Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873. Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874. Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876. (See Appendix Y 2.) 3. Narraguagus River, Maine.-The navigation of this river has hitherto been much obstructed by several ledges and a very large number of sunken bowlders, and by bars composed of slabs, edgings, and sawdust. The following appropriations have been made for its improve ment: By act of March 3, 1871 Total...... $12,000 10,000 22,000 During the past year the following work has been done: 1,335 tons of sunken ledge and bowlders removed from the falls, from Freeman's Point, and between there and the bridge at Cherryfield; about 5,000 cubic yards of slabs, edgings, &c., removed at and below Freeman's Point, and between there and Cherryfield bridge, making altogether a total of over 3,000 cubic yards of sunken ledges and bowlders, and 7,000 cubic yards of slabs, edgings, and sawdust, removed from the channel of the river. In addition to this work, a large wrought-iron (9-inch) spindle with day-mark has been placed upon Half-tide Rock at Millbridge. Two spar-buoys have also been placed on the ledges on each side of the narrow channel near Small's Point, and two more on the ledges below the falls. This completes all the work that has been projected for the improvement of this river. By this work the navigation of this river has been greatly improved in its safety and depth of channel; so much so that coasting-vessels of light draught, with center-boards, have of late, for the first time, been running to and from the wharves at Cherryfield, taking out lumber and other products of the country, and returning with coal and general merchandise, without transshipment, as formerly, at Millbridge. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873 Amount in hands of officer and subject to his check Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874. (See Appendix Y 3.) $3,000 00 1,763 89 4,763 89 4. Sullivan River and Sullivan Falls, Maine.-This river is navigable from its mouth up to Franklin, a distance of about nine and a half miles. Hitherto it has been seriously obstructed, and its navigation endangered by Hatcher's Rock and numerous other sunken ledges in the falls, and by the stone foundations of several bridge-piers one mile above the falls. For the improvement of this river and the falls the following appropriations have been made: By act of March 3, 1871. By act of June 10, 1872. Total...... $10,000 25,000 35,000 During the past fiscal year the work on Hatcher's Rock and the point of ledge near it in the falls has been completed; a very accurate survey of the falls has been made; and a contract made for the removal of three newly discovered sunken ledges. The progress that has been made in the improvement of this river and falls up to the 1st of July, 1874, therefore consists 1. In the removal of Hatcher's Rock and the point of ledge near it, together with 85 cubic yards of sunken ledge in the falls, to a depth of 7 feet below mean low water, or 11 feet at mean high water. 2. The removal to a depth of 10 feet below mean low water of three bridge-piers above the falls, affording a channel for that depth 350 feet in width. 3. Wrought-iron spindles with day-marks have been placed upon Halftide Rock and Low-water Rock, about one mile below Sullivan, and a spar-buoy on Crabtree Ledge, near the mouth of the river. Two sparbuoys have also been placed to mark the new channel opened through the bridge-piers. In addition to the foregoing work, a contract has been made for the removal of all the remaining dangerous sunken ledges from the channel of the falls to a depth of 7 feet at mean low water. This comprises all the work that is projected for the improvement of this river and the falls, for doing which the available funds are sufficient. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873.... Amount in hands of officer and subject to his check, (including $1,200 percentage on contracts not yet completed).. Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874. Amount available July 1, 1874 (See Appendix Y 4.) $16,000 00 1,852 03 13,921 30 3,930 73 5. Penobscot River, Maine.-The navigation of this river is much obstructed by shoals and sunken rocks, between Bangor and Crosby's Narrows, about three and a half miles below. The shoals below Bangor are chiefly formed of slabs, edgings, and sawdust thrown into the river from the mills above; while the principal shoal in the harbor of Bangor is composed of gravel, sand, and bowlders. The sunken rocks are all in the harbor of Bangor, and are known as Independence Rock, Steamboat Wharf Ledge, ledge off Dole's planing-mills wharf, Green's Pier Ledge, &c. The work projected for the improvement of this river consists 1. In enlarging and straightening its channel through the several bars and shoals, so as to have a width of not less than 200 feet and a depth of 12 feet below the plane of low water (or 25 feet at high water) in the lowest stages of the river; and 2. In breaking up and removing all the sunken rocks down to a level of the general bed of the river, so as to have not less than 7 feet of water over them at low water in the lowest stages of the river, which will give about 9 feet in its ordinary summer stage; except from Green's Pier Ledge, which is to have but 5 feet over it at mean low water. The progress made in this work up to July 1, 1874, is as follows, viz: