2. Back Bay, Biloxi, Miss., north of the town of Biloxi and up to town of Handsboro, with a view of removing bars.-Maj. Damrell submitted report of examination under date of May 10, 1893. It is his opinion and that of the division engineer, concurred in by this office, that the locality is not at present worthy of improvement by the United States. (See Appendix Q 16.)

3. Channel at mouth of Old Fort Bayou, Mississippi.-Maj. Damrell submitted report of examination under date of May 11, 1893. It is his opinion and that of the division engineer, concurred in by this office, that the locality is not at present worthy of improvement by the General Government. (See Appendix Q 17.)

4. Bar at the mouth of Wolf River, Mississippi.-Maj. Damrell submitted report of examination under date of May 11, 1893. It is his opinion and that of the division engineer, concurred in by this office, that the river is not at present worthy of improvement by the General Government. (See Appendix Q 18.)

5. Bar at the mouth of Jordan River, Mississippi.—Maj. Damrell submitted report of examination under date of May 11, 1893. It is his opinion and that of the division engineer, concurred in by this office, that the river is not worthy of improvement by the United States. (See Appendix Q 19.)

6. Pearl River from Edinburg to Lake Burnside, Mississippi.-Maj. Damrell submitted report of examination under date of May 11, 1893. It is his opinion and that of the division engineer, concurred in by this office, that the river in this section is worthy of improvement by the General Government up to Yates Bridge. (See Appendix Q 20.)

7. Diversion of Pearl River near Jackson, Miss., through Tan Yard Branch.-Maj. Damrell submitted report of examination under date of May 9, 1893. It is his opinion and that of the division engineer, concurred in by this office, that the proposed diversion is not worthy of being undertaken by the General Government. (See Appendix Q 21.)

INSPECTION OF THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE SOUTH PASS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

The act of Congress of March 3, 1875, amended by acts of June 19, 1878, and March 3, 1879, made provision for the construction, by James B. Eads or his representatives, of jetties and other works in the South Pass of the Mississippi River, to secure and maintain a channel through the pass 26 feet deep, and through the jetties 26 feet deep and 200 feet wide at bottom, with a central depth of 30 feet; an annual payment of $100,000 was provided for the maintenance of such a channel for twenty years after first obtaining it by the works built. The required channels were secured in July, 1879.

The object of the examinations and surveys of the South Pass, the expenses of which are now provided for by the permanent indefinite appropriation made by act of August 11, 1888, is to determine if the channel is maintained as required by law and to enable the inspecting officer to issue the certificates required for the quarterly payments. The officer in charge of these surveys is Maj. James B. Quinn, Corps of Engineers, whose annual report thereon and on work done during the year is submitted as Appendix R.

The principal work on the jetties during the year consisted in the construction of wing dams and repairs to the inner lines of jetties. Some additions were made to the outer line of east jetty.

Considerable shoaling took place at the head of the passes during high river, and eventually extended into South Pass, causing the depth

in the channel at a point 13 miles below the head of the passes lighthouse to become less than the required "navigable depth of 26 feet" for a period of twenty-six days.

This district was in the charge of Maj. James B. Quinn, Corps of Engineers; Division Engineer, Col. C. B. Comstock, Corps of Engineers. 1. Chefuncte (Tchefuncte) River and Bogue Falia, Louisiana.-Previous to improvement these streams were obstructed by snags, logs, and overhanging trees. The bar at the mouth of the river had a depth of water of about 4 feet at the lowest stage.

The project for the improvement of the river was adopted in 1880, and contemplated the removal of obstructions in the channel and the dredging of the bar at its mouth, and was modified in 1884 so as to provide for the building of a breakwater across the bar.

With the first two appropriations of $1,500 each, made in 1881 and 1882, the obstructions were removed below Covington, and part of the unexpended balance was used for constructing 820 feet of the breakwater, but the bar at the mouth was not dredged, as it would be likely to reform.

