improvement being $34,200. The range of tides is 4.5 feet approximately. At that date there was a channel connecting Sheepshead Bay with Dead Horse Inlet 1,500 feet long, 40 feet wide, with a minimum depth of 4 feet at mean low water, while at the original entrance by the channel around the easterly end of Coney Island the bar was practically bare at lowest tide. No work of improvement has been done on the inside. Sealed proposals were opened Septembef 17, 1884, for enlarg ing the improved channel by dredging, and the contract was awarded to the Atlantic Dredging Company, the lowest bidders, at 13 cents per cubic yard. The autumn was unfavorable for work, and as the contractors were under contract with private parties for making improvements on the Coney Island side of the bay, and were arranging a plant for that special enterprise which would be adapted to the Government work, they were permitted to delay the commencement of their contract until their new plant was perfected. At the close of the fiscal year the contractor had not been able to commence work, owing to the failure on the part of the machinists to perfect his plant, and his contract was extended to October 15, 1885. The improved channel has been maintained unimpaired throughout the year, and has given great satisfaction to the shipping of the bay. The owners of the Coney Island shore have under consideration the erection of a bulkhead near the low-water line along the entire eastern shore of the bay from the new causeway to near Mount Pleasant. When this improvement is made the bay will be deepened by dredging, and the material which is excavated will be thrown behind the bulkhead and graded. This will render unnecessary any longitudinal dikes through the inner bay to train the ebb currents, and will make the bay more available than it now is. The sum of $10,000 is recommended for the year ending June 30, 1887. If appropriated it will be applied in widening the improved channel to 100 feet, and in deepening it to 6 feet mean low water, and also in opening a channel through a shoal at the eastern end of the bay 2,000 feet long, 100 feet wide, and 6 feet deep. Over 200 vessels of small draught engaged in legitimate trade frequent the harbor, and clams, oysters, and bluefish are shipped to New York markets at an estimated annual value of $1,000,000. This work is in the collection district of New York, which is the nearest port of entry. Nearest light-house Fort Tompkin's Light, and nearest fort Fort Hamilton, New York Harbor. Amount of revenue collected during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885, $126,183,873.57. July 1, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884 .... 55.92 July 1, 1885, amount available.. 4,967 83 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project..... 84,000 00 10,000 00 Abstract of proposals for improving Sheepshead Bay, New York, opened September 17, 1884, by Maj. G. L. Gillespie, Corps of Engineers. The contract was awarded to the Atlantic Dredging Company, the lowest bidders, with the approval of the Chief of Engineers. F 4. IMPROVEMENT OF SUMPAWANUS INLET, NEW YORK. The project for this improvement was adopted in 1880, and has for its object to open a channel 4,500 feet long, 100 to 150 feet wide, and 5 feet deep at mean low water, from the 5-foot curve of the bay to the town of Babylon. The original navigable depth was 2 feet mean low water. The range of tides is 1.1 feet approximately. The amount available July 1, 1884, for continuing the improvement was nothing. At that date there was an improved channel from the bay to a short distance inside the wharf, 1,000 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 5 feet deep at mean low water. No work of improvement was done during the year. Vessels which use this inlet are much exposed at anchorage near the entrance during easterly gales, but if the improved channel were carried further inland, so that they might reach a quiet anchorage in a natural bay 1,500 feet from the entrance, the usefulness of the inlet would be much enhanced for a large number of fishing vessels of small draught. Babylon is a wealthy town, with a population of 5,000. Capital invested in diversified industries is estimated at $3,000,000, approximately. Two hundred vessels engaged in fishing in Great South Bay use the inlet. One steamer, during eight months in the year, makes regu lar trips daily to and from Fire Island, and carries usually 20,000 to 25,000 passengers during the season. The sum of $10,000 can be profitably expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887, and, if appropriated, will be applied in extending the improved channel towards the town of Babylon, a distance of 1,500 feet, in a cut 75 feet wide and 5 feet deep, mean low water. The amount of commerce to be benefited by the improvement is estimated at $500,000 to $750,000. This work is in the collection district of New York, which is the nearest port of entry. Nearest light-house is Fire Island, and the nearest fort is Fort Hamilton, New York Harbor. Amount of revenue collected during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885, $126,183,873.57. Original estimate (revised) Amount appropriated Amount expended to June 30, 1885 $40,000 00 7,000 00 6,893 07 July 1, 1884, amount available.. Money statement. Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project... $106 93 106 93 33, 000 00 10,000 00 F 5. IMPROVEMENT OF CHEESEQUAKES CREEK, NEW JERSEY. The project for this improvement, adopted in 1879, provides for changing the outlet into a direction at right angles with the beach, closing the old outlet by a sheet-pile dike 532 feet long, dredging channel through the beach 1,600 feet long, 200 feet wide, and 5 feet deep, mean low water, and constructing lateral stone jetties to confine the new channel, each 1,500 feet long; for constructing timber dike at mouth of Buck Creek, 200 feet long; for dredging from New Landing to Furman's Dock a channel 400 feet long, 100 feet wide, and 4 feet deep, cutting through meadow 1,050 feet long, 100 feet wide, and 4 feet deep, and building timber dike 1,000 feet long; for dredging above Furman's Dock a channel 400 feet long, 100 feet wide, 4 feet deep, cutting through meadow 650 feet long, 100 feet wide, 4 feet deep, and building timber dike 300 feet long; and for dredging a channel to Whitehead's Dock 1,500 feet long, 50 to 100 feet wide, and 4 feet deep. The distance from mouth to head of navigation, to which project extends, is 3 miles. The range of tides at the entrance is 5.1 feet. The amount expended to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884, was $39,968.73. All improvements have been made at the entrance, and, at that date, the old outlet was closed by the sheet-pile dike, the new outlet was dredged 1,600 feet long, 100 feet wide, and 5 feet deep, and the two confining jetties had been built-the eastern jetty being 925 feet long, and the western 995 feet. No work of improvement was done during the year, as there were no funds. A recent examination was made of the harbor, and it was found that the improvement had been in nowise impaired since work was suspended. The channel still maintains its depth of 5 feet, mean low water, and the sheet-pile dike which closes the original entrance was not injured by ice. The stone jetties are well consolidated by shell-fish. The improved channel and entrance affords ample facilities for the existing commerce of the creek, and no appropriation is needed at this time to continue the improvement. An appropriation of $5,000 is recommended to provide means for repairing damages to existing improvement by collisions with vessels or by the action of ice. The exports of the creek consist principally of potter's clay and molding-sand, oysters, fish, and vegetables, and the imports of general merchandise, lime, and compost. The annual tonnage is 50,000 tons. It is stated that about five hundred vessels, with an average draught of 5 feet, use the harbor during the year. The annual value of the commerce is estimated at $200,000, approximately. This work is in the collection district of Amboy, N. J.; nearest port of entry, Perth Amboy, N. J.; nearest light-house, Prince's Bay; nearest fort is fort at Sandy Hook, N. J. Amount of revenue collected during the fiscal year was $57, 800.65. July 1, 1884, amount available Money statement. July 1, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884.... July 1, 1885, amount available..... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project....... $31 27 29 75 1 52 50,000 00 5,000 00 F 6. IMPROVEMENT OF THE PASSAIC RIVER ABOVE NEWARK, NEW JERSEY. The proposed improvement was adopted in 1872, and provides for the formation and maintenance by means of dredging and training dikes of a channel 100 feet wide and 6 feet deep at low water, from Clark's Spool Factory Dock, Newark, to the head of navigation, a distance of 7 miles. The project was modified in 1884 so as to extend the improvement to Centre Street Bridge to connect with the improvement of the lower river, the original navigable depth being 23 feet, approximately, low stage. The obstructing bars are known as Belville, Rutherford Park, and Holzman's bars, and the character and extent of the works of im provement for the securing of a navigable channel through them afford. ing 6 feet depth at low stage are described in detail, page 538, Annual Report of Chief of Engineers, 1880, Part I. It may be stated generally that the bars are from 1,300 to 3,000 feet feet long, measured along the channel, and the width of improved chaunels are from 60 to 75 feet. At Belville Bar a great part of the material was composed of indurated sandstone and shale, and when removed was formed into a training-dike 2,000 feet long, rising to high water. On the left bank, just above Midland Railroad Bridge, similar material was encountered at Rutherford Park Bar, and it was likewise used, when removed, to