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The river and harbor act of July 5, 1884, appropriated $50,000 for the improvement of that section of the river from the harbor to the outlet from Lake Calumet, with the proviso:

That no part of said sum shall be expended until the right of way shall have been conveyed to the United States free from expense, and the United States shall be fully released from all liability for damages to adjacent property owners, to the satisfaction of the Secretary of War.

The river and harbor act of August5, 1886, appropriated an additional sum of $30,000 for the improvement of this river, $11,750 of which was to be expended in improving the river "between the Forks and one half mile east of Hammond, Indiana," one-half of which to be expended in Illinois and one-half in Indiana.

Under the requirements of these laws, up to and including June 30, 1888, the last-mentioned amount-$11,750-only was available for expenditure, the application of which sum is stated in the last Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army.

The river and harbor act of August 11, 1888, appropriated an addi tional amount of $50,000, of which $15,000 is to be used in improving the river above the Forks to one-half mile east of Hammond, Ind and $35,000 for the improvement of the river between its mouth and One hundred and eighth street.

The act of August 11, 1888, also made available all balances from previous appropriations, to be applied to the improvement of the river between its mouth and One hundred and eighth street, anything in the acts of July 5, 1884, and August 5, 1886, to the contrary notwithstanding. During the past fiscal year the United States attorney for the northern district of Illinois submitted to the honorable Secretary of War the deeds and releases required by the act of July 5, 1884, which were approved by the Department of Justice and War Department and duly recorded. These releases allow work to be prosecuted from the mouth to the outlet from Lake Calumet without hindrance from claims for damages.

Under the provisions of the act of August 11, 1888, separate contracts were entered into with the lowest bidder for dredging between the mouth and One hundred and eighth street, and for the part of the river "between the Forks and one-half mile east of Hammond, Indiana." Under these contracts, at the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889, there had been dredged between the mouth and One hundred and eighth street, 24,608 cubic yards, and above the Forks of the Calumet, 34,523 cubic yards. The contractors on the lower section not having complied with the provisions of their contract as to capacity of plant to be used by them, have not received any payment as yet for the work done by them.

The amount expended by the United States upon this work to June 30, 1889, is $25,584.01.

All work paid for has been done above the Forks of the Calumet.

July 1, 1888, amount available....

Received from sale of fuel to officer.

Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888

July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of

$69, 029. 18 22.50 50,000,00

119, 051.68

liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888.

July 1, 1889, outstanding liabilities..

July 1, 1889, amount covered by existing contracts

...

$14,613. 19
100. 17
97, 939. 44

112,652.80

July 1, 1889, balance available...

6,398.88

Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project... $870,000.00
Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1891 100, 000. 00
Submitted in compliance with the requirements of sections 2 of river and
harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

(See Appendix J J 4.)

5. Location of the Illinois and Mississippi Canal.-This work was directed by the river and harbor act of August 11, 1888, and has consisted in the location upon maps compiled from former surveys along "the line approved by the Secretary of War," of a canal from the "Illinois River at or near the town of Hennepin, to the Mississippi River at or above the mouth of Rock River, together with a necessary feeder for the same," to be "80 feet wide at the water-surface, and to have a depth of not less than 7 feet of water, with locks 170 feet long and 30 feet wide;" also "detailed plans and estimates for the construction of said canal and feeder."

"The line approved by the Secretary of War" was designated by indorsement October 27, 1888, to be the route known in former reports upon the "Hennepin Canal" as the "Rock Island route."

In locating the proposed canal, the route via Penney's Slough and Rock River has been taken as the most economical and capacious, and during the past fiscal year work has been continuously carried on since December, 1888,fin this office, preparing the necessary maps, plans, and estimates.

In proceeding with the designing and drawing the details of the mechanical constructions required on the line it was discovered that additional surveys would be required at several points on the line, notably of Bureau Creek Valley, and in the vicinity of the mouth of Rock River, and at Dixon, the point where the necessary feeder leaves Rock River. With exception of such detached local surveys, no additional surveys will probably be necessary.

