Abstract of proposals for removing ledge in Por‹smouth Harbor, New Hampshire, received February 12, 1889. A contract was entered into with O. J. Jennings, of Fulton, N. Y., March 25, 1889. COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. Number of arrivals of sailing vessels, exclusive of fishing vessels, pleasure crafts or vessels which put in for refuge.... 871 Number of arrivals of steamers, exclusive of tow-boats and excursion steamers.. 39 The above statistics have been courteously furnished by Col. William H. Sise, pres ident of the Portsmouth Board of Trade. IMPROVEMENT OF BELLAMY RIVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE. This is a new work, the project for which is based upon a survey made in compliance with requirements of the river and harbor act of August 5, 1886. The river to the head of navigation is a tidal branch of Great Bay, which opens into the Piscataqua River at Dover Point, 4 miles above the bridge at Portsmouth, N. H. At low water the channel of the river was too shallow for any navigation, save for a short distance. The entire distance over which improvements are required is 13,300 feet, a little more than 2 miles. The project of improvement consists simply in dredging the present natural channel sufficiently to give a mean low-water depth of 5 feet, and a width of 50 feet on the bottom. The depth at mean high water will be nearly 12 feet. The improvement commences at a point about 2 miles from the Piscataqua River. In December, 1888, proposals for dredging were invited by public advertisement. Bids were opened January 10, 1889. The only proposal received was rejected as too high. In March, 1889, proposals for the dredging were similarly invited, and a contract for dredging, as far as available funds permit, has been made with Mr. Thomas Symonds, of Leominster, Mass., who was the lowest bidder. Dredging was commenced May 1, 1889, and on the 30th of June the dredging had been completed for a distance somewhat more than 3,500 feet. To do this required the removal of 22,700 cubic yards of material. The benefits to be derived from this small improvement are mainly in the shipment of bricks, of which a large amount of the finest quality in New England are manufactured on and near the banks of this water.. An increased manufacture is expected to result, and the expense of shipment will be decreased by about 50 cents per 1,000 bricks. A few other shipments will result from the improvement, and coal and other supplies will be brought in at a considerable saving of expense. It is proposed to expend the appropriation for which an estimate is submitted in continuing the improvement by dredging. Money statement. 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.... $10,000.00 $4,757.01 9,722.08 277.92 18,000. CO Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project....... 18, 000. 00 Abstract of proposals for dredging in Bellamy River, New Hampshire, received January No. 11, 1889. Name and address of bidder. Price per cubic yard measured in scow. 1Thomas Symonds, Leominster, Mass Rejected, being deemed too high. Cents. 35 Abstract of proposals for dredging in Bellamy River, New Hampshire, received March 19, No. 1889. Name and address of bidder. Price per cubic yard measured in scow. Cents. Contract awarded to Thomas Symonds, of Leominster, Mass. Date of contract, April 22, 1888. A 20. IMPROVEMENT OF COCHECO RIVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE. A description of this river was given in annual report for 1887, and a map showed its connections with the Piscataqua River (Report Chief of Engineers 1887, page 548.) The project for improving the river, to give a mean low-water depth of 5 feet or nearly 12 feet at mean high water, has been completed. The channel in the portions which were improved is 50 feet wide on the bottom. The estimated cost of the improvement was $47,000. At the date of last annual report work was suspended for lack of funds. The amount required to complete the improvement being small, and it being urgent that the dredging should be completed before winter, which could not be done if a contract were awarded after the delay of advertising, etc., Mr. Thomas Symonds, of Leominster, was employed to do the work under a contract without a public competition, at 45 cents per cubic yard for sand and logs, and $2.50 per cubic yard for hard pan. The autumn rains caused a land-slide to fill the channel at Alley's Point to such an extent that vessels could not pass. A dredge was therefore employed three days to clear the channel. In this work 672 cubic yards of clay were dredged at a cost of a little less than 45 cents per yard. The bank was in such condition that unless the top were removedit would slide and again fill the channel. A small party was therefor employed from December 20 until April 15 in cutting away the bank and removing 4,780 cubic yards of clay in carts. In this manner a slope was cut in the bank leaving a broad berme at a level of 5 feet above high water. The improvements thus far have been a vast benefit to the naviga tion. In fact, all the commerce by water, which is still increasing, has been a result of the improvement to the river channel. The river and harbor act of August 11, 1888, required a survey or examination of the Cocheco River. The preliminary examination was made in November, 1888, and a report was submitted to the Chief of Engineers January 3, 1889. A survey of the river will be made during the ensuing summer, and a plan of necessary improvements, and estimate of cost will then be submitted. It is proposed to expend the small available balance of funds in making the survey. Money statement. 