To prevent this or retard its reformation the officer in charge in 1884 recommended building a breakwater extending 2,500 feet into the lake and then dredging a channel through the bar.

The original estimated cost of the improvement was $5,460, but this did not provide for building the breakwater.

Under the appropriation of $2,500 made in 1886, channels 5 feet in depth and 30 to 60 feet wide were cut through the bars on the Bogue Falia between Old Landing and Covington, giving better navigation for schooners to and from Covington.

Under the appropriation of $1,000 made in 1890, work was commenced in October, 1891, with the Government snagging plant and hired labor.

The river was cleared of logs, snags, impending trees, and other obstructions, from Madisonville to Old Landing, and from the latter place to Covington, on the Bogue Falia, as far as the available funds would permit. Work was discontinued November 30, 1891, and the plant laid up at Madisonville.

The total amount expended on these streams to June 30, 1892, was $6,289.26. The river was then navigable for steamers drawing 5 feet, to Old Landing, about 12 miles above its mouth, and then for the lighterdraft schooners to Covington, about 2 miles farther up on the Bogue Falia. The bar at the mouth of the river has a depth of about 5 feet at low water.

No work was done during the year just closed, beyond repairing the plant, the cost of which was $469.48.

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

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 S 1.)

$210.74

1,000.00

1, 210. 74 469.48

741.26

1,000.00

2. Tickfaw River and its tributaries, Louisiana.-When the project for improvement was adopted the Tickfaw River and its navigable branches were obstructed by snags, sunken logs, and trees.

Congress authorized an examination of this river in 1879. A project was submitted in 1881 to clean out the river and its principal tributaries, the Natalbany, Blood, and Pontchatoula rivers, by removing the obstructions, at an estimated cost of $10,230.

To June 30, 1891, the appropriations made by Congress in 1881, 1882, 1886, and 1888, aggregating $7,000, had been expended. Twenty miles of the Tickfaw, and the Natalbany to Springfield, the head of navigation, had been improved. Work was also done on the Pontchatoula as far as it was thought advisable, and the Blood River had been cleaned out as far as navigable.

Under the appropriation of $1,000 made September 19, 1890, work of removing the obstructions that had reformed since 1889 was commenced September 14, 1891, with hired labor and the use of the Government snagging plant, which had but recently finished work on the Amite River. Operations were discontinued in October of that year.

Snags, overhanging trees, and logs were removed from the Tickfaw, Natalbany, and Blood rivers, the latter being cleared to the head of navigation. The extent of channels improved on the three rivers was about 39 miles.

To the close of the year ending June 30, 1892, there had been expended on these streams the sum of $7,777.96. The work done has resulted in a very material increase in the commerce of the river. Most of the shipments are made direct to New Orleans.

Under the appropriation of July 13, 1892, work was commenced at the mouth of the river on December 20, 1892. The results of operations during the fiscal year was the improvement of about 30 miles of channel by removing obstructions, at a cost of $1,018.34.

Obstructions will continue to form in all these streams, and the im provement, therefore, is not permanent. It is estimated that $1,000 will be required annually to keep the channels in good condition.

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

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 S 2.)

$222.04 1,000.00

1, 222.04 1,018. 34

203.70

1,000.00

3. Amite River and Bayou Manchac, Louisiana.-Before improvement was commenced the Amite River and Bayou Manchac, its principal tributary, were navigable by the ordinary river steamboat below and for a short distance above their point of junction; but the navigation was very much impeded and endangered by snags, stumps, impending trees, etc.

In 1880 a project was adopted for the improvement of the Amite River, providing for a low-water channel 5 feet in depth as far up stream as appropriations would permit, the main part of the work to be done above the mouth of the Bayou Manchac. An effort was made to do the work by contract, but the results were unsatisfactory, and in 1883 the original project was modified so as to permit the use of the Government plant and hired labor, the improvement to be made below the mouth of the Bayou Manchac.

