prices till the total amount authorized by act of July 13, 1892, has been expended, or to close it at any time after the $1,300,000 has been spent. During the year 159,556 tons of stone was deposited on the jetties, and 325,222 cubic yards of material dredged. No settlement of the jetties has occurred during the year. About 14 miles of the south jetty and 18 miles of the north jetty have been raised to high water. The annual survey shows marked deepening between the jetties and for some distance beyond their outer ends. There is now a good channel way through with 15 feet of water at low tide. Total expenditures to June 30, 1893, $2,546,214.67. July 1, 1892, balance unexpended.. Amount appropriated by act approved July 13, 1892.. Amount appropriated by sundry civil act approved March 3, 1893 June 30, 1893, amount expended during fiscal year.... $16, 685. 64 225,000.00 750,000.00 991, 685. 64 360, 400. 31 July 1, 1893, balance unexpended 631,285. 33 July 1, 1893, amount covered by uncompleted contracts $94, 233.03 979, 638. 65 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project..... 1, 203, 000. 00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1895 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867 and of sundry civil act of March 3, 1893. (See Appendix M 10.) 750,000.00 11. Ashley River, South Carolina. The plan of improvement comprised the removal of a shoal about 8 miles above the city of Charleston, S. C., where there was only 9 feet of water at low tide, and another just below the Wando Phosphate Works, where there was only 6 feet. Low-water depth of from 10 to 11 feet with widths of from 100 feet to 200 feet have been obtained, and a balance is left for maintenance. This year's commerce amounts to 465,000 tons. Total expenditures to June 30, 1893, $5,497.19. 12. Wappoo Cut, South Carolina.-The project provides for a channel 60 feet wide and 6 feet deep at low water between Ashley and Stono rivers. There is now a narrow 6-foot channel all the way through. This year's commerce amounts to 141,000 tons. Total expenditures to June 30, 1893, $50,284.28. Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1895 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867 and of sundry civil act of March 3, 1893. (See Appendix M 12.) 35,000.00 35,000.00. 13. Edisto River, South Carolina.-The river was much obstructed by snags and shoals. The project provides for a channel for rafts and flatboats from the sea, 260 miles, to Guignard Landing on the South Fork, at an estimated cost of $33,385. The work of the year has been snagging. The project has been satisfactorily completed for less than the estimated cost. This year's commerce amounts to 129,125 tons. Total expenditures to June 30, 1893, $32,935.85. 14. Salkahatchie River, South Carolina.-The river was much obstructed by snags. The project provides for a continuous flatboat channel from 5 miles above Toby Bluff to Hickory Hill, at an esti mated cost of $18,000. This year's commerce has amounted to 16,000 tons. The last appropriation completes the estimated cost and no further funds will be required, the improvement being completed and a sufficient balance being left for maintenance. Total expenditures to June 30, 1893, $14,241.66. July 1, 1892, balance unexpended June 30, 1893, amount expended during fiscal year July 1, 1893, balance unexpended (See Appendix M 14.) $4,517.07 758.73 3,758. 34 15. Beaufort River, South Carolina.-The portion to be improved is near Coosaw River, where there was only about 4 feet depth at low water for a short distance. A through channel 7 feet deep has been provided by dredging as projected. The estimated cost is $40,000. The total expenditures to June 30, 1893, have been $24,937.23. The amount appropriated was not sufficient to give the required width, as more rock was encountered than was anticipated. As recommended by the district engineer, the original estimate has been increased by $15,000. This year's commerce amounts to 250,000 tons. July 1, 1892, balance unexpended .... Amount appropriated by act approved July 13, 1892 June 30, 1893, amount expended during fiscal year....... July 1, 1893, balance unexpended July 1, 1893, outstanding liabilities.. July 1, 1893, balance available Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.. Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1895 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867 and of sundry civil act of March 3, 1893. (See Appendix M 15.) $2,915.05 12,500.00 15, 415. 