During the past fiscal year the following work has been done:

A resurvey of Bureau Creek Valley was made, and the maps thereof drawn for the location of the Illinois and Mississippi Canal "to a scale of 1"=600' upon sheets of uniform size, 30 inches by 40 inches; thirteen sheets were completed, each embracing 4 miles of the proposed canal. Detailed drawings of locks, eight sheets were completed. Details of aqueduct bridges, five sheets were completed. Details of culverts, two sheets were completed.

Estimates have also been made for the locks and aqueduct bridges, as drawn; also, six sheets showing sites of aqueduct bridges; six sheets showing profiles of same; one sheet showing sites for Locks Nos. 28 and 29; one sheet showing profile of same; one sheet showing Pond Creek Valley. These latter sheets are on a larger scale than the general maps showing the location of the canal.

In all, it is estimated that an atlas of seventy-two sheets will be required, together with descriptive memoir and specifications, to complete the work.

The amount of work, draughting and designing all details of constructions, for a canal involving so many mechanical constructions; locks of various lifts for both canal and river navigation, dams, aqueduct bridges, culverts, highway and railway bridges, feeders, weirs, etc. etc., is very great, and it is expected that it will require the work of the present force quite the entire fiscal year ending June 30, 1890, to complete them.

The funds available will be sufficient to complete the work, and will be applied to that end during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1890,

No further appropriation is necessary.

July 1, 1888, amount available.

July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888...

July 1, 1889, balance available... (See Appendix J J 5.)

$14,497. 44

4,761.61

9, 735.83

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 Marshall, 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. Grand Calumet River, Indiana, beginning one-half mile east of Hammond, and thence eastward to Lake Michigan.-(See Appendix J J 6.)

2. Canal way connecting the waters of Lake Michigan with the Calumet River, beginning at a point on the Calumet River one mile east of Hammond, Indiana, and running due north to Berry Lake, and thence along the eastern waters of said Berry Lake; thence northeast to Lake Michigan. -(See Appendix J J 7.)

3. Berry Lake, Indiana, forming a natural harbor of refuge.—(See Appendix J J 8.)

The local engineer, Captain Marshall, reports the Grand Calumet River, Illinois, as worthy of improvement, but that no further exami nation or survey of the stream is required or advisable, all necessary data for an estimate of cost of an improvement of any character having been already submitted to Congress, or being attainable. This conclusion was concurred in by the Chief of Engineers, and as the adopted project for the improvement of this stream under the appropriations of 1884, 1886, and 1888, includes that portion in Illinois, no further report or survey appeared to be necessary. The estimated cost of the im provement of the river from its mouth to one-half mile east of Hammond, Ind., is $1,000,000. Of this amount $130,000 has already been appropriated. (See Appendix J J 9.)

IMPROVEMENT OF HARBORS ON THE EASTERN SHORE OF LAKE MICHIGAN.

Officers in charge: Lieut. Col. S. M. Mansfield, Corps of Engineers, to December 18, 1888, since which date Maj. William Ludlow, Corps of Engineers, having under his immediate orders Lieut. J. E. Kuhn, Corps of Engineers. Division Engineer, Col. O. M. Poe, Corps of Engineers.

The local engineer invites attention to the necessity of making due provision for the dredging, which is a constant feature of the construction and maintenance of the harbors on the east coast of Lake Michigan, due to the sandy character of its shores and the constant movement of sand under the action of winds and waves. The estimates submitted include sand fences and sheet piling where requisite, and the procure. ment of a moderate dredging equipment for the fifteen harbors, covering 300 miles of coast, all of which require more or less dredging annually, for which, in most cases, private dredges, if obtainable at all, can only be had at high rates.

Attention is also invited to the desirability of legislation authorizing the Secretary of War to make and enforce regulations as to the speed of vessels through narrow channels where injury is done to the shore constructions by swift movements, and to protect the pier and revetments from fire thrown by passing tugs, etc., using slabs for fuel without a covering of wire over the smoke-stacks.

