of necessity postponed till another year. The work executed in this vicinity in former years has given good satisfaction. Some slight repairs have been needed on the Kaw Bend work, but they were not at all serious in character and can probably be avoided in future. For details of this work see report of the president of the Commission and appendices. PLANT. During the year one steam tow-boat has been purchased for the use of the work, and fifteen barges are now in process of construction. SPECIAL SURVEYS. The river and harbor act of August 5, 1886, provided for carrying on the work under the Commission in the following language: "Improving Missouri River from its mouth to Sioux City: Continuing im provement, including necessary work at Omaha, Atchison, Saint Joseph. Fort Leavenworth Reservation, Arrow Rock, Kansas City, Plattsmouth, Brownville, and Nebrasda City, $375,000; to be expended under the direction of the Secretary of War in accordance with plans and estimates to be furnished by the Missouri River Commission." In their last annual report, dated November 17, 1886, the Commission explained at length the reasons which forced them to interpret the words "necessary work" as used in the law with reference to a majority of these places to mean the necessary preliminary work, such as must always precede the inauguration of any important engineering enter prise. This preliminary work is the making of a survey, the prepara tion of a plan, and an estimate of its cost. At two of the places named in the law, Kansas City and Saint Joseph, works of construction were already in progress, and no further preliminaries were required. The reasons for continuing the work of construction at these two places and limiting the work at the seven other places enumerated to a survey and estimate were fully given in the report above referred to. Since the date of that report the surveys have been made. The maps and estimates of the funds required for the "necessary work" at each locality are herewith transmitted. (Ap pendix C). As has been explained by the Commission in former reports, no bene fit to the navigation interest is to be expected from work executed at detached points along the river. The protection of a caving bank, unless made part of a comprehensive scheme, may or may not be useful to navigation. If work of this kind be done at points so far separated that it will be impossible for a general improvement of the river to embrace all of such points within a reasonable length of time, it is cer tain that some, if not all, of the works will be useless to the navigation interest. If work be undertaken now at the places referred to it will have for its object the protection of local interests alone. The results of recent work upon the river are such as to encourage the belief that the improvement of the channel is physically practi cable. But there are no data for estimating what its final cost will be. The Commission have, ever since their creation, urged the policy of carrying on the work in a systematic manner with annual appropria tions, moderate in comparison to the results hoped for and to their total cost, yet liberal enough to enable the required data as to cost to be obtained with accuracy. In their best judgment the sum of $1,000,000 per year should be employed in that manner. It is not yet certain. whether the improvement can be accomplished at a cost that is not prohibitory, even if conducted with one distinct object in view, unhampered by the demands of local interests. If local interests are to control the distribution of the funds, and the work is to begin at a large number of widely separated points, all doubt is removed and the question is decided in the negative. The ground taken by the Commission. upon the subject in their first report has been confirmed by all of their subsequent observations and reflection. They are convinced that if the funds be distributed among numerous detached points, as now seems to be contemplated, vast sums of money and many years of time may be consumed without conferring any appreciable benefit upon the commerce of the river. Full details on this subject are given in report of secretary of Commission on special surveys hereto appended, marked Appendix C. RAILROAD DIKE AT CAMDEN. Complaint having been made to the Commission that a dike in process of construction by the Wabash Western Railroad near Camden, Mo., was a serious obstruction to navigation, an examination and subsequently a survey of the locality were ordered. The obstruction complained of by the steam-boat men proved to be a very serious one. In compliance with section 4 of the river and harbor act, approved August 5, 1886, a copy of the report of the secretary of the Commission on this matter was forwarded to you direct, and this report is repeated here. (See Appendix D.) RECOMMENDATIONS. The Commission renew their recommendation that at least $1,000,000 be appropriated for continuing the improvement of the river, in addition to any sums which Congress may see fit to devote to work at special localities. With a less sum than this it will be many years before the work will cover a sufficient extent of river to enable a proper estimate to be formed as to its cost and its value to the country. No engineering difficulty has as yet presented itself to suggest any doubt as to the possibility of carrying it to successful completion. For continuing the survey of the Missouri River; for the examinations and observations required in a thorough study of the problem confided to them, and for salaries, traveling, and office expenses, the Commission recommend an appropriation of $150,000. They also renew their previous recommendation that the $15,000 appropriated for a survey of the Missouri River above the Missouri River Falls, at Fort Benton, be made available for the general survey of the river. The recommendations of the Commission for the year ending June 30, 1889, are recapitulated as follows: (1) Appropriation for the improvement of Missouri River from its mouth to Sioux City ... (2) Appropriation for surveys and examinations.... (3) Appropriation for office and traveling expenses and salaries of commissioners... $1,000,000 120,000 30,000 15,000 (4) Reappropriation for general survey of Missouri River of the item of $15,000 appropriated in the act of July 5, 1884, for survey of river above the falls.. Estimates for work at special localities designated in river and harbor act approved August 5, 1886. Available July 1, 1886, and received since to June 30, 1887 : Appropriation for improving Missouri River from its mouth to Sioux Appropriation for improving Missouri River from Sioux City, Iowa, Appropriation for a survey of the Missouri River above the Missouri Appropriation for improving Missouri River from its mouth to Sicux Cash received from sales of fuel to officers... Total...... Expended from July 1, 1886, to June 30, 1887, exclusive of By Maj. W. R. Livermore, Corps of Engineers. outstanding liabilities July 1, 1886: By the president of the Commission By the secretary of the Commission Of the president of the Commission. $2,506. 75,538.5 4.57 15,000,0 375,000,0 238.4 468,288.14 $60,343.26 1,242.70 177,995.9 Deduct amount reserved for disbursement in office Chief of Engineers, U. Balance S. Army. Balance available July 1, 1887............. Respectfully submitted. CHAS. R. SUTER, Lieut. Col. of Engineers, President Missouri River Commission. List of civilian engineers e nployed on work of river and harbor improvements in charge of Missouri River Commission from November 1, 1886, to June 30, 1887, inclusive, under the river and harbor appropriation act approved August 5, 1886. ANNUAL REPORT OF SECRETARY MISSOURI RIVER COMMISSION, 1886-'87. ST. LOUIS, MO., July 30, 1887. SIR: I have the honor to submit the following annual report of the work in charge of the Secretary of the Commission for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887. SURVEYS. In July, 1886, a small office force, under Mr. O. B. Wheeler, was at work on the reduction of secondary triangulation between Glasgow, Mo, and Tavern Rock, Mo., made in the winter of 1884-'85. Funds were exhausted at the end of the month and the force was discharged. The river and harbor bill of August 5, 1886, enabled work to be resumed August 9. Work in the office continued until September 29, when parties left for work in the field. Meanwhile the Commission, at its meeting August 26, 1886, had recommended an allotment of $23,000 for the prosecution of surveys, which action was approved by the Honorable Secretary of War, October 28, 1886. Field work was resumed at Fort Leavenworth whose latitude and longitude were known. The party was organized as follows, quartered on three-quarter boats: |