of completing this improvement, from Taunton to Dighton, so as to give a 9-feet draught between these places at high water is estimated at $22,000, less $10,000 appropriated by act of June 23, 1874; the balance required, $12,000, can be profitably expended during a single season. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873 Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874. Amount available July 1, 1874 Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876 (See Appendix X 4.) 5. Fall River Harbor, Massachusetts.-A survey of this harbor was made last season, and a plan for its improvement, with estimate, sub mitted to Congress at its last session. The officer in charge estimates for the removal of bowlders and dredging a channel 100 feet wide at its narrowest part, widening at each end where it would join the main channel, to be 12 feet deep at mean low water. For removing bowlder $11,000; for dredging, $33,400; and for 6 dolphins to mark the channel, $600; total, $45,000. The act of June 23, 1874, appropriated $10,000 for the removal of bowlders. This will be done during the present year. Amount appropriated by act approved June 23, 1874 Amount available July 1, 1874 Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876 (See Appendix X 5.) $10,000 00 10,000 00 35,000 00 6. Newport Harbor, Rhode Island.-The work during the last fiscal year consisted in dredging a cut, 50 feet wide and 15 feet deep, across the shoal near Lime Rock light; in cutting off a submerged sandy point that projected into the harbor from the south end of Goat Island, so as to give a depth of 12 feet over it, and in building a jetty at right angles to the shore of Goat Island to arrest the sand and prevent the shoal point extending again. The appropriation of June 23, 1874, will be expended in dredging within the harbor, so as to improve the anchorage and entrance to the wharves where most needed. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873. Amount appropriated by act approved June 23, 1874.. Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874 Amount available July 1, 1874 Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876 (See Appendix X 6.) 88,500 00 10,000 00 7,555 81 10,944 19 15,000 00 7. Pawtucket (Seekonk) River, Rhode Island.-The channel of this river, where dredged, being in good condition at the commencement of the last fiscal year, it was determined to confine operations during the year to making a careful survey, including the bridges. This was done, and the report and map transmitted to Congress and printed. The object of doing this was to call attention to the injurious effect of the bridges upon navigation, which there seems to be no authority for the War Department to correct. Since that time another bridge across this river has been authorized by the legislature of Rhode Island, entirely independent of any control by the officers of the Engineer Corps in charge of this improvement. The officer in charge thinks that the bridge companies should be compelled to remove the obstructions they have created in the vicinity of the bridges. He draws attention to the obstruction to navigation and to the free flow of the tide, caused by the three bridges on the Pawtucket, and desires to be informed whether there is not a legal remedy to compel the bridge companies to restore the water-way to a proper natural width, and to control the bridging of the river in the interests of commerce. One of these bridges, at present a serious obstruction to commerce, is about to be rebuilt, and its future location and plan should be subject to the control of the United States. It is proposed to expend the funds on hand the present year in dredg ing at the parts where it will be most beneficial. No further appropriation is recommended. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873.. Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874 Amount available July 1, 1874 (See Appendix X 7.) $10,000 00 686 55 9,313 45 8. Providence River, Rhode Island.-The appropriation of March 3, 1873, was expended in removing the point of Long Bed, and in taking out the remains of an old pile-dolphin found in the channel. The channel here is now 800 feet wide, the dredging having increased it to this width from that of 400 feet. No further appropriation is required. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873. Amount in hands of officer and subject to his check. Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874 Amount available July 1, 1874 (See Appendix X 8.) $10,000 00 178 24 10, 101 26 76 98 9. Wickford Harbor, Rhode Island.-The work during the past year consisted in dredging so as to lessen the sharpness of the turn in the channel, and in removing a rock from the channel. With the appropriation of June 23, 1874, further dredging will be done and some rocks removed. No further improvement is required here for the present, except to build a beacon on James Ledge. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873... Amount appropriated by act approved June 23, 1874 Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874.. Amount available July 1, 1874 (See Appendix X 9.) $5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 10. Block Island, Rhode Island.