove the Deily family and their stock from the island. Large quantities of lumber adrift; the ice running heavy all day. Davis Island has been completely submerged all day; nothing could be done towards saving any of the property; the ice has been running strong across the island, driving into the buildings; at this hour the extent of damage done cannot be ascertained (5 p. m). Night of February 6-7, still raining at 10 p. m., with fog or haze; still raining at midnight; river risen .03; river at a stand at 1 a. m.; raining hard; night dark and dismal; have heard for the last two or three hours occasional heavy crashes on the island, as if the buildings were being swept away; 2 a. m., still raining hard; 3.25 a. m., heavy crashing on island; buildings must be going; 4 a. m., raining hard, very dark; 5 a. m., raining lightly; river has begun to fall; 7 a. m., it can now be seen that the barrack, in one end of which the men used to sleep, the other end being used as a tool-house, was carried away by the water and ice. After this there is nothing noted of any importance. On the night of January 1-2, the steamboat J. N. Bunton, with five or six coal boats in tow, ran into pier 1. The steamboat and tow were wrecked and four lives lost. On February 17, the Alexander Swift wrecked five or six barges on the same pier. I have made no new estimate as to funds required for this season, as the amount asked for in your annual report for last year will doubtless finish all the essential work. The Trap, 11 miles below Pittsburgh.-A considerable scour having taken place at the root of the cross-dam connecting the dike at the trap with the left bank, which threatened extensive damage to property in Middletown, it was found necessary to strengthen the shore protection below the dam. This was accomplished by placing some 250 cubic yards additional of riprap upon the bank. Brown's Island, 63 miles below Pittsburgh.-Rebuilding of dam to close right hand chute. This work was completed on September 15, 1883, under contract with N. W. Tucker, dated June 25, 1881. The dam consists of a new superstructure of crib-work of sawed timber, filled with stone, placed upon the old riprap dam which had been flattened down by ice and and floods. The crib-work is 30 feet wide, and its top is even with the 6-foot stage in the river. The entire length of the dam is 2,700 feet, and the following quantities of material were used in its construction: Square timber Iron bolts and spikes. Brush.... .feet B. M.. 457, 137 ...pounds.. 32,372 cubic yards.. 17,804 ....cords.. 93 Twelve-pole Bar, 312 miles below Pittsburgh.-The dike at this bar, built under contract with Messrs. Clendinen & Graham, dated June 29, 1881, was completed on September 28, 1883. This dike consists of a continu ous crib-work of sawed timber filled with stone; it starts from the Ohio shore and extends down stream to a length of 2,450 feet, its top being even with a 6-foot stage in the river. The following is the total of material used in its construction: Square timber.... Iron bolts and spikes feet B. M.. 477,990 ..pounds.. 28,476 ..cubic yards.. 11,571.64 ....cords.. 62 Portland Bar, 603 miles below Pittsburgh.-The dike at this bar, originally under contract with E. G. Penn, dated October 25, 1879, was completed on September 28, 1883, in accordance with the original specifications by W. A. Hicks, bondsman for E. G. Penn, under an informal contract dated August 5, 1881. The dike is of similar construction to that at Twelve-pole Bar, and extends from the Kentucky shore to a total length of 2,581 feet. The following quantities of material were used in its construction: Square timber.... Iron bolts and spikes Rip-rap stone. feet B. M.. 489, 631 .pounds.. 35,810 ...cords.. 1,661 .cubic yards.. 17,741 Puppy Creek Bar, 743 miles below Pittsburgh.-The dike at this bar was completed on September 29, 1883, under contract with Jacob Clark, dated June 24, 1881. It consists of a substructure of piles, brush, and stone, built 2 feet above low water, and a superstructure of sawed timber 4 feet high, well ballasted with stone, and paved on its top surface. The dike is built from the Kentucky shore and has a total length of 2,935 feet. The following materials were expended in its construction: Piles... Brush.. Square timber Iron bolts and spikes Riprap stone 1,583 ..cords.. 13,663 .feet B. M.. 365,887 pounds.. 31, 274 ..cubic yards.. 32,583 Grand Chain, 943–948 miles below Pittsburgh.-Work on the dike at the head of the Grand Chain was suspended on November 10, on account |