[Fourth indorsement.] WAR DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, Washington, May 19, 1905. Respectfully submitted to the Secretary of War. This is a report on preliminary examination of harbor and approaches at St. Louis, Mo., authorized by the river and harbor act of March 3, 1905. Inviting attention to the report of the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors in the preceding indorsement, I recommend that a survey of the locality, as proposed, be authorized. FREDERIC V. ABBOT, [Fifth indorsement.] WAR DEPARTMENT, May 20, 1905. Approved as recommended by the Acting Chief of Engineers. ROBERT SHAW OLIVER, SURVEY OF THE HARBOR AND APPROACHES TO ST. LOUIS, MO. ENGINEER OFFICE, UNITED STATES ARMY, St. Louis, Mo., December 2, 1905. GENERAL: In accordance with the instructions conveyed by your letter dated May 24, 1905, assigning to my charge the duty of making the survey of harbor and approaches to St. Louis, with a view to preventing floods by reason of obstructions in the Mississippi River, authorized by the river and harbor act of March 3, 1905, I have the honor to submit the following report: The region referred to in the act above quoted is the low alluvial old river bottom, extending from the bluffs opposite the mouth of the Missouri River on the north to Prairie du Pont Creek on the south and from the Mississippi River to the eastern or Illinois bluffs, a tract about 27 miles long and 2 to 10 miles wide, comprising some 160 square miles of territory, at present subject to overflow at very high floods. This region is known locally as the American Bottom and is the seat at present of numerous manufacturing interests involving large invested capital, as well as the termini of some 15 lines of railroad, with freight sheds and offices necessary to accommodate an enormous business, which is constantly increasing. These roads have constructed embankments which cross the lowlands in many different positions and directions, some of them acting as levees for the protec tion of portions of the towns adjoining from ordinary floods of the Mississippi. These embankments, in conjunction with the two bridges which cross the river to the city of St. Louis, form obstructions to the free flow of the high floods over the lowlands and have materially raised the average height of these floods, as clearly shown by the fact that the great flood of 1903 was only the fifth that has occurred within historic times in point of volume, as measured by careful river gauging, but the third as regards height in feet on the St. Louis gauge. It is assumed for this reason that the scope of the investigation and report called for by the act of Congress covers more particularly the means for protecting the lowlands on the east side from excessive floods caused in large part by the obstructions mentioned, and authorization was therefore obtained for making a detailed survey of the region under consideration upon which to base such report and estimate of cost. In the prosecution of this survey a party was maintained continuously in the field for several months, and the results obtained have been further materially augmented, as well as checked, by data very kindly communicated by the engineering departments of several railroads and the authorities of various towns. The voluminous field notes and other data have formed the basis of a detailed map, of which the accompanying tracing comprises the chief features, selected with a view to ready comprehension of the plan outlined below. In conjunetion with this large tracing, on a scale of 1:20,000, there is also transmitted a small tracing on a scale of one-half inch to 1 mile, defining the watersheds of the small streams entering the Mississippi River from the Illinois bluffs by way of the lowlands under consideration. The plan herewith recommended for protecting these lands involves a high levee, shown in broad black line on the map, extending from the northern limiting bluff along the river bank to Prairie du Pont Creek, making use, wherever practicable, of railroad embankments and old levees, as shown by conventional signs, and crossing Cahokia Creek at its mouth without break in the line. Cahokia Creek, taking its rise some 30 miles back of the Illinois bluff, receives the drainage of about 400 square miles of territory and in periods of heavy rains carries a very large body of water, forming the most formidable obstacle to the protection of the land adjacent by means of levees. It is proposed to overcome this difficulty by excavating ditches, as indicated by heavy double line on the tracing, about 100 feet wide and of sufficient depth to deflect the Cahokia from a point marked "A" to the Prairie du Pont Creek at a point marked “B," and to extend the river levee from the mouth of the latter, at a point marked "C," along its northern bank and the western bank of the cuts A-B, and thence continuously along the western bank of the Cahokia to a point at D. shown in broad black line throughout, where the protecting levee terminates. as The Cahokia, meandering through the low land, runs for a considerable distance nearly parallel to the bluff, and this portion of its course, in connection with the artificial canal referred to, forms a broad direct route along the foot of the bluff, bending thence gently through the Prairie du Pont to the Mississippi River below, and will accommodate all the drainage from the bluffs, not only of the Cahokia, but of the other minor streams that come in below. It will only be necessary to excavate the artificial cuts sufficiently to form a lead for the Cahokia waters to be rapidly enlarged by the latter through subsequent erosion. The shallow lakes shown