REPORT OF MAJOR A. N. DAMRELL, CORPS OF ENGINEERS. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Mobile, Ala., February 3, 1887. SIR: In compliance with General Orders No. 7, November 30, 1886, I have the honor to report the railroad bridge (Alabama and Great Southern) crossing the Tombigbee River at Jones's Bluff, Alabama, now erected, interferes with free and safe navigation. A railroad bridge (West Alabama) is in process of erection across the Tombigbee River at Jackson, Ala., but in the absence of any information as to the set of the current at different stages of water it is impossible to state at present whether it will or will not interfere with free and safe navigation. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, A. N. DAMRELL, The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A. REPORT OF MAJOR W. H. HEUER, CORPS OF ENGINEERS. OFFICE UNITED STATES ENGINEER, New Orleans, La., December 16, 1886. GENERAL: Referring to General Orders No. 7, dated Headquarters Corps of Engineers, United States Army, Washington, D. C., November 30, 1886, directing reports to be made as to whether any bridges, causeways, or structures now erected or in process of erection do or will intefere with free and safe navigation, I have the honor to report as follows with reference to my district: On the Bayou Teche, Louisiana, about 10 miles below Port Barré, La., is a pile-bridge without a draw which, if not remedied, will interfere with the free navigation of this stream. The president of the police jury in Saint Landry Parish promises to have the bridge so modified that it will not interfere with navigation. On the following streams recently examined under act of Congress of August 5, 1886, there are bridges which, if the streams should ever be improved, would be obstacles to navigation, but at present, as the streams are not navigable, the structures are not obstacles: Bayou Plaquemine, Louisiana.-Just inside the Bayou Plaquemine near its junction with the Mississippi River is a solid-earth dike or causeway built across the bayou by order of the police jury. This dike was built about twenty years ago. About a mile away from the Mississippi River there, is on the Bayou Plaquemine, a pile-bridge without a draw, on which the Texas and Pacific Railroad crosses this stream. Bayou Vermillion, Louisiana.-On this stream, about 2 miles below where the Morgan Railroad crosses the stream on its bridge, is a low wooden pile-bridge called "Pinhook Bridge" without a draw. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A. W. H. HEUER, REPORT OF CAPTAIN J. H. WILLARD, CORPS OF ENGINEERS. UNITED STATES ENGINEER Office, Vicksburg, Miss., December 22, 1886. SIR: Referring to General Orders No. 7, current series, from your office, I have to invite attention to the annual reports of my predecessor for 1885 and 1886, and to special reports of December 9, 1884, and June 18, 1886, giving detailed information in regard to obstructions by bridges of South Forked Deer River, Tennessee, Big Black River, Mississippi, and Red River at Shreveport, La. Chapter 180, Laws of the United States, approved August 5, 1886, provided in the item of $5,000 for Big Black River, Mississippi, "that no part of this appropriation shall be used until the State of Mississippi shall have first caused the bridges over said stream south of the Vicksburg and Meridian Railroad to be so constructed as not to obstruct the navigation of said stream." I learned informally from the attorney. general of the State that no action had been taken by the State as yet, and accordingly made no recommendations in my project dated August 20, 1886. No appropriation was asked in the Annual Report for 1886, and no further estimates will be made for this stream until the bridges shall have been rebuilt to afford free navigation. As this is a matter between the United States and a State, it is submitted that the officer in charge of this district cannot properly enter into correspondence with the governor on the subject. Nothing has been done about the obstructions in South Forked Deer kiver, and no complaints in regard to them have been received at this office since the letter (376, R. and H., 1886) forwarded with indorsement of your office of February 19, 1886. The examination and report on the shoal in the west draw-span at Shreveport was reported June 18, 1886, and a letter from the office of the Chief of Engineers (2, '86) was transmitted to the president of the railroad company July 17, 1886, requesting compliance with section 8, chapter 229, Laws of the United States, approved July 5, 1884. If any thing has been done by the company to improve the obstructed channel I have not heard of it. The east channel is sufficient for present needs of commerce, and no complaints have been received at this office from any person interested in the navigation of Red River. The same company is now replacing the wooden draw-bridge over Bayou Macon by an iron draw-span. This information has been received lately from the superintendent in charge of improving Tensas River and Bayou Macon, Louisiana. No plans or information in regard to the proposed construction have been submitted to this office. I learn to day that the Georgia Pacific Railroad Company (narrow gauge) has begun the construction of a bridge over Big Sunflower River above Johnsonville, Miss. It is presumed that a draw-bridge is contemplated; otherwise complaints would have been made by persons interested in the navigation of this stream, either to this office or in the public prints. No plan or other information have been furnished by the company. