Amount appropriated by act of June 10, 1872 Amount expended during fiscal year ending June 30, 1872 Amount available July 1, 1872.. Amount required for fiscal year ending June 30, 1874 (See Appendixes H 7, H 21; and H 22.) EXAMINATIONS AND SURVEYS FOR IMPROVEMENT. The work under this head, during the fiscal year, consisted of a survey of a few miles of the Mississippi River immediately above the Falls of Saint Anthony, of an examination of the bridge over the Saint Croix River at Hudson, and a reconnoissance of the Chippewa River between Chippewa Falls and Eau Claire. Colonel Macomb is charged with the following examinations and surveys, directed to be made by the act of June 10, 1872, viz: 1. Of Chippewa River up to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. 2. Of Minnesota River above the mouth of the Yellow Medicine, Min nesota. IMPROVEMENT OF THE MISSISSIPPI, MISSOURI, AND ARKANSAS RIVERS, AND OF RIVERS IN THE STATES OF MISSOURI, ARKANSAS, AND LOUISIANA-IMPROVEMENT OF THE HARBORS OF SAINT LOUIS AND ALTON. Officer in charge, Lieutenant-Colonel W. F. Raynolds, Corps of Engineers, who has under his immediate orders Major C. R. Suter and Captain C. J. Allen, Corps of Engineers. The snag-boats have worked on the Missouri, from Omaha to the mouth; on the Mississippi, from Keokuk to Vicksburg; and on the Arkansas from Pine Bluff to the mouth; and, under other appropriations, on the White, Black, and Little Red Rivers, on the Saint Francis and on the Ouachita Rivers. They have removed 5,475 snags, (weighing 74,425 tons;) they have cut 25,829 trees; destroyed 92 rack-heaps; and run 21,782 miles. Owing to the length of time the boats have been in service, the repairs consume a large part of the appropriation, and the engineer in charge urges the construction of new iron hulls. Two boats worked for a time in the harbor of Saint Louis, removing wrecks and other obstructions. Amount available July 1, 1871.... Amount appropriated by act of June 10, 1872.. Amount expended during fiscal year ending June 30, 1872. Amount available July 1, 1872.. Amount required for fiscal year ending June 30, 1874.. (See Appendix I 1.) $141, 169 97 90,000 00 118,961 38 112,208 59 600, 000 00 2. Improvement of Osage River, Missouri.-The obstructions to navi. gation in this stream are numerous shoals having from 12 to 18 inches of water on them, the intermediate pools being deep. Some of the shoals were deepened by the use of scrapers, and 9,600 yards of material removed, at a cost of 25 cents per cubic yard. Work was done on two other shoals of harder material, after the water had risen, which cost 60 cents per cubic yard. Considerable work was done in the way of rebuilding and extending wing-dams built several years ago by the State of Missouri. The work done afforded decided benefit to commerce during the extreme low water of last season. It is proposed to continue the improvement during the present year by contract. Amount available July 1, 1871, $25,000. Amonnt appropriated by act of June 10, 1872.. Amount required for fiscal year ending June 30, 1874. (See Appendix I 2.) $25,000 00 8,215 49 41,784 51 150,000 00 3. Improvement of White, Black, and Little Red Rivers, Arkansas.-A snag-boat was sent into White River, and operated there and in the Little Red and Black Rivers, from the beginning of November last to the end of January, but, owing to the small depth of water, but little could be done in the smaller streams. The amount of work done was 543 snags removed, and 422 trees cut. Amonat available July 1, 1871........... (See Appendix I 3.) $10,000 00 8,018 89 1,981 11 4. Improvement of Saint Francis River, Arkansas.-A snag-boat was sent into this stream in January, ascending as far as Cow Island, about thirty-seven miles from the mouth, when a sudden fall in the river prevented her proceeding further. Subsequently the snag-boat Thayer, of lighter draught, operated in the river during the month of April. The amount of work done by these two boats was 431 snags pulled and 151 trees cut. The officer in charge renews his former recommendations for the construction of two snag-boats of light draught for operations in these small streams. Amount available July 1, 1871..... Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1872. (See Appendix I 4.) $10,000 00 10,000 00 5. Improvement of Little Missouri River, Arkansas.-The improvement of this stream was confined to the removal of snags from the channel and leaning trees from the banks, which was done by a party working on a flat-boat provided with requisite shears and hoisting-appliances. Work was performed from the junction with Ouachita, up to the mouth of Antoine Creek, the head of navigation. The appropriation only admitted removing the most serious obstructions. It is proposed to re-organize the party and resume work the present season, and it is hoped that the amount available will complete the improvement in the manner proposed. Amount available July 1, 1871 Amount appropriated by act of June 10, 1872.. Amount expended during fiscal year ending June 30, 1872.. Amount available July 1, 1872..... (See Appendix I 5.) 