I have received for this work during the year from the various appropriations heretofore made for it the gross sum of.... And expended during the fiscal year. $494, 979-70 605, 923 76 Leaving on the 1st of July due from the United States... 110,944 06 At the same time there was in the Treasury available for this work, in all.... 400, 000 00 289, 055 94 Showing a remainder still applicable on the 1st of July, 1871.... which will be absorbed in the present season in payment of sectionwork, lock-work, and contingencies, in fulfillment of existing contracts. I would ask for an appropriation for the completion of this improvement, in accordance with Captain Burnham's estimate, the sum of $1,000,000. ROCK ISLAND RAPIDS. The report (marked G) of Major E. F. Hoffman, civil engineer, assistant in local charge, gives a history of the work for the past year, by which it will be seen that, from circumstances beyond our control, much less work than usual has been accomplished during the year. Whilst we have. lost by death the contractor to whom the work was awarded in the past season, there is reason to believe that from the zeal and activity displayed by the present contractor in the last contract in which he was engaged with us, there will be no time lost in the completion of this work; also, that the Government has made more favorable terms in the new contract than in that which was canceled. Cash received for this work during the year from the appropriation of 25th July, 1868.... From the appropriation of 11th July, 1870 Expended during the fiscal year....... Leaving on hand 1st July, 1871.. $3,597 28 27, 000 00 30, 597 28 12, 586 84 18, 010 44 253, 000 00 To which should be added the amount available in the Making a total available of 271, 010 44 which will be applied to continuing the work during the current fiscal year according to the project submitted to you on the 7th April, 1871, for perfecting this improvement, and meeting all probable contingencies in closing up this work, such as clearing out all patches of rock between the places already improved, &c. I would ask for an appropriation of one hundred thousand dollars for the fiscal year ending 30th June, 1873, ($100,000,) for improvement of Rock Island Rapids. UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER IMPROVEMENT. This work was in the local charge of United States civil engineer, H. C. Long, up to the time of his death. He had just gone to La Crosse, with a view of making preparations for the season's work, when he died, on the night of the 10th of April, 1871. He had continued in the field during the season of 1870, until about 11th of November, when it became necessary to lay up for the winter the boats employed upon this service. During the season of 1870, good service was rendered by the steamers. The Caffrey, being the smaller of our two boats, was employed on that part of the river between St. Paul and Lake Pepin, and the Montana was employed below the lake. In the present season the boats were assigned to the same districts, and worked with good effect until the river fell to such an unusually low stage as to prevent the Caffrey from working above Prescott. Since this work of scraping the bars of the Upper Mississippi River was begun, some four years since, by my predecessor, we have not had such low water in the Mississippi as during the present season; still the work has been carried on with useful results in such parts of the river as our boats could reach. The necessity of having boats built of light draught expressly for this duty is made more manifest than ever by the low water which has this season impeded our work at the time when our assistance was most needed. I therefore trust that there may be an appropriation made to enable me to build at least one boat of light draught, for working as far up the river as St. Paul at the lowest known stage of water. ...... During the fiscal year ending 30th June, 1871, I received for Expended during the year. $31,000 00 3,449 19 34, 449 19 36,385 05 ... 1,935 86 Leaving due from United States on 1st July, 1871 .... 47, 000 00 Leaving for expenses of the current fiscal year the sum of. 45,064 14 the greater part of which will be required for the current expenses of these operations in the fiscal year ending on 30th June, 1872. For the fiscal year ending on the 30th June, 1873, I would submit the following estimate: For a steamer to work at scraping bars in shoal water..... $30,000 00 For equipping two steamers for the season, say 7 months, at $6,000 a month 42, 000 00 Total for improvement of Upper Mississippi River.. 72,000 00 REPAIR, PRESERVATION, EXTENSION, AND COMPLETION OF CERTAIN PUBLIC WORKS. Of the above-named appropriation, approved on the 25th July, 1868, I had on the 1st July, 1870, the sum of...... $4,863 24 And received during the fiscal year ending June 30th, 1871 179, 295 31 Making to be accounted for.... Of which I have expended during the fiscal year for the ex- ..... $3,449 19 123, 979 70 184, 158 55 to be applied to closing up old work carried on under this appropriation on above-named improvements. Of the appropriation approved 11th July, 1870, for "Examination and surveys, for improvements on the north and northwestern rivers," &c., I received during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1871, $12,000 00 Of which I expended during the fiscal year the following sums: For survey of ship canal from Henepin, Illinois, to Mississippi River, the report upon which I transmitted to you on 15th May, 1871....... $7,389 93 Examination and survey in Minnesota River 147 45 250 00 238 87 8,026 25 3,973 75 Leaving in my hands on 1st July, 1871.... which, having been reappropriated by the act of 3d March, 1871, for the fiscal year ending 30th June, 1872, will be applied to such surveys as may become necessary in the field in my charge, one being now in progress above the Falls of St. Anthony. For necessary surveys, in connection with the works of improvement under my care, I would respectfully ask for an appropriation for the fiscal year ending 30th June, 1873, for the sum of $7,500. I submit herewith a tabular statement of funds showing amounts received, expended, and available, also amounts required for fiscal year ending 30th June, 1873. All of which is respectfully submitted, by your most obedient servant, Brigadier General A. A. HUMPHREYS, Chief of Engineers, U. S. A., Washington, D. C. Statement of funds for the fiscal year ending the 30th of June, 1871, in connection with the works under the general superintendence of Colonel J. N. Macomb, Corps of Engineers, United States Army, showing the amounts on hand at the commencement of the fiscal year, (July 1, 1870,) the amounts received and expended during the same time, also the amounts available for continuing the works, and the amount required to be appropriated for the fiscal year ending 30th of June, 1873. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, IMPROVEMENT OF THE DES MOINES RAPIDS, Keokuk, Iowa, December 14, 1870. GENERAL: I have the honor to inclose herewith a quarterly report, supplemental to my annual report, bringing the history of the works previously under my charge down to the date of my transferring the same to Colonel Macomb, accompanied by the following reports, and a tracing showing the state of the masonry at the lower lock of the canal for the improvement of the Des Moines Rapids; report of Captain A. H. Burnham, improvement of the Des Moines Rapids; report of Captain Charles J. Allen, improvement of the Rock Island Rapids; report of Civil Engineer Assistant Robert E. McMath, improvement of the Illinois River. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. H. WILSON, Lieutenant Colonel and Brevet Major General, U. S. A. Brigadier General A. A. HUMPHREYS, Chief of Engineers, U. S. A., Washington, D. C. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Keokuk, Iowa, December 9, 1870. GENERAL: I have the honor to make the following report upon my transferring to Colonel Macomb the charge of the works on the improvement of the Des Moines Rapids, the improvement of the Rock Island Rapids, and the improvement of the Illinois River. IMPROVEMENT OF THE DES MOINES RAPIDS. The money appropriated for these works up to this time, amounting to $1,278,200, has now been nearly all expended on the locks, prism of the canal, and incidentals connected therewith. There remains to be excavated from the prism of the canal 147,414 cubie yards of earth, and 29,086 cubic yards of rock. In order to complete the embankment, it will be necessary to borrow (an easy matter) 76,052 cubic yards of earth, and 30,000 cubic yards of rock. The masonry of the lower lock is about half finished, but the excavation is nearly completed, while little more is required for the embankment. Nothing has been done for the guard or middle locks, or for Montrose Channel. A careful computation has been made by Captain A. H. Burnham, of which the following is a summary, of the amount necessary for the entire completion of the work :' |