form a training-dike on the left bank 2,850 feet long and part of another on the right bank, the projected length of which was 1,950 feet, although only about 500 feet was completed. The river embraced by these two dikes is 240 feet wide. The material at Holzman's Bar was bowlders, overlying sand, and gravel, and when removed was deposited above high water, on the left bank. The improved channel is here 1,350 feet long, 50 to 60 feet wide and 6 feet deep. In 1883, the channels over the foregoing bars being free from bowlders and dangerous obstructions, the improvement of the bar below Midland Railroad (now Montclair and Greenwood Lake Railroad) was begun. This bar is 1 miles above Center street, Newark. In this reach there are really two shoals, separated by deep pools, one just above Clark's Spool Factory Dock, known as Middle Bar, and the other just below the Midland Railroad Bridge, known as Lime Kiln Bar. At the first, the improved channel was opened 1.400 feet long, 60 feet wide, and 73 feet deep, low water, and at the second, 2,370 feet long, 60 to 75 feet wide, and 73 feet deep. The material was sand and gravel and bowlders, and when removed was deposited behind the Belleville Dike. The 3,150 feet of diking on the right bank appearing in the project for improving these shoals has not been begun. The amount expended to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884, was $120,428.16. Sealed proposals, in vited by public advertisement, were opened September 18, 1884, and the contract was awarded to Richard Parrott, the lowest bidder, at 49 cents per cubic yard. Owing to the lateness of the season and the inclement weather which prevailed during the early winter and late spring, work was not commenced till June 10, 1885. The channel at Lime Kiln Bar was widened to 75 feet, and that at Middle Bar will also be widened to 75 feet under the existing contract. The amount of material removed was 1,945 cubic yards, all of which was deposited behind the Belleville Dike. The improved depths over all the shoals improved have been well maintained, and no complaints have been heard from the captains of the boats. The depth in the pools varies from 9 to 10 feet, low stage. The estimate for "limited improvements," under the plan of 1872, was $123,924. The plans have been executed and the desired results have been attained at a cost of $120,774.69. The diking projected in the estimate for Middle Bar was not built, as has been stated, but an equivalent diking, included in the estimate of 1872 for "extended improvements," was built, as herein stated, at Belleville and Rutherford Park bars. Since 1872, the Lime Kiln and Middle bars, adjacent to Newark, have grown slightly, and commerce has demanded, owing to the growth of the city of Newark, a greater depth than 6 feet low water to the old Midland Railroad Bridge. The channel through these two last bars has in consequence been given a depth of 7 feet, low stage, and it is advisable and recommended that the channel with this increased depth be extended 1,500 feet to the Erie Railroad Bridge at Fourth avenue, Newark. This will require the excavation of 10,000 cubic yards of material at a cost of $5,000, and the estimate of 1872 for limited improvements will be increased to $129,000. The extension of the city's bulkheads for solid filling seems to render unnecessary the construction of the dike projected for Middle Bar. No action, so far as known, has been taken toward the erection of a dam across the river at Belleville to protect the interests of water-supply at Jersey City, nor has anything definite been determined by the court relative to the obligation of the Dundee Canal Company to open the navigation of the river above Dundee Dam by the construction of the canal around the dam. The country along this river is largely devoted to manufacturing purposes. It is progressively improving in population and vested properties, and the principal towns where manufactories are located are Newark, Belleville, Passaic, Dundee, and Paterson. The money invested is estimated at $20,000,000. The range of tides at Passaic is 3 feet approximately, and the latest examinations show that the foundation of Dundee Dam is 6.3 feet above the level of mean high water. The amount recommended for continuing the improvement for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887, is $5,000, and will be applied towards the opening of a channel 75 feet wide and 73 feet deep, low stage, from Erie Railroad Bridge, at Fourth avenue, Newark, to connection with the improved channel through Middle Bar, a distance of 1,500 feet. This improvement is in the collection district of Newark, which is the nearest port of entry. Nearest light-house Passaic Light. Fort Tompkins is the nearest fort. Amount of revenue collected during the year ending June 30, 1885, was $5,664. Amount appropriated to July 5, 1884.. 124,000 00 Amount expended to June 30, 1885, exclusive of outstanding liabilities.. 120,774 69 |