COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. The tonnage over these waters is shown in report for improving Columbia and Lower Willamette rivers, below Portland, Oreg., and includes nearly all wheat shipments, most of the lumber and produce, and a greater portion of all imports using the Columbia River. W W 6. IMPROVEMENT OF THE MOUTH OF COLUMBIA RIVER, OREGON AND WASHINGTON. The location and plans of the work, with approved project of improvement and work done prior to the beginning of the present fiscal year, are all described in the summary of this report. Prior to commencing the work of construction in 1885 there were from one to three channels across the bar at the mouth of Columbia River, and these channels varied both in location and in depth, the latter being usually from 19 to 21 feet, while the location shifted through nearly 180 degrees from Cape Disappointment to Point Adams. The jetty, with its four groins, was completed in the fall of 1895, and at that time a depth of 31 feet had been obtained. This channel has deteriorated in depth from year to year, the survey of 1900 showing but 23 to 24 feet at mean lower low water. The sundry civil act of June 6, 1900, appropriated $250,000 for repair of the jetty, including repairs to wharves, approaches, tramway, plant, quarters and buildings, and contingent expenses. The project for expenditure of these funds was submitted June 20, and approved under date of July 3, 1900. OPERATIONS DURING THE FISCAL YEAR 1901. Upon notification of approval of project, work was at once commenced on repairs to the jetty tracks, and in anticipation of the passage of a river and harbor bill at the last session of Congress, these repairs were pushed with all possible speed, with the view of being able to take up the work of extending the jetty by July 1, 1901. Repairs to other tracks, plant, buildings, etc., were also carried forward as rapidly as possible until the failure of the river and harbor bill made such rapid progress unnecessary, and since that time the work has been prosecuted with a greatly reduced force and in the most economical manner. Reference is respectfully invited to the report on the project for increasing channel depths at the mouth of the Columbia River, printed in House Doc. No. 94, Fifty-sixth Congress, first session, and also in Report of Chief of Engineers for 1900, Part VI, pages 4430, et seq., for a history of the work and full details, maps, and charts of the proposed extension of the jetty, with estimates of cost. In the project estimates were furnished for a low-tide, mid-tide, and high-tide jetty. Of these, the mid-tide jetty was adopted as fulfilling the requirements for increasing the channel depths, at an estimated cost, including contingencies, of $2,531,140.51. Jetty tramway. The principal and most important portion of the work done during the year was the repairs to the jetty tracks. The jetty trestle is a double-track tramway, built on the line of the jetty, over which the rock and other material used in construction are transported to place. Its elevation above low water is 28 feet. From the shore end of the jetty, station 25x00, to its outer end, station 250x00, the total length of the jetty tramway was 22,500 feet. The outer 3,600 feet of this track had been washed away by the action of the sea at different times since completion of the work in 1895. This portion. has to be entirely rebuilt by the driving of a new tramway close to the enrockment of the jetty. Between stations 25x00 and 214x00, a distance of 18,700 feet, the jetty tramway was repaired for the entire distance by the complete renewal of all the caps, stringers, ties, and rails, 40-pound rails being used for all tracks. Five cross-over tracks and three turn-outs were put in on this stretch of the tramway for the expeditious handling of construction trains. Rails weighing 30 pounds to the yard were formerly used in the construction of the jetty, but they were found to be too light for the work, as they soon became greatly weakened by the corrosion of the salt air. About 75 per cent of the piles in the jetty tracks were in fair condition and were utilized in the repairs. The heads of nearly all the piles were more or less decayed, and to secure sound wood for the new track timbers, the general grade of the tracks was decreased by about 18 inches, by sawing off the tops of all the piles this amount below their former grade. Where the piles were decayed below the established new grade, they were sawed off as far down as necessary to obtain good bearing surface, and the bents built up with square timbers for posts, or new piles driven. The standing part of the tramway, to station 214x00, having been repaired, the reconstruction of the washed-away portion was begun on June 1, and at the close of the fiscal year 1,196 feet, station 214x00 to station 225x96, had been rebuilt, leaving 2,404 feet still to be redriven to reach the original end, station 250x00. It is probable that some parts of the reconstructed tramway may be washed away by the winter storms, but nothing of a serious nature is anticipated. The season during which it is safe to keep the driver at the front and drive piles at the end of the tramway extends, as a rule, from April 15 to October 15. The redriving of the 3,600 feet of tramway will probably require about three and one-half to four months. To postpone this to the next spring would cause additional delay to the work and over onehalf the working season would pass before the jetty extension could be proceeded with. For this reason, it is deemed expedient to proceed with the work now and risk losing a small portion of the work during the winter months. Shore tracks. The shore tracks of the jetty extend from the wharf approaches, station 2x00, to the shore end of the jetty, station 25x00, a distance of 2,300 feet. This is also a double-track railway and was originally a trestle. This was filled in for nearly the whole distance and relaid with new ties and rails, including the necessary switches, cross-overs, and turn-outs. Storage platforms.