on the map, which are now sustained by the drainage from the bluffs, would in time dry up in great part if deprived of this source of supply, and their beds would supply a large area of fertile land for cultivation, as well as sink holes for the reception of unusual and excessive rainfall in the inclosed district. & Not printed. The drainage of the area inclosed by the line of levee, as shown on the map, could be pumped from convenient points of accumulation into the Mississippi at high water, or enter therein through culverts at low water. This refers particularly to the sewage of the various towns inclosed, as rain water would, as a rule, be absorbed by the very porous soil or disappear by evaporaton in a comparatively short time. It would be necessary under this solution of the problem for the railroads entering East St. Louis to construct substantial bridges over the channel between the inland protecting levee and the bluffs, but it is thought that the guarantee of security for their termini and freight houses would amply warrant such expenditure. A single truss span of about 300 feet between substantial concrete or masonry abutments would prove ample for these bridges. The computation of yardage, and consequent cost of the levees, has been based upon an assumed reference of their crests of 45 feet above the zero of the St. Louis gauge at that point, allowance being made at other points for a water slope of 0.6 foot per mile. The determining factor in assuming this height for the levees is the flood of 1844, the highest of which there is authentic record. This flood at its crest registered 41.4 feet on the St. Louis gauge. The amount of extra elevation due to the confinement of such a flood between the Illinois levees and the St. Louis shore is a matter quite impossible to compute accurately, but in allowing 34 feet for this increase we are probably on the safe side. Perhaps even this would not be sufficient allowance were it not for the fact that the river bottom along the reach considered is everywhere, as far as known, soft for at least 20 feet from the present bottom, and it is thought that with the increased velocity due to an excessive flood thus confined there will be a very substantial scour of the river bottom, perhaps enough to neutralize a large part of the rise due to constriction alone. 1 The levees under the accelerated velocities referred to should be very substantial, and the assumed figure of the cross section requires a crest 10 feet wide, with inner and outer slopes of 1 on 3 where the levee does not exceed 8 feet in height. When over 8 feet high, an interior banquette 20 feet wide, with slope of 1 on 10 continued to the interior ground surface by a slope of i on 4 will be provided, the exterior slope continuing I on 3 as before. At certain exposed points it may possibly be found necessary in course of time to revet the outer slope of the levee with stone, especially along the constricted section near the Eads Bridge, where the current and consequent erosion will be excessive in high floods. This is, however, a matter which can not be definitely foretold and the expense of such work is provided in the large contingent fund of 20 per cent recommended below. There is one concluding and very important point which remains to be considered, relating to the effect of the increased flood heights upon the St. Louis water front. There can be no doubt that damages resulting from floods thus artificially constricted will be materially greater than formerly, and where the question concerns the lowlands only, as, for example, from the Chain of Rocks to Brooklyn street, and in the southern part of the city, from Chouteau avenue to Arsenal street, and Elwood street to River des Peres, the total expense of the project should include protective levees. Along the improved parts of the water front between North Market street and Chouteau avenue property would be subject to increased depth of submergence. This property along the crest of the present revetted bank or wharf front of the city is even now subject to inundation at times of high flood, and is somewhat depreciated in value for this reason. Perhaps the railroads may purchase a great deal of this depreciated property and construct large terminal freight warehouses. In case something of this kind should occur, I would recommend that the new warehouses be built with solid foundation walls up to a reference equivalent to 45 feet on the St. Louis gauge, with no openings below this reference that can not be securely closed at times of excessive flood. American Bottom, Illinois: Estimate of cost. Levees, 53 miles, 2 feet to 28 feet high, 6,100,000 cubic Diversion of Wood River, Cahokia and Prairie du Pont St. Louis, Mo.: Levees, 11 miles, 2 feet to 17 feet high 890,000 cubic yards, at 25 cents per cubic $1,525,000 412,500 472,500 482,000 $2,892, 000 yard $222,500 760,000 cubic yards, at 40 cents per cubic yard 304,000 526, 500 Diversion of Maline creek, one-half mile, 50,000 cubic yards, at 25 cents per cubic yard....... Right of way, 200 acres, at $1,500 per acre. Total.. 3,898, 800 As mentioned above this project is only practicable in conjunction with the assent of the railroads to the construction of substantial bridges over the bluff channel, but the cost of these bridges might be largely reduced by constructing a few double or quadruple track bridges, each to be used by several of the roads concerned. In further compliance with Department letter referred to above, it should be stated that the proportional amount of this work justifiable in the interests of navigation, is limited to the effect produced upon the harbor of St. Louis. There can be but little doubt that the ultimate effect of the improvement will be to deepen the river throughout the extent of the confining levees. The justification of governmental expenditure in this connection is similar to that under which expenditures are now made annually for levee work below Cairo by the Mississippi River Commission. The cost of maintenance to the Government should be practically nothing. The appended report of Assistant Engineer William S. Mitchell contains further detailed information relating to the data adopted in the above report. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Brig. Gen. A. MACKENZIE, THOS. L. CASEY, Major, Corps of Engineers. Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. (Through the Division Engineer.) REPORT OF MR. WILLIAM S. MITCHELL, ASSISTANT ENGINEER. ST. LOUIS, MO., December 2, 1905. MAJOR: I have the honor to report that a survey was made, under your direction, July 21-October 3, 1905, of the lowlands lying along the harbor front of the city of St. Louis, with a view to planning a system of levees and drains for their protection from floods (or overflows) whose heights of late years have increasingly overtopped the banks by reason of the obstruction and narrowing of the Mississippi River by bridges, with their piers and approaches, and by railway inclines and embankments, loading tipples, elevators, warehouses, power houses, local levees, etc., built along the water front on both sides of the river. The results of this survey are shown upon the accompanying map, a scale 1:20,000, of the entire district under observation, and on which is also depicted all the authentic topographic data which could be obtained from various local surveyors, railways, municipalities, corporations, and publishers, as well as from the published and unpublished maps of the Mississippi River Commission, the United States Geological Sur vey, and this office. The harbor front of the city of St. Louis extends along the river from the Chain of Rocks, at which is located the city waterworks, about 5 miles below the mouth of the Missouri River, on the north, to the lower limit of the city at the mouth of the River des Peres on the south, a total distance of about 19 miles. The city is built in terraces on limestone bluffs rising 100 feet above the river and following it closely, except at one or two points, where they slightly recede, leaving bottom lands or low grounds from one-fourth to three-fourths of a mile in width, subject to overflow by extraordinary floods. One of these bottoms, in the northern part of the city, is of considerable extent, running 6 miles southward from the bluff below the Chain of Rocks to Brooklyn street, about 2 miles below the Merchants Bridge, and averaging about one-half mile in width. This low ground is being filled rapidly with manufactories and railway yards. Its protection presents a comparatively simple problem of a levee along the river front, the few creeks and streams remaining open in the northern part of it being cared for by the city sewer department. A second low spot, Chouteau avenue to Arsenal street, about 1,000 feet wide, and a third, Elwood street to River des Peres, are much smaller and require similar simple treatment. All these will be referred to again. Opposite the city front the Illinois bluffs, similar in formation to those in Missouri, recede gradually from the river, beginning at the city of Alton, 6 miles above the mouth of the Missouri, leaving an alluvial valley to the river bank 10 miles wide at Sawyer Bend, narrowing again to 24 miles at the lower end of the district, through which meander three principal streams-Wood River, below Alton, emptying into the Mississippi River near the mouth of the Missouri River; Cahokia Creek, flowing into the Mississippi at East St. Louis, and the Prairie du Pont Creek, with its mouth opposite the southern boundary of the city. This alluvial valley lies in Madison and St. Clair counties, embraces about 160 square miles, and is known as the American Bottoms of Illinois. Most of it is subject to overflow, being barely above the plane of the ordinary yearly high water. It is filled with lakes and creeks tributary to the streams mentioned. It is marvelously fertile and consequently valuable, and the seat of many rapidly growing manufac turing towns, as East St. Louis, Brooklyn, Venice, Madison, Granite City, and is crossed by 15 trunk lines, 6 switching roads, and 6 electric roads, which make it a vast railroad yard and terminus for transshipment of freight across the river, two bridges and numerous steam ferries connecting it with the city of St. Louis, all of which are vitally affected by the river floods. The total tonnage of railway transfer in the harbor of St. Louis in 1904 was 15,000,000 tons (600,000 cars). This commerce is of national character, being destined for distribution over the entire area penetrated by the railways centering at the greatest port on the river, and is growing rapidly. There are also many small villages, as Glassboro, East Alton, Wanda, Edwardsville Crossing, Poag, Mitchell, Peters, Oldenburg, Stallings, Barco, Nameoki, Allens, Caseyville, French Village, Edgemont, Church, Cahokia, Prairie du Pont, and East Carondelet, which, although their locations are generally above the flood planes, suffer severe loss at each overflow by the interruption of their traffic and the submergence of the adjacent farming territory. The population of the bottom is now 50,000, but is increasing so rapidly that in the near future it will fill the valley with manufactories and their towns and cities. The surface of this territory, except along the water courses or at one of the a Not printed. H D-59-1-Vol 50-10 |