6. Improvement of the Ouachita River in Arkansas.-This improvement consists in removing snags and cutting timber from the banks. Two parties were engaged from July to December, and it is estimated fully half the obstructions have been removed. A survey was made for lock and dam improvement as high up as Camden, and a report transmitted to Congress in April last and printed in Ex. Doc. H. R. No. 252. (See Appendix I.) It is proposed to employ the light-draught snag-boat in the stream the coming winter, and to purchase the timber for the foundations of the proposed locks. Amount available July 1, 1871 Amount appropriated by act of June 10, 1872.. Amount expended during fiscal year ending June 30, 1872 Amount available July 1, 1872 Amount required for fiscal year ending June 30, 1874, to complete improvement with wooden locks.. (See Appenpix I 6.) $60, 997 27 404, 233 50 7. Improvement of the Ouachita River in Louisiana.-The appropriation of $26,000 made by the act of Congress, approved March 3, 1871, has been expended in removing snags from the channel and over. hanging trees from the banks. The dredge and snag-boat Octavia, the snag-boat R. E. De Russy, and the crane-boat Ouachita, purchased for this service, were employed on the work. The Octavia was employed from December 3, 1871, to February, 1872; the De Russy from January 8 to February 14, 1872; and the crane-boat from October 21 to December 16, 1871. The proposed improvement by locks and dams from Trinity, Louisiana, to Camden, Arkansas, calls for three locks in Louisiana. The estimated cost of each, if locks are built of wood, is $232,616.75; if built of stone, $438,983.27. It is proposed to expend a portion of the appropriation of $40,000 made by the last Congress in the removal, by the use of a snag-boat, of such obstructions as will be in the way, whatever plan of improvement is adopted, and in the purchase of the material for the foundation of one of the proposed locks. Amount available July 1, 1871.. Amount appropriated by act of June 10, 1872.. Amount expended during fiscal year ending June 30, 1872. Amount available July 1, 1872.. Amount required for fiscal year ending June 30, 1874, (to complete improve ment with wooden locks). (See Appendix I 7.) 8. Improvement of the Harbors of Saint Louis and Alton.-The examinations and surveys "of Saint Louis and Alton Harbors, and of the Mississippi River between Alton and the mouth of the Maremec," directed to be made by the act of July 11, 1870, have been continued. A report from Lieutenant-Colonel Raynolds and Captain Allen, Corps of Engineers, upon the propriety and cost of opening Cabaret Slough, and also a report from the same officers upon the present condition of the east bank of the Mississippi River opposite the mouth of the Missouri, which had been represented to this office as having been eroded to a serious extent, will be found in Appendixes I 8 and I 9. A board of engineer officers was constituted to examine and report upon the present condition of the Mississippi River between Saint Louis and Alton, with a view to the preparation of plans for the improvement and maintenance of those harbors, and for the prevention of the erosion of the river-banks. The conclusions arrived at by the board, which may be stated in gen. eral terms as follows, have been approved. 1. They propose to close the channel west of Ellis Island, so as to throw all the water through the eastern or harbor-channel at Alton; this is to be done by a high or low dike, as may be determined upon. 2. The board do not believe that there are valid grounds for apprehending that the Mississippi will change its course so as to flow into the valley of Long Lake, or will form any considerable channel through it. 3. The proposition to prevent, or at least lessen, the erosion opposite the mouth of the Missouri, by re-opening Mobile Chute, is worthy of consideration, and they recommend that the snags and other obstruc tions which now obstruct the flow of water through that channel be removed. 4. They prefer to protect the banks in Sawyer's Bend by revetment rather than to adopt the plan of deflecting a portion or all of the volume of discharge through Cabaret Slough. 5. They are of opinion that the river, throughout the entire length of the city-front of Saint Louis, should, and will eventually, be made to flow in a permanent channel; and that the eastern bank of the river will have to be brought to a line parallel, or nearly so, to the opposite city-levee, at a distance from it at low water of not over 1,200 or 1,500 feet, and rendered permanent. The present demands are that from Bischoff's Dike down to the East Saint Louis levee, the channel should be confined within the above limit. To do this they recommend the raising and extension of the two Venice dikes and the long dike; and they believe that, when these dikes shall have been built as proposed, the demauds of business will soon cause the riparian owners to fill in between them, and to connect the ends of the dikes by a continuous levee, thus giving a permanent river-bank, as demanded. 