would meet the requirements of commerce while they lasted, and when decayed could easily be rebuilt, or replaced with stone if then thought desirable. The estimates given are as low as it is safe to make for work in a region affording so few facilties as that in which this will have to be done. Respectfully submitted. W. F. RAYNOLDS, Lieutenant-Colonel Corps of Engineers. Brigadier-General A. A. HUMPHREYS, Chief of Engineers U. S. A., Washington, D. C. SAINT LOUIS, MISSOURI, February 15, 1872. 66 survey of the SIR: I beg leave, very respectfully, to submit this my report of the Ouachita River, made last summer," under the instructions contained in your letter of the 3d of July, 1871. The following papers accompany this report: 1. A profile of the first reach, showing the channel of the river, the surface of low summer water, the high-freshet line, the height of the banks, and the surface of the pools when the improvements shall have been completed with tive locks. 2. An estimate of the cost of making the improvement with locks, 49 by 250 feet, constructed of stone. 3. An estimate of cost with five locks, 49 by 250 feet, of timber. 4. An estimate of the cost of making the improvement with five locks, 40 by 200 feet, of stone. 5. An estimate of the cost of making the improvement with ten locks, 40 by 200 feet, of stone. The survey was commenced at Trinity, Louisiana, on the 8th of August, 1871, but owing to high water little progress was made until the 1st of September, when Catahoula Shoals, a distance of 224 miles, were reached. On the 3d of November, though much retarded by sickness, the party reached Camden, Arkansas, the terminus of the survey. The Ouachita River descends with a very gentle slope from Camden to Trinity, and, joining the Tensas and Little River, at that point, form the Black River, which discharges its waters into the Red River. The distance between the two places is 297.18 miles, and the fall during low summer water 66.2 feet, or at the rate of 23 foot to the mile. This fall is distributed over a succession of pools and shoals, the first varying in depth from 3 to 30 feet, and in some cases being more than 150 feet-the length of the sounding-line; and the latter having a least depth of 12 to 15 inches in very narrow channels. These shoals constitute natural dams extending across the river, and are formed generally of gravel. The width of the surface, during the low summer water, ranges from 100 to 800 feet. During the high water of winter and spring large boats run to Camden, but during the summer and fall months navigation to that place is suspended. Practically, navigation above Monroe is limited to six months in the year, and to Monroe seven months; it is continuous during the year to Harrisonburgh, but for small boats only during the fall months. On the lower part of the river the banks are generally high, ranging from 30 to 45 feet; but in many places they are overflown during high freshets. Above Ouachita City they decrease in height above low water; and vast tracts of land between that place and Camden are yearly inundated by moderate freshets. It will be observed, by reference to the profile of the river, that while the difference between the levels of the low-water surface at Camden and Trinity is 66.20 feet, the difference between the high-freshet levels at those two points is only 43 feet. This piling up of the water on the lower parts of the river is in part attributable to the decreased slope, and partly to the great volume of water poured into the Ouachita by the Bayou Bartholomew, which it receives from the Mississippi, during high water, through the breach in the levee near Lake Providence. If this breach could be repaired, a large body of land now uncultivated could be reclaimed. Timber of all kinds abounds along the banks of the river and its tributaries, and large quantities are yearly rafted to market. At one or two points on the upper part of the river veins of brown coal outcrop near the low-water surface on the banks. They are about 3 feet thick. The motive for the improvement of this river is, chiefly, to facilitate the shipment of cotton and the return of plantation-supplies, nearly all of the latter of which are brought from the Northwestern States. The country that will be tributary to this river is, perhaps, murivaled in the United States in its adaptability to the production of cotton. The climate and the soil are both eminently adapted to it, and in the face of difficulties interposed by remoteness from market and the want of proper means of transportation, the production goes on increasing beyond the increase of population. In the State of Arkansas alone there are fifteen million acres of cotton-land, of which ten million acres are bottom-land. Such soil does not fail in any year, under tolerable cultivation, to produce more cotton than can be gathered by so sparse a population. That State, once fully settled up and entirely under cultivation, is capable of a yearly production of cotton considerably greater than the present supply from the whole world. At present, the planter in South Arkansas pays an average of at least 20 per cent. on the value of his cotton to get it to market, when it bears a high price, and more than that when it is low, and has to submit to a like tax in getting back his plantationsupplies. The improvement of this river, by which regular transportation at low rates will be secured throughout the year, will lead