Engineers. Col. H. W. Benham, Corps of Engineers, was in charge of the construction of the sea-walls at Great Brewster and Deer and Lovell's Islands until April 1, 1873. 1. Saint Croix River, above the "Ledge," Maine.-The improvement of this river consists in re-opening a channel through the slabs, edgings, and saw-dust, a large quantity of which has for many years been accumulating between Calais, Me., and Saint Stephens, New Brunswick, at the head of navigation and the "Ledge," about five miles below. By act of Congress approved March 2, 1867, the sum of $15,000 was appropriated for this work, with a proviso requiring the co-operation of the province of New Brunswick before operations should be commenced; and again, by act of March 3, 1873, the additional sum of $10,000 was appropriated therefor. As no action has hitherto been taken by New Brunswick in this matter, the appropriation first made for this work has been intact. But under the appropriation of March 3, 1873, which was unconditional, a careful hydrographic survey of this river will be made, preparatory to its improvement. As official information has recently been received that the sum of $25,000 has also been lately appropriated for this work by the Dominion of Canada, it is probable that operations will be commenced jointly by the two governments at an early date after the completion of the survey now in progress. Amount available July 1, 1872.. Amount appropriated by act of March 3, 1873. Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1873 Amount available July 1, 1873 Amount required on the part of the United States for the fiscal year ending (See Appendix X 1.) 2. Machias River, Maine.-An appropriation was made by act of Congress of March 3, 1873, for the improvement of this river, the navigation of which is now seriously obstructed by shoals of slabs and edgings in Machias and down for a distance of about three-fourths of a mile from the falls at the head of navigation. It is also obstructed by a very large rock called "Middle Rock," which lies in mid-channel opposite the wharves of Machias. It is proposed to excavate these shoals so as to obtain a channel 150 feet wide and 6 feet in depth at mean low water (or 19,3 feet at ordinary high water) up to the wharves at Machias, which will require about 50,000 cubic yards of dredging, and 1,553 cubic yards of excavation on Middle Rock. The estimated cost of this work is $48,000. A contract has been made for removing this rock for the sum of $10,482.75, to be completed in November, 1873. Oa the 1st of September, 1873, it was about one-third done. Amount available July 1, 1873 Amount required for completing the work for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1875... (See Appendix X 2.) $11,950 84 36,000 00 3. Narraguagus River, Maine.-The improvement projected for this river comprises the removal of a large quantity of ledges, bowlders,slabs, edgings, &c., which have hitherto obstructed its navigation between its mouth at Millbridge and the bridge at Cherryfield, the head of navigation, a distance of about seven miles. During the past year about 2,150 tons of ledge and bowlders have been broken up and removed, and more than 2,000 cubic yards of slabs, edgings, and saw-dust excavated from the channel, making a total of 4,900 tons of rock, and over 2,000 cubic yards of saw-mill "waste," removed to date. Amount appropriated for this work by act of Congress of March 3, 1871... $12,000 00 Amount appropriated by act of Congress of June 10, 1872.. Amount available July 1, 1872 Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1873.. 10,000 00 ⚫ 11,760 36 6,996 47 4,763 89 which amount will be sufficient for completing, before the close of the present season, all the work now projected for the improvement of this river. (See Appendix X 3.) 4. Sullivan River and Sullivan Falls, Maine.-The work projected for the improvement of this river and falls consists in the removal, to a depth of 10 feet below low water, of three of the stone bridge-piers above the falls, and the removal, to a depth of not less than 7 feet below low water, of Hatcher's Rock and a point of ledge near it in the falls. Under the appropriation of March 3, 1871, about 300 cubic yards were blasted off the top of Hatcher's Rock, by which 4 feet more water was obtained over it, giving 3 feet at mean low water, or 11 feet at ordinary high water. Under the appropriation of June 10, 1872, a contract was made for removing the three bridge-piers above the falls, and for breaking up Hatcher's Rock and the point of ledge near it, to the required depth. During the past fiscal year the three bridge-piers have been removed, thereby affording an unobstructed channel, 10 feet in depth, at low water, for a width of 350 feet; and the breaking up of Hatcher's Rock and the point of ledge near it has been partially completed, in addition to which large wrought-iron spindles, with day-marks, have been placed upon "Half-tide Rock" and "Low-water Rock;" also a spar-buoy on Crabtree's Ledge, near the mouth of the river, and two above the falls, to mark the new channel between the bridge-piers. Amount available July 1, 1872 Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1873.. This amount is sufficient for completing all the work now projected for the improvement of this river and the falls. (See Appendix X 4.) 5. Union River, Maine.