2. Mississippi River from Saint Paul to Des Moines Rapids.—During the year the work of improvement was carried on in the construction of brush and rock dams and shore protections between Saint Paul and Hastings, between Reed's Landing and Winona, in vicinity of La Crosse and Fountain City, at Cassville Slough, Guttenberg, Andalusia, and Fort Madison.

An island below Bad Axe, very troublesome to raft navigation, was removed by dredge, and deposits in the harbors of Muscatine and Fort Madison were removed in the same manner, making in both cases good and sufficient landings for steamboats. The sand which had greatly obstructed the cut at Campbell's Chain, Rock Island Rapids, was also taken out by dredging and the work of improvement at West Saint Paul was begun.

Though the river reached a very low stage in August, 1884, the large boats were able to reach Saint Paul throughout the season, owing to improvements made in former years.

The work is no longer experimental, but certain of good results, and the Government is now provided with equipments in the way of steam. boats, barges, &c., and can expend to advantage the amount, $1,500,000, recommended by the officer in charge. The total amount expended to July 1, 1885, under this title of appropriation is $1,099,677.80. July 1, 1884, amount available

$22, 950 03 Received from sale of fuel ...... Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884.

250, 000 00

118 75

273, 068 78 July 1, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884.

$192, 220 03 July 1, 1885, ontstanding liabilities...

4, 856 30

197,076 33 July 1, 1885, amount available....

75, 992 45

Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1887 ..

1,500,000 00 Sabmitted in compliance with requirements of section 2 of river and

harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix Z 2.) 3. Mississippi River from Des Moines Rapids to mouth of Illinois River. This work was transferred in compliance with the requirements of the river and barbor act of July 5, 1884, from Maj. A. Mackenzie to Capt. E. H. Ruffner, acting under the orders of the Mississippi River Commission, September 1, 1884. Prior to the transfer work was commerced at Louisiana and in vicinity of La Grange, and the contract for dredging in Quincy Bay was let. În April, 1883, an allotment of $5,000 was assigned to Major Mackenzie for the operations of the snag-boats in connection with the removal of snags, wrecks, &c., between Des Moines Rapids and the mouth of the Illinois. July 1, 1884, amount available.....

$12, 663 38 Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884...

200, 000 00

212, 663 38 Joly 1, 1885, amount expended to September, 1884, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884..

22,176 99 September 1, 1834, amount available, transferred to Capt. E. H. Ruffner, September, 1884..

April 5, 1885, amount allotted for snag-boats...

5, 000 00 July 1, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884..

675 50 July 1, 1885, amount available...

4,324 50 (See Appendix Z 3.)

4. Harbors of Refuge in Lake Pepin.—The project for these works proposes the building of breakwaters at Stockholm and Lake City to protect and facilitate the landing of steamboats, and which will admi of such extension in the future as to afford safety to rafts caught intthe lake by storms.

The original estimate was as follows: For Lake City, $154,583; for Stockbolm, $73,370. In view of the small amounts appropriated,$10,000 in 1882 and $15,000 in 1884, for each locality, the original estimate has been abandoned, it appearing to be the wish of Congress that the money appropriated should be expended in the proper direction. With this in view piers will be built into the lake as originally located until funds are exhausted, and future appropriations may be applied to lengthening or extending the same. Work bas been begun on the pier at Stockholm, but not enough has been done or time elapsed, to ascertain results. The amount expended to June 30, 1885, is $4,168.70. July 1, 1884, amount available .....

$20, 000 00 Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884.

30, 000 00

50, 000 00

July 1, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of

outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884. July 1, 1885, outstanding liabilities..

July 1, 1885, amount available....

45, 831 30 (See Appendix 2 4.)

5. Removal of bar in Mississippi River opposite Dubuque, Iowa.--The original project for this work embraced the removal of the bar extending along the river front so as to give 4 feet at extreme low water. The bar had been very troublesome at low water, nearly blockading the city and causing boats to make a wide detour to effect a landing.

The work heretofore accomplished bas consisted in dredging away the bar along the landings and in mid river, affording ample depth at all stages and furnishing a wide and deep entrance to the ice-harbor. No work was done during the past year, the river being in good condition, but several examinations were made to determine the movements of the bar, and if found advisable the funds now on band will be expended during the present low-water season.

The amount expended to June 30, 1885, is $33,858,18, and during the fiscal year $135.10.

As the balance available will be sufficient for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887, no appropriation is asked for for that period. July 1, 1884, amount available

$7,276 92 July 1, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884..

135 10 July 1, 1885, amount available

7, 141 82 (See Appendix Z 5.)

6. Ice-Harbor at Dubuque, Iowa.—The project for this work, submitted on December 31, 1880, proposed to deepen and enlarge Waple's Cut a basin used by boats for years as a winter harbor, so as to afford 6 feet depth at extreme low water over an area of about 500,000 square feet.

The original estimate was $10,000, and that amount was appropriated in two installments.

The work is now nearly completed and will when finished afford an available area of about 580,000 square feet, an increase of 80,000 square feet on the original project which we were able to gain, as the cost of dredging was not as great as estimated. Funds available are sufficient to complete the work. Amount expended to June 30, 18-5..

$22,745 80 Amount expended during fiscal year.

8,745 80 Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884....

20, 000 00 July 1, 1855, amount expended durivg fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884..

$7,967 33 July 1, 1885, outstanding liabilities..

778 47

8,745 80 July 1, 1855, amount available...

11, 254 20 (See Appendix 2 6.)

7. Rock Island Rapids, Mississippi River.—During the past year the system of buoys for guidance of navigators was maintained and the , cut at Campbell's Chain was cleared of obstructing sand, the expense of which was borne by the general appropriation for the river from Saint Paul to Des Moines Rapids, there being no money specially appropriated for the purpose.

