Discharge Observations at Hampton Landing, Ark.-—Continued. discharge. Below datum. 1879. Feet. Feet. Sq. ft. Sq. ft. Mar. 25 22.9 +0.3 157, 422 26 23.5 27 24.1 28 24.6 +0.5 +0.5 165,182 29 25.05 +0.5 30 25.2 +0.1 31 25.2 +0.1 April 1 25.15 0.0 2 25.1 -0.1 3 24.85 -0.2 4 24.7 -0.2 5 24.5 -0.1 6 24.5 -0.1 167,464 164, 722 +0.2164, 752 | 188,916 33.1 41.3 44.5 4,566 -879 12 23.7 -0.5 160, 192 Down, 4 Down, 3 Calm. 13 23.2 -0.6 14 22.9 -0.4 +0.3 158, 368 15 23.3 16 23.85 +0.5 +0.2 22 24.0 -0.3 23 23.6 -0.4 159, 736 24 22.8 -0.5 156, 111 25 22.4 -0.5 154, 294 26 21.75 -0.7 27 20.9 -1.0 28 19.9 -0.7 142, 970 29 18.7 +1.4 137, 632 30 17.7 3.894 535, 902 Calm. -1.1 125, 421 181,379 27.8 39.7 35.6 4,514 -7,537 May 1 16.7 -0.9 Calm. Down, 2 15.7 -0.9 116, 431 3.738 435, 220 Down, 1 3 14.75 -1.0 Up, 6 6 12.05 -0.9 711.25-0.8 4 13.8 -1.0 5 13.0 -0.9 106, 938 184,011 23.9 40.231.5 4,472 +2,632 8 10.6 -0.7 96, 234 Up, 2 Date. Discharge Observations at Hampton Landing, Ark.—Continued. REPORT OF CAPTAIN THOMAS TURTLE, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, SECRETARY OF COMMITTEE ON CONSTRUCTION. THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER COMMISSION, OFFICE OF THE COMMITTEE ON CONSTRUCTION, 2653 Olive Street, Saint Louis, Mo., June 30, 1886. SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the work of this office for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886: Capt. J. H. Willard, Corps of Engineers, on duty in charge of this office since April 11, 1884, was only relieved by me on June 19 last, so my connection with the committee is simply to record thus summarily the operations for the year, and I shall soon transfer the duties to my appointed successor, Lieut. James L. Lusk, Corps of Engineers. The suspension of work upon the river, because of the failure of appropriations in the session of Congress ending March 3, 1885, has reduced operations to such as are necessary for the care of the plant, and to such work in the office as could be performed with the small force permitted under the circumstances. At the time of the last annual report the general-service plant was laid up in harbor at Twin Hollows, about 15 miles below Saint Louis, where it remained till the end of October, 1885, when the filling of the harbor by sediment under the action of the works at that point compelled its removal to some other locality. After examination the bight at Chester was chosen, permission having been obtained from the owners of the adjacent land to occupy about 2,000 feet along the shore. The fleet has remained there since that time, and, with constant work sparring off and ice-cutting along the shore, escaped injury during the very inclement winter season of 1885-'86. The whole of the commission fleet and a part of the general service fleet were torn from moorings by a tornado on May 11 and carried across the river and down Mary Chute. The property was finally landed by the tow-boat R. S. Hayes, of the Mississippi Valley line, and was returned to harbor by the Minnetonka. The roof of the steamer Mississippi has been entirely recovered, and that of the Minnetonka has been repainted and sanded; it was expected that the latter would be renewed last spring, but want of funds has prevented this. Three thousand one hundred and sixty-five yards of stone were purchased in November for use at Hopefield Bend for 50 cents per cubic yard, loaded on the barges, and the expenses of delivery brought its cost to about 91 cents per cubic yard at the work. Eighty-five cents would probably be a fair average under the conditions of active operations. In this service, barge 187 struck a submerged pile, and, sinking, became a total loss. During the year the following services have been performed by the steamers: The Commission were carried on a tour of inspection of the works upon the river from Keokuk to New Orleans in November by the Mississippi, and three barges were taken from Red River, and one pile-driver from Vicksburg, to Wilson's Point on the return trip. The Minnetonka, in November and December, towed the stone purchased at Chester to the work at Memphis; in February assisted in collecting the fleet of United States boats torn away by ice from moorings at Carroll's Island; brought back the commission fleet and that portion of the general-service