PLAN AND ESTIMATE FOR BREAKWATER AT ROUSE'S POINT, ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN, NEW YORK. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Oswego, N. Y., November 1, 1883. SIR: In compliance with the circular letter of the Department dated April 24, 1883, addressed to my predecessor, Maj. Walter McFarland, calling for plans and estimates, with necessary maps and drawings, for a breakwater at Rouse's Point, on Lake Champlain, New York, to be submitted not later than the 30th November next, I have the honor to submit the following plan and estimate for breakwater at Rouse's Point, on Lake Champlain, New York: The breakwater should start from Stony Point, on the western shore of Lake Champlain, about 1 mile south of Rouse's Point, and have a general direction of about northeast, with a short return at the end. Its length should be about 2,000 feet, extending half way over to Windmill Point Reef. The breakwater should be constructed of cribs rising about 6 feet above low water; provided, however, that the shore end, where the water is less than 10 feet, may be constructed of piles, if upon final examination the site is found favorable to such a construction. On the line of the breakwater the depth of water would vary from zero to about 18 feet, and the width of the cribs would vary from 16 feet to 30 feet, averaging about 20 feet. The exact location and other details should be decided only after a careful survey, with borings of the locality. To be perfectly safe I would estimate the breakwater to cost $60 a linear foot, and would make a large allowance for contingencies. ESTIMATE FOR A BREAKWATER AT ROUSE'S POINT, NEW YORK, 2,000 FEET LONG. 2,000-foot crib-pier, at $60 per linear foot... Contingencies of engineering. $120,000 20,000 140,000 Should there ever be required a larger protected area, it may be advisable to dredge a basin near the shore rather than extend the breakwater. Accompanying this is a sketch showing the proposed location of the breakwater. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, HENRY M. ROBERT, Lieutenant-Colonel of Engineers. The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A. APPENDIX O O. IMPROVEMENT OF THE HARBORS OF OAKLAND AND WILMINGTON, OF SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN RIVERS, OF PETALUMA CREEK, AND OF HUMBOLDT BAY AND HARBOR, CALIFORNIA. REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL GEORGE H. MENDELL, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, BVT. COL., U. S. A., OFFICER IN CHARGE, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1884, WITH OTHER DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE WORKS. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, GENERAL: I have the honor to transmit the annual reports of the river and harbor works under my charge for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, G. H. MENDELL, Lieutenant Colonel, Corps of Engineers. The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A. O O I. IMPROVEMENT OF OAKLAND HARBOR, CALIFORNIA. The details of the operations of the past year and the present condition of the work are fully described in the accompanying report of Assistant Engineer L. J. Le Conte. A contract was made with E. W. Emerson on April 21, 1884, for the 5908 EN- -137 delivery of 14,000 tons of stone, and for laying a dry masonry facing over 70,000 square feet on the jetties. At the close of the year 1,188 tons had been delivered and 12,209 square feet of facing had been laid. The total amount of stone-work done on the jetties during the year included the delivery of 12,586 tons of stone and the laying of 24,317 square feet of facing. The contract for dredging the tidal basin, in force at the beginning of the year, was satisfactorily completed on June 10. The total amount executed under the contract was 595,278 cubic yards, of which 503,223 yards were dredged and placed ashore during the year. The distances over which the spoil was transported are worthy of attention, for the reason that they are the longest in the recorded history of dredging. The number of engine hours was 2,306, and the average delivery ashore per hour, as measured, was 218 cubic yards. The actual delivery was in excess of this amount, for the reason that measurement was not made of excess of depth over that required by the contract. The longest transportation was 4,100 feet. The best months' work, April and May, gave these results, namely, 275 engine hours, 63,081 cubic yards transported 3,900 feet, and 270 engine hours, 61,223 cubic yards transported 4,100 feet. There was no loss of time in these months by breakage. The working expenses of the machine, not including levee work on land or wear or interest,were less than 4 cents per cubic yard delivered ashore. This contract increased the low-water area of the basin by 59.61 acres, and added 400,000 cubic yards to the tidal prism. This is not, however, all gain, as the deposit ashore required the closing of several sloughs which had previously contributed to the tidal prism. The total estimate in the original project for dredging the tidal basin comprised 3,198,100 cubic yards, of which there remains to do 2,602,822 cubic yards. The channel between the jetties, dredged to 14 feet depth in 1881 and 1882, has not maintained its depth fully, deposits of sand having been found in places, reducing the depth to 12 feet. The increase of tidal prism will doubtless correct this tendency to deposit, which is much encouraged by the forced waves developed by large steamers moving at great speed. Bids for increasing the depth to 14 feet in the channel from a point near the head of the jetties to Webster street, Oakland, were opened March 25, 1884. The award was made to the lowest bidder. The contract was not entered into during the fiscal year, but is dated July 7, 1884. This work calls for about 60,000 cubic yards to be placed ashore. This contract and an unfinished contract for stone-work are to be completed during the present working season. The contract now in force for dredging the channel and for stone-work is estimated to require the funds remaining from the appropriation of August 2, 1882. The funds appropriated by the act of July 5, 1884, and the additional appropriation asked in this report, are to be applied mainly to increasing the tidal prism by continuing the dredging of the tidal basin or by beginning the excavation of the San Leandro Canal. These operations are of considerable magnitude, and can be best prosecuted by appropriations equal to the yearly estimates. Small appropriations prevent economical working. At the present rate of appropriations it will require ten years to complete the work, which could be well done in three or four years. The original estimate for this improvement was $1,814,529.20, of which $874,600 has been appropriated and $671,049.71 has been expended in construction of two jetties and in dredging the channel and the tidal basin, with their incidental expenses. The depth of the entrance has been increased by these operations from about 3 feet at low water to 14 feet. The tide gives an effective channel depth of about 18 feet. The increase of commerce largely due to this improvement has been remarkable. The freight traffic has been increased from 60,000 tons in 1874 to 1,142,918 in 1884, and a passenger traffic has been created which in the past year amounted to 974,901 persons. The average draught of vessels navigating the channel has been increased from 5 feet in 1874 to 12 feet. This harbor is in the customs district of San Francisco, at which port the collections for the fiscal year were $6,847,580. Appended is a sketch showing method of excavating and depositing material ashore. 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.... Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885...... $188,083 68 $123,814 82 124, 133 39 63,950 29 139,600 00 203,550 29 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project..... 939,929 20 300,000 00 Abstract of bids for furnishing and placing stone on the jetties of Oakland Harbor, California, received and opened by Lieut. Col. G. H. Mendell, Corps of Engineers, 12 m., February 21, 1884. Abstract of bids for delivering and laying up stone on the jetties of Oakland Harbor, California, received and opened by Lieut. Col. G. H. Mendell, Corps of Engineers, 12 m., March 17, 1884. |