B 5. IMPROVEMENT OF AHNAPEE HARBOR, WISCONSIN. The operations at this harbor are reported as follows by Assistant Engineer W. H. Hearding, in immediate charge: The piles which were driven in 1872 in extens on of the south pier, forming a section of 96 feet in length, and which remained during the winter of 1872 and 1873 without superstructure or filling, were provided with both superstructure and filling. In the spring of 1873, a pile-driver was built by the Government for use at this harbor, and an additional length of 175 feet was built in extension of the same pier. The work was done by hired labor, in a substantial manner, the whole of the pier being filled with brush and slabs, ballasted with stone. During the latter part of October and beginning of November, 1873, a portion of the filling was washed out of the outer sections of the pier, but the pier itself remains intact. The entire length of this pier is 620 feet. No addition has been made to the north pier. The quantity of material used for filling in 1873 were, of slabs, 2474 cords; of brush, 133, cords; and of stone ballast, 99 cords. A small portion of this filling was applied to the filling of the section of pier built in 1872, where the material had settled, and to protect the western extremities of the piers. The filling used in 1871 and 1872 was of slabs exclusively, ballasted with stone. From a survey which I made of this harbor, on the 31st day of August, 1873, the width of the channel-way at the west end of the piers was found to be 230,4 feet; at the eastern extremity of the north pier, which is 353 feet in length, the width of the same is 230%; so that the piers may be considered as being parallel. The spit of sand and drift-wood, which at times nearly or quite closes the river, channel at the west end of the piers, where they commenced, varies in extent and place according to the influence of storms and freshets; sometimes the channel being 50 or 60 feet in width, with a depth of from 4 to 5 feet of water; at others it is not more than 10 or 20 feet wide, with depth of from 1 to 2 feet. Owing to the probability of there being no appropriation made for the improvement of this harbor in 1874, the citizens of Ahnapee joined in a petition to you for permission to construct a temporary pier between the piers proper, in order to confine the river-current within the limits of a channel of about 50 feet in width, so that a permanent channel of uniform depth and width may be maintained which will admit of the passage of vessels of light draught, until such times as means are provided by Congress for carrying out the piers to such a depth of water in the lake as will insure a permanent channel of sufficient capacity for the trade of the place. This pier is to be constructed in such a manner as will admit of its being removed without difficulty or expense to the Government, and will not be detrimental to the work already accomplished by the Government. Fifty thousand dollars will extend the piers and dredge the channel (as far as the condition of the site will admit) sufficient for the requirements of the trade of the place. The There has been no appropriation for this harbor since 1872, which would seem to indicate an intention to abandon the improvement. original design, made by me in 1870, was an outside harbor, at an estimated cost of $370,000. The sum of $25,000 was appropriated in 1871, and the same amount in 1872. This was applied to the construction of two piers at the mouth of Wolf River, for the purpose of protecting the channel which it was proposed to excavate from the lake into the river. The north of these piers would form a portion of the work required for the outer harbor. By the construction of the other pier and opening the river-mouth the wants of local commerce would be met, and accommodations be afforded for the construction of cribs required for the outside harbor. As a large amount of dredging would be necessary, a dredge was constructed in the winter of 1872 and 1873, the cost of which was divided equally between the appropriations for Two Rivers and Ahnapee. The failure of the appropriation in 1873 left the work incomplete and not available for any purpose. It is proposed now to use a portion of the appropriation for Two Rivers Harbor at Ahnapee in dredging, thus re-imbursing, in part, the harbor of Ahnapee for money expended in the construction of the dredge. Financial statement. Amount in hands of officer and subject to his check.. $9,380 11 Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874. 