COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. The following information has been furnished by Mr. John Ford, of Swedesbor ough, N. J.: EXPORTS. Articles. NUMBER OF VESSELS THAT PASSED THROUGH THE DRAW-BRIDGE DURING THE YEAR IMPROVEMENT OF SALEM RIVER, NEW JERSEY. No work has been done on Salem River during the past fiscal year. and no appropriation for its improvement has been made since that of August 2, 1882, of $1,500. The expenditure of this appropriation was withheld on account of the smallness of the sum and the exorbitant price bid for the dredging, which was 78 cents per cubic yard. As stated in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1882, page 814: At the point where the creek most nearly approached the Delaware River, in the vicinity of Deep Water Point, a canal was opened in 1872 for the better drainage of the meadows bordering the upper part of the creek and to secure a more direct water outlet for the products of that region. In furtherance of this design a dam was also built across the creek below the canal, thus separating the stream into two independent water-courses, one having its head at the dam and discharging past Salem into the cove, the other with its head of navigation at Course's Landing, 3 miles below Sharptown and 9 miles from the Delaware, into which it discharges, via the canal, which forms the lower 2 miles of its length. The mouths of the two streams are now, therefore, about 10 miles apart, and the drainage of each is entirely distinct. The canal has, to a great extent, failed to accomplish its purpose by reason of its originally insufficient capacity, whereby the tidal rise, which is about 6 feet in the Delaware, is reduced to about 1 foot at the confluence of the canal and creek. The natural mouth of the stream is obstructed by extensive sand-bars, to which dredging would afford but temporary relief, unless supplemented by quite expensive dike-construction, extending across these shoals and into the Delaware River, while the bed of the upper part of the river is obstructed with shoals or reduced, from lack of tidal flow, to the dimensions of a meadow brook. It would seem that the comprehensive improvement of Salem River might be deferred until the commerce of the vicinity should render its improvement more urgent than it seems to be at present. Should Congress consider it desirable to continue the improvement, the deepened channel on the upper river might be completed to Hoxie's Landing, which has been estimated to cost $4,000. Salem River is in the collection district of Bridgeton, N. J., which is the nearest port of entry, at which no revenue was collected during the year ending December 31, 1884. The nearest fort and light-houses are, respectively, Fort Delaware and Finn's Point range lights. No work has been done on Cohansey Creek during the past fiscal year, and no appropriation for its improvement has been made since that of August 2, 1882, appropriating $5,000. This amount was practically expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1883, in widening and deepening the channel below Broad Street Bridge at Bridgeton to a depth of 7 feet at mean low water. At Bridgeton the creek is obstructed by the crossing of the gas and water mains, which are placed at a depth of about 4 feet below mean low water. The attention of the city authorities has been officially called to the matter, and they have had the question of lowering these pipes under consideration for several years, but no action thereon has yet been taken. The improvement of the creek above this point would be without value until the pipes are low ered to a proper depth by the municipal authorities of Bridgeton, and until this is done no appropriation is recommended. This work is in the collection district of Bridgeton, N J., which is the nearest port of entry, at which no revenue was collected during the year ending December 31, 1884. The nearest fort and light-house are, respectively, Fort Delaware and Maurice River Light. Total amount appropriated to June 30, 1885... $36,000 36,000 Money statement. July 1, 1884, amount available.... July 1, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884 .... $510 73 510 73 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project....... Submitted in compliance with requirements of section 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. 