-The main breakwater was extended about 330 feet during the fiscal year, with a considerably less crosssection than that of the part before built, in order to obtain shelter sooner than could be done by carrying out the full dimensions at once. It is expected to increase the thickness of this portion during the present year, to bring it to the proper proportions for permanence. This, with an extension of about 100 feet to where the water is 15 feet depth, will exhaust the appropriation of June 23, 1874. During the past year 446 tons of bowlders were removed from the bottom within the protected area, and deposited in the breakwater. There is a sufficient amount left of the former appropriation to free all this sheltered anchorage, where the depth is as great as 6 feet, and this will be done. There will also be an improvement made for the discharge of cargoes in the inner basin. An estimate of $60,000 is submitted for the next season's operations, so that in one year there can be put in a detached piece of breakwater north of the harbor to protect it from northeast storms, which are the only ones that now cause any trouble. It is necessary to do this all at once, so that it may not, in an incomplete state, be a dangerous ob struction. This breakwater has been an improvement, the beneficial effect of which is most apparent. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873. Amount in hands of officer and subject to his check, (including $857.32 per $60,000 00 centage due on contracts not yet completed).. 6,551 55 Amount appropriated by act approved June 23, 1874. 20,000 00 Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874 50,572 30 Amount available July 1, 1874 Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876.. (See Appendix X 10.) 11. Pawcatuck River, Rhode Island and Connecticut.-The appropriation of March 3, 1873, was expended in dredging during last season. A channel-way 40 feet wide and from 5 to 5 feet deep at mean low water is now finished to the wharves in Westerly. It is designed to make the channel 75 feet wide in its narrowest part, and 5 feet deep at mean low water. The estimate for completing this is $21,000. The act of June 23, 1874, appropriated $10,000 for this work, leaving $11,000 to be appropriated. The beneficial effects of this improvement are shown in the diminished cost in freights to Westerly. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873.. Amount in hands of officer and subject to his check, (including $800.17 per $10,000 00 centage due on contracts not yet completed). 1,858 42 Amount appropriated by act approved June 23, 1874 10,000 00 Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874 11,668 72 Amount available July 1, 1874 10, 189 70 11,000 00 Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876 . (See Appendix X 11.) 12. Stonington Harbor, Connecticut.-Operations during the past fiscal year were confined to dredging in the harbor between the breakwater and the steamboat-dock, to make this space available as an anchorageground. The work already done has given a depth of 12 feet from the channel as near to the wharves as it is thought advisable to carry this work. It is proposed, with the appropriation of June 23, 1874, and with what remains from the previous one, to dredge off the upper end of Penguin Shoal. The engineer in charge of the improvement during the past fiscal year recommends that, if any further improvements be made here, a breakwater should be built on the outer part of Penguin Shoal, for which he submits a plan, with an estimate of $96,000. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873.. Amount appropriated by act approved June 23, 1874.. Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874 Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876 . (See Appendix X 12.) $25,000 00 20,000 00 21, 047 22 23,952 78 96,000 00 13. Connecticut River below Hartford, and Saybrook Bar, Connecticut.The work done during the fiscal year left a channel from 50 to 70 feet wide and 9 feet deep at low water over the bars at Hartford, Pratt's Ferry, and South Glastenbury; the jetty at Saybrook Bar was carried out to a total length of 1,600 feet. With the appropriation of June 23, 1874, it is designed to dredge in these channels, wherever examinations show that they have shoaled during the winter, and to continue the jetty as far as the remaining funds will allow. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873. percentage due on contracts not yet completed).. Amount in hands of officer and subject to his check, (including $281.20 Amount appropriated by act approved June 23, 1874 Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874. Amount available July 1, 1874 Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876 (See Appendix X 13.) 14. Connecticut River, above Hartford, Connecticut, and below Holyoke, Massachusetts.-A survey and map of the whole of this portion of the river have been completed. A channel was dredged through Barber's Landing Bar, about three and one-third miles above Holyoke, which was the only improvement needed. The act making the appropriation of 1872 limited its application to the part above the foot of Enfield Falls. About half of this has been spent in surveys and investigations. There is no place found above the falls where improvement is now required, and the balance is too small to accomplish anything at the falls. As the wing-dams built between Hartford and the falls have been found beneficial, it is proposed to continue this work, where needed, with the funds on hand. Connecticut River from Enfield Falls to Holyoke. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873 Connecticut River above Hartford and below Holyoke. $25,000 00 12,391 45 12,608 55 Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873 Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874.. (See Appendix X 14.) 21,772 31 15. New Haven Harbor, Connecticut.-During the past fiscal year the dredging consisted in completing a 15-foot channel to 200 feet width through the bar between Fort Hale and the light-house, and in widening the 13-foot channel, from Long Wharf to Belle Dock, to 115 feet. beginning was made upon the removal of Ludington Rock, but before work was fairly under way the favorable season closed. A The remainder of the appropriation for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874, will be expended in prosecution of the removal of Luddington Rock. Under the existing contract the rock must all be removed before any money is paid. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873 Deduct amount expended in fiscal year 1872–273 Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874.. Amount available July 1, 1874 (See Appendix X 15.) $40,000 00 854 11 18,252 58 20, 893 31 16. Milford Harbor, Connecticut.-A survey made in 1872 showed that prominent among the causes of the formation of a bar in the upper part of the harbor was the erosion of the east bank, caused by the action of southerly storms. The object of the work during the present year will be to prevent further action of this kind by constructing jetties between high and low water, at intervals of 100 feet, along the shore. Amount appropriated by act of June 23, 1874.............. Amount available July 1, 1874... Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876. (See Appendix X 16.) $5,000 00 5,000 00 13,000 00 17. Housatonic River, Connecticut.-During the last fiscal year the dredging was confined to the removal of an obstruction, "the ballast," near the mouth, and to dredging at Mill Bar, Drew's Bar, Crofut's Bar, and Two-mile Island Bar, at all of which places a depth of 7 feet at mean low water was made. The width of this channel varies from 40 to 150 feet, and needs widening in the narrower portions. No work was done at the bar at the mouth. A resurvey was made of portions of the river, to ascertain changes and results of operations, and to make connected maps. The average mean rise of the tide being 5 feet, no greater depth than 7 feet at mean low water is required, which has been gained at all points except the bar at the mouth, where the depth is only 5 feet. The improvement of this is such a serious matter that it is not at present recommended. The appropriation for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1875, will be used in widening the channel at the narrow places already improved, and in removing shoals which may have reformed. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873.. Amount in hands of officer subject to his check, (including $104.24 percent age due on contracts not yet completed).. Amount appropriated by act approved June 23, 1874. Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874. Amount available July 1, 1874.... Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876.. (See Appendix X 17.) $10,000 00 3,396 54 10,000 00 13, 169 61 10,226 93 5,000 00 18. Bridgeport Harbor, Connecticut.-The work during the past year has been confined almost wholly to dredging, the requisite protection of the breakwater for immediate wants having previously been secured. The mean rise of the tide here is 665 feet, and the least depth of the improved channel is 9 feet at mean low water. On the outer bar the channel is 10 feet deep, 150 feet wide. At the inner bar it is 400 feet wide, with a depth of 9 feet. Thence upward to the bridge the channel has been much widened and straightened, and a wreck removed. This harbor now affords many facilities to commerce. The means on hand will be used to widen and straighten the channel. An estimate of $20,000 is made to provide for a probable extension of the breakwater, or additional dredging, which the action of storms may render necessary. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873.... Amount in hands of officer and subject to his check, (including $1,747.86 percentage due on contracts not yet completed).. Amount appropriated by act approved June 23, 1874. Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874.. Amount available July 1, 1874.... Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876.. (See Appendix X 18.) $30,000 00 7,120 59 20,000 00 33, 197 61 23,922 98 20,000 00 19. Norwalk River, Connecticut.-The work of dredging in progress at the date of the last annual report under the appropriation of March 3, 1873, was continued until the available funds were exhausted. The channel, 60 feet wide and 6 feet deep at mean low water, dredged in 1872, has been continued to within 600 feet of the Norwalk docks. With the appropriation of June 23, 1874, it is proposed to complete this channel, and, if any funds remain, to excavate the channel both above and below the Washington bridge to a depth of 6 feet and width of 80 feet. To realize the full effect of the work done and to carry out the entire project based upon the survey of 1871, requires the completion of a channel 60 feet wide and 6 feet deep at mean low water from Gregory's |