12. Saugatuck Harbor, Michigan.-The channel originally made by local enterprise was narrow and not more than 7 feet deep in the best water. The project for its improvement, adopted in 1869, was to obtain a channel of entrance of navigable width, with a minimum depth of 10 feet. The amount expended to June 30, 1884, was $121,709.41, and resulted in securing a narrow channel about 8 feet deep. The amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885, was $1,974.53, and has resulted in refilling 505 feet of the old south pier and ballasting it with stone. The depth remains about the same as last year, about 11 feet across the bar. The amount that can be expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887, is to be applied to securing the south pier and "maintaining the existing condition of the improvement.” July 1. 1884, amount available.......... $1,729 59 Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1-84. 4,000 00 July 1. 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding libilities July 1, 1884..... 5,729 59 1,974 53 July 1, 1885, amount available 3,755 06 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... 8,000 00 8,000 00 (See Appendix K K 12.) 13. South Haven Harbor, Michigan-The channel was originally made by private enterprise, was narrow, and not more than 7 feet deep in the deepest place. The present projet for its improvement, adopted in 1866 and modified in 1879, was to obtain a channel of entrance of navigable width, not less than 14 feet deep. The amount expended to June 30, 1884, was $166,658.39, and resulted in obtaining a channel of navigable width, with a depth of 9.5 feet between the piers and a depth of 10.5 feet in the river up to the railway bridge. The amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885, was $1,627.47, and resulted in overhauling and refilling 447 feet of north pier and 210 feet of south pier. The depth of water remains about the same as last year, except that a slight shoaling at outer end of channel was observed. The amount that can be profitably expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887, is to be applied to pier extension and dredging in accordance with approved project, and to making general repairs. July 1, 1884, amount available..... Amount appropriated approved by act July 5, 1884 July 1, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 184... $2,841 61 7,500 00 12,841 61 $1,513 51 July 1, 1885, outstanding liabilities.. 113 96 1,627 47 July 1, 1885, amount available...... 8,714 14 (Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project...... 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. 82,500 00 40,000 00 (See Appendix K K 13.) 14. Saint Joseph Harbor, Michigan -The natural channel was about 250 feet wide and 12 feet deep at the entrance, shoaling to 9 feet in the river above. The present project for its improvement, adopted in 1866 and 1874, was to obtain a channel of entrance of navigable width and not less than 16 feet deep. The amount expended to June 30, 1884, was $310,877.69, and resulted in securing a channel of entrance of about 14 feet depth, a canal 100 feet wide, with a depth of about 11 feet, and partial revetment. The amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885, was $868.11 for office expenses and contingencies, no work having been done. The depth of entrance to the harbor is about the same as last year. The depth in canal is 11 feet. The amount that cau be profitably expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887, is to be applied to rebuilding the north pier, resuperstructuring the south pier, and constructing close-piling wing-dam from end of north pier to railway bridge, in accordance with approved project. July 1, 1884, amonnt available............. Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884.. July 1, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884 $6,235 31 15,000 00 21, 235 3 863 1 July 1, 1885, amount available...... 20, 367 2 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project . 51,015 0 51,000 0 (See Appendix K K 14.) 15. New Buffalo Harbor, Michigan.—In charge of Maj. J. A. Smith Corps of Engineers, to July 16, 1884. The original project for improve ment, adopted in the year 1857, was to cut a channel 200 feet wide an 12 feet deep through the sand-banks between Lake Michigan and Lak Pottawatomie and revet its sides. This project was partially carrie out in 1867, but recommended to be abandoned by the officer in charge and in 1868 by a Board of Engineers. There is at present no definit project for the construction of a harbor at this place. The amount ex pended to June 30, 1884, was $82,270.11, and resulted in building a pil and brush pier on east side of entrance 400 feet long, and in revetting portion of the west side of entrance. The channel was narrow, crooked and had a depth of less than 3 feet. The amount expended during th fiscal year ending June 30, 1885, was $729.89, and resulted in finishin the outer end of east pier, leaving the channel, as reported for June 3 1884, with a depth of not more than 3 feet at the entrance. In the A nual Report for 1884 the officer in charge estimated that $150,000 woul be required to make the harbor available for commercial purposes. July 1, 1884, amount available.... July 1, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884.. (See Appendix K K 15.) $729 729 16. Michigan City Harbor, Indiana.