5,500 00 COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. The following information relating to the commerce of the city of Bridgeton ha been kindly furnished by Mr. Robert J. Buck, president Cumberland Nail and Iren Works. FREIGHT TRANSPORTED DURING THE YEAR TO AND FROM BRIDGETON BY COHANSEY CREEK. There were four vessels built and eighty repaired during the year. tons.. 16.06 G 18. IMPROVEMENT OF THE NORTH BRANCH OF SUSQUEHANNA RIVER, PENNSYLVANIA. In 1880 an appropriation of $15,000 was made for the improvement of this branch of the Susquehanna River, and was followed by similar appropriations in both 1881 and 1882, making an aggregate of $45,000 for this work. The last appropriation was practically exhausted in October, 1883, since which date nothing has been done. No general project for the improvement has ever been adopted, the several appropriations having been expended under projects submitted and approved for each. The improvements made have been directei toward obtaining a narrow channel from 3 to 4 feet deep at low water through the worst obstructions. At low stages of the river there are over 12 miles of bars and shoals which are nearly dry. A gauging of the river at Wilkes-Barre, in September, 1881, gave a discharge of about 800 cubic feet per second. During the high stages of the river the water surface rises from 20 to 30 feet above the summer stage. The slope of the river is excessive and in winter heavy ice gorges are usual. The commerce of the river, except rafts, is trifling. In the two pre vious annual reports no appropriations have been recommended, and none is recommended for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887. Total appropriations to June 30, 1885.. $45,000 45,000 Money statement. July 1, 1884, amount available. $101 48 July 1, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884 101 48 G 19. REMOVAL OF WRECKS FROM DELAWARE BAY AND RIVER. There have been no operations during the past fiscal year under this appropriation, excepting making an examination of the wreck of the bark Daring. The removal of all wrecks in Delaware Bay and River has been made under the title of "Removing sunken vessels or craft obstructing or endangering navigation." Money statement. July 1, 1884, amount available July 1, 185, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884.. July 1, 1885, amount available . G 20. $2,663 09 242 12 2,420 97 REMOVING SUNKEN VESSELS OR CRAFT OBSTRUCTING OR ENDANGERING NAVIGATION. During the past fiscal year there have been removed, under the provisions of section 4, act of June 14, 1880, the wrecks of the schooner John S. Detwiler, the ship Parkfield, and the bark Daring. The schooner John S. Detwiler, registered at the port of Philadelphia with a measurement of 179.59 tons, was cut through by the ice on January 25, 1884, and sunk in 4 fathoms of water at the upper end of Cross Ledge Shoal, Delaware Bay. The vessel was loaded with 292 tons of coal, and was considered a dangerous obstruction to navigation. The vessel having been abandoned by her owners, proposals were received, under date of August 8, 1884, for the removal of the wreck and cargo. The contract therefore was awarded to the lowest bidder, Charles W. Johnston, for $2,490. The contract provided for the removal of the vessel as a whole, but when the attempt was made to do so it was found that the vessel was worm-eaten to such an extent as to prevent her bodily removal. Under date of October 9, 1884, a modified contract was made with Mr. Johnston, which provided for the vessel's being removed by parts at a cost of $1,745, which was accomplished in November, 1884. The ship Parkfield, a wooden vessel of 1,397 tons measurement, was stranded on the shoal between the inlets of Little Egg Harbor, N. J., on February 4, 1883. She was loaded with jute, linseed, and saltpeter, and her wreck was considered a dangerous obstruction to navigation. The vessel having been abandoned by her owners, proposals were received October 22, 1884, for the removal of the wreck and cargo. The contract therefor was awarded to the Atlantic and Gulf Wrecking Com pany, under date of October 29, 1884, for the sum of $1,840. The wreek was broken to pieces with dynamite, and its removal accomplished in December, 1881. YABE The bark Daring, a wooden vessel of 384 tons measurement, was ent through by the ice on January 25, 1885, and sunk in 34 fathoms of water in Bombay Hook Roads, Delaware Bay. The vessel was loaded with 348 tons of bituminous coal and formed a dangerous wreck, a little to the westward of the Port Penn Range. The vessel having been abandoned by her owners, proposals were received under date of May 21, 1885, for the removal of the wreck and cargo. The contract was awarded under date of June 2, 1885, to the lowest bidder, Charles W. Johnston, for $1,935. The wreck was broken up by means of dynamite, and its removal accomplished on June 27, 1885. Abstract of proposals received and opened August 8, 1884, by Maj. W. H. Heuer, Corps ef Engineers, for removal of wreck of schooner John S. Detwiler, from Delaware Bay, neat Cross Ledge Shoal. + Offers $764 for wreck and cargo. Recommended for acceptance. Under this bid will remove all material sticking above average level of bottom. Contract (dated October 9, 1884) awarded to Charles W. Johnston. |