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A. J. H. WILLARD, REPORT OF CAPTAIN HENRY S. TABER, CORPS OF ENGINEERS UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Little Rock, Ark., February 3, 1887. GENERAL: In accordance with the requirements of General Orders No. 7, dated Headquarters Corps of Engineers, United States Army, Washington, D. C., November 30, 1886, that there are no bridges, causeways, or structures now erected, or in process of erection, that do or will interfere with the free and safe navigation of any improved river, or improved reach of river, in this district. The following bridges over streams for which appropriations have been made and not yet expended do interfere with the free and safe navigation of such streams, viz: A wagon bridge at Rocky Crossing, upon the Petit Jean River. This bridge should be altered without delay, as improvements are to be begun as soon as the water reaches a proper stage. The following bridges over streams for which appropriations have been recommended will interfere with the free and safe navigation of these streams when improved, viz: One railroad bridge, owned and operated by the Memphis and Little Rock Railroad, over the Cache River, Arkansas. One railroad bridge, owned and operated by the Saint Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway Company, over the same river. One railroad bridge, owned and operated by the Saint Louis, Arkansas and Texas Railroad Company, over the Saint Francis River at or near the town of Saint Francis, Ark. One railroad bridge, owned and operated by the Saint Louis and San Francisco Railroad Company, over the Arkansas River at or near Tulsa, in the Indian Territory. One railroad bridge, owned and operated by the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad Company, over the Arkansas River, about 2 miles above the mouth of Grand River, Indian Territory. A bridge over the Saline River, near Rison, Ark., owned and operated by the Saint Louis, Arkansas and Texas Railway Company, interferes with the free and safe navigation of that river from February 1 to June 1 each year. There is a bridge in process of erection over the Poteau River, Arkansas, that will be an obstruction to the free and safe navigation of that river. This is being built by the Saint Louis and San Francisco Railway Company. These two latter cases are instances of bridges over streams navigable by the laws of the United States, though the particular reach spanned by these bridges has never been improved by the General Government. I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Brig. Gen. JAMES C. DUANE, Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. H. S. TABER, Captain of Engineers. REPORT OF MAJOR A. MACKENZIE, CORPS OF ENGINEERS. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, GENERAL: General Orders No. 7, Headquarters Corps of Engineers, United States Army, current series, requires a report upon certain pro visions contained in section 4, river and harbor act of August 5, 1886, which are as follows: report to Congress "The Secretary of War shall whether any bridges, causeways, or structures, now erected or in process of erection, do or will interfere with free and safe navigation." In obedience to this order I have the honor to report as follows: Within the limits of the district in my charge there are numerous bridges, causeways, piers, booms, and other structures, erected by private parties, which interfere to a greater or less extent with free and safe navigation. All bridges are obstructions to navigation in a certain degree, but most of them have been built on the Upper Mississippi River under authority of acts of Congress, and by the provisions of section 8 of the river and harber act of July 5, 1884, can be made in time reasonably safe and convenient for the passage of vessels and rafts. As regards Congressional authority, there are two notable exceptions, the one a railroad draw-bridge constructed by the Minnesota and Northwestern Railway Company at Saint Paul, Minn., the other a high bridge, now in course of construction, across the Mississippi at Dubuque, Iowa. In both these cases the principle of securing permission to construct bridges over navigable waters of the United States has been disregarded, but it cannot be said that these bridges are or will be greater obstructions to navigation than the authorized bridges. In the case of the Saint Paul bridge, the matter is fully discussed in Circular No. 15, Headquarters Corps of Engineers, July 1, 1885. As