The total amount appropriated for this work to date is $52,500. The amount expended to June 30, 1888, was $47,500. The condition of the improvement June 30, 1888, was as follows: The north breakwater was 720 feet long, of full width and height; the entrance channel was 100 feet wide, 1,600 feet long, and 5 feet deep at mean low water. The anchorage basin was 400 by 350 feet in area, 7 feet deep at mean low water. Nothing had been done on the south breakwater. A portion of the beach between Cedar Point and the mainland was protected by a brush and stone bulkhead 450 feet long, in front of which was a stone apron 10 feet wide, 385 feet long. All known bowlders obstructing the entrance of the harbor were removed. On August 24, 1888, a project was submitted for the expenditure of the sum of $5,000, made available for this improvement by the river and harbor act of August 11, 1888. This project proposed to dredge a channel 25 feet wide and three feet deep at mean low water to connect the basin with the town wharves. This project was approved by the Chief of Engineers, September 7, 1888. Specifications and advertisement for this work were prepared and issued, and bids opened November 2, 1888. A copy of the proposals received will be found in the annexed table. A contract was entered into with Messrs. Boynton Bros., on November 26, 1888, to dredge 9,000 cubic yards, more or less, scow measurement, from the channel leading from the basin to the town wharves, thereby making it 25 feet wide, 1 foot deep at mean low water. This contract expires December 31, 1889, and no operations under it have been in progress during the year ending June 30, 1889. No other operations have been in progress during the fiscal year, and the condition of the beach protection, and of the improved channel and basin, and of the north breakwater, is essentially the same as at the date of the last report. The amount required to complete the improvement is $237,500. Of this amount $50,000 could be profitably expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, as follows: Build south breakwater, 400 feet long, 10,000 tons rubble, at $2.15. $21,500 23, 100 5,400 Total... 50,000 Contingencies Scituate is in the collection district of Plymouth, Mass. The nearest port of entry is Plymouth, Mass. The nearest light-house is Minot's light, about 5 miles distant. The accompanying commercial statistics have been furnished by the collector of customs at Plymouth, Mass. 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, amount covered by existing contracts... July 1, 1889, balance available $5,000.00 $46.08 4,050.00 4,096.08 903.92 237,500,00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project... Abstract of proposals for dredging in Scituate Harbor, Mass., opened November 2, 1888, by Lieut. Col. G. L. Gillespie, Corps of Engineers. Contract awarded to Messrs. Boynton Brothers, with the approval of the Chief of Engineers. COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. Domestic entrances, 11; tonnage, 1,925; value, $17,500. Domestic clearances, 11; tonnage, 1,925; tons of coal entered, 1,200; feet of lumber entered, 550,000; exports, 10,000 barrels of sea-moss valued at $35,000. The vessels frequenting the port are schooners of not above 7 feet draught. B 13. IMPROVEMENT OF HARBOR AT PLYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS. Plymouth Harbor is situated 30 miles south of Boston. Its outer anchorage, the "Cow Yard," is common to Plymouth, Kingston, and Duxbury, and is the only refuge for sea-going vessels from northeasterly gales when caught between Boston and Provincetown, a distance of about 75 miles, following the coast line. The entrance to this outer anchorage is direct, unobstructed, and of ample width, and sufficiently deep for the wants of commerce. The anchorage is capacious, and has good "holding-ground," but the extensive tidal basins inside of it give rise to strong variable currents across it. The inner or harbor proper is formed by Long Beach, a narrow, low sand-spit 3 miles long, which runs generally parallel to the mainland and about a mile from it. The harbor contains 2,000 acres, almost all of which is dry at low tide. A few narrow, crooked, shallow channels traverse these flats. These channels join about the center of the harbor, opposite the town wharves, and form the main ship-channel, 150 feet wide, approximately, and 10 feet deep at mean low water, which runs directly behind the northern half of Long Beach to the outer anchorage. The maintenance of this inner harbor and channel depends on the preservation of Long Beach. Before improvement about 6 inches depth of water could be carried to the town wharves at low tide. A chart of the harbor was published in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for the year 1888, Part I, page 460. Previous to 1875 the project was a general one, and had for its object the preservation only of Long Beach. From the nature of the work it can at no time be considered completed, and small annual appropriations are necessary to repair any damage done by storms. The various devices employed for this purpose are described in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1877, all of which have been remarkably successful. The project for the improvement of the harbor was first adopted in 1875. It provided for dredging a channel from the town wharves to the main ship-channel, 2,286 feet long, 100 feet wide, and 6 feet deep at mean low water. This project was modified in 1877 so as to include the dredging of a basin 866 feet long, 150 feet wide, and 8 feet deep, directly in front of the town wharves. In 1884 and 1885 it was proposed to deepen the improved channel and basin to 9 feet at mean low water, and to make the approaches more easy. The modified project of 1884 required the excavation of 81,000 cubic yards (scow measurement), and was originally estimated to cost $27,000. This estimate was revised in 1885, in accordance with the low prices