material were removed. The work was done by Morris & Cumings under contract, after due advertisement, and was completed June 27, 1885. July 1, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884.. $3,856 83 July 1, 1885, outstanding liabilities.. 1,086 18 4,943 01 July 1, 1885, amount available................ 107 32 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.. 57,000 00 57, 000 00 Abstract of proposals received for dredging in Choptank River, Maryland, and opened at noon, October 23, 1884, by General William F. Smith, United States agent. DEAR SIR: As requested, I inclose a statement of amount of business that is done here a year. I have consulted the leading business men of the town, and below is their estimate, and I think it is low enough. There are six schooners that carry about 4,500 bushels of grain at a load. Any other information you may want will cheerfully be given if you notify me. H 17. IMPROVEMENT OF HARBOR OF CAMBRIDGE, MARYLAND. The work of dredging out this harbor was done by The American Dredging Company under contract after due advertisement. It was completed August 7, 1884, and the approved project fully carried out. Money statement. July 1, 1884, amount available $2,498 32 2,49-39 H 18. IMPROVEMENT OF WICOMICO RIVER FROM ITS MOUTH TO SALISBURY, MARYLAND. The former work of widening and straightening the channel and giving it a depth of 7 feet at mean low water from a point near the old steamboat wharf to the town of Salisbury, Md., has been continned. A contract, after due advertisement, was made with P. Sanford Ross, and the work begun March 19, 1885, and is now being carried on with due energy. On the 1st of July the dredging had been carried through a length of 5,866 feet, and 20,327 cubic yards of material removed. This leaves about 2,217 feet more of linear cutting to do to complete the existing project. Money statement. 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..... $10,000 00 $3,500 83 2,021 01 5,521 84 4,478 16 Abstract of proposals received for dredging at Wicomico River, Maryland, and opened November 27, 1884, by General William F. Smith, United States Agent. COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. CUSTOM-HOUSE, CRISFIELD, MD., Collector's Office, June, 1885. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 22d instant, requesting a statement regarding the commerce and navigation of the water contiguous to Crisfield. The Wicomico River, with Salisbury as a port of delivery, has one light-house at the Great Shoals. The trade on the river is very heavy, including oyster catching and packing, fishing, fruit, manufacture of lumber, fertilizers, tinware, iron foundry, &c. There are twenty-two mills engaged in the manufacture of lumber, producing 15,000,000 feet of undressed and 5,000,000 feet of dressed lumber, 1,200,000 crates, 1,000,000 packing-cases for petroleum, 7,000 berry-crates, 4,000 cords kindling wood, 12,000 hubs, 1,000,000 shingles, all of an estimated value of $750,000. The other business includes over 100,000 bushels of grain, 150,000 bushels corn, 7,000 barrels flour, 13,000 pounds wool, 150,000 bushels oysters, poultry, eggs, live stock, shad, and other fisheries, the value of which is unknown; 2,000 tons of coal and 500 tons of fertilizers are transported on the river, and over seventy general stores report sales aggregating $1,200,000; twenty-five vessels registering 1,760 tons, and several hundred small craft are owned and navigate the river. One line of steamers plies between Baltimore and Salisbury. Three marine railways and ship-yards are on the river. IMPROVEMENT OF UPPER THOROUGHFARE, BETWEEN DEAL'S ISLAND AND THE MAINLAND, MARYLAND. A project for a breakwater and harbor for small vessels and to protect steamboat landing was submitted and not approved. No other work has been done in the year ending June 30, 1885. 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..... $4,810 26 140 35 4,669 91 15,000 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... 15, 000 00 COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. CUSTOM-HOUSE, Crisfield, MD., SIR: I have the honor to acknowledged the receipt of your communication of the 22d instant, requesting a statement regarding the commerce and navigation of the waters contiguous to Crisfield. DEAL'S ISLAND AND UPPER THOROUGHFARE. Business, catching oysters and fish, general merchandise, trucking, and farming, and embraces a section of country which relies entirely on the waters surrounding as a means of transportation. There are four hundred vessels engaged in the oyster business, employing about 1,600 men, taking annually about 450,000 bushels, valued at $15,000. About 6,000 bushels of corn, 2,000 bushels of potatoes, 1,500 