fleet blown away by the tornado of May 11, and at the end of the year was engaged in towing stone from Chester to Memphis. This stone was for use in work of bank protection undertaken by citizens of Memphis, and for which the use of the needed Government plant was permitted by the Secretary of War. Attention is respectfully invited to Captain Willard's report of last year in reference to the advantages of the ownership of its plant by the United States, and to the increase of the same, to the best model of barge for carrying stone, to the purchase of Illinois coal, and to the building of the new tow-boats. The recommendations are, of course, to be considered in connection with the amount of the next appropriation and its application. The working drawings are prepared complete for two iron and steel hulled tow-boats; the one 180 feet long, 30-feet beam, and 5 feet 8 inches depth of hold; the other 135 feet long, 26-feet beam, and 5 feet hold. Thorough surveys have been made of the existing wooden-hulled tow-boats, Minnetonka, Osceola, and Emma Etheridge, and drawings in full detail are made of the first and second, and those of the last are under way. The expenditures for general service are apportioned among the districts according to the work done; those for outfit and repairs and for care of plant are divided equally among the first, second, and third. The amount available for general service July 1, 1885, was $127,809.68, of which $20,527.75 has been expended and $17,036.80 charged to districts; $7,600 transferred to Plum Point, $33,900 to Memphis Reach, $29,215.04 to Lake Providence Reach, $250 to Vicksburg Harbor (Delta Point), $4,000 to New Orleans Harbor, $10,500 to mouth of Red River, and $1,000 to Tensas Front Levee (fourth district). The balance available July 1, 1886, is $20,816.89. I present herewith directory of the commission, with its officers and districts under improvement, estimates for general service 1886-'87, statement of plant, detailed statement of expenditures by the general service, detailed financial statement of all expenditures from July 1, 1885, to June 30, 1886, and a general statement of appropriations and expenditures from March 3, 1881, to June 30, 1886. THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER COMMISSION. Col. and Bvt. Maj. Gen. Quincy A. Gillmore, Corps of Engineers, President, 33 West Houston street, New York. Lieut. Col. and Bvt. Brig. Gen. Cyrus B. Comstock, Corps of Engineers, Willets Point, New York Harbor. Maj. Charles R. Suter, Corps of Engineers, 1415 Washington avenue, Saint Louis. Henry Mitchell, civil engineer, office U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, Washington, D. C. B. M. Harrod, civil engineer, Cotton Exchange Building, New Orleans. Hon. Robert S. Taylor, P. O. Box 1648, Fort Wayne, Ind. S. W. Ferguson, civil engineer, Greenville, Miss. Capt. Thomas Turtle, Corps of Engineers, Secretary, 2828 Washington avenue, Saint Louis. THE COMMITTEE ON CONSTRUCTION. Messrs. Gillmore, Comstock, Suter, and Harrod. Capt. Thomas Turtle, Corps of Engineers, Secretary and Assistant, 2653 Olive street, Saint Louis. Approximate value of plant belonging to the United States and used upon the improvement of the Mississippi River, general service, June 30, 1886. Expenditures on account of appropriation for improving Mississippi River, no limit, from allotment for general service, from July 1, 1885, to June 30, 1886. Plant and outfit. Care of public property. Administration and inspection.. Office expenses, rent and repairs.. Expenses delivering stone to second district.. Expenses steamer Mississippi on tour of inspection.. Expense of moving fleet.... Extraordinary expense in breaking up of ice.. Rescuing barges from ice in winter of 1885-'86 Extraordinary expense during dispersion of fleet by tornado in May, 1886... Towage and transportation... Total...... The above expenditures are apportioned as follows: To first district... To second district_ To third district. Total...... Financial statement, July 1, 1885, to June 30, 1886. $803 67 - 919 21 6, 330 08 664 41 5,217 53 1,386 21 3,490 95 851 91 378 76 96 00 271 62 117 40 20, 527 75 5,178 53 6,564 73 5, 178 54 115 00 3,490 95 20, 527 75 Illinois River to Ohio River and protection of the easterly bank of the Mississippi near Cairo: |