-The work originally projected for the improvement of this river consisted in the removal of a large quantity of slabs, edgings, saw-dust, bowlders, &c., from its channel between the upper wharves at Ellsworth (the head of navigation) and Fullerton's Point, and the breaking up and removal of several sunken ledges and very large bowlders at its mouth. This work was all completed at the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1872, and since then a large wrought-iron 14-inch spindle has been placed upon the outer end of Fullerton's Point. The following embraces all the work done in completion of the improvement of this river, viz: 1. Opening of a new navigable channel into the river, at its mouth, by the removal of a large quantity of sunken ledges and bowlders which have heretofore rendered navigation very unsafe, and, indeed, impracticable, as well as the removal of several large bowlders from the bar at the mouth. This has given a good, safe channel into the river, with from 4 to 5 feet of water at mean low water, or 16 feet at ordinary high water. 2. Removal of over 600 tons of bowlders and 75,000 to 80,000 cubic yards of slabs, edgings, and saw-dust from the channel of the river, from its mouth up to the head of navigation at Ellsworth, thereby opening a good and safe channel about 150 feet in width, with 3 to 4 feet of water at mean low water, (or 15 feet at mean high water,) in low stages of the river. 3. Placing a large wrought-iron 14-inch spindle, with day-mark, on the outer extremity of the sunken ledge on Fullerton's Point, a place heretofore very dangerous to navigation for want of such a mark. Several spar-buoys have also been placed to mark the new (eastern) channel at the mouth of the river. Amount available July 1, 1872, which was expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1873... No further appropriation is required. (See Appendix X 5.) $609 46 6. Penobscot River, Maine.-The navigation of this river is much obstructed by shoals and sunken rocks between Bangor and Crosby's Narrows, about three and a half miles below. These shoals are chiefly caused by the "waste" from the saw-mills at Bangor and above, which has been accumulating for more than fifty years and still continues to do so. The sunken rocks are all in the harbor of Bangor, and are known as Independence Rock, Steamboat Wharf Ledge, Ledge off Dole's Planing-Mill Wharf, Green's Pier Ledges, Gulliver's Rock, and others. The work projected for the improvement of this river consists— 1. In enlarging and straightening its channel through the shoals to a width of not less than 200 feet and a depth of 12 feet at low water in the lowest stages of the river; and, 2. In breaking up and removing all the sunken rocks above referred to down to the general bed of the river so as to have not less than 7 feet of water at low water in the lowest stages of the river, or 9 feet in its ordinary stages, the mean rise and fall of the river being 13 feet. On the 1st of July, 1872, the following progress had been made in this work, viz: Broken up and removed from Steamboat Wharf Ledge about 1,000 tons. Broken up and removed from Independence Rock about 880 tons. Gulliver's Rock wholly removed, containing about 80 tons. Green's Pier Ledge (No. 1) removed, containing about 115 tons; altogether about 1,000 cubic yards. All the slabs, edgings, bowlders, and other obstructions, except ledges, have been removed from the channel for a width of 200 feet down to the natural bed of the river; and some progress made in the removal of the "Middle Bar" at Severance Point. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1873, contracts have been made for the removal of all the sunken ledges and for about 30,000 cubic yards of dredging; and some progress has been made therein. Amount available July 1, 1872... Amount appropriated by act of March 3, 1873.... Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1873. Amount available July 1, 1873.. Amount required for fiscal year ending June 30, 1875.. $57,659 63 20, 000 00 4,849 56 72,810 07 50,000 00 The officer in charge states that the throwing of saw-dust into the river is still continued to a very great extent and to the great detriment of its navigation, and suggests as a means of arresting this evil the withholding of appropriations for the improvement of this river until the obstruction of its navigation in this manner shall be prevented by suitable legislation. (See Appendix X 6.) 7. Camden Harbor, Maine.-The work projected for the improvement of this harbor consists in the opening of a channel to a width of 100 feet and a depth of 7 feet below mean low water up to the head of the wharves on the eastern side of the harbor, and a second channel to a width of 80 feet and a depth of 3 feet at mean low water up to the head of the wharves on the western side of the harbor, and in regulating the entrance into these channels. The estimated cost of this work, as determined by the survey of 1872, is $33,000. By act of March 3, 1873, there was appropriated the sum of $10,000, under which a contract was made for 20,000 cubic yards, more or less, of dredging, by which the work projected for the eastern channel will be about half completed at the close of the present season. Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1873.. Amount available July 1, 1873........ Amount required for fiscal year ending June 30, 1875... (See Appendix X 7.) $51 37 9,948 63 23,000 00 8. Kennebec River, Maine.