to the construction of railroads and turnpikes, connecting it with the cotton region in every direction. The Red River raft will be effectually flanked by a railroad now projected from Camden, about 60 miles in length, which will be constructed on or before the completion of the river-improvements, and the whole of the fine cotton-producing country for many miles south of that river will find an outlet at cheap rates by a direct route to market. As before stated, navigation to Camden is limited to six months in the year. During two months of these six it is so uncertain that, practically, it is limited to four months, during which the prudent merchant and farmer, when they have the means of doing so, lay in their supplies for the succeeding season of eight months. In addition to the large capital required to transact business of this kind, there is great risk from fire, and certain loss from decay and the attacks of insects, &c. But in many cases the planter, from lack of means to purchase so much in advance of his wants, is compelled to haul his cotton to distant points during the suspension of navigation on the Ouachita, at an expense of $10, $15, and, in some cases, $20 per bale, and to bring back his plantation-supplies at the same extravagant rates. Such a tax on productions would seem sufficient cause for the depopulation of the country. The following statement of the quantity of cotton annually shipped from the Ouachita River was furnished to me by gentlemen of experience, and I think it may be relied on as approximating pretty nearly to the truth: About 125,000 bales go direct to New Orleans. Camden, as will be seen by the above, is the principal place of shipment, the quantity of cotton sent from that point being rather more than one-fourth of the whole quantity sent to market by the river. It is the center of trade for Pike Clark, Hot Springs, Dallas, Hempstead, Sevier, Calhoun, and Bradley Counties. Should the improvement of the river be completed, the following additional counties will find their best and cheapest outlet through the same place: Ashley, La Fayette, Polk, Montgomery, and also the whole country of the Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians lying north of Red River, and the two tiers of counties in Texas south of Red River, all of which will be connected with the river by the proposed railroads to Camden. Camden, now one of the most industrious and prosperous little towns in the country, will become the center of a vast commerce and one of the great cities of the Southwest if the proposed improvements should be made. I gauged the river near Monroe, at a time when it was reported to be about 10 to 12 inches above its lowest stage, and found the discharge to be a little more than 800 cubic feet per second. It was my intention to gauge it again at Camden, but the wind, during my stay at that place, was too high to allow me to do so. While it was evi dent that there was abundant water for the supply of locks for any possible amount of business on the river, it was quite as evident that there was not enough for any other mode of improvement than that by locks and dams, which would give continuous navigation to Camden. Allowing 200 cubic feet per second as the increased discharge due to the 12 inches of elevation of the water above its lowest summer level, there would remain 600 cubic feet as the discharge of the river at Monroe during the low stages. As the affluents between Camden and Monroe, during the dry summer months, contribute but a small portion of the water that flows between those places, it will be safe to assume two-thirds of the quantity that flows past Monroe as the discharge of the river at Camden. This would leave 400 feet for the quantity passing Camden during low summer water per second; more than enough for any possible demand for the business that may be expected on the river at that point. At this stage of the water a boat 250 by 49, by 4 feet displacement, could pass through the locks, which would be about 1,300 tons. The cargo of such a boat would be about 650 tons. If barges should be used, as most probably would be the case, as most suitable to the business, the cargo, with such a displacement, would be 975 tons. Allowing 5 bales of cotton to the ton of 2,250 pounds, the cargo would be in the latter case 4,875 bales. The quantity of water used in passing such a boat through the lock down the river would be about 125,000 cubic feet, and the time required would ordinarily be about 20 minutes. The flow of the river at Camden, being about 400 cubic feet in its low summer stage, would in that time be 480,000 cubic feet, or more than three times as much water as would be required to pass the boat. So that, making the most ample allowance for leakage, &c., there will be more than a supply of water for any amount of business that may be expected. MODE OF IMPROVEMENT. After a thorough examination of the river, I have come to the conclusion that, in consequence of the small quantity of water discharged during its low stages, the only practicable improvement which will secure the ends sought is that by locks and dams. Five of these, with an average lift of 14 feet, will secure 4 feet of water during the lowest stages of the river in summer, and 7 to 8 feet during ordinary winter water. With some slight work, navigation can be obtained at all seasons to Catahoula Shoals, and I propose to locate the first dam at that point. A good foundation