broken up and removed from Independence Rock, about 880 tons; from Steamboat Wharf Ledge, about 1,000 tons; from Green's Pier (outer) Ledge, about 115 tons; and Gulliver's Rock (containing about 80 tons) wholly removed; altogether about 1,000 cubic yards of sunken rocks, which were removed prior to July 1, 1872. On the 26th of August, 1872, a contract was made for removing the remaining portions of these ledges. Under this contract the removal of Steamboat-wharf Ledge was completed in September, 1873, to the depth called for; the removal of the ledge off Dole's planing-mill wharf and of Independence Rock is nearly completed, with a probability that both will be completed before the close of the present season. A contract was also made on the 21st of June, 1873, for the removal of the remaining ledge at Green's Pier. Contracts have thus been made for removing all the sunken ledges; some of which have already been removed, and the remainder probably will be before the close of the present season, with the exception of the ledge at Green's Pier, on which some progress is soon to be made with a probability of its completion early next season. Contracts have also been made for the removal, to the extent contemplated, of all the shoals composed of slabs, edgings, and sawdust, so that the only work that now remains to be provided for, in order to complete all the improvements projected for this river, consists in the excavation of a channel through the gravel-bar in the harbor of Bangor, so as to have a depth of 12 feet of water in the lowest stages of the river. The appropriation of June 23, 1874, will be applied to the improvement of this bar, to complete which $50,000 additional will be required. The officer in charge again states that the throwing of sawdust into this river is still continued to a very great extent, and to the serious detriment of its navigation. In view of this and that several other navigable rivers in his district, now being improved by the Government, are also being injured and obstructed by the throwing in of slabs, edgings, &c., by the building of piers and bridge-draws in improper places and otherwise, he suggests the passage of some general law for the protection and preservation of navigable waters for the improvement of which Congress has made or may make appropriations. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873... Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876. (See Appendix Y 5.) $60,000 00 12, 810 00 20,000 00 9,795 08 81, 814 99 50,000 00 6. Camden Harbor, Maine.-The work for the improvement of this harbor consists in the opening of a channel to a width of 100 feet and to a depth of 7 feet below the plane of mean low water (or 163 feet at mean high water) up to the head of the wharves on the eastern side of the harbor, and a second channel to a width of 60 feet and a depth of 4 feet at mean low water up to the head of the wharves on the western side of the harbor, and in regulating the entrance into those channels. The estimated cost of this work was $33,000. By act of March 3, 1873, the sum of $10,000 was appropriated for it, which was applied to opening the eastern channel to a depth of not less than 7 feet at mean low water for a width of not less than 50 feet. This was completed in October, 1873. The amount appropriated by act June 23, 1874, will be applied to opening the western channel for a width of 50 feet and to regulating the entrance to it from below. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873 Amount appropriated by act approved June 23, 1874.. Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874 Amount available July 1, 1874.......... Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876... (See Appendix Y 6.) $9,000 00 948 63 10,000 00 9,948 63 10, 000 00 13, 000 00 7. Kennebec River, Maine.-All the projected improvements of this river above Richmond were completed prior to June 30, 1873, as described in the annual report for the fiscal year ending that date, and a safe and unobstructed channel, not less than 100 feet in width and 10 feet in depth at mean low water, (or 15 feet at mean high water,) in its low summer-stages, completed from Richmond up to Gardiner, and thence to Augusta, a channel 100 feet in width and not less than 63 feet in depth at low water, (or 11 feet at high water,) in its lowest summerstages. The work that remains to be done for completing all the projected improvements of this river consists in the removal of several dangerous sunken ledges lying in its channel in "the narrows" below Richmond. Contracts have been made for the removal of all these, with the exception of Dry Rock, and it is probable that their removal will be completed before the close of the present season. Dry Rock contains, down to the 12-foot plane below mean low water, about 1,850 cubic yards, the removal of which it is estimated will cost about $40,500. Of the funds heretofore appropriated there will be available for removing Dry Rock the sum of about $14,500, but it is not deemed advisable to expend any portion of this sum upon that work until the additional sum required for its completion is appropriated. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873 Amount available July 1, 1874.. Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874 Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876.. (See Appendix Y 7.) $14,000.00 1,482 80 12,000 00 9,495 05 17,987 75 26,000 00 8. Portland Harbor, Maine.