amount of dredging was done, and portions of the harbor opened for use which had not been available for several years.

The extension of the light-house pier 500 feet into the lake was suggested.

An appropriation of $20,000 was made in 1868, and repairs continued under the contract of 1867; dredging was continued and a depth of 12 feet was obtained throughout nearly the whole of the west cove.

Lieutenant-Colonel Blunt was relieved in January, 1869, and the charge of the work passed through the hands of Major McAlister and Captain Harwood to Major Bowen, who assumed charge in May, 1869.

An appropriation of $22,500 was made, and work was at once commenced upon the extension of the west pier.

Major Bowen, during this year, recommended the construction of an outer harbor.

In 1870 an appropriation of $50,000 was made, the extension of the light-house pier was completed, and the whole of the west pier repaired.

In September, 1869, a survey of the harbor and its approaches was made, and in March, 1870, Major Bowen presented a project for an outer harbor. A board of engineers, consisting of Lieutenant-Colonel Woodruff and Majors McFarland and Bowen, was convened at Oswego on the 30th of March, and the project of Major Bowen was submitted for its consideration.

The plan consisted of a breakwater 5,800 feet long, to be located nearly parallel to the old west pier, and 1,100 feet in advance of it, thus affording a good harbor about 100 acres in extent. The estimated cost was $1,161,682.

In January, 1871, Maj. J. M. Wilson assumed charge of the work, and soon after the opening of navigation operations were commenced under contract, repairing damages done to the old pier by the winter storms, and on July 5 the construction of the new pier was commenced, an appropriation of $100,000 having been made; $6,000 was also allotted from the general appropriation for repairs in 1870.

By the close of the year 1871, 640 lineal feet of the new pier had been completed.

Operations were resumed by hired labor in March, 1872, the contractor having been released by act of Congress.

During this year an appropriation of $100,000 was made and work carried on both by contract and hired labor, so that by the close of operations in November, the pier was 1,700 feet long, the superstructure being completed on 1,100 feet of it.

The old pier was also put in complete repair during the season.

The winter gales of 1872-73 were very severe, and did considerable damage to the pier, settling it from 2 to 4 feet throughout a length of about 700 feet; the cribs of the outer 140 feet were torn from their grillage bottoms and thrown on shore. The old pier also sustained considerable damage.

In February, 1873, a survey was made through the ice on part of the line; floating ice 25 feet thick was bored through in order to determine the formation of the bottom.

Operations were resumed in April, 1873, the cribs on shore were launched, the pier leveled, crib-tops sunk, and superstructure built on the portions which had settled, and by the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1873, the new pier was 1,815 feet long, the superstructure upon which was completed for a length of 1,180 feet.

OPERATIONS DURING THE FISCAL YEAR.

The opening of the fiscal year found operations in progress, both by contract and hired labor; under the former they were suspended the last of August, but were continued by hired labor both on the new and old piers throughout the season.

THE NEW BREAKWATER.

The work upon the new breakwater has progressed very satisfactorily; 400 feet of crib-work has been added to the line, and three counterforts, each 30 feet long, sunk in rear of it; 1,125 feet of superstructure complete has been built, so that at the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874, the new breakwater was 2,215 feet long, and strengthened by three counterforts, amounting to 90 feet more.

During the winter of 1873-74 the pier was subjected to a series of gales of terrific violence; the damage was, however, trifling, and consisted principally in tearing off a few deck-plank, settling the stone somewhat on the lake side, the pier slightly in three places, and breaking off one snubbing post; the violence of the sea can be somewhat appreciated when it is stated that this snubbing-post was of solid oak, 14 inches square, its top about 4 feet above the deck of the pier; it was broken off flush with the deck. By the close of the fiscal year these damages, except a small amount of stone-filling and replacing a few deck-plank, were repaired.

During the year's operations the following materials have been used on the new breakwater :

904,804 feet, board-measure, hemlock timber. 17,378 feet, board-measure, hemlock plank. 528,532 feet, board-measure, pine timber. 114,021 feet, board-measure, pine plank.

312 feet, board-measure, pine boards. 5,060 feet, board-measure, hard-wood plank. 4,192 treenails.

8,285 pounds of screw and washer bolts. 155,396 pounds of drift-bolts.

13,823 pounds of spikes.

5,122 cords of stone.

192 lineal feet of oak posts.

The breakwater now forms an excellent protection from gales coming from the southwest, west, and northwest; docks are in process of construction in rear of it, which will be used this season.

The cost thus far has been about as follows: For the first 600 linear feet, the depth running from zero to 19 feet, $70 per linear foot; for the next 1,705 feet, the depth running from 20 to 28 feet, $159 per linear foot; the original estimate was $200 per foot for the whole work; the deepest portion is completed.

REPAIR OF THE OLD WEST PIER.

During the fiscal year the old west pier has been most seriously damaged, and during the spring of 1874 it was literally torn to pieces, breaches amounting to 140 feet in length having been made entirely through at various points, while the outer section of the pier for a total length of 410 feet was entirely destroyed; there being but little ice, the pier was subjected to the full force of a series of most violent storms. Minor repairs were made from time to time, when rendered necessary,

during the fall of 1873, and at the close of the working season of that year the old pier was in comparatively good order.

