This chart shows a depth of 3 fathoms at a quarter of a mile from shore, which deepens evenly to 10 fathoms at 1 miles. To a depth of 30 fathoms the slope of the bed of the sea is about 40 feet to the mile. It appears from this description that Santa Monica is exposed to the waves which approach the coast from the west and southwest. If the access of these waves were cut off, the bay would become a harbor which might have any desired capacity. As an engineering proposi tion a project of this kind appears to be entirely feasible. A breakwater, judiciously located, would secure the result. An anchorage ground over which, for a width of about seven-eighths of a mile, the water would be between 3 and 8 fathoms could be protected by a breakwater in 8 fathoms of water. A greater width would result from the location of the breakwater in deeper water. The length of the structure would be determined by the extent of the area which it is desired to protect. While the project is entirely feasible, it must. necessarily be costly. Santa Monica at present has no commerce. Formerly the coast steamers received and discharged passengers and freight at this point. At present all the marine commerce of this section of country is done through the port of Wilmington or in the adjoining roadstead of San Pedro, which lie about 30 miles to the southward and eastward of Santa Monica. Under the foregoing statement of facts it appears to me that at present there is no public necessity requiring the construction of a harbor at Santa Monica. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, G. H. MENDELL, Lieutenant-Colonel, Corps of Engineers. The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A. OO II. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF CLEAR LAKE, LAKE COUNTY, CALI FORNIA. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, San Francisco, Cal., November 27, 1882. GENERAL: I have the honor to inclose the report of First Lieut. C. F. Palfrey, Corps of Engineers, giving the results of an examination of Clear Lake, California, required by the act of August 2, 1882. This report expresses the opinion that the improvement of navigation. on Clear Lake is not a public necessity. I concur in this opinion, for the reason that the volume of trade at present is not sufficient to justify the cost of an improvement. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, G. H. MENDELL, Lieutenant-Colonel, Corps of Engineers. The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A. REPORT OF LIEUTENANT CARL F. PALFREY, CORPS OF ENGINEERS. UNITED STATES SNAG-BOAT SEIZER, SIR: In compliance with your letter of instructions dated September 9, 1882, I have the honor to report upon the commercial interests of Clear Lake, California, and the need of improvements in that lake. Clear Lake consists of four basins, having a single outlet. The largest, known as Main Lake, is about 9 miles in length, with a greatest width of about 74; its axis has a direction nearly southeasterly. At the head of this lake is a small, shallow basin of irregular shape, communicating with it by a pass a quarter of a mile wide, across which is a slight bar; this is called Upper Lake, communicating with the Main Lake. At its lower end are East Lake, about 5 miles long by 14 broad, and Lower Lake, about 10 miles long by 2 broad, a prolongation of the Main Lake, opening into Cache Creek, the common outlet. On the Main Lake is situated the town of Lakeport; at a short distance from the Upper Lake, on a small creek flowing into it from the northwest, is a town of the same name; the name of Lower Lake is given to a small town near the foot of that basin; at the head of East Lake in the Sulphur Bank Mine. A tracing from the Land Office map, showing the relative positions of the lakes and these towns, is presented herewith. The depth of water in the Main, East, and Lower lakes is good, and the approaches to landings easy. No difficulty of navigation is complained of upon either of these. The bar between Main and Upper lakes had, at the time of my visit, 5 feet 8 inches of water; this corresponds at the lowest low-water recorded (that of 1873) to 4 feet 14 inches. There is but little deep water above the bar. A great part of the Upper Lake Basin had a depth of 4 feet, which was also the usifal depth of the creek above mentioned except upon three bars, two having 3 feet of water each, one having but 2. These depths, when reduced to the low water above mentioned, are 2 feet 54 inches for the basin and greater part of the creek, 1 foot 5 inches of water for the two lower bars, and 54 inches for the higher. There are regularly upon the lake four steamers. One, a steam-launch, carries mails and passengers, but no freight. From this boat, by courtesy of her owner, Capt. R. S. Floyd, I was enabled to see the whole of the four basins. A small propeller, drawing 7 feet, also owned by Captain Floyd, was at the time of my visit hauled up for repair; the other two are light-draught boats, with stern paddle-wheels. For all these boats there is sufficient water on the bar, in the upper basin, and in the creek above mentioned, during eight months of the year; the light-draught boats frequently ply in these waters during nearly or quite the whole year. The excavation necessary to give a low-water channel to the Upper Lake landing 7 feet in depth and 30 feet in width, or of the width of the creek, would be about .75,000 yards. This rough estimate and the depths above given are from soundings taken at about two-minute intervals from a steam-launch running slowly in the basin and from a row-boat in the creek. The principal traffic upon the lake is the carriage of fire-wood to the Sulphur Bank Mine. The wood cut is oak; there is no new