-On the 1st of July, 1873, the following work had been done for the improvement of this harbor, viz: 1. The capping of the breakwater extended for a length of 7334 feet, leaving 217 linear feet more to be done; 2. A channel dredged through the Middle Ground Bar to a width of 500 feet and to a depth of 21 to 22 feet at mean low water, or 31 feet at ordinary high water; and 3. A channel dredged through the "Spit," opposite the Grand Trunk wharves. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874, the following additional work has been done under the several contracts previously made therefor, viz: The breakwater-extension, completed in October, 1873, for a length of 217 feet, and the old portion of the breakwater repaired throughout the granite pier at the outer end of the break water, also completed in October, 1873; 24,938 cubic yards of dredging done in Black Bay, by which a channel has been opened up to the "Stone-shed wharves" to a width of 100 feet and a depth of 8 feet at mean low water; the sunken wreck lying in the main ship-channel off Fort Scammel broken up and scattered into deep water; and 49,609 cubic yards of dredging done below Central wharf, in the inner harbor, in front of the harbor commissioners' line. All the work projected for the improvement of this harbor has therefore been completed, with the exception of about 200,000 cubic yards of dredging in front of the harbor commissioners' line in the inner harbor. The contract of May 10, 1873, provides for about 100,000 cubic yards of this, of which about 80,000 cubic yards are above Central wharf. But, for reasons stated by the officer in charge, it has not been deemed advisable to continue this work above that wharf until several projecting wharves above shall have been shortened, steps for doing which, it is understood, are now being taken by the municipal authorities. As soon as this matter is accomplished, dredging operations will be continued above Central wharf under the existing contract, and a contract will be made for additional dredging under the appropriation of June 23, 1874. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873.. Amount in hands of officer and subject to his check, (including $727.07 percentage due on contracts not yet completed).. $80,000.00 9.439 19 Amount appropriated by act approved June 23, 1874.. Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876.. (See Appendix Y 8.) $20,000 00 41, 113 20 64,816 37 30,000 00 9. Richmond's Island, Maine.-The improvement projected for this place consists in making a harbor of refuge by means of a rubblestone breakwater, to connect the island with the mainland. The length of the proposed breakwater is about 2,000 feet, with an average thickness of 30 feet, and a height of 13 feet above mean low water. Under the three contracts for furnishing the stone for this breakwater, 33,330 tons of stone were delivered during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874, making a total delivered to that date of 43,189 tons, in completion of two of the contracts, and leaving about 4,000 tons to be furnished under the other contract. This contract has, since that date, been reported completed, and the appropriation for the work is exhausted. About 13,000 tons of additional stone will be required for completing this work, the estimated cost of which is $25,000.00. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873 Amount in hands of officer and subject to his check, (including $2,561.55 percentage due on contracts not yet completed).. Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874. Amount available July 1, 1874.. Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876 (See Appendix Y 9.) $65,000 00 4,972 36 10. Saco River, Maine.-The stone breakwater at the mouth of this river has been completed to the extent at present contemplated, and all the piers in the river have been rebuilt or repaired, where necessary. The channel has also been improved by the removal of several sunken rocks near Little Islands, and some dredging has been done in the harbor of Saco and Biddeford. These are all the improvements that have hitherto been projected for this river. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873. Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874. (See Appendix Y 10.) $5,000 00 896 20 5,896 20 11. Wells Harbor, Maine.-The improvement projected for this harbor consisted in the repairs of an old Government pier at the mouth of Webhannet River. This pier was built from thirty to forty years ago for the purpose of straightening and deepening the channel over the bar at the entrance to this harbor. It was made of crib-work, ballasted with stone, and was about 250 yards in length. By act of June 10, 1872, the sum of $5,000.00 was appropriated for this work. The projected repairs were commenced with hired labor in the latter part of September, 1872, and were completed on the 30th of June, 1873, and in September, 1873, they were entirely finished. 1 Amount in hands of officer and subject to his check.. $324 93 324 93 12. Cocheco River, New Hampshire. This river has a good navigable channel, with 6 feet of water at mean low-water (or 133 feet at high-water) in its lowest summer stages, from the harbor of Portsmouth up to the lower narrows, distant one and a half miles below the bridge at the head of navigation in Dover. Previous to 1871 its navigation at and above the jower narrows was much obstructed by ledges, bowlders, and shoals, |