The opening of navigation in 1874, however, showed the pier to be a perfect wreck as previously described, and operations were commenced upon its repair in the latter part of April. By the close of the fiscal year the largest breach, 100 feet long, was closed, all the minor ones repaired, and the outer sections renewed upon 250 linear feet of the portion that was destroyed.

Much work is still to be done upon the old pier, but it is anticipated that the repairs will be entirely completed by August, 1874.

In the repair of the old pier the following materials have been used:

135,682 feet, board-measure, of hemlock timber.

4,759 feet, board-measure, hemlock plank.

19,537 feet, board-measure, pine timber.

10,957 feet, board-measure, pine plank.

135 treenails.

929 pounds of screw and washer bolts. 17,298 pounds of drift-bolts.

1,181 pounds of spike.

138.6 cords of stone.

During the present season it is proposed to complete the repairs of the old pier, and to add about 520 linear feet to the new pier, 460 feet to be upon the prolongation of the present line of the pier, and 60 feet in rear as counterforts. The work will be done by hired labor and purchase of materials in open market; agreements have already been made for materials at prices 20 per cent. less than under last contract for hemlock timber and iron, 12 per cent. less for pine timber, and 30 per cent. less for stone; the work will be pushed forward rapidly.

The original estimate for the new breakwater was $1,161,682; up to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874, $425,000 had been appropriated, of which amount $349,650.96 had been expended, about $12,000 of which has been used upon the repairs of the old pier. About $700,000 will be required to complete the work.

Fort Ontario is situated here. There is a light-house, exhibiting a fixed white light. of the third order, and a beacon on the other end of the pier showing a fixed red light of the fourth order.

The amount of revenue collected at this port during the fiscal year was $765.992.67 : the value of the imports was $7,356,646; the value of the exports was $260,876. Three thousand and eighty-four vessels, with an aggregate tonnage of 547,061 tons, entered. and 3,527 vessels, with an aggregate tonnage of 577,700 tons, cleared.

An abstract of contracts in force and a financial statement are trans mitted herewith.

Financial statement.

Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873.
Amount in hands of officer and subject to his check.
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

$107, 156 24

5,350 14 75.000.00 112, 157 34 75,349 04 300,000 00

Henry J. Mowry, Syracuse, Aug. 30, 1872 Material and labor. $21 00 $28 00 N. Y.

$0 50 $0.08

$0.06

$0 07 $10 00

$7.00

$8.00

$0.02

F 8.

MOUTH OF BLACK RIVER, NEW YORK.

The history of this work, from its inauguration in 1836 up to the 30th of June, 1873, was given in the last annual report.

Ac

By the act of Congress approved March 3, 1873, an appropriation of $5,000 was made for the removal of the bar at the mouth of Black River, New York. As this bar is generally affected more or less by the spring freshets it was determined to take no action until they were over. cordingly, on June 10, Mr. W. P. Judson was ordered with a party to this locality, and directed to make a complete survey of the bar and the river and bay in the vicinity; this was accomplished by June 30.

In June proposals were invited for dredging 11,500 cubic yards of mud, sand, &c., and at the opening of bids July 16, 1873, the work was awarded to Mr. C. Daly, of Ogdensburg, N. Y. The object in view was to open a channel about 25 feet wide and 6 feet deep through the bar for temporary relief, although, as stated in the last annual report, it was anticipated that it would soon fill up again; the language of the law making the appropriation was so specific, that the engineer in charge felt as if he had no authority other than to at once do the best he could with the funds available.

Operations were commenced August 8, and by the 28th a cut had been made through the bar 3,000 feet long, 20 feet wide, and 7 feet deep, at low water; this was personally examined by the engineer in charge, and by his direction the cut was widened to 35 feet, and operations suspended for want of funds, September 17, 1873, 11,500 cubic yards having been removed.

The bar is composed mainly of silicious sand, the up-stream portion being coarse, with a specific gravity of 1.693; the middle, a degree finer-specific gravity, 1.8; the outer, very fine-specific gravity, 1.963; on this sand there rests a large quantity of water, soaked shavings, and sawdust the specific gravity of which is 1.063.

It was observed while dredging that the sand rapidly flowed into the excavation, and was aided in this by westerly winds; the sawdust was very easily moved; and on the 15th of September, during a westerly gale, an island was formed, standing about two feet out of the water, starting from a point about 100 yards off Catfish Point, and running northwest for nearly 1,000 yards. This was so compact that men walked upon it, and it was estimated to contain about 40,000 cubic yards of sand, sawdust, shavings, &c.; in two days it was all scattered. After operations were suspended there was a strong westerly gale for three days, and at the end of that time a resurvey was made of the bar, when it was found that the cut had filled up very much, and in some parts of it there was scarcely any evidence that dredging had been done.

The system of piers mentioned in the annual report for the last fiscal year is deemed absolutely necessary, if it is proposed to improve the mouth of Black River, as it is deemed impossible to keep the channel open without them.

Dexter, just above the mouth of the river, is a port of entry in the collection-district of Cape Vincent.

The estimated cost of the improvement of this harbor, under the plan submitted, is $214,000. Since the commencement of operations $5,000, the entire amount appropriated, has been expended.

The amount of revenue collected during the fiscal year was $700; the value of the imports was $85,950; the value of the exports was $1,500.

Two hundred and fifty-four vessels, with an aggregate tonnage of 6,500 tons, entered and cleared during the year.