05 15, 352.28 62.77 37.70 25.07 15,000.00 15, 000. 00 16. Removing sunken vessels or craft obstructing or endangering navigation. Three wrecks in the upper branches of the Cooper River were removed. A wreck was reported in the Ashley River draw of the Charleston and Savannah Railroad Bridge, but was subsequently removed by its owners. The schooner Kate V. Aitken was wrecked about 800 feet north of the jetty channel, Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. She was advertised and contract, amounting to $4,745, made for her removal. No work had been done on her at the close of the fiscal year. The expenditures during the year amounted to $1,029.41. (See Appendix M 16.) EXAMINATION MADE IN COMPLIANCE WITH RIVER AND HARBOR ACT APPROVED JULY 13, 1892. The preliminary examination of Lynch River, South Carolina, required by act of July 13, 1892, was made by the local engineer, Capt. Frederic V. Abbot, Corps of Engineers, and report thereon, dated December 2, 1892, submitted through the division engineer, Col. William P. Craighill, Corps of Engineers. It is the opinion of Capt. Abbot and of the division engineer, concurred in by this office, that the river is worthy of improvement to the extent indicated in the report. The cost of a survey necessary for preparation of project and estimate of cost of improvement is estimated at $600. The report was transmitted to Congress and printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 125, Fifty-second Congress, second session. (See also Appendix M 17.) IMPROVEMENT OF RIVERS AND HARBORS IN EASTERN GEORGIA. This district was in the charge of Capt. O. M. Carter, Corps of Engineers, with Lieut. Thomas H. Rees, Corps of Engineers, under his immediate orders to March 31, 1893; Division Engineer, Col. William P. Craighill, Corps of Engineers. 1. Savannah Harbor, Georgia.-The plan of improvement under which operations have been carried on in Savannah Harbor during the last fiscal year was approved by the Secretary of War on July 22, 1890. The project contemplates the establishment of a navigable channel 26 feet deep at mean high water between the city of Savannah and Tybee Roads. The mean rise and fall of tides varies from about 7 feet at Fort Pulaski to about 6 feet in front of the city wharves. The estimated cost of the improvement is $3,500,000. In 1873, prior to improvement, the channel was in places not more than 9 feet deep at mean low water, and the usual high-water draft of vessels was not more than 14.5 feet. Prior to July 1, 1892, there had been placed in the work under the present project 72,178.84 square yards of log and brush mattresses, 29,583.05 cubic yards of stone, 54,794.58 cubic yards of brush fascines, 3,273 piles and 44 clusters of fender piles, making a total of 3,405 piles; and there had been removed from the channel by dredging 432,315.16 cubic yards of material. The river and harbor act approved July 13, 1892, contained an appropriation of $318,750 for continuing this improvement, with the following provisions: Provided, That contracts may be entered into by the Secretary of War for such materials and work as may be necessary to complete the present project of improvement, to be paid for as appropriations may from time to time be made by law, not to exceed in the aggregate two million eight hundred and thirty-one thousand two hundred and fifty dollars, exclusive of the amount herein and heretofore appropriated. A contract was entered into with P. Sanford Ross, of Jersey City, N. J., for all of the dredging and with the Atlantic Contracting Company, of New York, for all of the other work required for the improve ment. During the fiscal year just closed there were used in the pile and brush work forming the training walls below Spirit Island, the spurdams protecting the banks at Elba and Jones Island, and the Duck Puddle closing dam, 62,859.47 cubic yards of brush fascines; 66,186.93 square yards of brush mattresses; 2,972.75 cubic yards of riprap stone; 302,027.60 feet, B. M., of 6 by 10 inch timber, as waling, cross and back ties, and 33,399.1 pounds of iron bolts for fastening the timber to the pile work; there were driven 2,571 piles, 268 groups of tie piles, and 7 clusters of fender piles, making a total of 3,128 piles. There were put into the lower-flats training wall 829.18 cubic yards of fascines, 174,522.02 square yards of brush mattresses, and 5,082.34 cubic yards of riprap stone. Between the Ocean Steamship