Deer Park Crevasse was a small affair. The total length of levee needed to close it was 12,235 feet, containing 58,006.45 cubic yards of earth. The grade is 2 feet above high water of 1882. Its crown is 6 feet and its front and rear slopes are 1 on 3 and 1 on 2, respectively. The contractor was very dilatory in beginning this work, and it was not until his bondsmen were threatened (in November) that a proper force was placed on the levee. The work was not completed on expiration of the contract, February 1, 1888, and the time was extended thirty days, but before the month was up the contractor's outfit was seized by his creditors, and work was stopped. As there seemed no prospect of the contractor's completing the levee, I took advantage of paragraph 13 of the specifications, which gives the engineer in charge the right in such cases to place labor on the work at the contractor's cost. Accordingly, I dispatched a quarter-boat with a force of laborers from the Atchafalaya, and completed the levee April 17. No tools or implements were bought for this work, and the expenses were kept down to the minimum; nevertheless the cost of finishing the levee exceeded the contract price per yard. No final settlement has yet been made with the contractor, time being necessary to determine the exact cost of finishing the levee. I would recommend, however, that the contractor be paid the contract price per yard for all the earth he put in the levee. This matter will, however, be made the subject of a separate report later. In January certain necessary repairs were made on the United States levee from Shipp's Bayou to Hard Times. About 4,200 cubic yards of earth was handled in the repairs. It was left in good condition. The Glasscock Levee was again damaged by beavers, and a ditch that was dug last year to drain the old borrow-pits was completely dammed up by them. I visited it early in April and caused a number of small charges of dynamite to be exploded in the levee to crush in their galleries and destroy the inmates. I also blew out their dam. The work appeared to be successful. The flood of 1888 was a moderate one and none of the levees were very severely taxed. The State of Louisiana and the Fifth Louisiana Levee District have undertaken the closure of the Diamond Island Bend. The work was not completed before high water, but doubtless will be this season. With this gap closed the only breaks in the lines of levees in my district will be Bougere Crevasse, about 23,400 feet long, and Black Hawk to Red River, about 90,000 feet. As the water falls, however, aduitional gaps may be caused by caving banks. The report of my assistant in charge of levees, Mr. H. S. Douglas, is transmitted herewith. MORGANZA CREVASSE. The soundings of the Morganza sections made in 1887 were repeated in February 1888, by a small party detached from the Atchafalaya. The following tables give the results arranged for comparative purposes. They clearly indicate the value of the improvement. These sections are all referred to a water-surface 20 feet above the Memphis datum. No.-1. Table showing increase and decrease in area and in hydraulic radius, cross-sections of Morganza Reach, Mississippi River. 2.—Table showing increase and decrease in area and in hydraulic radius, crosssections of Morganza Reach, Mississippi River. The commerce benefited by levees is all that of the Lower Mississippi River. The work coming under the general appropriation for improving the Mississippi iver from Cairo to the Head of the Passes, no separate appropriation is asked for. MPROVEMENT OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT NATCHEZ AND VIDALIA, MISSISSIPPI AND LOUISIANA. No work has been done in this vicinity, owing to the lack of funds. The approved project contemplates the protection of the caving banks by means of abmerged sloping spurs placed at intervals to be determined as the work progresses, at assumed for estimate of cost at 1,000 feet. The estimated cost is $600,000. To prevent the flow of water across the neck of land between Giles and Cow pen bends and the anticipated destruction of the harbors of Natchez and Vidalia by a nt-off, it is proposed to construct a levee at an estimated cost of $100,000. This rakes the total estimates $700,000. The amount which can be profitably expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1890, is $250,000, for the purchase of the necessary plant, the construction of the levee, and the commencement of dike work. COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. Exact information is not obtainable, but it is estimated that there is received anBally at Natchez, Miss., about 40,000 tons of provisions, groceries, and machinery, 7,000 tons cotton-seed, 25,000 tons coal. The shipments are about 40,000 bales of cotton, 4,000 tons oil products. About 1,200 steamers arrive and depart. At Vidalia, La., the receipts are about 8,000 tons produce, provisions, and machinery, and the shipments about 10,000 bales cotton and 2,000 tons cotton seed, but arailroad recently completed to Trinity, La., has added materially to the commerce Vidalia. The work is in the collection district of New Orleans, which is the nearest port of estry. Jaly 1, 1887, amount available Money statement. Jane 1, 1888, amount expended during the period from July 1, 1887, to June 1, 1888, balance available ... $825.65 75.00 750.65 (Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project........ 700,000.00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1890 250,000.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1888, exclusive of outstanding liabilities..... $76, 620. 10 July 1, 1888, amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1888, exclusive of outstanding liabilities..... July 1, 1888, balance available 6,496, 1 6,000,0 12, 496. 1 1, 111. 