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 steamboats, 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, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884.. July 1, 1885, outstanding liabilities.. $192, 220 03 197,076 33 July 1, 1885, amount available.... 75.992 45 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1887. Submitted in compliance with requirements of section 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix Z 2.) 1,500,000 00 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 harbor 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 commenced at Louisiana and in vicinity of La Grange, and the contract for dredging in Quincy Bay was let. In April, 1885, 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...... Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884. July 1, 1885, amount expended to September, 1884, exclusive of September 1, 1884, amount available, transferred to Capt. E. H. Ruffner, $12, 663 38 200,000 00 212,663 38 22, 176 99 190,486 39 April 5, 1885, amount allotted for snag-boats.... July 1, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884... July 1, 1885, amount available.... (See Appendix Z 3.) 5,000 00 675 50 4,324 50 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 in the lake by storms. The original estimate was as follows: For Lake City, $154,583; for Stockholm, $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 has 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.... Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884. 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... (See Appendix Z 4.) $20,000 00 30, 000 00 50,000 00 $3,844 02 324 68 4,168 70 45,831 30 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 has 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 hand 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 ..... July 1, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884.. $7,276 92 135 10 7,141 82 July 1, 1885, amount available (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 $40,000, 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, 1835.... Amount expended during fiscal year.... Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884...... 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.. (See Appendix Z 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.. During the year............. July 1, 184, amount available. July 1, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884.. (See Appendix Z 8.) $12,000 00 6,269 67 6, 269 67 6, 269 67 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 canal between Nashville and Montrose. The existing project for this work covers 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 needed in connection with the canal, and $40,000 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 $4,415,549.25; 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.... Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884.. 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... $2,932 97 50,000 00 52, 932 97 $21,666 08 879 74 22,5452 30,387 15 56,745 (0 45,000.00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project......... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1887 101,700 00 Submitted 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 heretofore, 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 laths were floated through. Repairing canal embankment and removing deposits washed in from the bluffs were, as heretofore, a continued source of trouble and expense. 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 re pairs, 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 from the Treasury from time to time such amounts as may be needed. July 1, 1884, approved estimate for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885.............. $45,000 00 July 1, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884.. $38,704 50 July 1, 1885, outstanding liabilities... 60 82 38,765 32 July 1, 1885, amount available 6,234 68 Approved estimate for fiscal year ending June 30, 1887.... 43.000 00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of section 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix Z 10.) 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. July 1, 1884, amount available Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884. $2,023 50 30,000 00 32,023 50 July 1, 1885, amonnt expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884. $23,227 96 July 1, 1885, outstanding liabilities.. 239 82 23,467 78 July 1, 1885, amount available 8,555 72 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.. 65,000 00 65,000 00 (See Appendix Z 11.) 12. Quincy Bay, Illinois.—The original project for this work proposed to deepen the bay over an area of about 80 acres, to form a winter harbor. 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 River.-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.. July 1, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884.. Amount transferred to Maj. C. R. Suter. (See Appendix Z 13.) $15,000 00 2,049 37 12,950 63 EXAMINATIONS AND SURVEYS FOR IMPROVEMENT, TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF THE 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 |