59TH CONGRESS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. ( DOCUMENT 1st Session. No. 739. PENOBSCOT RIVER AT BANGOR, ME. LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY OF WAR, TRANSMITTING, WITH A LETTER FROM THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, REPORTS OF EXAMINATION AND SURVEY OF PENOBSCOT RIVER AT BANGOR, ME. APRIL 28, 1906.-Referred to the Committee on Rivers and Harbors and ordered to be printed, with accompanying illustration. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, April 27, 1906. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a letter from the Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army, of yesterday's date, together with copies of reports, with map, from Lieut. Col. W. M. Black, Corps of Engineers, dated June 5, 1905, and April 4, 1906, of a preliminary examination and survey, respectively, of Penobscot River at Bangor, Me., made by him in compliance with the provisions of the river and harbor act of March 3, 1905. Very respectfully, ROBERT SHAW OLIVER, The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. WAR DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, Washington, April 26, 1906. SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith for transmission to Congress reports of June 5, 1905, and April 4, 1906, with map, by Lieut. Col. W. M. Black, Corps of Engineers, upon preliminary examination and survey, respectively, of Penobscot River at Bangor, Me., authorized by the river and harbor act of March 3, 1905. This locality has been under improvement by the General Government for a number of years, and a channel 360 feet wide and 14 feet deep at mean low water now exists throughout the harbor. The further improvement desired is one which will render the harbor safer and more commodious and permit a freer access to the wharves by deep-draft vessels. The cost of widening the existing 14-foot channel is estimated at $130,000, with about $500 annually for maintenance after completion. In the opinion of the local officer the commercial importance of Penobscot River justifies its improvement to the extent indicated, and this opinion is concurred in by the division engineer, by the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors whose duty it is under the law to review all reports of this character, and by me. Very respectfully, Hon. Wм. H. TAFT, A. MACKENZIE, Brig. Gen., Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army. Secretary of War. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF PENOBSCOT RIVER AT BANGOR, ME. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report of a preliminary examination of the Penobscot River at Bangor, made May 6, 1905, as required in section 9, river and harbor act approved March 3, 1905. The wording of the act restricts the examination to the portion of the Penobscot River at Bangor, though correspondence on file in this office as well as statements made by representatives of the Board of Trade of Bangor show that an improvement is desired in the reach 4 miles long, beginning at Crosbys Narrows and extending to the toll bridge at Bangor. The portion of the river which can be reasonably construed as at Bangor is about 24 miles long and comprises the reach from the toll bridge to the end of the official harbor lines of the harbor of Bangor. A full description of this reach and of the improvements made to date by the General Government is printed in pages 25 and 26 of the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1904. A channel 360 feet wide and 14 feet deep at mean low water now exists throughout this harbor. The mean range of tide is 13.1 feet. In addition to this channel, a ledge in front of the wharf of the Eastern Steamship Company (Boston and Bangor line) was removed to a depth of 13 feet at mean low water in 1901. Since the last project was formed the draft of vessels seeking the port of Bangor, more particularly in the coal-carrying trade, has increased in accordance with the general trend of the ocean-going commerce. It is found difficult for these vessels to approach the docks, and in a given instance a vessel loaded with coal for Bangor was obliged to go elsewhere to discharge on account of this lack of wharf facilities. In 1903, 388,639 tons of coal were discharged at Bangor in 265 cargoes, the largest being of 3,700 tons. In 1904 the coal trade amounted to 348,869 tons. Other lines of commerce are also of great importance. In addition, the deep-water anchorage being only in the channel, this is frequently so filled as to obstruct the necessary movement of shipping to and from the port, and several instances of injury are reported due to vessels striking ledges after being forced out of the channel. The improvement desired is one which will render the harbor safer and more commodious and permit a freer access to wharves by deepdraft vessels. As the obstructions complained of are mainly ledges of rock, any improvement made will be permanent in its character, the last channels opened having maintained themselves, as far as can be ascertained. In my opinion the Penobscot River at Bangor is worthy of improvement. The estimated cost of a survey necessary, with the information now on hand, to enable a project to be made, with an estimate of cost of improvement, is $500. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. M. BLACK, Major, Corps of Engineers. Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. Brig. Gen. A. MACKENZIE, (Through the Division Engineer.) [First indorsement.] NORTHEAST DIVISION ENGINEER OFFICE, New York, June 7, 1905. Respectfully forwarded to the Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army, concurring in the views and recommendation of the district officer. CHAS. R. SUTER, Colonel, Corps of Engineers, [Third indorsement.] BOARD OF ENGINEERS FOR RIVERS AND HARBORS, Washington, D. C., June 19, 1905. Respectfully returned to the Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army. The within report of the district officer on a preliminary examination of "Penobscot River at Bangor, Me.," the indorsement of the division engineer thereon, and other data contained in the reports of the Chief of Engineers bearing upon this subject, have been considered by the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors. This locality has been under improvement by the General Government for a number of years, and the project which provides for a depth of 14 feet at mean low water has been completed. Due to the increased draft of vessels now using this harbor there is a demand for a corresponding increase in harbor facilities. The commerce involved, while not rapidly increasing, is large, the average for the past five years, as gathered from the reports of the Chief of Engineers, being about 767,000 tons. In his report for 1904 the Chief of Engineers states as follows: There has been no special demand made for a further deepening of the channel of the river, but there has been a growing demand for more deep-water berths along the Bangor side of Bangor Harbor, where the deeper vessels can be docked without grounding at low water. At the present time the only wharf where vessels much |