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water has been recently cut off; in fact, a deposit of mud several inches deep has already formed since the closing of the dam nearly one year ago. Still some permanent improvement could be reasonably expected. A survey would cost $500.

Having in view all of the conditions above given, and especially the natural advantages and apparently flourishing state of the community to be benefited, I am of the opinion that Freeport Channel is worthy of improvement by the Government.

Respectfully submitted.

Brig. Gen. THOMAS L. CASEY,

Chief of Engineers, U. S. A.

THOS. L. CASEY,

Captain, Corps of Engineers.

(Through Col. Henry L. Abbot, Corps of Engineers, Division Engineer, Northeast Division.)

[First indorsement.]

NORTHEAST DIVISION, ENGINEER OEFICE,

New York, September 26, 1892.

Respectfully forwarded to the Chief of Engineers.

Inasmuch as a deposit of mud several inches deep has formed since the closing of the dam about a year ago, this channel appears to be undergoing natural deterioration, and hence, in all probability, to maintain the desired increased depth will call for dredging frequently repeated. This will involve an outlay, in my judgment, not justified by the commercial importance of the place.

I do not, therefore, regard the Freeport Channel as worthy of improvement by the General Government.

HENRY L. ABBOT,

Colonel of Engineers, Brt. Brig. Gen., U. S. A.,

Engineer, Northeast Division.

F 18.

PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF WHALE CREEK, NEW JERSEY.

[Printed in House Ex. Doc. No. 89, Fifty-second Congress, second session.]

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS,

UNITED STATES ARMY, Washington, D. C., December 5, 1892.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the accompanying copy of report dated October 4, 1892, from Capt. Thomas L. Casey, Corps of Engineers, of the results of a preliminary examination of Whale Creek, New Jersey, made to comply with provisions of the river and harbor act approved July 13, 1892.

It is the opinion of Capt. Casey, concurred in by the division engineer and by this office, that the creek is not worthy of improvement by the General Government.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

THOS. LINCOLN CASEY, Brig. Gen., Chief of Engineers.

Hon. S. B. ELKINS,

Secretary of War.

REPORT OF CAPT. THOMAS L. CASEY, CORPS OF ENGINEERS.

UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE,
New York, October 4, 1892.

GENERAL: I have the honor to report as follows upon a preliminary examination of Whale Creek, New Jersey, as called for by the river and harbor act of July 13, 1892:

Whale Creek is in the town of Mattawan, Monmouth County, situated between Cheesequakes and Mattawan creeks, and draining about 13 square miles. It is a tidal creek, typical of the New Jersey marsh land, narrow and winding, and would be insignificant but for the deposits of clay on the upland near its banks. The creek empties into Raritan Bay on the south shore, 11⁄2 miles west of Keyport Harbor. It is 50 feet wide at its mouth, narrowing to 20 feet at the fixed highway bridge. three-fourths of a mile above.

One-half mile above the mouth there are two brickyards, having a capacity of from 10,000,000 to 15,000,000 brick per annum, all shipped by way of this creek. It is here 30 feet wide and from 3 to 4 feet deep at mean low water. Throughout the lower 500 feet of the creek the width increases to 40 and 50 feet, while the depth decreases to a few inches. At the outlet in the bay it becomes bare at low water. Here there is a larger brickyard, having a capacity equal to that of the two others combined. The traffic is now confined to small schooners, sloops, and canal boats; 100 tons is the maximum cargo, and 3 to 4 feet the extreme draft that can be carried out of the creek. The passage in and out of the mouth is dangerous, and is limited to the period of high water and to the extent of tidal flow, which averages 4.5 feet.

Aside from the brick shipped from the three yards mentioned, there is but little traffic on the creek. The surrounding region is devoted to garden-truck farming, for which some fertilizer is brought in by vessel, and a small amount of coal enters the creek for the brickyards and neighboring farmers. The nearest villages, Keyport and Mattawan, have waterways of their own. Any possible improvement of the creek would therefore increase the general freighting but little, since Keyport and Mattawan are distant but 1 and 2 miles, respectively, with better facilities for shipment than Whale Creek can ever possess.

If the mouth of the creek were opened and regulated it would be a convenience to the present brick and clay interests, would result in some reduction in freights, and no doubt stimulate business on the creek. There are two other brickyards less than a mile from the creek now shipping entirely by rail, which, with better facilities for navigating the creek, would probably make use of this method of shipment. Any large growth, however, could not be expected because of the competition from the brick and clay interests of Mattawan Creek, Keyport Harbor, and Cheesequakes Creek. Still the amount of brick now shipped is large for so small a waterway, and constitutes a considerable industry. Some statistics bearing on this have been collected by Mr. William E. Kinkle, owning one of the yards on the creek, which I believe to be a fair statement, as follows:

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The people request a channel 4 feet deep at mean low water, connecting the creek with the corresponding depth in the bay. The examination showed that the tidal currents maintain that depth only where the width is 30 feet or less. The 4-foot curve in the bay is about 1,000 feet from the shore. The dredged channels into the bay, exposed to northeast storms, direct from the Atlantic and also from the northwest to some extent, have proved, when tried, as at Cheesequakes and Port Monmouth, to be failures. Extensive protecting works would be required to insure permanence. The condition of the creek seems to indicate that dikes could hardly be located in such a manner as to give the required scouring velocity without interfering with the free entrance to the tidal wave. At Cheesequakes the opening between dikes is 200 feet and the currents have failed to keep open the dredged channel, while beyond the dikes it has entirely disappeared.