-In charge of Maj, J. A. Smit Corps of Engineers, to July 16, 1884. Outer harbor.-Work at this harbor was commenced by the Gover ment in 1836. The first project was that of 1857, for the construction of a brea Various modifications up to 1870 provided for pier extension and dredging of channel. In 1870 a project for an exterior harbor w approved. In 1882 a project for an exterior breakwater west of t harbor entrance, and the construction of a pier at west end of e terior breakwater of outer harbor, was adopted. The amount expended to June 30, 1884, was $769,482.12, and resulted in securing a channel of entrance with a depth of 19 feet, the inclosing of the exterior harbor, with the exception of a gap of 160 feet in outer break water, and the construction of 250 feet of breakwater-pier. The depth of water was suf ficient to admit the largest vessels on the lakes. The amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885, was $31,217.72, and has resulted in closing the gap in the breakwater and the extension of the breakwater pier 100 feet. The depth of water at entrance is 19 feet. The amount that can be profitably expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887, is to be applied to the construction of the west exterior breakwater and the completion of the breakwater-pier at entrance. 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, 1855, outstanding liabilities July 1, 1885, amount available... $4,628 47 40,000 00 308 00 44,936 47 $24,009 34 7,208 38 31,217 72 13,718 75 450,000 00 (Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1887 250,000 00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of section 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. Inner harbor.-The site of the present inner harbor was originally a small creek, crooked and with a depth insufficient for commercial purposes. The first project was that of 1870, for dredging up to the railroad bridge. In 1878 a project submitted by the officer in charge for extending the inner harbor up Trail Creek by dredging was adopted, the cut to be 120 feet wide and 15 feet deep, and the city to revet the eat. The amount expended to June 30, 1884, was $84,482.15, and resalted in obtaining the requisite width and depth for a distance of 1,000 feet above the packing-house. The amount expended during the scal year ending June 30, 1885, was $4,483.16, and resulted in removing 21,890 cubic yards of material between the packing-house and railTay bridge, deepening the channel to 17 feet. The amount that can be profitably expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887, is to be applied to continuation of dredging accordng to approved project. Jly 1, 1884, amount available .. Imount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884. ily 1, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884 $517 85 10,000 00 10,517 85 $3,779 07 May 1, 1855, outstanding liabilities.. 704 09 4,483 16 ly 1, 1855, amount available...... 6,034 69 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.. 5,000 00 5,000 00 (See Appendix K K 16.) EXAMINATIONS AND SURVEYS FOR IMPROVEMENT TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF THE RIVER AND HARBOR ACT OF AUGUST 2, 1882. 1. Plan and estimate of cost of a harbor of refuge at Ludington, Michi gan. The report of a Board of Engineers constituted to comply with requirements of the river and harbor act of August 2, 1882, was submitted to Congress January, 1885, and printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 74, Forty-eighth Congress, second session. (See also Appendix K K 17.) EXAMINATIONS AND SURVEYS FOR IMPROVEMENT TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF THE RIVER AND HARBOR ACT OF JULY 5, 1884. The following locality was examined by the local engineer in charge and not recommended for improvement: 1. Little Traverse Bay, Michigan, near the village of Petoskey, with a view to constructing a harbor of refuge.