2. Widening the passage through Upper Hell Gate. 3. Removing the most dangerous of the sunken ledges from the channel in Upper Hell Gate and on the north side of Marsh Island below. Under this appropriation, a contract was made October 1, 1878 (after a very minute and extended survey of the locality), for breaking up and removing, at $30 per cubic yard, 200 cubic yards (more or less) of sunken ledge, to a depth of 12 feet at mean low-water (including Boiler Rock, previously reduced to a depth of 10 feet). Work was commenced by the submarine party under this contract on the 8th of October, and continned up to the 20th of January, and then suspended for the winter. During this period Boiler Rock (containing 634 cubic yards) was broken up and removed to the required grade. Operations were resumed on the 27th of May, and up to the 30th of June, 1879, 484 cubic yards more had been removed to grade at a ledge below Boiler Rock; making a total of 1114 cubic yards removed to grade during the year. Proposals were also invited in September last for the dredging above the Upper Hell Gate; but as the bids were not satisfactory, they were not accepted. They were again invited in June, 1879, and on the 23d of June a contract was made for the dredging at 30 cents per cubic yard, the work to be completed on or before the 15th of August. For completing all the additional work necessary for the safe navigation of this channel, as shown by accurate surveys recently made, an additional appropriation of $18,000 will be required. 18.000 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project 18,000 00 6. Improvement of Portland Harbor, Maine.-All the work projected for the improvement of this harbor has been completed, with the excep tion of the dredging in front of the harbor commissioners' line above Merrill's wharf; but this work is for the present suspended until the several wharves above Merrill's wharf are removed so far as they extend beyond the harbor lines. The funds now available are sufficient for this purpose. July 1, 1878, amount available.. July 1, 1879, amount expended during fiscal year. July 1, 1879, amount available (See Appendix A 6.) $41,908 38 773 38 41, 135 00 7. Improvement at Richmond's Island, Maine.-The improvement projected for this place consists in making a harbor of refuge by means of a rubble-stone breakwater to connect the island with the mainland. The length of the proposed breakwater is about 2,000 feet, with an average thickness of 25 to 30 feet, and a height of 4 feet above ordinary highwater. Under the appropriation of $6,000 made by act of June 18, 1878, 5,983 tons of granite grout has been furnished and placed upon the work, under two separate contracts. To complete it in accordance with the original project, 6,000 tons more will be needed, for which an appropriation of $6,000 will be required. July 1, 1878, amount available.. Amount appropriated by act approved March 3, 1879............. July 1, 1879, amount expended during fiscal year...... July 1, 1879, amount available................... 6,000 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project... 6,000 00 8. Improvement of Kennebunk River, Maine.-The work projected for the improvement of this river under the appropriation of $10,000 made by the river and harbor acts of July, 1870, and March, 1871, consisted in the extension and repair of the two stone piers at its mouth, and the repair of the United States Government wharf, a short distance above. This work was completed in 1872. Under the appropriation of $5,000 made by the river and harbor act of August 14, 1876, the channel of the river was straightened, widened, and deepened by dredging at the Wading-place and Mitchell's Point, so as to have a depth of 4 feet at mean low-water, or about 13 feet at mean high-water. Extensive repairs were also made where most necessary on the stone piers at the mouth of the river, as well as on the government wharf above. In order to complete all the work now projected for the improvement of this river, there will be required, as estimated by the engineer officer in charge, a further appropriation of $4,000. Amount appropriated by act approved March 3, 1879. Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project. $2,000 00 2,000 00 4,000 00 4,000 00 9. Improvement of Cocheco River, New Hampshire. The project for the improvement of this river consisted of making a channel not less than 40 feet in width and 4 feet in depth at mean low-water from the foot of the Lower Narrows up to Packet Landing, the total cost of which was estimated at $85,000, the amount that has been appropriated therefor by Congress. Under the several appropriations made from 1871 to 1878, inclusive, for this river, the following work has been done, viz: 1. A channel has been opened through the ledge at the Upper Narrows for a length of 430 feet, and to a width of 40 feet and a depth of 4 feet at mean low-water, or about 10 feet at ordinary high-water. 