Company's wharves and Tybee Knoll 488,518.68 cubic yards of material has been removed by dredging. The total amount expended under the present project to June 30, 1893, including all outstanding liabilities, is $827,669.48. There is now a navigable channel from the city to the sea with a mean low-water depth of 15.5 feet, a gain of about 6.5 feet since the the work was begun. The real gain in navigable depth is somewhat greater than here shown, and vessels of from 21 to 22 feet draft now go from the city to the sea on a single tide. The estimated reduction in freight rates, due to the improvements already executed, is 25 per cent, which effects an annual saving in freights alone of more than the total sum of money expended by the United States upon the harbor within the last twenty-five years. July 1, 1892, balance unexpended.. Amount appropriated by act approved July 13, 1892 Amount appropriated by sundry civil act approved March 3, 1893 $8, 563.75 318, 750.00 1, 000, 000. 00 June 30, 1893, amount expended during fiscal year 1, 327, 313. 75 327,211.55 July 1, 1893, balance unexpended.. 1,000, 102. 20 July 1, 1893, outstanding liabilities. . $154, 986.63 July 1, 1893, amount covered by uncompleted contracts.... 819, 705. 12 974, 691.75 July 1, 1893, balance available 25, 410. 45 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project..... 1,831, 250.00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1895... Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867 and of sundry civil act of March 3, 1893. (See Appendix N 1.) 1,500,000.00 2. Savannah River, Georgia.-The present project for the improvement of this river was adopted in 1890, the object being to secure a lowwater steamboat channel not less than 5 feet in depth between the cities of Augusta and Savannah, Ga. The estimated cost of the improvement is $332,000. Prior to improvement navigation was much impeded by logs, snags, piles, and other obstructions. The depth at summer low water over some of the shoals did not exceed 2 or 3 feet. The total amount expended under the present project to June 30, 1892, including all outstanding liabilities, was $24,076.75, and resulted in removing 354 snags, stumps, and logs, and 3,443 overhanging trees from the most troublesome places throughout the whole extent of the river. Five trees were swung to bank, and 24 logs were cut up on bank. Seven spur-dams were constructed for the protection of caving banks below the city of Augusta, and some of the old dams were repaired. There were placed in this work 4,861.40 cubic yards of brush fascines, and 3,352.47 cubic yards of stone. The expenditures during the year ending June 30, 1893, including all outstanding liabilities, amounted to $10,028.60. There have been removed from the river during the present fiscal year 2,619 snags and stumps; 8,495 overhanging trees and projecting logs were cut and removed from the banks. Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project. 272,000.00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30,1895 75,000.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867 and of sundry civil act of March 3, 1893. (See Appendix N 2.) 3. Savannah River above Augusta, Ga.-The present project for the improvement of this part of Savannah River is outlined in report of Capt. O. M. Carter, Corps of Engineers, dated January 31, 1890, and adopted in 1892. It contemplates the establishment of a pole boat channel between Petersburg, Ga., and the Locks, above Augusta, Ga., 12 to 25 feet wide and navigable at ordinary summer low water for boats drawing 2 feet. This is to be accomplished by the removal of sand shoals, ledges of rock or gravel, and overhanging trees, and by the construction of spur dams and training walls to maintain the depth of the improved channel. The estimated cost of the improvement is $33,000. Prior to July 1, 1892, there was no work done under the present project. During the fiscal year just closed there were new dams built, old ones repaired and extended, and rock excavated from the channel at the following places: Stevens Creek Falls, Half Way Ledge, Four Mile Reach, Pine Log Shoals, Scotts Shoal, and Chicken Sluice. There were used in this work 2,018.66 cubic yards of fascines, 1,186.30 cubic yards of riprap stone, and 200 pounds of explosives. There was excavated from the channel 341.5 cubic yards of rock, and the river banks were cleared from The Locks, above Augusta, Ga., to Petersburg, Ga., a distance of 48 miles. |