of gravel can be had at that point, and the banks are high and sufficiently stable. The dam will be about 600 feet long, and will give back-water to the second lock and dam, a distance of 82.4 miles. The second lock and dam will be located at Taylor's Shoals, 82.4 miles distant from the first, where also a good gravel foundation can be had. The length of this dam will be about 660 feet, and the length of the pool created by it will be 41.26 miles. The third lock and dam will be located at Rock Roe. At this point the lock will have a soft sandstone foundation. The dam will have a foundation partly of gravel and partly of sandstone. The length of the dam will be about 900 feet, and the pool created 77.17 miles. The fourth will be at Jackson Island, where a gravel foundation can be had. The length of the dam will be about 1,000 feet, and the pool created 52.70 miles. The fifth will be located at Buffalo Shoals, on a gravel foundation. The length of the dam will be about 400 feet, and the pool created will be 21.5 miles. This dam will give back-water some distance above Camden. The locks will all be precisely of the same dimensions, viz, 30 feet high, and capable of passing boats 250 feet long and 49 feet wide. The average lift will be 14 feet. The survey was somewhat hurriedly made, as the long detention of the party on the lower part of the river by high water left but little time during which it could be made with advantage. The location of these dams may possibly, on a further examination, be advantageously changed. COST OF THE IMPROVEMENT. I have estimated the cost of completing the five locks and dams, if the locks should be constructed of stone, at $2,194,916.35. As there is no stone of suitable quality for solid masonry on the river, it will have to be brought from a distance. If they should be of solid masonry, I have estimated for stone of the kind of which the locks at Louisville are constructed by the Govern ment, a fine sandstone, brought from Vernon, Indiana. If they should be built of timber, the stone filling can be found at convenient points on the river. The cost will then be $1,163,083.75. The dams I propose shall all be built of timber, as most suitable for the foundation to be had. Timber locks will answer all the purposes of stone locks so long as they last, which will be about twenty-five years for that part above water. The foundations being built precisely of the same material, and in the same way as those for the stone, and being always covered with water, will last for an indefinite period. The upper part of the lock-wall can be readily repaired at a moderate expense. The advantages to be derived by the Government by the completion of this improvement consist of the enhanced value of the public lands in Southwestern Arkansas, now, in consequence of their inaccessibility, unsalable, but which will have a cheap outlet to market by the river, when it shall be made navigable at all seasons of the year, and the increased revenues which may be expected from the development of the resources of a wide area of country, almost unrivaled in its adaptability to the production of cotton. The value of the annual crop now sent to market is at least ten million dollars, and the return of plantation-supplies received from the Northwestern States, in the shape of manufactured goods, mules, flour, pork, bacon, and even corn, to some extent, probably amounts in value to two-thirds of this sum. The encouragement which will be offered to increased cultivation by the cheap transportation which will be afforded by the river, when improved as proposed, will doubtless in a few years increase the value of the exports and imports to double the present Estimate of cost of five locks, 250 by 49 feet, and dams for the Ouachita River, and contingent expenses, in making the same navigable to Camden, Arkansas, from Trinity, Louisiana. LOCK OF MASONRY. Coffer-dam, and preparing foundation for lock.... 10,500 feet piling, at 30 cents.... 166,140 feet planks for foundation and flooring of lock-chamber, $40. 14,014 feet of timber for foundation, at 35 cents. Miter-sills.... 73,584 feet sheet-piling, at $40. 4,000 pounds spikes, at 12 cents 9,031 cubic yards of masonry, at $25. Lock-gates with irons, complete.. 708 yards concrete in foundations, at $6. 2,000 yards puddling, at 80 cents 2.550 yards graveling, at 50 cents... 300 yards riprapping, at $2. $15,500 00 3, 150 00 6,645 60 4,904 90 280 00 2,943 36 480 00 225,875 00 4,500 00 4,248 00 1,600 00 1,275 00 600 00 272,001 86 Coffer-dam, and preparing foundation for dam and abutment 120 00 300 00 1,440 00 25, 689 50 297,691 36 $15, 250 00 26,817 00 5,400 00 1,728 00 Add 10 per cent. to cover cost of dredging at foot of locks, and contingencies... 39,907 57 Cost of one lock and dam, and contingencies... 438,983 27 Cost of five locks and dams, and contingencies.... $2, 194, 916 35 These locks will all be of precisely the same dimensions, and the dams will be of the same height and width at base. They will only vary in the length. The average length of 600 feet is estimated for, which will give sufficiently correct results. Total... Add 10 per cent. for dredging at foot of lock, and contingencies... Cost of one lock and dam, and contingencies. Total cost of five locks and dams 1,080 00 15,750 00 15, 297 00 6,816 00 1,222 08 4,500 00 2,832 00 1,600 00 1,275 00 600 00 84,395 94 25,689 50 101, 384 34 211, 469 78 21, 146 97 232, 616 75 $1, 163, 083 75 |