K 4. IMPROVEMENT OF SABINE PASS, TEXAS. An examination of this pass was made during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1873, report of which was forwarded to the Chief of Engineers with my annual reports for that year. In compliance with instructions from the Chief of Engineers, dated January 20 and 23, 1875, I submitted February 4, 1875, report with plan and estimates "for the improvement of the navigation of the harbor and bar at Sabine Pass, Texas." (See Report of Chief of Engineers for 1875, Appendix S 10, pages 945 to 947.) In the act of Congress approved March 3, 1875, $20,000 were appropriated for the work, which was let out at contract, but the contractors failed in their agreement and the contract was annulled. Under act of Congress approved August 14, 1876, appropriating $38,000 and balance of the appropriation for 1875, the work was again advertised for contract, but as it was estimated that the lowest respon sible bid received would not complete a channel of the specified depth of 12 feet, all bids were rejected and the United States dredgeboat Essayons, lying idle at New Orleans, was sent to perform the work. The Essayons, after about half completing a channel through the lar ranging from 12 to 15 feet in depth, became disabled by the unexpected failure of her boilers, and was ordered to New Orleans for repairs. The disastrous result attending an attempt to substitute the McAlester is reported in my annual report of last year. (See Report of Chief of Engineers for 1878, Appendix J 4, pages 609 and 610.) Repairs to the boilers of the United States dredgeboat Essayons, reported in progress in my last annual report, were completed and the vessel sailed for Sabine Pass August 7, 1878, to continue the work of dredging 1st. In deepening and widening the channel across the outer bar, and then 2d. Excavating a channel across the reef that separated the harbor of Sabine City from the roadstead inside of the outer bar. The work was continued until February 7, 1879, when operations were suspended and the Essayons ordered to New Orleans. The follow ing are the reasons why suspension at this time was considered neces sary: 1st. To provide for a sufficient balance of appropriation available to care for the valuable property belonging to the work, without counting the contingency of appropriation for the next fiscal year. 2d. Because in working a channel through the shell reef above re ferred to it was presumed that a considerable amount of the coppe sheathing of the vessel had been torn off, so as to make it dangerous t leave the Essayons in the pass after commencement of the season 1 which the teredo becomes most active. This season begins in Febr ary or early in March. The Essayons was accordingly laid up in the fresh water of the Mississippi to await repair and further appropriation At the time of suspension of work the condition of the channel, as re ported to me, was as follows: A good 12-foot channel from the Gulf to Sabine Harbor and a 15-foot channel, well buoyed, practicable for steam-vessels throughout its entire length. The entire length of channel dredged was about 18,000 feet and th: average depth before dredging was between 6 and 7 feet. At time of suspension of dredging the least width of 12-feet channel (mean low tide) was 75 feet, and the greatest 140 feet, while the width of practicable 15-feet channel for steam-vessels of that draught was sufficient for passage of such vessels. The work, besides providing the channel above specified, also deepened the bar on either side, for a distance of 100 feet or more, an average of about 1 foot-due probably to washing and to sloughing in. The last few days' work (which was quite accurately measured) resulted in showing an average removed from channel of 2,915 cubic yards per hour's actual dredging, which may be taken as a measure of the capacity of the dredge under the most favorable circumstances. In its progress the work developed the fact that the outer bar is composed of ridges of clay running across the axis of the pass and filled in between with a quite soft deposit. This observation, and those made further west on the coast of Texas, leads to the inference that a large portion, if not all, of this coast is underlaid, at various depths, by the blue clay found in the mud lumps. at the mouth of the Mississippi and in the deeper portions of that river's bed. The following repairs have been made to the Essayons, viz: Hull entirely recoppered to the water-line; entirely replaced shaft-casing and sleeve-linings; patched boilers, and replaced tubes where needed, besides important repairs to bearing brasses and machinery. These repairs have placed the vessel in first-class working order. The act of Congress approved March 3, 1879, appropriated $25,000 ($100,000 was asked for) for this work. A portion of this was used for repairs, the balance will not warrant resumption of work. It is therefore proposed to await further appropriation, in the mean time using the amount available for care of property during the current year. By authority from the Chief of Engineers, dated June 2, 1879, the Essayons was loaned to Capt. M. R. Brown, Corps of Engineers, for the purpose of making an off-shore survey at South Pass, Mississippi River. The