-The work for the improvement of this river consists in straightening and deepening its channel by dredging through the several shoals (seven in all) and the removal of all the sunken ledges and bowlders which obstruct and endanger its navigation between the foot of the "Narrows," near Richmond, and Augusta, Me. Up to July 1, 1872, the following work had been done, viz: 1. A channel excavated through Gage's and Britt's Shoals, between Augusta and Hallowell, 100 feet wide 6 feet deep at low water in the lowest stages of the river. 2. A channel excavated through Hallowell and Shepard's Point Shoals, in Hallowell, and Hinckley's Shoal, (between Hallowell and Gardiner,) 100 feet wide and 7 feet deep at low water in the lowest stages of the river. 3. A channel excavated through the "Upper Sands Bar," between Gardiner and Richmond, 100 feet wide and 10 feet deep at mean low water (or 15 feet at high water) in low stages of the river. 4. The breaking up and removal of Nehumkeg Rock, near Nehumkeg Island, (between Gardiner and Richmond,) to a depth of 123 feet at mean low water in low stages of the river. 5. The removal of a large number of bowlders from the river between Shepard's Point and Augusta. Under the appropriation of June 10, 1872, a channel was excavated through the bar, at the head of Swan Island, in Richmond, to a depth of 10 feet and a width of 150 feet at mean low water in low stages of the river. By these operations all the contemplated improvements between Richmond and Augusta have been completed, giving a safe and unobstructed channel, not less than 100 feet in width and 10 feet in depth at mean low water (or 153 feet at mean high water) in low stages of the river, from Richmond up as far as Gardiner, and thence to Augusta, a channel 100 feet wide and not less than 6 feet at low water (or 11 feet at high water) in the lowest stages of the river. In the "Narrows," near Richmond, there are several sunken ledges which greatly endanger and obstruct navigation, one of which, known as Half-tide Rock, is now being removed by contract, under the appropriation of March 3, 1873, to a depth of 12 feet below mean low water. Its removal will probably be completed before the close of the present season. Two other dangerous ledges will then remain to be removed at this place, for which an additional appropriation will be necessary. Amount available July 1, 1872 Amount appropriated by act of March 3, 1873.. Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1873 Amount available July 1, 1873... Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1875. (See Appendix X 8.) $8,286 53 12,000 00 4,803 73 15,482 80 15,000 00 9. "Gut" opposite Bath, Maine.-All the work projected for the improvement at this place has been completed, and is as follows, viz: 1. The removal of Boiler Rock to a depth of 10 feet at mean low water, or 163 feet at mean high water. 2. The removal, to a depth of 9 feet at mean low water, of the ledge extending from Boiler Rock northward towards the shore. 3. The removal of two wrecks of vessels lying in mid-channel above and near Upper Hell-Gate. 4. Dredging a channel through the bar next above Upper HellGate to a width of 100 feet and a depth of 10 feet at mean low water, or 163 feet at mean high water. 5. Removing points of ledge which project into the river from its southern bank at the Upper Hell-Gate, so as to increase the waterway, and thereby diminish the velocity of the current. The work done during the past year consists in the removal of about 250 cubic yards of the ledge at the Upper Hell-Gate, making the total quantity removed at that place about 1,000 cubic yards, whereby the channel, which before was only 100 feet wide at low water, has been increased 50 feet in width. This has greatly improved its navigation in having straightened the channel, as well as in having greatly diminished the velocity of its current. Amount available July 1, 1872, which was expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1873 Amount required for the next fiscal year... (See Appendix X 9.) $2,030 25 Nothing. 10. Royals River, Maine.-All the work projected for the improvement of this river has been completed. This consisted in 1. The enlargement of the channel through the bar at Gravel Point and below to a width of 100 feet and a depth of 4 feet at mean low water, so as to give 14 feet at ordinary high water up to the head of navigation at the wharves of Yarmouth, which are distant about two and one-half miles from its mouth. 2. The blasting and removal of the several dangerous ledges near and above Brown's wharf, known as "Big Rocks," "Little Rocks," "Call 'em Point Ledge," and others above. Under the appropriation of June 10, 1872, work was continued upon the channel through Gravel Point Bar and below, and was completed to the required width and depth in August, 1872. The removal of all the ledges named has also been accomplished during the past year. These improvements have greatly benefited the navigation of this river in having given a safe and unobstructed channel not less than 100 feet wide and 4 feet deep at mean low water, or 14 feet at mean high water, up to the wharves at Yarmouth, the head of navigation. Amount available July 1, 1872, which was expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1873 No further appropriation is required. (See Appendix X 10.) $15,340 92 |