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, balance available ...... $317.89 9,000.00 9, 317.89 9, 027.61 290.28 A 21. HARBOR OF REFUGE AT LITTLE harbor, new HAMPSHIRE. The original project for this improvement consisted in dredging a channel 100 feet wide and 9 feet deep at low water across the bar, widening the anchorage, and constructing a small breakwater on the ledge at Jerry's Point. The enlarged plan indicated in river and harbor act of August 11, 1888, consists of two small breakwaters at the entrance to the harbor, and dredging the channel and enlarged anchorage to a depth of 12 feet at low water. The breakwaters are estimated to require 56,000 tons of stone; the total of dredging was estimated to be 572,000 cubic yards in situ. By an oversight, a portion of the project previously approved was not included in the estimate for the amount of dredging on enlarged plan. This increases the total situ measurement to 620,000 cubic yards. The prices thus far received in proposals for dredging have been considerably in excess of the estimated cost. It is, however, probable that after the breakwaters have been constructed the cost of dredging the remaining part of the basin will be reduced. For this reason no revision of the estimate will now be made other than to include the small area which had been omitted. It is probable that sand will be found to wash into the basin somewhat from the adjacent flats, so as to ultimately cause a small percentage of increase to the amount of dredging. Such a sliding in has already been found in the narrow channel dredged near the end of the Frost Point breakwater. It is probable, however, that the contraction of the entrance will cause an increased tidal current sufficient to maintain the required depth at that point. Little Harbor is a part of the mouth of the Piscataqua River, which forms the harbor of Portsmouth, and the original project for its improvement was as an adjunct to Portsmouth Harbor. The tidal currents in the main channel of the Piscataqua River are so strong that a vessel can make no headway against them except with a strong fair wind. The winds and storms which cause danger on that part of the coast are generally from directions north of east, and in such winds it is impossible for a sailing vessel to reach a sheltered anchorage in the river during an ebb tide. Little Harbor, the other mouth of the river, has far less strength of tidal currents, and the direction of entrance is such that after sufficient depth has been obtained vessels can readily enter at all times when a shelter is required. The following is the entire estimate of cost for the improvement on the enlarged plan: For breakwaters, 56,000 tons of stone, at $1.25.... Total $70,000 143,000 22,000 235,000 The following appropriations have been made for this improvement: At the beginning of the last fiscal year the previous appropriation had been expended, and work was suspended. In September, 1888, proposals for dredging were invited by public advertisement. The lowest bid received was from the New England Dredging Company, of Boston, Mass. A contract was therefore made with this company for the expenditure of available funds in dredging. Dredging under this contract was commenced May 16, 1889. On the 30th of June there had been removed from the channel 37,479 cubic yards. This has resulted in extending the channel of 9 feet depth, which was dredged under the former contract, to the anchorage, and in several cuts to widen the same. This is one of the dangerous points on the coast. A life-saving station has been established on the Little Harbor side of Jerry's Point. The superintendent of the first district of life-saving service has furnished me with a list of nine vessels totally wrecked in the last ten years in trying to get into Portsmouth Harbor, all of which could have easily put into Little Harbor had there been sufficient depth of water. In addition to the wrecks mentioned, the keeper of the Jerry's Point life-saving station has furnished a list of thirty-seven vessels known to have been wrecked on the shore between Little Harbor and Rye Beach, a distance of less than four statute miles. The dates of the wrecks are not given. The list is taken from records in the possession of Capt. Charles Salter, of Portsmouth, N. H. Little Harbor is in the collection district of Portsmouth, N. H. The nearest lighthouse is at Fort Constitution, on Goat Island. Whale's Back Light is almost equally near on the opposite side of the channel. The nearest fortifications are the defenses of Portsmouth Harbor and navy-yard. |