Under the appropriation of September 19, 1890, the work of improvement was continued from July 1 to August 29, 1891, with the Government snagging plant. Obstructions were removed from the bayou between its mouth and Hope Villa, and from the river between its mouth and the junction with Bayou Manchac The extent of channel improved during this time was about 13 miles.

There had been expended on the improvement of these streams to June 30, 1892, the sum of $23,628.15. At that date vessels drawing feet of water could navigate the bayou from its mouth to Wards Creek, on the Bayou Manchac, and the river was navigable for vessels of like draft from the mouth to its junction with the Bayou Manchac; but navigation on both streams was somewhat hampered by obstructions which had found their way into the channels since operations ceased in 1891.

July 13, 1892, an appropriation of $2,500 was made for maintenance, $1,000 of which was to be used to construct a turning basin for boats at or near the mouth of Wards Creek on Bayou Manchac As this sum, $1,000, was not deemed sufficient with which to dredge out this turning basin, it has been held for further increase.

After thoroughly repairing the snagging plant used on this improvement, work was commenced November 17, 1892, with the remainder of the appropriation, at Wards Creek, on Bayou Manchac, and was carried on to Port Vincent, on the Amite River, removing the most dan gerous obstructions, and resulting in improving about 20 miles of channel, giving much relief to the navigation of the river and bayou. Operations were discontinued on December 15 following.

The amount expended on the improvement of these streams during the year ending June 30, 1893, was $1,415.85.

Owing to the caving of the banks of these streams, the permanent improvement is hardly possible, and about $2,500 will be required annually to keep them free of obstructions.

An appropriation of $2,000 is required, in addition to the $1,000 now available, for dredging a turning basin for boats at or near the mouth of Wards Creek on the Bayou Manchac.

(Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1895 $1,500.00 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 S 3.)

4. Bayou Lafourche, Louisiana.-Prior to 1879 the navigation of the Bayou Lafourche was very much obstructed by snags, logs, raft heaps, impending trees, and wrecks.

In 1879 a project was approved for the removal of these obstructions, and work under this project was carried on until 1885.

In 1888 Congress appropriated $50,000 for the improvement of the bayou on the plan of Lieut. Crosby, Corps of Engineers, dated June 11, 1886, and provided for dredging for the immediate relief of lowwater navigation.

Lieut. Crosby's project was for a lock at the head of the bayou, connecting it with the Mississippi River, and subsequent dredging of the bayou channel to a width of 75 feet, with a depth of 5 feet at mean low water of the gulf. The estimated cost was $450,000, with an annual expenditure of $8,000 for operation and maintenance.

The act of September 19, 1890, appropriated $50,000 for this stream, and also provided for immediate dredging to secure low-water navigation. July 13, 1892, an appropriation of $50,000 was made for continuing improvement and removing obstructions.

Under the provision of the act of August 11, 1888, dredging was commenced at the head of the bayou, and has been continued since at intervals. There had been expended on the improvement of this stream to June 30, 1892, the sum of $73,343.80, with considerable benefit to the low-water navigation. At that time flatboat navigation was rendered practicable during low water for a distance of 32 miles.

The high water having subsided, the work of improvement was resumed on August 27, 1892, and continued until April 14, 1893, when operations were again suspended on account of the high water. During this time dredging was done between Donaldsonville and the mouth of the bayou, and numerous stumps, logs, snags, and wrecks were removed from the channel, enabling planters to float their crops and merchandise by flatboats during the entire period. The amount expended on this work during the year ending June 30, 1893, was $31,990.73.

Dredging is a very unsatisfactory method of improvement, as much of the work has to be gone over again after the subsidence of the flood in the Mississippi River. If the lock was constructed, whatever dredg ing was thereafter done would be practically permanent and the certainty and safety of the navigation of the bayou assured.

Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project...

350,000.00

Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1895 100,000.00 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 S 4.)