July 1, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884... 1,699 67 July 1, 1885, amount available.... 60 36 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project... 10,000 00 D 26. IMPROVEMENT OF SAUGERTIES HARBOR, NEW YORK. The harbor of Saugerties is on the west bank of the Hudson River, about 95 miles above New York, and is formed by the mouth of Esopus Creek. Some works of improvement have already been attempted by the inhabitants, but no permanent benefit has been derived from them. In 1883 a survey with a view to its improvement, ordered by act of Congress passed August 2, 1882, was made under direction of General Newton, whose report dated November 28, 1883, is found in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1884, Part I, page 716. This report shows that the mouth of the creek is obstructed by a bar 1,100 feet long, lying between the 6-foot curve in the Hudson and the 6-foot curve in the creek, with a minimum depth upon it of 3 feet at mean low water, and two projects for its improvement were submitted, both providing for a channel 7 feet deep at low water and 100 feet wide, to be obtained by constructing parallel dikes and dredging a channel between them; but the question which method would best secure the purpose was to be left until further examination could be made. A sketch showing the two plans proposed was printed in Senate Ex. Doc. No. 57, Forty-eighth Congress, first session. The estimates were as follows: FIRST PLAN. Dredging a channel 1,900 feet long, 100 feet wide, and 7 feet deep at mean low water: 20,628 cubic yards at 35 cents. North dike, 2,100 feet long, at $8 South dike, 2,800 feet long, at $8. Total $7,219 80 16,800 00 22,400 00 46,419 80 SECOND PLAN. Dredging a channel 2,500 feet long, 100 feet wide, and 7 feet deep at mean low water: 55,654 cubic yards in situ at 25 cents North dike, 2,600 feet, at $8 South dike, 800 feet, at $8. Total Five thousand dollars for the improvement of this harbor was appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884, but in view of the fact that the State of New York had undertaken to make some improvements there it was decided not to begin work at once, but to wait until it could be ascertained what plan had been decided upon by the State authorities and until a further examination could be made. No work has yet been done. Saugerties is in the eleventh collection district. The nearest port of entry is Albany, N. Y., and the nearest light-house is at the mouth of Esopus Creek. COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. No statement of the commerce of Saugerties has been received for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885. A carefully-prepared statement is submitted with General Newton's report of November 28, 1883, which may be found on page 717, part 1, of the Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1884. Money statement. Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884... July 1, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884..... July 1, 1885, amount available.. $5,000 00 44.05 4,955 95 D 27. REMOVING SUNKEN VESSELS OR CRAFT OBSTRUCTING OR ENDANGERING NAVIGATION. On the 29th of February, 1884, the schooner Jane, coal-laden, bound to Providence, R. I., was wrecked in what is known as the "Eastern Channel," leading out of and into the harbor of New Haven. The wreck was duly reported and after advertising the notice to owners required by law, and getting no response thereto, proposals were asked for its removal under date of March 18, 1885. The following is an abstract of bids received: PROPOSALS FOR REMOVAL OF WRECK AT ENTRANCE TO NEW HAVEN HARBOR, CONNECTICUT, OPENED APRIL 18, 1885. 1. C. W. Johnston, Lewes, Del 2. Thomas H. Scott, New London, Coun 3. William E. Chapman, New York, N. Y. $1,260 600 449 William E. Chapman was the lowest responsible bidder, and a contract was entered into with him April 27, 1885, for the work. On June 27 the contractor brought up a large derrick scow, passed chains under the wreck, raised it and secured it alongside, and then towed it out into the Sound and dropped it in deep water. The wreckage consisted of 80 feet of the bottom, the sternpost, and some of the ribs of the schooner. An examination of the bottom, made afterward, showed that all the wreckage had been removed. The rest of the wreckage had drifted ashore on Light-house Point. The cost of the removal of the wreck was $556.19. D 28. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION AT HORTON'S POINT, NEAR DUTCH [DUCK] POND POINT, NEW YORK, FOR BREAKWATER. ENGINEER OFFICE, UNITED STATES ARMY, New Haven, Conn., October 23, 1884. GENERAL: I have the honor to make the following report upon the preliminary examination ordered by act of Congress approved July 5, 1884, to be made at "Horton's Point, near Dutch Pond Point, New York, for breakwater." Horton's Point lies on the north shore of Long Island, about 13 miles west of Plum Gut, and 50 miles east of the harbor of Huntington. Duck Pond Point, which inquiry indicates is the point referred to in the act of Congress, though there called Dutch Pond Point, is the next point on the Long Island shore west of Horton's Point, and is about 5 miles distant from it. Between these two points is a bight or shallow indentation in the shore line, with a long sand-bar in front of it, beginning near Horton's Point and stretching westwardly about 2 miles beyond Duck Pond Point, a distance of about 7 miles. At low tide the water on this bar is from 3 to 10 feet deep, while inside there is a depth of about 15 feet for a width of 500 or 600 feet, and about this depth may be carried out through the two entrances at the ends of the sand-bar. Upon inquiring of the Hon. Perry Belmont, Member of Congress, in whose Congressional district Horton's Point is situated, as to the special purpose of the examination which had been ordered there, I was referred by him to the Hon. H. A. Reeves, of Greenport, for the necessary information. Mr. Reeves drew my attention to what the Coast Survey chart of Long Island Sound shows, namely, that there is not a single natural harbor of refuge on the Long Island shore between Huntington Harbor and Plum Gut, a distance of about 63 miles, and he stated that the opinion was unanimously held by the sailing population of Greenport and the vicinity that an artificial harbor of refuge ought to be formed at some point along that line, and that it was generally believed that the bight between Horton's Point and Duck Pond Point would be a suitable and convenient place for the construction of such a harbor. He was unable, however, to furnish me with any statistics relating to the matter, or to refer me to any petitions, reports, recommendations of chambers of commerce, boards of trade, or other representative bodies bearing upon the subject, though he felt confident that there were a number of papers of this description filed away in Washington among the records of the Committees on Commerce. It was his opinion that the question of constructing a harbor of refuge on that part of the Long Island coast was one of much more than local interest, and concerned in a high degree the welfare of a large part of the commerce which finds its way through Long Island Sound. I have been wholly unable, however, to ascertain what amount of commerce would be benefited by, or would make use of, such a harbor were it constructed. Undoubtedly the large fishing fleet sent out by the various towns in the neighborhood of the sound would be glad to have a place of refuge in this vicinity in stormy weather, as would the coasters and the outward bound vessels that might encounter a northeaster while hugging the Long Island shore; for under such circumstances, if they cannot |