2. A channel has been opened through the ledge next above the Upper Narrows for a length of 260 feet and to a width of 40 feet, and a depth of 4 feet at mean low-water. 3. The channel at and near the Lower Narrows has been opened by the removal of sunken ledges and bowlders, and numerous scattered bowlders which were dangerous obstruction to navigation at Trickey's Shoal, Clement's Point Shoal, and elsewhere, have been broken up and removed. 4. The channel and the basin at the Packet Landing have been opened by dredging through the several shoals that existed between the Lower Narrows and Packet Landing, including Gulf Shoal. This completes all the work projected for the improvement of this river. Under the appropriation of $6,000 made by the river and harbor act of June 18, 1878, the obstructions at Gulf School have been removed during the past year, whereby a channel has been opened for a width of 100 feet to a depth of 4 feet at mean low-water. No further appropriation is required for this river. July 1, 1878, amount available. July 1, 1879, amount expended during fiscal year (See Appendix A 9.) $6,895 83 6,895 83 10. Improvement of Portsmouth Harbor, New Hampshire.-In compliance with the river and harbor act of June 18, 1878, a survey was made of this harbor in September and October last, and a report with drawings, project, and estimates for its improvement was made and submitted to Congress January 15, 1879, and printed in Senate Ex. Doc. No. 29. This project consists: 1. In closing the channel between Great Island and Goat Island by a breakwater, so as to stop the strong current that passes through there on the flood-tide, whereby vessels passing up the harbor are thrown upon Goat Island ledge; 2. The removal of Gangway Rock from the channel opposite the navyyard to a depth of 20 feet at mean low-water; and, 3. The removal in part of the ledge projecting from the southwest point of Badger's Island to a depth of 10 feet at mean low-water. The cost of these improvements is estimated at $150,000. By the river and harbor act of March 3, 1879, the sum of $10,000 was appropriated for the improvement of this harbor, which is to be applied to the partial construction of the breakwater between Great Island and Goat Island. Amount appropriated by act approved March 3, 1879 July 1, 1879, amount available.. Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project (See Appendix A 10.) $10,000 00 10,000 00 140,000 00 70,000 00 11. Improvement of Merrimac River, including the Harbor of Newburyport, Massachusetts.-The project for the improvement of this river consists in deepening its shoals by dredging and by the removal of sunken ledges and bowlders from its channel, so as to have a depth of 12 feet at ordinary high-water from its mouth in Newburyport Harbor, Massachusetts, up to Haverhill, Mass. (a distance of 15 miles), and thence for a distance of about four miles up through "the falls" a depth of 4 feet in the ordinary stages of the river, and for the improvement of Newburyport Harbor in the removal of the Gangway, North Gangway, and South Gangway Rocks to a depth of 9 feet at mean low-water; the removal of "the Boilers" (sunken rocks near the city wharves) to a depth of 5 feet, at mean low-water; the removal of 4 dilapidated sunken piers, abreast of Black Rock Creek, near the mouth of the harbor, and of other impediments to navigation. The work done during the past fiscal year under the appropriation of $10,000 made by the act of June 18, 1878, consisted in breaking up and removing to a depth of 9 feet at mean low-water over 300 cubic yards of the outer portion of North (Gangway) Rock. On the 10th of August a contract was made for this work at $28 per cubic yard, measured in situ, and it was satisfactorily completed on the 28th of June, 1879. The work thus far done for the improvement of Newburyport Harbor, in addition to the above, is as follows, to wit: Gangway Rock, for the most part reduced to grade in 1870, and the sunken wreck of the schooner Globe broken up and removed from the harbor in the same year. In the estimates submitted by the officer in charge for the work that remains to be done for completing all the improvements of this harbor, additional work not heretofore contemplated is included, which increases previous estimates. The work that has been done for the improvement of the river above Newburyport is as follows, viz: The channel above Haverhill, Mass., nearly completed at Hazelton Rapids, Lower Falls, and Upper Falls, for a depth of 4 feet in the ordinary stages of the river, and all the shoals dredged and sunken rocks removed below Haverhill, except some sunken bowlders near Rocks Bridge (about 63 miles below Haverhill). is.. The work that remains to be done above Newburyport is stated in the ac- Total.... Less amount appropriated by act of March 3, 1879..... Additional amount required for completing all the projected improve ments... $6,000 00 23,000 00 29, 000 00 5,000 00 24,000 00 24,000 00 24,000 00 July 1, 1878, amount available...... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.. 12. Improvement of Boston Harbor, Massachusetts.-During the past year the following work has been done for the improvement of this harbor, viz: 1. The removal of the sunken ledges in the Upper Middle channel, which commenced in April, 1878, was completed on the 20th of August, 1878, 82 cubic yards having been broken up and removed to grade during that period, of which 32 cubic yards have been removed since July 1, 1878. Under the same contract the removal of several scattered ledges (aggregating 208 cubic yards) situated near Kelly's Rock in the lower harbor, which was commenced in June, 1877, was completed on the 12th of June, 1879, of which 1311⁄2 cubic yards have been broken up and removed since the first of July, 1878. 2. In August, 1878, a submarine party was employed in the remova of sunken bowlders and ledges from Nash's Rock Shoal, in continuation of the work done there in 1876 and 1877, whereby all the work projected for the improvement of this shoal has been completed. By these operations the depth of water on this shoal has been increased about 7 feet, so as to give not less than 20 feet of water at mean low-water on its shoalest part. 3. The reconstruction of the sea-wall at the southeast bluff of Lovell's Island was commenced about the middle of June, 1878, and continued until the 9th of December, when work was suspended for the winter. It was resumed on the 14th of April and completed on the 21st of June, 1879. 4. Under the appropriation of $55,000 made by the act of June 18, 1878, proposals were invited and a contract made, August 15, 1878, for the removal, by dredging, of the Man-of-War Shoal, situated at the confluence of Mystic and Charles Rivers in the upper harbor, so as to have a depth of 23 feet at mean low-water. This work was carried on day and night from the 26th of August to the 15th of December, when it was suspended (for the winter) until the 24th of April and then resumed. At the end of the fiscal year it was about two-thirds done, with a probability of its completion before the close of the present season. 5. Under the appropriation of June 18, 1878, proposals were also invited, and a contract made for breaking up and removing to a depth of 23 feet at mean low-water the only remaining sunken ledge near Kelly's Rock, it being the only one now known as requiring removal in this harbor. About 145 cubic yards of it are to be removed for obtaining the required grade. It is probable that it will be completed before the close of the present season. 6. Some repairs, where found necessary, have also been made during the past year on the several sea-walls built on the north head of Lovell's Island, Gallop's Island, Long Island, the north head of Deer Island, and Rainsford Island. On referring to the accompanying report of the officer in charge, it will be seen that the work that remains to be done for completing all the improvements now projected for this harbor consists of the following, viz : 1. Completing the removal of Man-of-War Shoal as contracted for. 2. Removing sunken ledge near Kelly's Rock as contracted for. 3. Deepening and widening the main ship-channel at Anchorage Shoal, and at the Lower Middle; also in the upper harbor near the mouth of Mystic River, and in Charles River from its mouth to the head of tide-water; the latter being a new item for which appropriation has not heretofore been recommended. The total estimated cost of all these works, including contingencies, &c.. $268,306 84 Amount available therefor July 1, 1879................ 73,306 84 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1881 (as revised in this office)....... $195,000 00 (See Appendix A 12.) 100,000 00 13. Improvement of Plymouth Harbor, Massachusetts.-The several appropriations heretofore made for this harbor have been applied to the construction of bulkheads, jetties, and groins for the preservation and strengthening of Long Beach, upon which the harbor depends for its existence; also to the partial opening of a channel leading from the Middle Ground up to the wharves of Plymouth. This channel is projected to have a width of 100 to 125 feet for a depth of 6 to 8 feet at mean low-water, or 16 to 18 feet at mean high-water. In 1875 it ws opened to a width of about 50 feet up to Long Wharf, and to a de pih 6 feet at mean low-water. |