Abstract of proposals for furnishing and placing riprap granite in the eastern breakwater at Stonington, Conn., received at Engineer Office, U. S. Army, Newport, R. 1., in response to advertisement dated December 17, 1888, and opened at 12 o'clock noon, on Thursday, the 17th day of January, 1889. [Work to be commenced on or before March 15, 1889, and completed on or before August 15, 1889.} Contract awarded to Charles F. Stoll, of New Londou, Conn., with the approval of the Chief of Engineers, and dated February 8, 1889. The schooner Alma was a vessel of about 200 tons burden, and was probably built in 1882 at Alma, New Brunswick. The name of the owner was not ascertained. She was loaded with lime and a deck load of lumber. The vessel caught fire somewhere off the coast of Cape Cod during the storm of September 26, 1888, and was towed to Vineyard Haven, Mass., and left by the tow-boat at a shoal spot about 1,200 feet northeast of the steam boat wharf. She lay in about 10 to 12 feet of water, and from her position on the edge of the channel was a dangerous obstruction to navigation. The notice required by section 4 of the river and harbor appropriation act of June 14, 1880, was given to all persons interested in the vessel, etc., by publication in newspapers, and no action having been taken by the owners looking to the removal of the wreck, proposals for the work were invited by adrertisement dated January 12, 1889. An abstract of the proposals received and the terms of the contract will be found in the appended table. The contractor at first attempted to float the wreck by means of casks. This method was found to be impracticable and was abandoned, and the wreck blown up by dynamite. The cargo of lime was cleaned out with a steam-shovel. The work was greatly delayed by bad weather and high winds. It was completed May 1, 1889. Portions of the rigging and hull of the vessel were saved during the process of removal. They were sold at auction at Vineyard Haven, and the proceeds, amounting to $108, were covered into the Treasury. Mr. C. O. Abell, to March 25, 1889, and Mr. George F. Rostock, after that date, were local inspectors of the work. Abstract for proposals for removing the wreck of the schooner Alma received at Engineer Office, U. S. Army, Newport, R. I., in response to advertisement dated January 12, 1889, and opened at 12 o'clock noon on Tuesday, the 12th day of February, 1889. 1234567 *7 Harvey S. Cook, Agent Boston Tow-Boat Company, Vineyard Haven, Mass Informal and not in triplicate. Contract awarded to William Buckley, of Vineyard Haven, Mass., with the approval of the Chief of Engineers, and dated February 26, 1889. Work to be commenced within ten days after signing the contract and completed within forty days of the time of commencement. WRECK OF SCHOONER ANNIE E. HAYES. According to the best information obtainable the schooner Annie E. Hayes was owned by W. W. Baker, of Brooklyn, N. Y., who was also her captain. Her dimensions were approximately, length 150 feet, breadth 14 feet, depth from top of rail to bottom of keel 10 feet. She was bound from East Wareham, Mass., to Providence, R. I., with a cargo of 160 tons of molding sand, and between 10 and 11 o'clock on the morning of December 5, 1888, sprung a leak and went down, giving the captain and crew barely time to escape in the small boat. The wreck lay in about 22 feet of water about 1 mile south of Bird Island Light, Buzzard's Bay, Massachusetts, directly in the track of vessels bound in and out of Wareham River. Wreckers stripped her of everything of value except the masts. Her cabin was found on the beach a few days after the accident. The notice required by section 4 of the river and harbor appropria tion act of June 14, 1880, to all persons interested in the vessel, etc., was given by advertisement in newspapers, and proposals for removing the wreck were invited. No action having been taken by the owners, the proposals were opened March 18, 1889. An abstract of the proposals received and the terms of the contract will be found in the appended table. Dynamite was used to remove the wreck. The work was considerably delayed by unfavorable weather. It was completed May 1, 1889. Mr. F. I. Angell was local inspector of the work. ENG 89-41 Abstract of proposals for removing wreck of schooner Annie E. Hayes received at Engineer Office, U. S. Army, Newport, R. I., in response to advertisement dated February 15, 1889, and opened at 12 o'clock noon on Monday, the 18th day of March, 1889. Contract awarded to Charles E. Davis, of Wood's Holl, Mass., with the approval of the Chief of Engineers, and dated April 5, 1889. Work to be commenced within ten days after signing the contract, and completed within forty days of the time of commencement. C 16. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF ENTRANCE TO POINT JUDITH POND, WEST OF POINT JUDITH, RHODE ISLAND, WITH A VIEW TO ESTABLISHING A HARBOR OF REFUGE. ENGINEER OFFICE, U. S. ARMY, GENERAL: In compliance with instructions contained in Department letter of September 29, 1888, I have the honor to submit the following report upon the preliminary examination of entrance to Point Judith Pond, west of Point Judith, Rhode Island, provided for in the river and harbor act of August 11, 1888, and made by Capt. T. L. Casey, Corps of Engineers, on the 11th October last: Point Judith Pond is located in the southeastern part of the town of Kingston, R. 1.; is about 3 miles in length, and varies from one-half mile to 1 mile in breadth. It is connected with the ocean by a narrow, tortuous channel having a depth of from 3 to 8 feet at mean low water. The low water level in the pond is about 2.5 feet above that of the ocean. The mean range of the tide in the latter is about 3 feet, and in the former is said to vary from 6 to 9 inches. A careful survey of this locality was made in 1873, under the direction of General Warren, a report on which may be found in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1874, pages 117-120. The examination just made by Captain Casey shows that since the date of General Warren's report the branch forming the outlet to the pond has materially deepened and that the level of the pond has been somewhat reduced. It was found in 1873 that this level was 4.5 feet above mean low water, and the water almost entirely fresh. Captain Casey estimates that the low level of the pond can not be more than 2.5 feet above low tide in the ocean, and at high tide strong currents enter the pond, and further states that if a navigable channel 200 feet wide and 7 feet deep were excavated as indicated on the diagram marked A the depth of the pond would be reduced by that much. On the accompanying sketch the curves of equal depth have been plotted from the map of General Warren's survey. Captain Casey says "it would be perfectly feasible to excavate a channel into the entrance of the harbor to a depth of 7 feet at mean low tide." He estimates that this would produce a tidal current of about 3 miles per hour, and that the depth of the pond would thereby be reduced about 2.5 feet. A harbor of refuge might also be established at the entrance to the pond with the same facility as at any other point on the sea-coast which afforded no material advantages therefor, but could not be maintained unless by constant dredging. The cost of building breakwaters to inclose au area of one-fourth of a square mile, with an average depth of 20 feet, is roughly estimated at $800,000, and the original cost of excavating a channel into the pond to a depth of 7 feet at mean tide is roughly estimated at $40,000. Perhaps it could be maintained by an annual expenditure somewhat less than this amount. General Warren, in his report on this locality, says: To secure an artificial enlargement of the outlet, extensive stone jetties would be required on each side to prevent the opening being filled with sand, and even these, unless of very great extent, would be of doubtful effect, for the beach is composed of shifting sand, exposed to the full force of the ocean waves. The village of Wakefield is situated at the head of this pond, and if vessels of moderate draught can be made to reach it the people would be much benefited; but the cost of making suitable works to effect this would be so great that nothing but the commerce of a great city like New York would justify the attempt. There, an artificial harbor costing millions could be afforded, and only under its shelter could the beach be kept permanently open. I therefore submit no estimate for improve ment. The present and prospective demands of commerce justify a small harbor of refuge in this vicinity. Such a harbor is recommended in my report of the preliminary examination of coast near life-saving station, East Point Judith, which is about 2 miles east of the entrance to Point Judith Pond. In my opinion the entrance to Point Judith Pond, west of Point Judith, is not worthy of improvement, with a view to constructing a harbor of refuge. A copy of Captain Casey's report is inclosed with my report of preliminary examination of East Point Judith.* Point Judith Poud is in the collection district of Newport, which is a port of entry. The amount of revenue collected at Newport in the last fiscal year was $2,184.51. The nearest light-house is Point Judith Light. The nearest fortification is the fort on Dutch Island, Rhode Island. The population of South Kingston by the Rhode Island State census of 1885 was 5,549. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A. W. R. LIVERMORE, REPORT OF CAPTAIN THOMAS L. CASEY, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, ENGINEER OFFICE, U. S. ARMY, SIR: The following is a report of the preliminary examination of Point Judith Pond and the coast-line thence to Point Judith, R. I., with a view to the establishment of harbors of refuge. Copy submitted herewith. On the morning of October 11 the party set out from the upper end of the upper pond in a small steam-launch belonging to Mr. Jrh. P. Robinson and brother, of Wakefield. A sounding-rod had been provided graduated to feet. Soundings were taken at intervals of about a fifth of a mile. The course lay down the upper pond to the Narrows; thence in a nearly straight course to the interval between Gardiner's Island and a smaller island lying immediately to the eastward and thence in a gentle curve to High Point. As indicated on the accompanying map, the soundings taken show that from the upper end of the pond to a point nearly opposite Buf Island, a distance of about 2 miles, a channel depth of about 10 feet can easily be obtained; but from the latter point to the entrance the depth became rapidly less, and in order to obtain sufficient depth of water for commercial purposes extensive dredging will be necessary. At a point about one-half a mile below High Point the party left the launch because of the eel-grass, which impeded the propeller, and took to a flat-bottom skiff. As we approached the entrance along the dotted line on the map it could be seen that there was a perceptible current setting into the pond and into the narrow passage forming its outlet. This current became so strong that headway could be made with difficulty against it. The depth in the narrow, tortuous outlet varied from 3 to 8 feet. The tide was at its full and there was no appearance of a bar at the entrance. As the mean range of the tide on the coast is about 3 feet and as the known range of the tide in the pond is from 6 to 9 inches it follows that the low level of the pond can not be much more than 2.5 feet above mean low tide in the ocean, and that if a navigable channel 200 feet wide and 7 feet deep (at mid-tide) was excavated, as indicated on the diagram marked A, the depth in the pond would be reduced by that amount at low tide. By a rough calculation, assuming the area of the pond to be 14 square miles, such an outlet as that just indicated would accommodate the incoming and outflowing tide with a current of 3 miles per hour. If a row of guide-piling sheathed with planks be driven along the borders of the artificial channel and cut off at a height of 8 feet above the high-water level it would serve to retain the current for purposes of deepening the channel and would at the same time serve as a catch for the loose sand, which is sometimes extensively shifted by the wind. If a harbor of refuge is to be built on the coast to the westward of Point Judith it would seem that the best location for it would be at the entrance of this pond, where it would serve at once as harbor of refuge and as a quiet port wherein vessels might discharge cargos upon lighters which could then be towed up the pond to Wakefield. There is no part of the coast between the entrance and Point Judith which could be advantageously chosen as a site for the harbor because of a long ledge which extends for nearly a mile in a south by easterly direction from a point nearly one-half mile from the shore near the entrance of the pond. This ledge would effectually bar the progress of any vessel drawing more than 13 feet of water and its attempt to reach such a harbor from the southwest, and would at all times be dangerous. The position of the proposed barbor is indicated on the map. Proceeding to the life-saving station at Point Judith, the captain of the crew was asked his opinion as to the position and nature of the proposed breakwater to the north of the point. The position of the breakwater, as traced by him, is shown on the map, and it was suggested that a small prolongation at right angles to the axis and from its extremity would be very useful, and such a form far superior to the are of a circle. If the breakwater be built in this position it is suggested that it be capped with large rough-finished stones, so that it could serve some of the purposes of a dock. On reviewing the entire project, which although threefold in its nature is in reality only one, it should be said in conclusion that it is quite possible, and, as far as the Wakefield harbor of refuge and the Point Judith breakwater are concerned, almost a necessity. Appended (marked B) there is a list of the vessels which have been wrecked on this coast from the Point Judith Pond Inlet to a point midway between the point and Narragansett Pier. It was very obligingly furnished by the captain of the life-saving crew. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Maj. W. R. LIVERMORE, THOS. L. CASEY, Corps of Engineers. |