1. Charlevoix Harbor and entrance to Pine Lake, Michigan.—The average width of the original channel of entrance was 75 feet, and the depth varied from 2 to 6 feet. The present project for its improvement, adopted in 1868 and revised in 1875 and 1876, was to dredge a channel 100 to 150 feet wide, connecting Round Lake with Lake Michigan, to a depth of 12 feet, and to protect the banks with close piling, with cribwork beyond the shore-line in Lake Michigan. A further modification in 1882 provided for a revetted channel of the same depth and 83 feet wide between Round and Pine lakes.

The expenditures to June 30, 1888, were $78,079.20.

The width at the entrance is 160 feet, reducing to 105 feet, and the depth varies from 10 to 16 feet. In the "upper channel," between Round and Pine lakes, the width between the revetments is 83 feet and the depth from 10 to 12 feet.

The expenditures during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1889, were $2,738.54 for dredging in the channel to 13 feet. Contract was made for the construction of three additional 50-foot cribs in the south pier, which, at the close of the year, were nearly ready to be sunk in position. During the present year repairs and dredging will be continued, and a portion of the "upper channel" revetted to cut off the flow of water in the old channel.

For year ending June 30, 1891, an estimate of $22,000 is submitted to sheet pile the "upper channel," rebuild the south entrance revetment, and in part pay for and operate a dredging plant.

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

$2,920. 80 12,500.00

15, 420.80

$2,171.69

558,85

8, 595.30

11,325.84

4,094.96

92,500.00

Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.

Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30,1891 22,000.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and

harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

(See Appendix K K 1.)

2. Frankfort Harbor, Michigan.-The original channel between Lake Aux Becs Scies and Lake Michigan had but 3 or 4 feet of water.

The project of 1866 was to connect the two lakes by a 12-foot channel 200 feet in width, with suitable revetments and pier protection. In 1881 this was enlarged to extend the piers to 16 feet and reach rocky bottom free of sand.

To June 30, 1888, $246,618.42 had been expended. The north pier still lacks 400 feet of its full length and the south pier 100 feet. The works generally are in good condition, and the channel depth varies from 10 to 12 feet. The south pier needs stone filling, and both re

quire fences or other means to prevent sand blowing over them into the channel. A moderate amount of dredging is needed annually.

Work began in May, 1889, and was in progress at the close of the year. The Government dredge went to Frankfort in June and deepened the channel to 13 feet with a width of 25 feet. The expenditures for the fiscal year were $1,313.90.

Contract was made for the construction of two additional cribs on the north pier, which will be put in this season, and extend the pier 100 feet.

For the year ending June 30, 1891, it is recommended that provision be made to construct three of the remaining six cribs needed to complete the north pier as now projected.

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.

$3,319.93

8,000.00

11, 319.93

$612.26

701.64

8,081.58

9, 395.48

1,924.45

(Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1891 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

(See Appendix K K 2.)

20,500.00 25,000.00

3. Harbor of refuge at Portage Lake, Michigan.-The natural outlet from Portage Lake to Lake Michigan was not navigable, and the artificial channel was made at a point a mile further south, where the intervening beach was narrower.

The project authorized in 1879 was to make this a harbor of refuge with an entrance 300 feet in width and a depth of 18 feet.

To June 30, 1888, there has been expended $81,719.07, but the insufficiency of the appropriation towards a work of such magnitude has left a great discrepancy between the results attained and those sought. The piers are but half built, the space between them has never been fully dredged, and from lapse of time and exposure the works are in a condition requiring partial rebuilding.

The draught of water is insufficient for even the moderate requirements of the locality, and a channel depth of 9 feet is only maintained by frequent and considerable dredging. During the past year $2,240.88 was expended for this purpose, and contract has been made to spend $5,000 more during this season, holding the balance remaining for further dredging and urgent repairs in the spring of 1890.

For the year ending June 30, 1891, it is considered that at least the north pier should be repaired and sand fences built at an expense of $6,500, and that the fourth part of a dredging plant of tug, dredge, and two scows, amounting to $6,500, with four months' work, costing $4,200, should be provided for. These items, with 20 per cent. for contingencies, will make the total amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, $20,600.

The reconstruction of the south pier is also needful, but its proper location will depend upon whether the present project is adhered to or modified, in which case the south pier could advantageously be moved to a position parallel with and nearer to the north pier.

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