then current for dredging, and the cost was then estimated to be $22,500. From 1866 to date the amount appropriated for this improvement was $120,800, of which there had been expended to June 30, 1888, For beach protection... Total $72,587.56 42.212.44 114, 800.00 The condition of the improvement on June 30, 1888 was as follows: The improved channel was 115 feet in width, 9 feet in depth at mean low water; the basin was 800 feet in length, 9 feet in depth for 90 feet of its width nearest the town wharves, and the remainder averaged 5 feet in depth; Long Beach was in good order throughout, and the works of preservation on it required no repairs or extension. On August 24, 1888, a project was submitted for the expenditure of the sum of $6,000 made available for this improvement by the river and harbor act of August 11, 1888. This project proposed to reserve $1,000 for probable necessary repairs to Long Beach, and to expend $5,000 in enlarging "the basin" to its full projected dimensions. This project was approved September 14, 1888. Specifications and advertisement for the proposed work were prepared and issued, and bids received were opened November 1, 1888. A copy of the proposals received will be found in the annexed table. A contract was entered into with Mr. Augustus R. Wright on November 26, 1888, to dredge 13,000 cubic yards, more or less, from "the basin" at 293 cents per yard, scow measurement. This contract expires December 31, 1889, and no operations have been in progress under it during the fiscal year. In November, 1888, an easterly storm caused four serious breaches in the northern part of Long Beach; they were at once closed with plank bulkheads aggregating 370 feet in length. This work was done by hired labor and cost $444.17. On June 30, 1889, the improved channel and basin are in the same condition essentially as at the close of the last fiscal year. Some repairs and extensions to the existing bulkheads on Long Beach are required, which it is estimated will cost $1,500. To complete the project will require, at present rates for dredging, an appropriation of $14,500. A small sum should always be available for the harbor, to immediately repair any damage made by storms to Long Beach. These necessary repairs have in the last twenty years averaged $1,500. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, an appropriation of $17,500 could be expended to advantage for dredging, for necessary repairs and extensions of the present bulkheads on Long Beach, and for the repair of probable storm damages. The prospective benefits to commerce are increased facilities and safety in navigating the improved channel. Plymouth Harbor is located in the collection district of Plymouth, Mass., of which Plymouth is the port of entry. The nearest light-houses are the Plymouth (Gurnet) lights about 5 miles from Plymouth, and Duxbury Pier Light, about 2 miles distant. The accompanying commercial statistics for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889, have been furnished by the collector of customs at Ply. mouth, Mass. Money statement. Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888.... July 1, 1859, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888.. July 1, 1889, amount covered by existing contracts.. July 1, 1889, balance available.... $6,000.00 $502.75 3, 883.75 4,386. 50 1, 613. 50 17, 500.00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project...... Abstract of proposals for dredging in Plymouth Harbor, Mass., opened November 1, 1888, by Lieut. Col. G. L. Gillespie, Corps of Engineers. Augustus R. Wright.. National Dredging Company, by George G. Barker, vice-president.. *1 2 3 14 Boynton Bros. Contract awarded to Augustus R. Wright, with the approval of the Chief of Engineers. The vessels frequenting the port are principally schooners from 8 to 12 feet draught B 14. IMPROVEMENT OF HARBOR AT WELLFLEET, MASSACHUSETTS. Wellfleet Harbor is situated on Cape Cod Bay, 12 miles southeast of Provincetown Harbor. A chart of the harbor was published in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for the year 1888, Part I, page 478. The harbor consists of an outer anchorage south of Smalley's Bar, and an inner harbor north of the same bar. The outer anchorage is sufficiently capacious, free from obstructions, and protected, to meet the present demands of commerce, but the inner harbor, although capacious and perfectly protected, has no low-water navigable connection with the town wharves. It is 4,200 feet from the 6-foot contour to the wharves, and not to exceed 6 inches draught can be carried to them at mean low water. The original project for the improvement of this harbor was submitted November 3, 1871. It was based on the survey provided for in the river and harbor act of January 31, 1871. It proposed to dredge two channels, each 150 feet wide and 4 feet deep at mean low water; one 2,060 feet long to reach "Central" and "Commercial" wharves, and one 1,400 feet long, to reach " Mercantile" Wharf. It was also proposed to remove 204 cubic yards of sunken rocks. The cost of this project was estimated to be $30,000. On November 28, 1887, a revised project was submitted. It was based on the survey provided for in the river and harbor act of August 5, 1886. It proposed to dredge a channel from the "Deep Hole" to the town wharves, 6 feet deep at mean low water, 100 feet wide, and 4,200 feet long, at an estimated cost of $24,000. The total appropriations for this harbor to date have been $12,000. By the river and harbor act of June 10, 1872. Total....... $5,000 7,000 12,000 The total amount expended to June 30, 1888, was $5,000, and the condition of the improvement on that date, was as follows: "Mayo Bay," "Lobster," and "Lumpfish" rocks had been removed, and no low-water channel existed to the town wharves. On August 24, 1888, a project was submitted for the expenditure of the funds made available for this improvement, by the river and harbor act of August 11, 1888. This |