growth, the land cleared being usually devoted to agriculture. On the hills near the Upper Lake some little pine timber is cnt, and small loads are brought down for use along the lake, not for export. No attention is given to cultivation nor to preservation of the timber. A small amount of hay and grain carried upon the lake is matter of export. Should a projected railroad up the cañon of Puta Creek, and to some point near the foot of Lower Lake, be built, this traffic will undoubtedly become considerable. With the present difficulty of wagon transportation across the mountains no rapid increase can be expected. The owners of boats promised me statements of the amount of their annual business. I have yet received such statement only from the Bank of Lake; the letter of the cashier is appended. As Captain Floyd's propeller had been laid up for the greater part of the season, and as the captain of the other flat-boat told me that he did little business and kept no regular record, I have no doubt that the statement of the Bank of Lake represents at least half of the business done on Clear Lake. Doubling the amounts given, we have Fire-wood Lumber (rough) Farm produce (miscellaneous)....... .cords.. 8,000 . feet.. 350,000 ..tons.. 1,000 In view of the small amount of this traffic, as above approximately stated, of the narrowly local nature of the greater part of it, and of the fact, above stated, that there is naturally sufficient water during two-thirds of the year, aid to navigation on Clear Lake does not appear to me a public necessity of the United States. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Lieut. Col. GEORGE H. MENDELL, CARL F. PALFREY, First Lieutenant of Engineers. Corps of Engineers. COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. BANK OF LAKE, Lakeport, Cal., November 1, 1882. DEAR SIR: The freighting, &c., carried on by our steamboat on Clear Lake in the course of one year is, as near as we can get at it, as follows: Wood transported from various landings to the Sulphur Bank Mine, 4,000 cords; value of such service, $5,000. Lumber, 175,000 feet; received for carrying same, $262.50. Hay, grain, &c., 500 tons, at $1.50 per ton, $750. Passenger travel small. The report from Mr. Young, a steamboat man, we have not received as yet, but hope to in a few days; when received will forward. Respectfully, CARL F. PALFREY, Lieutenant, U. S. A. MARSHALL ARNOLD, Cashier. APPENDIX P P. IMPROVEMENT OF THE HARBOR AT SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. REPORT OF COLONEL C. SEAFORTH STEWART, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, OFFICER IN CHARGE, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1884. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, San Francisco, Cal., July 5, 1884. SIR: I have the honor to forward herewith the annual report for the year ending June 30, 1884, of the river and harbor work in my charge. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A. C. SEAFORTH STEWART, Colonel of Engineers. IMPROVEMENT OF THE HARBOR AT SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. Some damage had been done to the earth-work of the levee in the early part of the fiscal year by badgers and the rains. From the beginning of February to the end of the wet season the rain-fall has been unprecedented, the total for the year amounting to 25.97 inches, the yearly average hitherto, so far as recorded, having been but 9.3 inches. In February alone 9.05 inches fell. No one remembers so many and so long-continued floods in the river. At its highest stage the water rose to within 2 feet of the top of the levee, or some 4 feet above the level of the site. The depth in the channel near the stage-road crossing is said to have been from 8 to 12 feet, and under the railroad bridge 24 feet. In some places the river has cut into the berm, and also into the stone apron at the foot of the stone revetment, but has done no damage to the latter nor to the levee proper. In the lower half of the embankment, built wholly of light sandy materials, the reverse slope has been gullied here and there by the wash of surface-water and holes made by badgers. In one place the gully reaches nearly half way through, leaving on top, however, a thickness of 12 feet, exclusive of width of stone revetment, here 2 feet deep. These damages are of little importance, for not far from mid-length of the levee the river has turned away from the works to the westward; has left the artificial water-way, cut a new channel, or followed an old one to False Bay, leaving the lower half or third of the embankment, in which the damages just referred to are found at present, entirely free from attack. Thanks are due Assistant Charles J. Fox for his constant watchfulness during the various freshets in the river, and for the wise precautions taken by him to guard against damage from any threatened breaks in the levee. Owing to the amount of water still flowing in the river, no repairs have been made, and none will be until the coming winter. An expenditure of $132 has been incurred in removing obstructions to the free flow of the water during the floods and in watching the works and guarding against dangers threatening them. It is quite probable this river improvement will not be tested so severely again for many years to come. These works are in the collection district of San Diego. That town is the nearest port of entry. Point Loma Light is the nearest light-house. The nearest fort is that begun at Ballast Point. The amount of revenue collected at San Diego during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884, is reported as $12,664.28. July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883. 132 00 July 1, 1884, amount available..... 627 50 |