An opening of possibly 40 feet between dikes is as much as would maintain the required depth in this creek. By building flaring wings at the outer end to make the entrance easier and less dangerous this width would be passable. The dikes could be built cheaply, except at the outer end, where some stone-filled crib or timber work would be required. *

* *

Such an improvement should reduce the freight on brick by 20 cents per 1,000, resulting in an annual saving of over $5,000.

* *

*

The deepening of this creek being a matter for the benefit of very few interested parties, I am of the opinion that it is not worthy of improvement by the Government.

Respectfully submitted.

Brig. Gen. THOMAS L. CASEY,

Chief of Engineers, U. S. A.

THOS. L. CASEY,

Captain, Corps of Engineers.

(Through Col. Henry L. Abbot, Corps of Engineers, Division Engi neer, Northeast Division.)

[First indorsement.]

NORTHEAST DIVISION, ENGINEER OFFICE,

New York, October 8, 1892.

Respectfully forwarded to the Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army. For the reasons within stated I consider that Whale Creek, New Jersey, is not worthy of improvement by the General Government.

HENRY L. ABBOT,

Colonel of Engineers, Bvt. Brig. Gen., U. §. A.,

Engineer, Northeast Division.

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INDEX.

[The references in Roman are to part (or volume), and those in Arabic to page.]

A.

Aberdeen, Wash., establishment of harbor lines at..
Absecon Inlet, N. J., removal of wreck near.
Adams Landing, Vt., examination of harbor at.
Agate Bay Harbor, Minn., improvement of...
Ahnapee Harbor, Wis., improvement of...

Aitken, Kate V. (schooner), removal of wreck of
Alabama River, Ala., improvement of...

Alaqua Bayou, Fla., examination of bar at mouth of..
Albemarle Sound, N. C.:

.1, 463; IV, 3472, 3477

Improvement of waterway between Norfolk Harbor, Va., and..
Removal of wreck in..

Allegheny River:

Bridge at New Kensington, Pa., across, construction of.
Examination for lock and dam at Tarentum, Pa....

Examination for lock and dam between Herr Island Dam and
Tarentum, Pa...

Examination of, between Olean, N. Y., and Warren, Pa
Herr Island Dam, Pa., construction of

Improvement of, Pa..

Allen, R. A. (barge), removal of wreck of..

Allouez Bay, Wis.:

Establishment of harbor lines in

Examination of

Alloway Creek, N. J., improvement of

Alpena Harbor, Mich., improvement of.

Alsea River, Oregon, examination of inner navigation of

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Apalachicola Bay, Fla., improvement of

Apalachicola River, Fla., improvement of.

Appomattox River, Va. :

Improvement of.

Ann, Cape, Mass., improvement of harbor of refuge at Sandy Bay.

Examination of, at Petersburg.

Apponaug Harbor, Cowesset Bay, R. I., examination of

Appoquinimink River, Del., improvement of .

Aquia Creek, Va., improvement of.

Arkansas River:

Improvement of.

Removal of wreck at Van Buren, Ark

Removing obstructions in..

Arthur Kill, N. Y. and N. J.:

Examination for channel to connect mouth of, with New York

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Examination of South and Middle Branches of Patapsco River...1, 148; 11, 1262

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Removal of wreck in..

Bar Harbor, Me., construction of breakwater near

Barnegat Inlet, Entrance and Harbor, N. J., examination of..

Barnegat Inlet, N. J., removal of wrecks at.

Barren River, Ky., operating and care of lock and dam on
Bartholomew, Bayou, La. and Ark., improvement of ..
Battalion of Engineers

Batteries..

Bay Ridge Channel, New York Harbor, N. Y., improvement of.
Beaufort, N. C.:

Examination for breakwater at

Improvement of harbor at.

Improvement of waterway between New River and.

Improvement of waterway between Newbern and.

Beaufort River, S. C.:

Improvement of..

Wreck in

Beaver River, Pa., construction of dam in Ohio River below.

Belfast Harbor, Me., improvement of.

Bellamy River, N. H., improvement of.

Belle River, Mich., at Marine City, examination of

Bellevue, Iowa, examination of Mississippi River at..

Bellingham Bay, Wash., examination for preventing shoaling in
Berrians Creek, Long Island, N. Y., examination of.
Berwind, Edith (schooner), removal of wreck of

Big Black River, Miss., improvement of..

Big Hatchee River, Tenn., improvement of..
Big Sandy River:

Construction of bridge at Catlettsburg, Ky., across.
Examination of bar at mouth of, Ky.
Improvement of Levisa Fork of, Ky.

Improvement of Tug Fork of, W. Va. and Ky.

Improvement of, W. Va. and Ky.

Big Sunflower River, Miss., improvement of.

Bills for bridges, examination of.

Biloxi Bay, Miss., examination of..

Biloxi Harbor, Miss., improvement of

Black Creek, Fla., reconstruction of bridge across.

Black Lake Harbor, Mich., improvement of..

Black River Harbor, Ohio, improvement of..

Black River, La., improvement of......

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Black, Bayou, La., examination for connecting Bayou Terrebonne with. 1, 251; III, 1845

Black River, Mich. :

Establishment of harbor lines on..
Improvement of, at Port Huron.
Improvement of mouth of..

Black River, Mo. and Ark., improvement of
Black River, Mo., improvement of..
Black River, N. C., improvement of

Black Rock Harbor, Conn., improvement of..

-1, 470
.1, 371; IV, 2877
1,400; IV, 3072
.1, 261; 11, 2002

.1, 462; IV, 2958
1, 385; IV, 2938
.1, 386; IV, 2940
1, 277; 111, 2116
.1, 277; 11, 2117
.1, 177: 11, 1407
.1, 80, 942

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