8,926 06 454 05 Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876 50,000 00 B 6. IMPROVEMENT OF TWO RIVERS HARBOR. WISCONSIN. The operations at this harbor are reported on as follows by Assistant Engineer W. H. Hearding, in immediate charge: At the date of report, June 30, 1873, the whole of the piles were driven which were requisite for the extension of the piers at this harbor, as far as the available means would admit of finishing the superstructure. The length of the extension of the east pier, for which the piles were driven, was 485 feet. The length of the extension of the west pier, having piles simply driven, was 546 feet-showing a total length of extension to both piers, which have been provided with superstructure filled with brush and stone-ballast, since the date of last annual report to be 1,031 feet. The dredge which was built by the Government during the winter of 1872 and 1873 commenced operations at this harbor on July 14, 1873. The quantity of material excavated by it from the channel alongside the west pier was about 23,000 cubic yards, and 16,680 cubic yards were dredged and removed from the point which projected into the channel at the north end of the west pier, making a total amount excavated by the dredge of 39,680 cubic yards. By your directions, at the request of the citizens of Two Rivers, I established the lines for governing the work of the construction of docks by private parties on the north side of the branches of the rivers on September 3, 1873, and about 190 feet of the dock-frontage has been substantially revetted by close and sheet-piling. At the close of the working-season of 1873 a channel into the river alongside the west pier, averaging from 30 to 60 feet in width, was provided for vessels drawing 9 feet of water. The channel-way between the piers, being 270 feet wide, admits the heavy seas from the lake which are engendered by southerly winds. The action of the sea upon the undredged section of the channel on the east side has been marked, the sand having been carried thereby into the dredged section of the channel and filling it to such an extent as to debar the entrance of vessels drawing more than 6 feet of water. The dredging-machine is at the present time undergoing slight repairs, which, as soon as completed, will enable her to be put into commission, and operations will be resumed under the recent appropriation made by Congress. The filling of the piers has settled in all the outer sections of the piers to a considerable extent. An appropriation of $50,000 for continuing the improvement of this harbor is respectfully recommended as being necessary to effect the work economically. The number of arrivals of steamers, 454; the number of departures the same; the number of arrivals of sailing-vessels, 83; of departures, 85. Three schooners have been built, the tonnage-register of which is 1,220 tons, and one tug-boat of 33 tons register. The building of a propeller of 600 tons is under contract. The exports, as per list furnished by the Two Rivers Manufacturing Company, have been Of leather, 294,203 pounds; hair, 49,160 pounds; pails, 3,240 dozen; tubs, 1,064 dozen; churns, 35 dozen; clothes-pins, 388 boxes; kannikins, 195 racks; halfbushel measures, 130 dozen; keelers, 56 nests; barrel-covers, 38 dozen; broom and mop handles, 37,300 pieces; fish-kits, 250 pieces; chairs, 2,061 dozen; bedsteads, 105 dozen; cribs, 11 dozen; fish, half-barrels, 583; fresh fish, 891 boxes; fresh fish, 89 barrels ; sundries, 1,740 barrels; sundries, 1,823,363 pounds; hoops, 79,800; grain, 1,079 bushels; furniture, 302 pieces; hay, 311 tons; lumber, 6,500,000 feet, board-measure; lath, 1,750,000; ties, 5,100; cedar posts, 3,000; cord-wood, 1,800 cords; slabs, 1,700 cords: bricks, 250,000. Imports.-Merchandise, 1,309,261 pounds; merchandise in barrels, 363,450 pounds; dry hides, 59,640 pounds; green hides, 272,100 pounds; black-walnut lumber, 32,500 feet, board-measure; pine, 340,000 feet, board-measure; white-wood, 300 cords. The original estimated cost of this improvement, based on a survey made under my direction in 1870, was $265,588.80. There was appro priated in 1871 $25,000; in 1872, $25,000; in 1873, $25,000; and in 1874, $15,000; making in all, $90,000. In my last annual report on this harbor I called attention to the difficulties and want of economy resulting from carrying on works of this character with such small appropriations, compared with the total cost of the work. If the amount estimated for an improvement could be appropriated at once, to be expended in a certain number of years, much better results would be obtained. Financial statement. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873. Amount included in expenditures of year ending June 30, 1873, to be $25,000 00 deducted from balance in Treasury. 