6. They point out the necessity for, and recommend, careful measurement of the slopes and volumes of the river at the highest and lowest stages, and careful surveys of the bed of the stream at all places where the general navigation requires an increase of depth at low water, between Saint Louis and the mouth of the Ohio. For all of which the following estimates are submitted: For erection of dike at harbor of Alton 6 feet above low water. Total.. $40,000 00 142, 211 62 197, 323 90 30,000 00 409,535 52 The act of June 10, 1872, making appropriations for rivers and har bors, contains an appropriation of $25,000 for the improvement of the Mississippi River between the mouth of the Illinois River and the mouth of the Missouri, and also an appropriation of $100,000 for the improvement of the Mississippi River between the mouth of the Missouri and the mouth of the Maremec. These appropriations were based upon the report of the board of engineers above referred to, and the work provided for was immediately commenced. (See Appendix I 10.) EXAMINATIONS AND SURVEYS FOR IMPROVEMENT. Of the examinations and surveys embraced in the second section of act of July 11, 1870, Lieutenant-Colonel Raynolds has, during the past year, submitted reports upon the improvements of the following rivers, which were duly transmitted to Congress at the time they were received at this office, viz: 1. Ouachita River between Trinity, Louisiana, and Camden, Arkansas.(See Appendix I 11.) 2. White River, from Buffalo Shoals to the mouth of James Fork, Missouri. (See Appendix I 12.) 3. Black River, Missouri, to Poplar Bluff.-(See Appendix I 13.) 4. Bayou Bartholomew, from its mouth to the Arkansas State line.—(See Appendix I 14.) 5. At Fourche La Faive, Arkansas.-(See Appendix I 15.) 6. At Cuivre River, Missouri, from its mouth to Moscow Mills.—(See Appendix I 16.) The following examinations and surveys provided for in the second section of the act of June 10, 1872, have been placed in charge of Lieutenant-Colonel Raynolds, and are in progress: 1. Survey of the Mississippi River, between the mouth of the Missouri and the mouth of the Ohio. 2. Of Saint Francis River, from Greenville down, Missouri. 3. Of Gasconade River, Missouri. 4. Survey for the removal of wrecks and other obstructions placed in Yazoo River during the war, Mississippi. IMPROVEMENT OF THE OHIO RIVER. Officer in charge, Major William E. Merrill, Corps of Engineers. The contracts outstanding at the commencement of the last fiscal year were all completed during the year, except that for the dredging at Merriman's Bar, which was closed in July of this year. The contracts completed during the fiscal year were those for the dam at Chartier's Creek, the dam and dike at the Upper Twin Island, the dam at Marietta Island, the dike at Medoc, and the contracts for removing obstructions from the Ohio above and below the falls. Besides these a dike was partly constructed at Glass-house bar, and a large number of bowlders were removed from Horsetail and Lowery's. Careful detailed surveys and maps were made, during the past year, of the bars at Horsetail, White's, and the Trap, Beaver and Raccoon Shoals, Line Island, Upper Twin Island, Charleston, Augusta, Snag Bar, Medoc, Rising Sun, Gunpowder, Warsaw, Craig's, and Grassy Flats, all of which are above Louisville; and at Evansville and Cumberland dam, below Louisville. Further surveys are now in progress. The officer in charge recommends the construction of a light-draught snag-boat specially adapted to the Ohio River. He also again urges the necessity of a system of beacon-lights and buoys for the western rivers. The appropriation of $200,000 made by the act of June 10, 1872, will be applied to the construction of the Glass-house dike, Chartier's Creek dam, Wheeling dam, Buffington dam and dike, Evansville dike, Cumberland dam, and to the removal of the wreck of the Black Hawk and of Bacon Rock, and also to the usual snagging and dredging operations. This distribution will give to the river above the falls $84,000, and to the river below the falls $93,000, leaving $23,000 for the usual snagging and dredging operations. One of the snag-boats, designed for use on the western rivers, has been temporarily transferred to this river, the funds applicable to other rivers not being sufficient to keep the snag-boat in service on them. Amount on hand July 1, 1870 Allotted for surveys Received from sales of property Amount appropriated by act of June 10, 1872. Amount expended during fiscal year ending June 30, 1872. Amount available July 1, 1872. Amount required for fiscal year, 1874. $76,059 89 800 00 1,375 00 200,000 00 77,659 70 200, 575 19 350,000 00 The act of June 10, 1872, contained an appropriation of $25,000 for the improvement of the Monongahela River between Morgantown and New Geneva, &c. This work will be commenced at Collin's Ripple, the point selected as the site for the first lock and dam. (See Appendix K.) |