vessel was engaged on this duty about two weeks in June. On completion of this duty the Essayons was returned to New Orleans and laid up in good condition. Experience has already shown that a dredged channel across this bar cannot be considered as permanent. This has been heretofore reported as probable; it is now considered certain. A dredged channel protected by lateral works to prevent filling may be made a permanent work. A survey, which I intend to ask authority for making this winter, will show what portion of the dredged channel requires lateral protection and form the basis for a special report and estimate. If in the mean time appropriation be made for continuance of dredging, as here estimated for, I would respectfully recommend that it be made so as to cover probable works for protection as well as for dredging, and made so as to be applicable to one or both, at discretion of the officer charged with the work. The work is located in the collection-district to Galveston, near the light-house at the entrance to Sabine Pass. No commercial statistics received during the year. Original estimated cost..... Amount appropriated Amount expended.... $390,317 00 113, 000 00 94,590 77 Money statement. July 1, 1878, amount available.... July 1, 1879, amount expended during fiscal year 49, 131 60 49.442 97 July 1, 1879, amount available 18, 409 23 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project (20-foot channel) 277,317 00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1881. 100,000 09 K 5. IMPROVEMENT OF SABINE RIVER, TEXAS. Survey of the mouth of this river was made under my direction in 1871, and report and estimates for improvements submitted to the Chief of Engineers April 28, 1871. The act of Congress approved June 10, 1872, provided for survey of "the bar at the mouth of Sabine River, in Sabine Lake, and to extend up the main channel of said river to the town of Belzoria, Tex." The survey was made in 1873, and report with estimates for improvement rendered to the Chief of Engineers with my annual reports for that year. As in the case of the Neches River, a re-examination was made at the mouth of this river previous to advertising for proposals for dredging on the bar at its mouth, provided for in the river and harbor act approved June 18, 1878, appropriating $10,000. The three works, Sabine, Neches, and Trinity rivers, were advertised together, in order, as stated in my last annual report for Trinity River, to attract bidders, the appropriations being so small as not to warrant contractors bidding on one work alone, unless at an exorbitant rate per cubic yard. The contract was accordingly awarded to Messrs. Brott & Norris, as in the case of the Neches River, and on their failure to comply with their agreement the work on second advertisement was let to Mr. S. N. Kimball, of Mobile, Ala. The work has for its object the dredging of a channel 5 feet deep across the bar at the mouth of the river to a depth of 5 feet in Sabine Lake at mean low-tide, with a width of 100 feet or more, or so much thereof as the appropriation will permit. In the river and harbor act approved March 3, 1879, $6,000 is appropriated "for improving narrows of Sabine River above Orange, Tex., and to deepen the channel at the mouth of the Sabine River." Before applying this amount, it is proposed to first make a resurvey of the river, as provided for in the second section of the above-cited act. when it can be decided whether it may be best to expend the money at the narrows or on the bar at the mouth of the river. Abstracts of proposals and contracts are given in my report for the Neches River. The work is not susceptible of permanent completion. The work is located in the collection-district of Galveston. The nearest light-house is at Sabine Pass. The work is not considered permanent, because it appears quite certain that the cut through the bar will gradually fill; but there is no basis for estimate as to the length of time it will remain sufficiently open for navigation, or as to cost of maintaining its navigability. *Amount appropriated by act approved March 3, 1879.. $10,000 00 July 1, 1879, amount expended during fiscal year....... $16,000 00 453 19 July 1, 1879, amount available....... 15,546 81 40,000 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project... *Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1881. 40,000 00 K 6. IMPROVEMENT OF NECHES RIVER, TEXAS. Survey of this river from Boonville to its mouth, provided for by act of Congress approved June 10, 1872, was made, under my direction, in 1872-73, report of which, with plans and estimates, was submitted to the Chief of Engineers December 30, 1873. Previous to advertising for proposals for dredging on the bar at the mouth of the river, under act of Congress approved June 18, 1878, appropriating $8,000, re-examination was made to ascertain what changes, if any, had taken place since last survey. The work was advertised August 1, 1878, and the bids received opened September 9, 1878. * To be applied to improving narrows of Sabine River, above Orange, Texas, or to improvement of the bar at the mouth, or both, as may appear most to the interest of commerce, after the survey of the river authorized by act of Congress approved March 3, 1879. |