Dredging was done here in 1878 and 1880, but the excavated channels refilled. In 1880 a project was made to get deep water by means of two jetties of brush and stone, and to dredge between them if found necessary, the estimated total cost of the work being $3,177,606.50. The following appropriations were made: August, 1882, $150,000; July, 1884, $200,000; August, 1886, $198,750; August, 1888, $250,000. Work was commenced in 1883, and has continued since, when funds were available. The west jetty was built out continuously from the shore to a length of a little more than 3 miles, but was only completed to mean high-tide level for a length of 7,270 feet. The greater part of the foundation course of the outer mile of this jetty has since been destroyed by the sea, in the absence of funds to properly protect it against damage. The east jetty foundation course is now 16,647 feet in length, measured from the shore end, and is practically completed up to low-water level for 16,400 feet of this length. During the past year the foundation of the east jetty has been extended about 2,300 feet; of this a little over 2,000 feet has been built up to about mean low tide and 1,700 feet old work brought up to about 1 foot above mean high tide. Of the remaining 300 feet 200 feet will be built up entirely of rubble-stone, faced with blocks weighing from one to three tons each. About 3,100 feet of the west jetty has been raised to one-half foot above mean high tide. With the money on hand it is expected to bring all of the east jetty and about 7,500 feet of the west jetty to 1 foot above high water. The assistant engineer in local charge reports having sounded across the bar and found a least depth of 10.5 feet, mean low tide. When the jetties were begun there was 6 to 6 feet on the bar. July 1, 1888, amount available..... Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888 July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888 July 1, 1889, outstanding liabilities..... July 1, 1889, amount covered by existing contracts July 1, 1889, balance available $1,804.33 250,000.00 251, 804.33 $115, 633. 05 43, 017. 61 231, 316. 01 20,488.22 Amount (estimated) required for completion of exising project...... 1,801, 250.00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1889 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix T 11.) 500,000.00 12. Removing sunken vessels or craft obstructing or endangering navigation. In March, 1888, the French ship Ile Marthe toppled over while in the Vallette Dry-Dock, at Algiers, La., and sank, carrying with it the entire dock. Under section 4 of the river and harbor act of June 14, 1880, after duly publishing notice to owners, the masts, bowsprit, and rigging of the ship were removed under agreement with Mr. E. A. Burris, the work being completed in March, 1889. (See Appendix T 12.) EXAMINATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT, TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF THE RIVER AND HARBOR ACT OF AUGUST 11, 1888. The required preliminary examinations of the following localities were made by the local engineer in charge, Captain Fisk, and reported by him as not worthy of improvement, with facts and reasons for such opinion. The Chief of Engineers concurring in the conclusions reached in these instances, has given no instructions to make further survey with the view to their improvement: 1. Bayou St. John from the head of navigation to Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana.-(See Appendix T 13.) 2. Bayou Terrebonne, for continuing dredging three miles above Houma, Louisiana.-(See Appendix T 14.) 3. Bayou Terrebonne and Bayou Black, Louisiana, with the view of opening a shorter water way between Mississippi River and Berwick's Bay, Texas and Mexico.-(See Appendix T 15.) 4. Atchafalaya River, Louisiana, from Berwick's Bay to Gulf of Mexico, to secure a channel of 20 feet depth.-(See Appendix T 16.) 5. Harbor of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.-(See Appendix T 17.) 6. Bayou des Glaises, Louisiana.-(See Appendix T 18.) 7. Bayou Manchac, Louisiana.-In the opinion of the local engineer and of the Chief of Engineers, this stream is not worthy of improvement as a water route from the Mississippi River to Mississippi Sound, which is understood to be the object contemplated by the act.-(See Appendix T 19.) 8. Bayou Teche, Louisiana, with a view to putting in locks.-(See Appendix T 20.) At the following localities, reported by the local engineer as worthy of improvement to a limited extent, this conclusion being concurred in by the Chief of Engineers, and the result of the preliminary examination containing information sufficient to indicate to Congress the probable cost of the work required, no further survey appeared to be necessary: 1. Tangipahoa River, Louisiana.-Estimated cost, $5,000, to be expended in snagging to clear out the stream.