that to complete the line and raise all levees to 13 feet above high water of 1882 will require 1,634,000 cubic yards, at a cost of about $430,000. White River Front.-Saint Francis River to White River, 95 miles. Less than 20 miles of this front is unleveed, but much of the remainder has too low grades. It is estimated that the entire front can be closed to 2 feet above high water for about $150,000. The Long Lake Levee is the only Government work. From White River to Arkansas River there are no levees. From Arkansas River to Cypress Bayou, 25 miles, there are no front levees except a few miles more or less dilapidated. The south side of the Arkansas is leveed for about 8 miles above the mouth. Tensas Front.-Cypress Creek to Red River, 340 miles. On the south side of Cypress Creek, the Opossum Fork Levee extends back from the river and across to Amos Ridge, 7 miles, closing the head of the Tensas Basin. From Amos Ridge to Arkansas City, for new levees, closing breaks, and raising grade to 1 foot above high water of 1882, there are required 133,000 cubic yards. From Arkansas City to the Louisiana State Line there is required for enlargement of existing lines 526,000 cubic yards; for new levees, 976,000 cubic yards, the principal new work being at Panther Forest.. Leland Vaucluse Matthews Bend.. Grand Lake.... Cubic yards. From the Louisiana State Line to Warrenton the levees are at present in fair condition. There are, however, caving banks, which will ultimately necessitate new levees, for which the estimated amount is 1,027,000 cubic yards. The Wilton to Raleigh Levee is the most important of those threatened. From Warrenton to Red River the levees are believed to be above ordinary flood height, except at Diamond Island Bend (13,850 feet) and Bougère, with a small gap at Point Breeze. The estimate of the chief State engineer of Louisiana for the closure of Diamond Island Crevasse is 250,000 cubic yards, or, for a more complete line across Sargent's Point, 510,000 cubic yards. No estimates have been made for the other localities named. In addition, it seems likely that caving will render necessary the reconstruction of Kempe Levee. (See report of Major Stickney, M. R. C. An. Rep., 1885.) The grade of Lake Concordia Levee is still too low. On the Yazoo Front the energetic action of the State boards has kept the levees in fair condition, although much work remains to be done be fore that front is quite secure. Atchafalaya Front.-The Morganza crevasse is the only point that needs special attention. The estimate for closure is 270,000 cubic yards.* FINANCIAL STATEMENT. Appropriation for salaries and expenses Mississippi River Commission, act of July 7, 1884. * Work is in progress on this levec, and it will probably be completed during the season. Appropriation for surveys Mississippi River, act of July 5, 1884. Appropriations for improving Mississippi River, acts of March 3, 1881, August 2, 1882, and January 19 and July 5, 1884. Estimate of funds for the Mississippi River Commission for the fiscal year ending June 30,1888 SUNDRY CIVIL BILL. For salaries and traveling expenses of the Mississippi River Commission, and for salaries and traveling expenses of assistant engineers under them, and for office expenses and contingencies RIVER AND HARBOR BILL. For continuation of surveys of the Mississippi River, between the Head of the Passes, near its month, and its headwaters, now in progress; to make additional surveys and examinations of said river and its tributaries; to make such additional examinations and investigations, topographical, hydrographical, hydrometrical, as are necessary for maturing a plan for the permanent improvement of the entire river Estimate of funds for the improvement of the Mississippi River for the For continuing the improvement of the Mississippi River from Cairo, Ills., Columbus, Ky Hickman, Ky.... $100,000 100,000 5,000,000 $61, 250 251,250 Memphis, Tenn Greenville, Miss.. New Orleans, La... Total... 25,000 Colonel of Engineers, Bvt. Maj. Gen., U. S. A., CHAS. R. SUTER, Major of Engineers, U. S. A. HENRY MITCHELL, Coast and Geodetic Survey. B. M. HARROD. R. S. TAYLOR. I expressed, in the report of the Mississippi River Commission for 1883, my opinion as to the approximate heights needed for levees to give protection against overflow along the Mississippi River. I think the estimate for levees given in this report totally inadequate for any efficient system. Hon. Wм. C. ENDICOTT, Secretary of War. C. B. COMSTOCK, Lieut. Col. of Engineers. (Through the Chief of Engineers, U. S. A.) List of appendices accompanying the foregoing report. APPENDIX A.