605 in the width between the 15-foot curves at the southern entrance to the OPERATIONS CONTEMPLATED FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1886. With the available remainder of the appropriation of July 5, 1884, the removal of the spit south of Goat Island to a depth of 15 feet at mean low water will be continued; 'the bowlders uncovered in recent dredging within the harbor will be removed, and the jetty on the southwest shore of Goat Island will be repaired, raised, and extended. The current contract is to be completed August 1, 1885. The current appropriation will be exhausted during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. WORK REQUIRED TO BE DONE TO COMPLETE THE EXISTING PROJECT. The work required to be done to complete the existing project is the remainder of the cutting away of the spit south of Goat Island to 15 feet depth, and northward to a line drawn from the Dolphin to clear the Permanent Dock at Fort Adams by 100 feet, the remainder of the excavation within the harbor of the anchorage area of 13 feet depth, and the excavation, also within the harbor, of the anchorage area of 10 feet depth. Also the completion of the system of jetties outside of Goat Island to arrest the drift of littoral sand and gravel into the harbor entrance. Newport is in the collection district of Newport, and is a port of entry. The amount of revenue collected in the last fiscal year was $2,554.72. The nearest light-houses are Lime Rock and Newport (Goat Island) lights. The nearest fortification is Fort Adams, Newport, R. I. Money statement. July 1, 1884, amount available......... Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884. $60 80 20,000 00 20,060 80 July 1, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884 $11,217 13 July 1, 1885, outstanding liabilities.. 2,608 30 13,825 43 July 1, 1885, amount available.. 6,235 37 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project. COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. CUSTOM-HOUSE, NEWPORT, R. I., SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letters of the 15th ultimo. During the year ending June 30, 1885, about five thousand vessels of all classes have arrived at this port, either for a harbor or to discharge cargoes; this includes steam and sail vessels engaged in coasting trade, fisheries, and yachting. During the year ending June 30, 1885, twelve vessels have arrived at this port from foreign ports and 1866, $636,691.98 into the office of the assessors for internal revenue for the first district of Rhode Island. The revenue from the Pawtucket post-office for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1882, was $12,298.28, which will give you some idea of the business which is transacted here at the present time. Pawtucket is largely a manufacturing community, and in the extent and variety of its manufactures is not surpassed by any place of equal size in the United States. It contains some of the largest establishments of their kind which are to be found in the country, among which may be mentioned the Conant Thread Company, manufacturers of the J. & P. Coats spool cotton, with a capital of $3,000,000, and employing over 2,000 operatives, and consuming in the single item. of coal 20,000 tons annually. The W. F. & F. C. Sayles bleacheries, with their manufacturing establishments, employ over 1,500 hands, and their consumption of coal per annum is 15,000 tons. The Rhode Island Horseshoe Company, situated in Valley Falls, in the immediate vicinity of this place, is the largest of its kind in the world, and calls for a transpor tation of 150 tons per day, with a consumption of 12,000 tons of coal per annum. Without entering further into detail, we would add that not less than $25,000,000 are invested in the different manufacturing industries, all of which could not fail of being benefited by the removal of the obstructions and the improvement of the channel of the Pawtucket River. The specific improvements needed to put the river in proper condition are the removal of the obstructions at the Railroad and Washington bridges, the straightening, widening, and deepening of the channel, so that when completed it shall have a width of 150 to 200 feet and a depth of 12 feet at low water; also the removal of Seal Rock, near the head of navigation. Provision has been made by the State government for the removal of the present Washington Bridge and the obstructions under the same, making a depth of water of not less than 15 feet at low water; also providing for five commissioners, to be appointed by the State, the town of East Providence, and the city of Providence, to execute the foregoing provision, build a bridge in place of the present Washington Bridge, with a draw having two openings of 80 feet in width, and two years' time has been allowed the commissioners for the completion of the work. Commissioners have already been appointed by the State and the town of East Providence. All of which is most respectfully submitted. GEO. E. NEWELL, Committee of Pawtucket Business Men's Association. GEORGE H. ELLIOT, Lieut. Col. U. S. Engineers. C 7. IMPROVEMENT OF PROVIDENCE RIVER AND NARRAGANSETT BAY, RHODE ISLAND. Providence River is an estuary of Narragansett Bay, extending from Nayat Point to the city of Providence. Its length is about 7 miles and its width varies from 1,000 feet to 2 miles. At its head it is joined by the Pawtucket River, extending 5 miles farther, to the town of Pawtucket. The mean rise and fall of the tide is 4.7 feet. ORIGINAL CONDITION. Before the improvement of the river was commenced, in 1853, at one point in the channel-a place called "The Crook," at the junction of Providence River with the Pawtucket-the available low water depth was but 4 feet, and Bulkhead Rock, with but 7 to 8 feet of water upon it at low water, with deep water around it, was a dangerous obstruction between Pawtuxet Shoal and Field's Point. mackerel-fishing fleet and the general coast navigation, the island is an important point on our shores for ocean navigation. It has a signal station connected by submarine