-(See Appendix T 21.) 2. Mouth and passes of Calcasieu River, Louisiana.-Estimated cost, $600,000, to be applied in obtaining a channel 12 feet deep.-(See Ap pendix T 22.) 3. Amite River, Louisiana.-Estimated cost of improving the stream to a point 5 miles above the mouth of Bayou Manchac, $5,000.—(See Appendix T 23.) 4. Tchefuncte River and Bogue Falia [Falaya], Louisiana.-Considered worthy of improvement only to the extent of removing snags, at an estimated annual expense of $1,000.-(See Appendix T 24.) 5. Tickfaw River, Louisiana.-Considered worthy of improvement only to the extent contemplated in existing project.-(See Appendix T 25.) 6. Bayou La Fourche, Louisiana, from Donaldsonville to the Gulf.-Considered worthy of improvement only to the extent contemplated in existing project. (See Appendixes T 26 and T 4.) 7. Bayou Teche, Louisiana, from mouth to St. Martinsville.—The improvement proposed is to thoroughly clear out the obstructions, consisting of snags, fallen trees, and sunken logs, at an estimated expense of $7.500. When this is done an annual appropriation of $1,000 will probably keep the stream in good condition.-(See Appendix T 27.) SECURING MOUTH OF BAYOU PLAQUEMINE, LOUISIANA, FROM FURTHER CAVING. Officer in charge, Capt. Dan C. Kingman, Corps of Engineers; Division Engineer, Col. C. B. Comstock, Corps of Engineers. The river and harbor act of August 11, 1888, in making an appropri ation for improving Bayou Plaquemine, Louisiana, provides for securing the mouth of the bayou from further caving, and an allotment of $75,000 was made for this purpose and the work assigned to the charge of Capt. Dan. C. Kingman, Corps of Engineers, he having under his direction, in connection with the work of the Mississippi River Commission, a suitable plant for the operations proposed. A project for the application of the funds is under consideration. A money statement will be found attached to report on improvement of Bayou Plaquemine, Louisiana, page 198. (See Appendix U.) IMPROVEMENT OF RIVERS AND HARBORS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. Officer in charge, Maj. O. H. Ernst, Corps of Engineers, having under his immediate orders until August 23, 1888, First Lieut. George A. Zinn, Corps of Engineers, and since September 27, 1888, First Lieut. William C. Langfitt, Corps of Engineers. Division Engineer, Col. C. B. Comstock, Corps of Engineers. 1. Entrance to Galveston Harbor, Texas.-The present project for the improvement of this locality was adopted in 1874, modified in 1880, and again modified in 1886, the object being to deepen the channel so as to admit sea-going vessels of the deepest draught. The natural depth upon the outer bar was about 12 feet at mean low tide, and upon the inner bar about 13 feet. The total amount expended to June 30, 1888, including $100,000 subscribed in 1883 by the city of Galveston, was $1,825,278.83. The amount expended during the year is $241,897.44. It has resulted in deepening the channel over the outer bar to about 13 feet, and that over the inner bar to about 21 feet. It is proposed during the coming year to extend the finished work of the south jetty seaward about 1 mile. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, it is proposed to complete the south jetty now under construction to the crest of the bar and to begin the construction of a north jetty. July 1, 1888, amount available..... Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888.. July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888.. July 1, 1889, outstanding liabilities. July 1, 1889, amount covered by existing contracts..... July 1, 1889, balance available...... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project...... 6, 200, 000. 00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year endingJune 30, 1891.. Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix V 1.) 1,000,000.00 2. Ship-channel in Galveston Bay, Texas.-The present project for this improvement was adopted in 1871 and modified in 1877, the object be ing to excavate and maintain a channel 12 feet deep and 100 feet wide at bottom through Galveston Bay from Bolivar Channel to Morgan's Cut, a distance of about 18.9 miles. The average natural depth of the bay was about 8 feet, with a depth in some places of about 7 feet. The total amount expended to June 30, 1888, was $325,022.30. The amount expended during the year was $163,921.94. It has resulted in the excavation of a channel having an average depth of 14 feet through Redfish Bar, a length of about 2 miles, which, with some fluctuations, has been maintained since 1883, and more recently in the excavation of a channel not less than 12 feet deep and 100 feet wide for a length of about 10 miles from Bolivar Channel to Redfish Bar, and for a length of about 7 miles immediately north of Redfish Bar. The portion between