-Report of the Secretary of the Commission.. Page 2697 1. Discharge observations at Hampton Landing, Ark., 1878-79.. 2701 APPENDIX B.-Report of the Secretary of the Committee on Construction..... 2710 APPENDIX C.-Report of Capt. E. H. Ruffner on operations between Des Moines Rapids and the Illinois River... APPENDIX D.-Report of Maj. O. H. Ernst on operations between the Illinois and Ohio Rivers.. 2719 2722 APPENDIX E.-Report of Capt. S. S. Leach on operations in the first district... 2724 APPENDIX F.-Report of Capt. S. S. Leach on operations in the second district... 2731 APPENDIX G.---Report of Capt. W. T. Rossell on operations in the third dis trict.. APPENDIX H.-Report of Maj. C. W. Raymond on operations in the fourth dis trict.. 2736 2744 APPENDICES. APPENDIX A. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE COMMISSION UPON THE WORK OF SURVEYS AND EXAMINATIONS. OFFICE MISSISSIPPI RIVER COMMISSION, 2828 WASHINGTON AVENUE, Saint Louis, Mo., July 31, 1886. GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the work of the secretary's office and of surveys and examinations during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. The operations carried on under this office for the past year have been the inspection and repair of gauges on the main river below Saint Louis and on the tributaries; the checking, compilation, and publication of gauge records; the reduction and plotting of field notes, and the preparation, publication, and distribution of maps; the printing of tabulated data, gauge records, proceedings of the Commission and reports; the reduction of the notes of discharge observations, and the computations therefrom; the reduction and compilation of physical data of the Mississippi River and alluvial valley; the classification and filing of the reports and records pertaining to the Commission; the disbursement of the funds appropriated for the expenses of the Commission, and for surveys under its direction; and the clerical work rendered necessary by these duties. At the end of the fiscal year no assistants remained on the rolls of this office, the services of all having been dispensed with from time to time because of lack of funds. PREPARATION AND PUBLICATION OF MAPS. Of the manuscript maps, 233 in number, of the Mississippi below Cairo, covering some 945 miles of river, 14 are finished. The others are in various stages of progress; 209 require titles and notes, and 28 require conventional signs. This series is on a scale of 1 to 10,000. From this series a series on the reduced scale of 1 to 20,000 is in process of publication. There will be 69 charts, only 9 of which have been published; the material for 30 more is prepared, awaiting funds to pay for printing. The series on a scale of one inch to the mile, and of which a complete set of 32 charts, covering the river from Cairo to the head of the passes, has been published, requires the addition of topography from later surveys upon 9 of the sheets. To carry this series up to Keokuk will require some 14 sheets, upon which no work has been done. The map of the alluvial valley, which shows the entire overflowed region from Cape Girardeau to the Gulf of Mexico, consisting of 8 sheets, on a scale of one inch to five miles is finished, and an edition may be printed as soon as funds are available. The black impressions are on stone, and for security against loss, transferred copies on zinc plates are prepared and stored elsewhere. The color impressions are provided for by zinc plates. The discharge observations, made in the season of 1884-'85, at Helena, Warrenton, Red River Landing, Old River (mouth of Red River), and at the head of the Atchafalaya have been reduced and tabulated. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, THOMAS TURTLE, Captain of Engineers, Secretary Mississippi River Commission. General Q. A. GILLMORE, President Mississippi River Commission. 2697 FINANCIAL STATEMENT. Appropriation for salaries and expenses Mississippi River Commission, act of July 7, 1884: Appropriated by act of July 7, 1881. Balance on hand July 1, 1885.. Expended from July 1, 1885, to June 30, 1886..... Balance on hand July 1, 1886.... ...... .... Appropriation for surveys of Mississippi River, act of July 5, 1884: Amount appropriated............. Balance on hand July 1, 1885......... Expended from July 1, 1885, to June 30, 1886... Balance on hand July 1, 1886... $75,000 00 22.721 24 19,182 45 3,538 79 $75,000 00 16,148 57 14,870 26 1,278 31 Approximate value of plant belonging to the United States and used by the Mississippi River Commission in surveys and cxaminations of the Mississippi River. [Appropriation for Mississippi River Commission.] |