-On each side of the track built to connect with the Astoria and Columbia River Railroad, platforms, having a total area of 25,200 square feet, were erected for storing the track materials, which are unloaded directly from the standard cars to the platforms. No work has been done toward putting the wharves and approaches in repair, as this is being deferred until it is determined whether the jetty rock will be delivered by rail or water. The rolling stock has been put in thorough repair; 40 geared dump cars were knocked down, 35 of which were rebuilt into stronger design for heavier service, and the remainder nearly completed. Two flat cars and 1 box car were also rebuilt and 22 rocker dump cars were wrecked. These latter are obsolete and not adapted to the work, and in rebuilding they will be changed to flat or dump cars. Four locomotives were repaired and put in first-class condition. The tug Mendell was hauled out and hull and machinery completely overhauled, including recasting of propeller. The jetty tramway pile driver was rebuilt and construction of an additional driver commenced. A new lathe and compressor plant were added to the machine shop, the shop engine overhauled, and new boiler installed. The compressor plant and air tools have rendered valuable aid in general repair work. All hoisting engines and miscellaneous tools have been overhauled and are in good condition. Buildings have been repaired and additions made to the machine and car shops. At the close of the present working season the jetty tramway will have been repaired for its whole length (44 miles) and will be in excellent shape to allow the jetty extension to be proceeded with. The tramway will then be exposed to the winter storms and natural decay until funds are appropriated for its extension and before any benefits are realized from the great expense of these repairs. The risk of heavy damage to the tramway, the commercial importance of the improvement, and the urgency of obtaining an increased depth across the bar would seem to demand that funds be made available as soon as possible and in sufficient amount to complete the jetty extension without any delay. The working season of each year is short, and the exposure and liability of damage or partial destruction of the work is great, and an appropriation allowing of the work to be begun not later than April 1 can not be too urgently recommended. The balance on hand is to be applied to completion of repairs of the jetty, and the amount ($600,000) included in the money statement is for extending the jetty in accordance with report on new project. Reconnaissance for rock.-A great deal of time was spent in making examinations for a suitable rock supply for the jetty extension. In all, 14 different localities were examined, and several of the places revisited. On the whole the results were disappointing. The best rock found was about 25 miles east of Fort Stevens, a short distance away from the Astoria and Columbia River Railroad. The rock is a good gray basalt, weighing about 170 pounds to the cubic foot. The indications are considered quite favorable, but to fully determine its fitness, it will be necessary to open up the face by blasting. The fact that the Engineer Department was in search of a suitable rock supply for the jetty became well known throughout this section of the country, and all locations for a possible quarry were examined, when made known to this office. As other localities are being reported for examination, such places will be visited and inspected. Survey. Owing to repairs to the tug Geo. H. Mendell, which were delayed much beyond the time expected, the annual survey of the entrance was not commenced until June 25. It was completed July 8, 1901, the most essential portion of the mouth of the river having been covered. As a rule, very few changes in the depth of water have taken place in the stretch of channel between Fort Stevens and the end ENG 1901-224 of the jetty. A slight shoaling in the channel across the bar has occurred, a maximum depth of 23 feet only at the average of the lowest low water being found, through a narrow channel 1,500 feet wide. Through last year's channel 24 feet could be carried over a width of 1,500 feet. Peacock spit shows a considerable movement due west with a decided shoaling on its extension. On the channel side of the jetty and near its outer end Clatsop spit has built up more and moved farther into the channel than at any previous time. As a consequence, the harbor throat was much reduced in width, but shows an increased depth of from 10 to 12 feet. Around the end of the jetty and in its prolongation for some distance, greater depths are noticed than last year. 1 A tracing showing the soundings taken is transmitted with this report. This work has been in the very efficient charge of G. B. Hegardt, assistant engineer. (Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project ... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1903, in addition to the balance unexpended July 1, 1901.... Submitted in compliance with requirements of sundry civil act of June 4, 1897. 90, 512. 34 2,276, 181. 46 600,000.00 Act of June 3, 1896, transferred to credit of improvement of Columbia Sundry civil act of June 6, 1900.... November, 1900, deposited to credit of appropriation.. Total COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. For commercial statistics see report on improving Columbia and Lower Willamette rivers below Portland, Oreg. 1 Not printed. W W 7. IMPROVEMENT OF CLATSKANIE RIVER, OREGON. The location and plans of the work, with approved project of improvement and work done prior to the beginning of the present fiscal year, are all described in the summary of this report. Approved project. The project adopted in 1898 (see Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1899, p. 3050) was approved by the Secretary of War on May 27, 1898, and the river and harbor act of March 3, 1899, appropriated $13,000 for completing the work. It provides for cutting a short channel across a bend immediately below Manzanillo, and another from the bend above this point to the first bend below the town of Clatskanie and for dredging immediately below the latter point, the work to be done by contract after due advertisement. OPERATIONS DURING THE FISCAL YEAR 1901. No work has been done during the fiscal year on account of the long delay in perfection of title to the required land and right of way. This has finally been accomplished and deeds secured and approved by the Department of Justice, and the land purchased. Specifications for doing the work had been previously approved and the work was duly advertised, which resulted in a contract being drawn with Robert Wakefield, of Portland, Oreg., under date of June 28, 1901. This contract was authorized, but is not yet approved, and provides for dredging 56,000 cubic yards of material, more or less, at 14 cents per cubic yard, work to begin within thirty days of notification that contract is approved, and completed within five months from date of commencement. So much of the available balance as is required will be applied to completion of above-mentioned contract. The work will probably be completed within the specified time as the season is favorable for its prosecution. The channel has probably not deteriorated in depth since the last survey was made, but with the dredging completed, it is estimated that $1,500 will be required thereafter for annual maintenance in snagging and probable redredging. The 3 miles of river under improvement is subject to tidal flow, and dredging is deemed the most expedient for economical improvement. In separate report, an estimate is given for construction of dredging plant for use on this and other tributaries of the Columbia, and, if the funds are made available, and the dredge built, it is estimated that sufficient funds for its operation will remain after the above-mentioned dredging contract is completed. For this reason no estimate is named in the money statement for maintenance during fiscal year 1902. Money statement. |