project was to dredge a channel from the "Deep Hole" to the town wharves, 4,200 feet long, 25 feet wide, and 6 feet deep at mean low water. This project was approved by the Secretary of War September 11, 1888. Specifications and advertisement for this work were prepared and issued, and the bids received were opened November 3, 1888. А сору of the proposals will be found in the annexed table. On November 26, 1888, a contract was entered into with Mr. A. R. Wright to dredge 18,000 cubic yards at 34 cents per yard, scow measurement, from the proposed channel connecting the "Deep Hole" with the town wharves, making it 2,500 feet long, 4 feet deep at mean low water, and 25 feet wide. This contract expires December 31, 1889, and no operations have been in progress under it during the year ending June 30, 1889. No other operations have been in progress and the condition of the improvement remains the same as on June 30, 1888. To complete the improvement will require at the present prices for dredging an appropriation of $26,000, all of which could be expended to advantage during the fiscal year ending ending June 30, 1891. The prospective benefits to commerce are increased facilities in navi. gating the inner harbor. The accompanying commercial statistics for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889, have been furnished by the collector of customs at Barnstable, Mass. The nearest light-house is upon Billingsgate Island. 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...... $7,000,00 $43.54 6, 210.00 6,253,54 746.46 26,000.00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project..... Abstract of proposals for dredging in Wellfleet Harbor, Mass., opened November 3, 1888, by Maj. John P. Hawkins, C. S., U. S. A., during the official absence of Lieut. Col. G. L. Gillespie, Corps of Engineers. Contract awarded to Augustus R. Wright, with the approval of the Chief of Engineers. The vessels frequenting the port are schooners, mostly fishing-vessels, from 5 to 10 feet draft. Their value is estimated at $1,500,000. B 15. IMPROVEMENT OF HARBOR AT PROVINCETOWN, MASSACHUSETTS. Provincetown Harbor is situated at the extremity of Cape Cod, about 40 miles southeast from Boston Light. It is one of the most valuable harbors of refuge on the Atlantic coast. The entire commerce of New England, and a very large local fishing interest, are directly benefited by its maintenance, which depends entirely on the preservation of the sandy beaches which inclose it. Since 1826 the project has been a general one, and provides for the preservation of the harbor by building dikes, bulkheads, and sandcatches, and extensive planting of beach grass, to repair or prevent storm damages to the beaches. From the nature of the work it can at no time be considered completed. A full history of the improvements will be found in the Annual Reports of the Chief of Engineers for the years 1876, 1879, and 1886. A special dike across House Point Island Flats, to be built contingently, was recommended in the Annual Report for 1886. A plan of the harbor was published in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1886. The total appropriations or allotments for this work up to date have been $146,478.44. The amount expended up to June 30, 1888, was $139,328.09. The condition of the improvement on June 30, 1888, was as follows: LONG POINT. This long, narrow, low point forms the southeastern limit of the harbor. It had been protected on the east, or outside, by bulkheads, groins, and aprons, built of rubble-stone. These were all generally in good order, except that 600 tons of additional large stone were required to level up the bulkhead near the northern end; and it required to be repaired and backed with brush and small stone to prevent the sea making through it, to the injury of the beach behind it. The brush bulkhead near Wood End Light was in good order. On August 24, 1888, a project was submitted for the expenditure of the funds appropriated for this improvement by the river and harbor act of August 11, 1888. This project was approved September 6, 1888. It proposed to reserve $1,000 for the repair of probable storm damage to the existing works, and to expend the balance of the appropriation in leveling up and backing the Long Point Breakwater; material to be purchased by contract; the work to be done by hired labor. Specifications and advertisement were prepared and issued for the necessary material; the bids received were opened November 2, 1888; a copy of the proposals will be found in the annexed table. On November 24, 1888, a contract was entered into with Mr. Charles H. Edwards to deliver 600 tons of large stone in place on the breakwater, and 700 tons small stone and 150 cords of brush on the beach inside of the light. The contract expires December 31, 1889. Operations were commenced under this contract in April, 1889, and during the fiscal year 341 tons of large stone, 428 tons of small stone, and 135 cords of brush were delivered. A small force of hired men have been employed in placing this brush and small stone in rear of the breakwater, and