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 fiscal year ending June 30, 1876.. B 7. IMPROVEMENT OF MANITOWOC HARBOR, WISCONSIN. The operations at this harbor are reported as follows by Assistant Engineer W. H. Hearding, in immediate charge: Under his contract of date June 5, 1873, Mr. H. Freeman built and sunk four cribs, upon foundations of stone, each foundation comprised of about 25 cords of that material. The dimensions and positions of the cribs were as follows: 2 cribs in extension of the north pier, of dimensions 50 feet by 24 feet by 141 feet, and in extension of the south pier, one crib 50 feet by 24 feet by 15 feet, the other 50 feet by 24 feet by 144 feet; making a total work of crib-construction to the water-surface in length 200 feet by 24 feet in width, protected at the outer ends by fender-timbers. The total cost of three cribs and foundations, independent of contingencies for superintending the work, was $11,206.30. The items forming the account were as follows: For 240 linear feet of pine timber, 12 by 18 inches, at 25 cents.. For 160 linear feet of hemlock timber, 12 by 18 inches, at 15 cents For 4,579 linear feet of pine timber, 12 by 12 inches, at 18 cents.. For 11.662 linear feet of hemlock timber, 12 by 12 inches, at 15 cents. $60.00 24.00 824 22 1,749 30 20 73 1,989 61 4,031 49 2,506 95 11,206 30 The general alignment of the cribs is fair; the outer crib of the south pier settled, however, 18 inches outwards, or to the southward, which is somewhat unfortunate, for the reason that if any deviation from the general alignment of the piers was desirable, it would have been better to have contracted rather than to have increased the width of the channel. The general tendency of all the cribs at this harbor (as is usual elsewhere) is to settle outwards and widen the channel. With the exception of the above-mentioned slight displacement the work is satisfactory, the cribs having suffered no further displacement from the storms of the past winter. The balance remaining of the appropriation of 1873 will be applied to building superstructure over the above-mentioned cribs, and the remaining surplus will be added to the recent appropriation of $10,000 and applied to the construction of four cribs of the same character and dimensions as were built in 1873, which will give an additional length to each of the piers of 100 running feet. The distance from the present eastern extremities of the piers to the line of 18 feet of water is 300 feet. Under the present appropriation, the distance will be shortened to 200 feet, which will involve the con struction of eight cribs, each 50 feet in length. The estimated cost of building and sinking these cribs in the increased depth of water is $38,000, and for building the superstructure over the cribs to be sunk this season, and protection to the ends of the piers $7,000, making a total of $45,000, which could be well expended during the year 1875. The effect of the recent panic was of serious importance to the ship-building interests which are centered at this point. For the time being, that effect, coupled with the extreme low rates offered for the freight of grain, has partially paralyzed that interest, so much so that at the present date there is but one vessel upon the stocks in process of building, while at the date of report June 30, 1873, there were seven. There has also been a stagnation in the lumber-market. The bountiful harvest of last year has somewhat increased the quantity of products exported, and manufactures are also on the increase. The number of arrivals and departures of steamers and sailing-vessels during the fiscal year has been Of steamers arriving, 621; of departures, 621. Of sailing-vessels arrived, 604; of departures, 614. Of vessels finished building, which were on the stocks at date of last report, 7. Exports.-Wheat, 328,650 bushels: flour, 29,400 barrels; feed, 1,000 tons; hay, 6,540 tons; peas, 31,000 bushels; potatoes, 13,500 bushels; butter, 84 tons; eggs, 28,000 dozen; fire-wood, 16,400 cords; telegraph-poles, 12,800; posts, 115,000; railroad-ties, 64,000; lumber, 34 million feet (board-measure;) lath, 110 millions; leather, 3,120 rolls. It is impracticable to obtain an account of the quantity of merchandise imported. The benefit of this harbor to the general commerce of the lakes was fully demonstrated during the severe gales of October and November last, as many as 150 vessels of all sizes having sought shelter in it during the prevalence of one storm. The original estimate for this harbor, as appears from the report of the Chief of Engineers for 1866, was $141,747.82, and a subsequent addition of $31,000, (see Report of Chief of Engineers for 1869, page 26,) making in all $172,747.82. According to this estimate the piers were to be extended to a depth of only 12 feet of water. In 1872 I submitted an estimate of $75,434.72 for extending the piers to a depth of 18 feet. In 1873 an appropriation of $20,000 was made, and in 1874 of $10,000, leaving $45,000 to complete the work, $25,000 of which may be expended to advantage during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876. Financial statement. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873.. Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874 Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876.... B 8. IMPROVEMENT OF SHEBOYGAN HARBOR, WISCONSIN. The operations at this harbor are reported as follows by Assistant Engineer W. H. Hearding, in immediate charge: At the date of report, June 30, 1873, Mr. Edward Gillen, of Racine, under his contract of date January 15, 1873, had completed the superstructure over the five cribs of the north pier, which were sunk by Mr. Knapp, under his contract of date June 17, 1871, and bad also built and sunk the 50 feet by 30 feet crib at the extremity of the north pier. Subsequently to the date of that report Mr. Gillen built and sunk the 50 feet by 30 feet crib at the extremity of the south pier, and built the superstructure over the two eribs sunk in extension of this pier in 1871. Both of the outer cribs were set upon foundations, each formed of about 25 cords of stone. These foundations have produced the desired effect of keeping the cribs in their proper alignment and position, the cribs not having moved since they were first placed. The workmanship upon these cribs and the material used in their construction were of the best quality and character. Under the same contract Mr. Gillen removed 5,000 cubic yards of material from the bed of the channel between the piers by dredging, so that a channel of from 50 to 75 feet in width and 13 feet in depth was provided for vessels entering this harbor in 1873. But on comparing a plat of soundings which were taken between the piers by Mr. J. O. Thayer, United States engineer foreman, on the 7th day of April, 1874, with a plat of the soundings which he took in the channel on the 11th of October, 1873, it was found that an unfavorable change had been effected in the depth of the channel. It is assumed that this change must have been caused through the action of the sea upon the channel-bed between the piers at their outer extremities and upon the banks which remained on either side of the cut when the dredging in 1873 was completed, for the depth of the water at the outer points is now greater than when the soundings were taken in October, and the channel-banks have deeper water over them, but the channel itself which was dredged is now almost obliterated. The inference is that the sand forming the bed at the outer end of the channel has been removed by the sea and carried and deposited in the west section of the channel, the sand also having run into the channel from the banks on the sides of the cut. A part of the $10,000 made available under the appropriation of March 3, 1873, was applied to cutting down below low-water mark 288 feet of the old superstructure of the north pier, near its western extremity, and rebuilding the same. This work was done by hired labor and purchase of materials. The cost of doing the work in this manner contrasts favorably with the sum which it would have cost provided it had been done by contract at the prices paid under former contracts. To have done the work by contract, at the prices paid to Mr. Gillen, the cost would have been $5, 205 56 The actual cost of the work done by hired labor and purchase of materials was 3,670 97 So that a saving was effected of.... 1,534 59 The total expenditure at this harbor during the working-season of 1873, besides contingencies for superintendence, &c., was thereforeFor work and materials under contract of Mr. Gillen. For work and materials by hired labor and purchase.. Total ...... $15, 571 24 3,670 97 19,242 21 The balance of the funds available from the appropriation of 1873 will be applied to building the superstructure and protecting the same over the cribs which were built and sunk under the contract of Mr. Gillen in 1873, and in the purchase of stone ballast to complete the filling of the rebuilt superstructure. The appropriation of $10,000 recently made available will be applied to deepening the channel, by dredging, to a depth of 16 feet of water. The timbers of the superstructure of the older sections of the piers are becoming tender, and in a year or two will require to be cut down and rebuilt for a length of 500 feet. This would cost, with the requisite quantity of stone filling, (the stone having settled to the water-surface,) approximately, $12,000, which sum should be appropriated for this purpose, to be used in 1875. In this connection it may not be improper to remark that the pine timber which was used for superstructure at this harbor in 1868 is already showing signs of decay, while the oak timber which was used for the superstructure over the section of pier built by the county of Sheboygan in 1856 (twelve years previous) is yet doing duty, although of course decayed and needing replacement. From this fact, as well as from observations elsewhere, it is to be inferred that oak timber for any purpose, and under almost any circumstances, is a superior timber to pine in large structures. The number of arrivals and departures of steamers and sailing-vessels during the past year is as follows: |