regards the high bridge at Dubuque, the circumstances have been fully reported, and the Dubuque Ponton Bridge Company, who are constructing this bridge under an assumed permission granted by an act of Congress which authorized the construction of a ponton bridge, are under instructions to present plans and details of their intended operations to the end that the matter may be reported to Congress. Certain plans have been received by me, but are not yet in proper shape for submission to the War Department. These plans will be for warded as soon as practicable. It is most desirable that some law be enacted which will prohibit the construction of any bridge over navigable waters of the United States excepting under general or special authority of Congress and in accordance with plans approved by the War Department. There are on the Upper Mississippi numerous booms, piers, cribs, &c., which encroach on the channel and interfere somewhat with navigation. Section 5254, Revised Statutes, provides for the erection of piers, cribs, &c., under the authority and direction of the Secretary of War, but such authority is rarely requested. None of the cases of this kind on the Upper Mississippi is perhaps of sufficient importance to require special mention, but as nearly all iesult in unauthorized obstruction and delay to navigation, it is desirable that structures built without authority, which encroach on the channel and affect navigation injuriously, be declared public nuisances and ordered removed. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A. A. MACKENZIE, REPORT OF MAJOR CHARLES J. ALLEN, CORPS OF ENGINEERS. ENGINEER OFFICE, UNITED STATES ARMY, Saint Paul, Minn., January 3, 1887. GENERAL: In order to comply with the requirements of General Orders No. 7, Headquarters Corps of Engineers, Washington, D. C., November 30, 1886, I have the honor to report as follows: SAINT CROIX RIVER, WISCONSIN AND MINNESOTA. There are extensive works on the Saint Croix, commencing at a point about 3 miles above Stillwater, and thence extending up the stream for several miles, belonging to the Saint Croix Boom Company, and used for receiving, assorting, and distributing saw-logs. The works consist of timber cribs, lines of piling, and floating booms located in the channel, and, in places, reaching from bank to bank of the river. During seasons of navigation the accumulations of logs in the boom grounds have frequently been so great as to entirely bar the passage of steamers for weeks at a time. During the past season these obstructions have interfered considerably with steamboat navigation, though not to the extent that has sometimes been the case. The inconvenience resulting from these works could be much lessened by a systematic arrangement of the cribs, booms, and lines of piling so as to insure to steamers at all times a channel of sufficient width. These obstructions have been noted in several reports since 1875. At the city of Hudson, about 7 miles below Stillwater, Lake Saint Croix is crossed by a railroad bridge built prior to 1872. Congress, by act approved May 15, 1872, authorized the maintenance of this bridge by the West Wisconsin Railway Company, as constructed, providing in the act, however, for the security of navigation by the following: SEC. 2. That the structure herein authorized shall be built under and subject to such regulations for the security of the navigation of said river and lake as the Secretary of War shall prescribe, and the said structure shall be at all times so kept and managed as to offer reasonable and proper means for the passage of vessels through and under said structure; and the said structure shall be changed at the cost and expense of the owners thereof from time to time, as Congress may direct, so as to preserve the free and convenient navigation of said river and lake; and the authority to erect and continue said bridge shall be subject to revocation by law whenever the public good shall, in the judgment of Congress, so require. This bridge was credited with draw-spans 140 feet each in the clear. The widths, measured at the surface of low water, are reported as but 135 feet. The draw-pier is oblique to the direction of the current. This bridge has always been inconvenient for the passage of rafts, though no formal complaint of the structure has been made to me by the raft or steamboat pilots. It is reported that rafts suffered a "large amount of damage" during the season of 1886 through inability to readily make the draw. Sheers or booms properly placed to facilitate the passage of the draw by rafts and steamers are needed for this bridge. CHIPPEWA RIVER, WISCONSIN. This river is crossed at Durand, about 20 miles above its mouth, by a highway bridge, built under authority of an act of the legislature of Wisconsin, the act requiring the owners of the bridge to provide the necessary auxiliary works to insure safe passage of its spans. The bridge has draw spans of 100 feet in the clear, measured at the surface of the mean stage of water, but the low-water width of the left hand, |