at the date of this report 300 feet of the breakwater was backed. On the completion of this contract, the northern extremity of Long Point will be fully protected from easterly storm action; but the northwestern part of the point, opposite the fog-signal station, has for some time been more or less abraded by storms, and, to secure the light-house tract, it may be necessary to extend the breakwater 250 feet to the west and south. That part of Long Point lying between 2,000 and 4,000 feet west of Wood End Light has for many years been narrowing. In 1835 it was 130 feet wide between the extreme high-water lines, and in 1888 it was but 40 feet, a reduction in width of 90 feet, nearly all of which has been worn from the inside beach by northeasterly storms. This 2,000 feet of beach should be protected on the inside by a plank bulkhead with groins connecting with the grassed beach in the rear. This will cost $6,000, and this amount could be expended to advantage during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891. ABEL HILL DIKE. This dike was built to prevent the rush of water from Lancey's Harbor over House Point Island Flats into the main harbor. The rapid wearing away of the southern sand-spit that forms Lancey's Harbor had threatened to make a breach through the beach south of the dike. To guard against this, brush and wooden sand-catches had been built on the outer beach opposite the west end of the dike. They were all in good order. HOUSE POINT ISLAND FLATS. These flats remained essentially unaltered from the condition shown by the last survey, and, as stated in the Annual Report for 1887, it still appears unnecessary to commence the dike projected to be built across these flats. The most of the grass planted during the last fiscal year had rooted. and was growing at the date of this report. BEACH POINT, HIGH HEAD DIKE, AND COVE SECTION. These works were all in good order. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889, the only operations in progress were those at Long Point; and at the date of this report the several works of preservation were in good order, and serving the purpose for which they were built. The nature of the works of preservation for this harbor requires a small sum to be always available for immediate repairs. Such necessary repairs have averaged $1,500 per annum. The prospective benefit to commerce is the preservation of an important harbor of refuge. Provincetown is a port of entry in the collection district of Barnstable, Mass. The nearest light-houses are Wood End and Long Point Lights. The accompanying commercial statistics have been furnished by the deputy collector at the port of Provincetown, Mass.: 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, 18-9, outstanding liabilities.. July 1, 1889, amount covered by existing contracts.... July 1, 1889, balance available.... $150.35 7,000.00 7, 150.35 $1,715. 18 654.92 788.78 3, 158.88 3,991. 47 7,500.00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project... 7,500.00 Abstract of proposals for the delivery of stone and brush for Provincetown Harbor, Mass., opened November 2, 1888, by Lieut. Col. G. L. Gillespie, Corps of Engineers. Contract awarded to Charles H. Edwards, with the approval of the Chief of Engi neers. All classes of vessels frequent the port. Their average draught is 10 feet. A low estimate of the value of vessels using the harbor for shelter during the year is $60,000,000. B 16. REMOVAL OF SUNKEN VESSELS OR CRAFT ENDANGERING OR OBSTRUCTING NAVIGATION. On November 14, 1888, report was made that the schooners Mary and Goldsmith Maid had been wrecked in Boston Harbor, and formed obstructions to navigation. It was recommended that they be removed under authority of section 4, river and harbor act of June 14, 1880. This was approved by the Secretary of War November 24, 1888. Public notice was issued to the owner or owners of the vessels on November 30, 1888. Specifications and advertisement for the removal of these wrecks were prepared and issued, and the bids received were opened January 4, 1889. A copy of the proposals received will be found in the annexed table. On January 14, 1889, a contract was entered into with Messrs. L. E. Lunt & Co. to completely remove the wrecks at a cost of $1,925. The Mary was to be raised and put alongside of the Fort Winthrop Wharf, and the Goldsmith Maid dropped in deep water outside of the harbor. Operations were commenced under the contract on January 23, 1889, and after the site of the wrecks had been swept and examined by a diver, and the contract found to have been completed in a satisfactory manner, final payment was made April 9, 1889. On April 9, 1889, specifications and advertisement were prepared and issued, calling for proposals for the purchase of the wreck of schooner Mary. The bids received were opened May 15, 1889. A copy of the propos als received will be found in the annexed table. On May 15, 1889, it was recommended that the highest bid be accepted, and this recommendation was approved May 20, 1889. Payment was made May 24, 1889, and the wreck was delivered. |