Bolivar Channel and Redfish Bar having been completed about a year ago has shoaled to an average depth of about 11.61 feet and width of about 100 feet. Further shoaling will doubtless occur throughout the channel before further appropriations are made. The work is not capable of permanent completion. It is estimated that an annual expenditure of about $80,000 will be required to maintain it. The work of improvement of ship-channel in Galveston Bay having reached the point in the bay at which the southern extremity of Morgan's Cut is located, the officer in charge, under instructions from this office, called upon the Buffalo Bayou Ship-Channel Company to execute its agreement of January 22, 1881, * to transfer to the United States its works at Morgan's Point. Major Ernst, under date of the 19th September, 1889, transmits to this office the correspondence on the subject between himself and the president of the company, copies of which are herewith submitted, from which it will be seen that the company claims compensation for its property. July 1, 1888, amount available.. Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888 July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888. July 1, 1889, outstanding liabilities.. July 1, 1889, amount covered by existing contracts... July 1, 1889, balance available..... $7,278.70 100, 000, 00 107, 278.70 $48, 686.27 1,046. 67 49, 905.71 99, 638.65 7,640.05 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1891 100, 000. 00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix V 2.) 3. Trinity River, Texas.-The present project for the improvement of this stream was adopted in 1873, and modified in 1889, the object being to afford a navigable channel 6 feet deep through the bar at the mouth. The natural channel is narrow and has a depth of but 3 feet 2 inches. The total amount expended to June 30, 1888, was $34,500. The amount expended during the fiscal year was $35.97. It has resulted in facilitat. ing the entrance to the river, though the depth over the bar has not been increased. It is proposed during the coming year to strengthen and extend the revetment of the west side of the channel so that it shall constitute the beginning of a timber jetty, and during the fiscal See Annual Report Chief of Engineers for 1881, Part II, page 1338. year ending June 30, 1891, to extend this jetty out to a depth of 6 feet in Galveston Bay, and to build an east jetty to the same distance. Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888 July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888...... July 1, 1889, balance available ......... $12,500.00 35.97 12, 464. 03 42,500.00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project........ (See Appendix V 3.) 4. Buffalo Bayou, Texas.-The present project for the improvement of this stream was adopted in 1880, the object being to straighten, widen, and deepen the channel to a depth of 12 feet and a width of 100 feet at bottom, between the city of Houston and Simms' Bayou, 11 miles below, and to remove such snags, stumps, and overhanging trees as were obstructions to navigation. The natural depth was in many places not more than 6 feet and the channel was narrow and tortuous. The total amount expended to June 30, 1888, was $117,662.20. The amount expended during the year was $20,731.62. It has resulted in clearing the channel of the most prominent snags, stumps, and overhanging trees, in easing some of the bends, and in removing such shoals as obstructed a 7-foot navigation. These obstructions are renewed in greater or less degree each year. The amount required for the com. pletion of the original excavation is estimated at $242,000 subject to revision. The project is not capable of permanent completion. July 1, 1888, amount available ..... Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888.. July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888.... July 1, 1889, outstanding liabilities... July 1, 1889, amount covered by existing contracts July 1, 1888, balance available.... $1,087.80 25,000.00 25,087.80 $18,191.52 4, 233.44 24, 965. 06 1, 122. 74 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30,1891 50,000.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of River and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix V 4.) 5. Mouth of Brazos River, Texas. 6. Pass Cavallo, inlet to Matagorda Bay, Texas. July 1, 1888, amount available.. July 1, 1889, amount available (See Appendix V 6.) $16, 651.57 16,651. 57 $35, 449.78 35, 449. 78 7. Aransas Pass and Bay up to Rockport and Corpus Christi, Texas.The present project for the improvement of this locality was adopted in 1879 and modified in 1887, the object being to fix the position of the pass and to provide a navigable channel at least 20 feet deep through the bar. In its natural state the pass was moving bodily at the rate of |