-The report on this examination was transmitted to Congress and printed in House Ex. Doc. No. 71, Forty-eighth Congress, second session. (See also Appendix K K 18.) IMPROVEMENT OF SAINT MARY'S RIVER-ENLARGEMENT OF AND OPERATING SAINT MARY'S FALLS CANAL-IMPROVEMENT OF CERTAIN HARBORS ON LAKE HURON AND OF SAGINAW RIVER-CONSTRUCTION OF HARBOR OF REFUGE ON LAKE HURON AND OF ICE-HARBOR AT BELLE RIVER-REPAIR AND PRESERVATION OF SAINT CLAIR FLATS CANAL-IMPROVEMENT OF DETROIT RIVER. Officer in charge, Lieut. Col. O. M. Poe, Corps of Engineers, with Lieut. H. F. Hodges, Corps of Engineers, under his immediate orders. 1. Hay Lake Channel, Saint Mary's River, Michigan.-The original es timates for this improvement were based upon a project for a channel 300 feet wide and 17 feet deep, leaving the present navigable channel of Saint Mary's River at Sugar Island Rapids (about 24 miles below the canal), through these into Hay Lake, and then, by way of the Middle Neebish, rejoining the present navigable channel at the foot of Sugar Island, thus saving a distance of 11 miles and obtaining a route which it is practicable to mark with lights, so as to be navigable at night, a condition impracticable with the present channel. The estimated cost of this improvement was $2,127,292. This project was subsequently modified to increase the depth of the channel to 19 feet, and it is now proposed to further modify it to 20 feet. These modifications will necessarily increase the cost, but not to such an extent as might be at first supposed, because the prices at which the most difficult part of the work can be done are lower than those of the original estimates. The estimated cost of the channel, if modified as proposed, is $2,659,115. The amount thus far appropriated for the work is $325,000, and the amount expended to June 30, 1885, including all determined outstand ing liabilities, $200,833.07, which has been applied principally to excavation, under contract, at Middle Neebish, to surveys, to engineering and office expenses, &c. The available balance is all under contract up to June 30, 1885. The amount of material removed from Middle Neebish is estimated at 253,844 cubic yards. Owing to the distance over which the plant can be distributed, a large amount of work can be carried on at the same time, and the sum that can be profitably expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887, is to be applied to continuing the excavation at Middle Neebish and beginning operations at Sugar Island Rapids and on the flats at the lower end of Hay Lake. July 1, 1884, amount available. Received from sale of fuel 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 124,207 57 July 1, 1885, amount available...... (Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project, modi❤ fied as proposed.... Amount that can be profitably expended 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 L L 1.) 2,334, 115 00 500,000 00 2. Saint Mary's Falls Canal and River, Michigan.-This improvement, originally projected to obtain a 16 foot navigation between Lakes Superior and Huron, has been completed accordingly, at a cost to June 30, 1885, of $2,405,432.83. Statistics show that the commerce using this route is increasing so rapidly, that, if it continues at the same rate for five years, the present lockage system at the canal will not be sufficient to pass all the vessels. The greatest depth advisable to obtain in the canal and river is 20 feet, because that can be effected at reasonable cost. Any additional depth is not likely to be required, because a channel of greater depth could be obtained across Lake Saint Clair only at such enormous cost as to render its expediency very doubtful. A necessary part of the plan of enlargement is the increase in the capacity of Saint Mary's Falls Canal, including its lockage system. It is now proposed to give the canal a depth of 20 feet, and replace the present" old locks," as useless under the changed conditions, by a lock having 21 feet on its miter sills, a lift of 18 feet, and sufficient chamber capacity to meet all possible requirements of the future. The estimated cost of these improvements is $1,750,000, and an ap propriation of $250,000 is earnestly recommended with which to begin the work. Amount (estimated) required for the proposed project.. Amount that can be profitably expended in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887 ... (See Appendix L L 2.) $1,750,000 00 250,000 00 3. Operating and care of Saint Mary's Falls Canal, Michigan.-During the past year the canal was open to navigation 219 days. It was closed December 10, 1884, and opened May 6, 1885. Five thousand six hundred and twenty-nine vessels and rafts, having a registered tonnage of 2,981,786 tons, and carrying 2,870,728 tons of freight and 44,533 passengers, passed through. The staple articles transported were 691,174 tons of coal, 36,829 tons of copper, 1,334,802 barrels of flour, 14,130,448 bushels of grain, 1,112,828 tons of iron ore, 63,083 tons of pig and manufactured iron, |