telegraph with the mainland. Vessels are passing the island at all times and on all sides of it, and its position renders it of national importance. ORIGINAL CONDITION. Before the construction of the present harbor of refuge Block Island had no harbor which afforded protection for decked vessels. The only ones used were open boats, which, on the approach of storms, were hauled up on the beach by oxen. The largest of these boats were of about 10 tons burden. The mean rise and fall of the tide is about 3 feet. PLANS OF THE WORKS. The original project and its subsequent modifications provided for a harbor of refuge on the eastern side of the island, consisting of an inner harbor for the protection of small vessels and an exterior harbor for large ones. The former was to be about 250 to 300 feet in area, and inclosed, with the exception of an opening 60 feet wide in the clear on the sea side, by timber crib work filled with stones and resting on a riprap foundation. The exterior harbor was to be formed by a riprap breakwater designed to intercept the waves from the eastward, and the beds of both harbors were to be cleared of bowlders. The next project (1881) was to build a masonry wall on the east side of the inner harbor in lieu of the old crib-work on that side, which was in danger of breaking down in storms, and also to protect the cliff which lies to the eastward of the harbor, the material of which was carried by the current into the harbor, decreasing its depth. The last project for the work, the one under which we are now working, provides for filling the gap in the main breakwater under the provisions of the act of Congress of July 5, 1884, appropriating $15,000 for "improving the breakwater." This gap, 200 feet in length, and 1,400 feet from the shore, had been left for the convenience of vessels getting in and out of the harbor, but it was found to let in too much of the sea in stormy weather, interfering with the usefulness of the harbor. A plat of Block Island, showing the position of the harbor of refuge and a plan of the works, will be found with the special report on the enlargement of the inner harbor which accompanies this report. AMOUNT EXPENDED, AND RESULTS, TO JUNE 30, 1884. The inner harbor and the main break water, built in prolongation of the eastern side of the inner harbor and extending 1,900 feet from the shore, were constructed in the years 1870 to 1879 inclusive. The utility of the work at once became apparent. In stormy weather the inner harbor especially was filled with fishermen and coasters, and it soon became necessary to increase its depth from 7 feet, to which it had been dredged in the first instance, to 9 feet at mean low water. In 1883 a strong jetty was built out from the cliff to the eastward of the inner harbor, and a masonry wall was constructed on the inside of the cribwork forming the eastern side of the inner harbor for the purposes before mentioned. The total expenditures up to June 30, 1884, including liabilities outstanding at that date, were $306,859.98. OPERATIONS DURING THE LAST FISCAL YEAR. At the beginning of the last fiscal year no work was in progress. In August, 1884, a survey of the bottom of the inner and outer harbors was made by Assistant Engineer Judson, assisted by a party in the United States schooner Surveyor, and at the same time the wharf in the inner harbor, which had been repaired in 1883 by means of an appropriation which was made in 1882, was again repaired, as far as the funds available for the purpose would allow. It is proper to be remarked in this connection that this wharf is so thoroughly decayed that it is past any useful repair, and should be replaced by a new structure. The supplies for the light-houses are landed here, and all the passengers (many thousand annually) and all the goods to aud from the island arrive at and depart from it, except that in summer months an excursion steamer from the mainland uses for its passengers a small private wharf in the outer harbor, but this wharf cannot be used in winter on account of the exposure of the outer harbor. As the case now stands, the public considers the wharf a Government wharf, and that it has no right to do anything to it, and if it is not to be renewed at Government expense by means of an appropriation made for the purpose-it will require about $2,500-provision should be made for turning it over to the authorities of the town of New Shoreham (the corporate name of Block Island) for public use and maintenance. On the 6th of October, 1884, advertisements were issued for riprap granite for filling the gap under the provisions of the act of Congress of July 5, 1884, appropriating $15,000 for improving the break water. The following proposals were received and were opened on the 28th of the same month: Names and addresses of bidders. Price per ton of 2,240 pounds. $1.65 1 67 James Scully, Groton, Conn Isaac A. Sylvester, Newton Centre, Mass With the approval of the Chief of Engineers, the contract was awarded to Mr. James Scully, the lowest bidder; contract dated November 15, 1884, to be commenced within one month after signing of contract, unless otherwise agreed, and completed August 31, 1885. Work under the above contract was commenced March 19, 1885, and at the end of the fiscal year is still in progress. The amount of riprap stone deposited in the gap during the year was 5,795 tons. Mr. Andrew R. Elliot is the local inspector of the work. On the 8th December, 1884, the following resolution was passed by the Senate of the United States: IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES, December 8, 1884. Resolved, That the Secretary of War be, and he hereby is, directed to communicate to the Senate, without unnecessary delay, whether there exists a public necessity for the enlargement of the basin or harbor inside the breakwater at Block Island, Rhode Island, for the proper accommodation of the shipping seeking refuge at that place; and, if so, to what extent should such enlargement be made, and what would be the probable cost thereof. Attest: ANSON G. McCook, Secretary. |