The officer in charge recommends an annual appropriation of $5,000 to provide for the care of the Rock Island Rapids by maintaining the system of buoys and removing sand, loose rock, bowlders, &c., from the channel, and further urges that the Rock Island Rapids be put on the same basis as the canal at the Des Moines Rapids and be provided for by a permanent annual appropriation.

(See Appendix Z 7.)

8. Harbor at Rock Island, Illinois.—The funds available at the beginning of the year were expended in dredging along the landings and in widening the channel at the upper landings.

The harbor is now in excellent condition and no further appropriation is asked for at present. Amount expended to date...

$12, 000 00 During the year...

6, 269 67 July 1, 1824, amount available.

6, 269 67 July 1, 1935, annount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884....

6, 269 67 (See Appendix Z 8.) 9. Des Moines Rapids, Mississippi River.—This work was begun in 1866. The adopted plan consisted in building a canal 8 miles long and in cutting a channel in the rocky bottom of the river the remaining 4 miles. The canal was opened August, 1877, although not fully completed, and has been in operation since that time.

The work of the past year consisted in a continuation of the work of canal bank protection, the completion of the raising of the wing walls at the lower lock, and the dredging of rock from the open caual between Nashville and Montrose. The existing project for this work corers an estimate of $4,492,680, and this project was modified in the last Annual Report by adding the cost $5,000 of an office building much Deeded in connection with the canal, and $10,000 for constructing sluices to draw off the mud and sand brought into the canal by the creeks

emptying into it, the removal of which, under the system now followed, causes a very large annual outlay for dredging.

This addition brings the modified project up to $4.537,680.

There has been expended on this work to present date $1,415,549.25; there is now a balance on hand of $30,387.15, of which amount $10,000 is reserved for pier construction and is not available for work under existing project, and there is required to complete the work, according to modified project, $101,745.50.

The good of the work requires that this amount be appropriated for fiscal year ending June 30, 1887, in order that arrangements may be made for completing it within a reasonable time. July 1, 1884, amount available.....

82,932 97 Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884.

50,000 (41

52, 932 97

July 1, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884

$21, 666 08 July 1, 1885, outstanding liabilities...

879 74

22, 545 22

July 1, 1885, amount available...

30,327 15

Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project...

56, 745 00 Amount added for completion of modified project.....

45, 000 00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal yearending June 30, 1807 101,700 00 Subniitted in compliance with requirements of section 2 of river and

harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix Z 9.)

10. Operating and care Des Moines Rapids Canal.—During the year the canal was operated as beretofore, being open 214 days.

There passed through the canal during the year 889 steamboats and 169 barges, carrying 13,065 passengers, 34,120 tons merchandise, and 776,432 bushels of grain ; 2,779,670 feet of logs, 43,119,797 feet lumber, 25,018,750 shingles, 13,473,205 saths were floated through.

Repairing caval embankment and removing deposits washed in from the bluffs were, as heretofore, a continued source of trouble and ex. pense.

Forty-four thousand one hundred and three cubic yards of material were dredged and removed during the year from the canal and open channel below Montrose.

There has been expended to July 1, 1885, for operating and care, $365,052.78. There was expended during the past fiscal year $38,704.50.

The standing estimate for operating and care, including ordinary repairs, is $40,000. The future expenses of the canal are provided for in the act of March 3, 1881, which authorizes the Secretary of War to draw froin the Treasury from time to time such amounts as may be needed. July 1, 1884, approved estimate for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885 ...... $15, 000 W July 1, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884...

11. Dry Dock at Des Moines Rapids Canal. The project for this work provides for the building of a dry dock, near the middle lock of the canal, 400 feet long by 100 feet in width, with gates of 80 feet opening. The estimate of cost is $125,000.

During the year ending June 30, 1885, the embankment was completed and the greater portion of the earth removed from the prism of the dock.

The cutting and laying of stone for the sluices was begun and is now in progress. Jely 1, 1884, amount available

$2,023 50 Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884.

30, 000 00

32, 023 50

July 1, 1825, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884.

$233, 227 96 July 1, 1885, outstanding liabilities.

239 82

23, 467 73

July 1, 1885, amount available ...

8,555 72 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... 65,000.00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1887 65,000 00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of section 2 of river and

barbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix Z 11.)

12. Quincy Bay, Illinois.—The origival project for this work proposed to deepen the bay over an area of about 30 acres, to form a winter barbor.

The act of July 5, 1884, made no special appropriation for Quincy Bay, but it was provided for in the appropriation for improving Mississippi River from Des Moines Rapids to the mouth of the Illinois. The work was transferred to the Mississippi River Commission on September 1, 1884.

(See Appendix Z 12.)

13. Removing obstructions in Mississippi Rirer.- No appropriation having been made in river and harbor act of July 5, 1884, under title of "Improving Upper Mississippi River, operation of snag-boats," an allotment of $15,000 from above appropriation was made for continuing snagging work north of the mouth of the Missouri; but it appearing subsequently that this allotment would seriously interfere with projected work on the Lower Mississippi, and it being practicable in the emergency to provide for the Upper Mississippi by allotments from the general appropriations, the greater portion of the amount was transferred to Maj. C. R. Suter, Corps of Engineers.

The amount expended was $2,049.37. Allotment from appropriation of July 5, 1884.

$15, 000 00 Jnly 1, 1-85, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884..

2, 049 37 Amount transferred to Maj. C. R. Suter....

12,950 63 (See Appendix Z 13.)

EXAMINATIONS AND SURVEYS FOR IMPROVEMENT, TO COMPLY WITH

REQUIREMENTS OF TUE RIVER AND HARBOR ACT OF JULY 5, 1884.

It appearing, after preliminary examination by the local engineer, that the localities were worthy of improvement by the General Govern