1 11, 385.00 Contract awarded to Ogden & Jones for Kempe Levee and to Robert M. White fo Deer Park Levee. Approximate value of plant belonging to the United States and used upon the improvemen of Mississippi River, fourth district. Class of property. Steamer General Newton Steam-tug Comstock Steam-tug Tilda 3,500 Steam-launch Alaska Drawing instruments 3,000 Surveying instruments.. Miscellaneous: Rock, lumber, etc. Total value 1,05 1,50 20 10,00 108, 35 1,400 d of civil engineers employed on works of river and harbor improvement in charge of Capt. Dan C. Kingman, Corps of Engineers, during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1×88, Bader the river and harbor appropriation act approved August 5, 1886. SIR: I inclose herewith statement containing the statistics of commerce at this port asked for in your letter of the 8th ultimo. Respectfully, yours, Capt. DAN C. KINGMAN, U. S. Engineer Corps, New Orleans, La. B. F. JONAS, Collector. SOTE-Included in the above are estimated amounts for the month of June, 1888. $411, 061.00 5, 187, 318.00 6, 049, 882.00 448, 520.00 79,999, 367.00 80, 447, 887.00 2,762, 207.02 I 1. REPORT OF MR. H. S. DOUGLAS, ASSISTANT ENGINEER. NEW ORLEANS, LA., May 31, 1888. SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report on the work of improving the arbor at New Orleans, La., from July 1, 1887, to May 31, 1888. Since 1884 the work Las been confined to the Gouldsborough Bend under the approved project. ENG 88-145 At date of last annual report, June 30, 1887, the condition of the work was as follows: Four of the six proposed submerged spur-dikes had been completed and a fifth was in an unfinished condition, the foundation mattress and three cribs having been placed. Nearly all of the necessary material, except brush and lumber, was on hand. The plant was in laying-up quarters during high water. The ten barges composing the old mattress ways and the tug Tilda were being repaired. Three new mattress barges were being built under contract. From July 1 until September 23 the work was contined to care and preservation of plant. The hull of the Tilda was thoroughly repaired and placed in first-class condition. New timber heads were put in barges, decks patched where rotten, and all seams above light water-line caulked. On August 6 the three new mattress barges were completed and received. These were to replace the old mattress ways. On September 23, a resurvey of the Gouldsborough Bend, to determine the condition of the work previously done, was commenced. Owing to unfavorable weather and other causes, this was not completed until November 3. The survey developed the fact that all the completed spurs were in good condition except Spur No. 6, from which the top cribs had been carried away. No marked change had taken place in the bank slope, and it appeared that the work done had so far occasioned neither a fill nor a scour. On October 20, the river having fallen to a sufficiently low stage, preparations for the active resumption of spur-dike construction in the Gouldsborough Bend were commenced. Rock for ballasting and sinking the mattresses and cribs was loaded on the barges. Brush contractors were directed to commence delivery of brush, and lumber and other material obtained. New floating crib-ways on which to construct the cribs were built. The first work decided on was the completion of unfinished Spur No. 5, and on November 7 construction of cribs was commenced. Four cribs were sunk at this spur, which was finished December 6. On December 6 work on the only remaining untouched spur, No. 4, was commenced. A foundation mattress, 150 by 350 feet, and seven large cribs were sunk at this spur. which was completed February 11, 1888, the work being greatly delayed by fogs and heavy drift accompanying a rapid rise of the river. On February 12 the repairing of Spur No. 6 was commenced. Four large cribs and three small ones were sunk at this spur, which was completed February 26. At this date the high stage of the river and the heavy drift rendered further work impracti cable. The plant was returned to secure laying-up quarters, and placed in as good condition as possible without making extensive repairs. All tools, lines, etc., were placed in good order and carefully stored. The work done during the past season completes spur-dike construction under the original project in the Gouldsborough Bend. Fifty-two thousand five hundred square feet of mattress and 416,020 cubic feet of crib-work were constructed and placed on the spurs. The estimated cost per square foot of mattress in place was 9.11 cents, and of cribwork in place 4.69 cents per cubic foot. The cost, as stated above, does not include plant nor care and preservation of same while laid up. I believe these figures represent the maximum cost of this character of work, as it was prosecuted during the past season under many disadvantages. The nature of the work is such that personal familiarity with details and methods is necessary to economy. The trained men heretofore employed were not available, and the force engaged had to be taught many things by experience. The former mattress ways were 100 by 358 feet. The new ones used during the past season were only 30 by 358 feet, and while there was an undoubted advantage in handling and placing the new ways, mattress weaving was very much delayed and its expense increased by lack of room on which to handle the brush, poles, rods, etc. Failure of contractors to deliver brush, storms, rain, heavy drift, and dense fogs delayed the work and increased expenses. For eleven days mattress construction was suspended owing to the non-delivery of suitable brush. On spur-dike construction generally, out of 102 possible working days, 234 were lost from rain, drift, fog, and lack of brush, the lost time being over 20 per cent. From January 22 until February 2 work was virtually suspended, owing to heavy drift in the river. Three times the lowering barges were placed in position to lower cribs on Spur No. 4, and each time the drift banked up against the plant to such an extent that the barges had to be removed to a place of safety. The methods of constructing and placing the mattress and cribs composing the spurs were generally the same as those described in previous reports. The principal variations were as follows: Instead of making the work light and permeable, it was made as solid and substantial as possible with the material used. In the construction of crib frames iron tie-rods or bolts were dispensed with and replaced by wooden stanchions. The thickness of the cribs was increased to about 6 feet, and the depth of the rock pockets was reduced to about one-third the thickness. The cribs were loaded as heavily with rock before being lowered to the bottom as the lowering lines would stand, and no rock was thrown on them after they were lowered in place. |