bushels sweet potatoes, large numbers of watermelons, truck, and fruit are transported, and twenty stores supplied with goods selling at $100,000 per annum. Very respectfully, Col. E. S. WEBSTER, Collector of Customs, Baltimore, Md. HANSE LAWSON, Collector. H 20. REMOVING SUNKEN VESSELS OR CRAFT OBSTRUCTING OR ENDANGERING NAVIGATION. Two sunken barges were reported by Mr. J. A. Shriber, on January 6, 1885, as being near Grove Point, in Chesapeake Bay. Two examinations were attempted, but failed on account of ice in Chesapeake Bay. Finally on the 7th of April, 1885, an examination was made from the Fish Hawk, kindly loaned by Professor Baird, United States Fish Commissioner, and the barges were found to have sunken to a safe depth, and a report to that effect was made to Chief of Engineers. H 21. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF HARBOR AT EASTON POINT, COMMENCING AT A POINT ON TREAD HAVEN CREEK WHERE THE GOVERNMENT WORK ON THE CHANNEL OF SAID RIVER WAS RECENTLY SUSPENDED. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Wilmington, Del., October 13, 1884. GENERAL: Whilst at Easton Point, Maryland, making an examina tion of Tread Haven Creek, I was informed that the Talbot County Wharf and Warehouse Company had asked for the examination, with a view to getting the lower portion of the northeast branch of the creek improved up to their wharves, but owing to the pressing necessity for the accommodation of one steamboat already running, and another soon to be put on, they had gone to work and built a wharf and dredged a channel 68 feet wide and 8 feet deep at mean low water, from the end of the Government work to their wharf, with a turning basin 75 feet wide, which seems to be all that is necessary for the navigation of this branch for this or any other company. In the southeast branch a wharf 166 feet long is being built, and a channel leading from the terminus of the Government work has already been cut out and a dredging-machine is now ready to extend it alongside of the new wharf, which will give all the facilities necessary for vessels in this branch, and as these branches constitute the whole stream at Easton Point, I believe there is no need of further work by the Government at this time in this vicinity. Respectfully submitted. General W. F. SMITH, WM. PROCTOR SMITH, United States Agent. [First indorsement.] UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Wilmington, Del., October 13, 1884. Respectfully forwarded to the Chief of Engineers of the Army. Report concurred in. WM. F. SMITH, United States Agent. H 22. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION WITH A VIEW TO FORMING A CONTINUOUS INLAND NAVIGATION FROM CHINCOTEAGUE BAY, VIRGINIA, TO DELAWARE BAY, AT OR NEAR LEWES, DELAWARE. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Wilmington, Del., October 17, 1884. GENERAL: I have the honor to forward herewith the report of Mr. C. M. Bird, of a preliminary examination of Lewes Creek and Rehoboth Bay, Delaware, Assateague and Chincoteague bays, Maryland, with a view to form a continuous inland navigation from Chincoteague Bay, in Virginia, to the Delaware Bay, at or near Lewes, Del. In my opinion, the line examined is worthy of improvement, for the following reasons: It would appear that the total amount of navigable waters to be brought into safe communication with markets via the Delaware Bay by the proposed improvement will be in round numbers 150 miles to the various landings along the creeks and bays, giving an outlet to 400 square miles of territory. The total distance to be improved to render this available is altogether 15 miles. This distance can probably be shortened somewhat, and much of it will require but little work and moderate expense. The opening of inlets into the ocean can only be made with great cost, and with no certainty of their permanency. The amount of commerce to be benefited is estimated to be $1,795,000. It is impossible to estimate amount required to complete the work until a survey of the route is made. From the amount of the interests to be benefited by the improvement I would respectfully recommend that the survey be made. The estimate for the cost of a survey is $1,200. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A. WM. F. SMITH, United States Agent. REPORT OF MR. CHARLES M. BIRD, ASSISTANT ENGINEER. WILMINGTON, DEL., October 7, 1884. GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the examination by your direction under act of Congress approved July 5, 1884, of "Lewes Creek and Rehoboth Bay, Delaware, Assateague and Chincoteague bays, Maryland, with a view to form a continuous inland navigation from Chincoteague Bay, in Virginia, to the Delaware Bay at or near Lewes, Del." |