1.305,040 cubic yards dredging, at 25 cents per yard..... $326, 260 00 15,012 enbic yards dams, at $2 per yard Engineering and contingencies.. ... 30,024 00 Total estimated cost... Deduct present appropriation Balance to be appropriated... 35, 628 40 of which $150,000 could be profitably expended during the coming fiscal year. The foregoing estimate is made for the improvement of West Point chute at Grand Island; and as to make the improvement permanent it would be necessary to close the Bath chute, which, as the traffic at Bath is inconsiderable, might properly be done, locating the dam near the lower end of the island would give a good slack-water navigation from the head of the island to all the points needing any accommodation, and relieve the general trade from the disadvantage of navigating a very narrow and crooked channel, and the Government of the additional expense of over $30,000, which would be required to make 4 feet depth in the Bath chute. As there would doubtless be local opposition to the proposed plan, it would be desirable for the formal authority of Congress to be given in the appropriation bill. As (if the plan is to be carried out by classification) Grand Island would come into the class next to be put under contract, the attention of the Department is respectfully invited to secure the authority the coming session. WHAT IT WILL ACCOMPLISH. The amount asked for next year will be sufficient to make a 3-foot navigation throughout the river by the removal of the following bars: 1. Lancaster Flats. 2. Canton Landing. 3. Grand Island. 4. Sugar Creek. 5. Indian Creek. 6. Gar Island. 7. Bevington. 8. Buckhorn. 9. Grand Pass. 10. Otwell's. 11. School-House. 12. Apple Creek. 13. French. 14. Bloom's Landing. 15. Six-mile Island. PUBLIC UTILITY. The public utility of the improvement is by no means to be measured by the amount of trade actually passing over the river, which, of itself, is sufficient to justify all that is now asked, but there is an indirect influence which cannot be expressed in figures, exerted in moderating transportation charges over competing railroads. In the direct and indirect influences of the improvement, the whole of the region reached by the Mississippi and its branches is more or less interested, according to the extent of the commerce with the North and Northeast. MAINTENANCE AFTER COMPLETION. The most economical mode of maintenance would be for the Government to do the necessary work without contracts, to do which would require a first outlay of $20,000 for machinery and boats, and an annual appropriation of $8,000 for working expenses. To do the same by contract would require $12,000 annually. The river lies in several collection districts, (internal revenue,) whose designation and amount of collections are unknown at this office. The nearest port of entry is St. Louis, but the amount of revenue collected during the year is not known. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, ROBERT E. McMATH, Colonel J. N. MACOMB, Rock Island, Ill. No. of proposal. Name and residence Abstract of proposals received at the United States engineer office, Peoria, Illinois, October 6, 1870, for furnishing materials and doing all the work for the improvement of the Illinois River, according to advertisement dated September 3, 1870. Informal in two respects: 1st. Certi- Devil's Elbow Bar, 29.037 cubic yards; J. N. MACOMB, Colonel Engineers, U. S. A., General Superintendent United States Improvement Illinois River. Abstract of contracts entered into during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1871, for the improvement of the Illinois River. Colonel Engineers, U. S. A., General Superintendent U. S. Improvements on Illinois River. Dredging and con $100,000 After deducting COLONEL: I have the honor to submit to you the following report of the operations performed on improvements of the Des Moines Rapids for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1871. SECTION WORK. From an application made on May 23, 1870, permission was granted to extend the contract of Messrs. Dull & Williams to take effect July 12, covering the sum of $250,000. The contractors pushed forward the work immediately, and performed the following amount of labor up to November 9, the date of closing the contract: One and a half miles bailing and draining; 124,685.70 cubic yards excavation of earth; 80,792.90 cubic yards excavation of rock; 4,155.00 cubic yards embankment grading railroad track; 156.00 cubic yards labor of puddling; 12,813.60 cubic yards face stone in riprap walls. These quantities have been distributed along the line of the canal wherever it has seemed necessary and proper in the eyes of myself, under the direction of General J. H. Wilson, until September 30, 1870, and since that time of yourself. In July, 1870, 3,152 cubic yards of embankment were made on the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, completing this portion of the work, rendered necessary by the location of the middle lock, and the raising of the high water in the canal above the old grade of the track, &c. In September much delay was experienced on account of the sudden rise in the river; however, no damage was done to the work further than the delay occasioned, which, by comparison of the estimates for this month and the preceding, was about 25 per cent. On November 1 I directed the contractors to discontinue the excavation of the rock and put the entire force into earth, so as to close, as far as the funds available would permit, the gap existing in the embankment above the lower lock. This was accomplished, and no trouble was experienced during the winter and spring, as we were fortunate enough to have a comparatively low stage of water until the work recommenced in February, under the special appropriation of $341,000, made January 18, 1871. Approximate estimates were made daily, in order to keep the work within the limits of the funds available, and yet obtain as much work as possible. By this rate I stopped all work on November 9, and found that I had really allowed the contractors to work too long, as they had a balance due them, after expending the contract money of $9,500; but there being other money available, permission was obtained by you to settle this account. In this connection, I would call your attention to the utter impossibility of keeping accurate knowledge of each day's work on a work of this kind and magnitude, and this was the cause of the overrunning of the appropriation. On January 18, 1871, a bill was signed by the President, giving "for the completion of the section-work of the Des Moines Rapids improvement," $341,000. I immediately started to Rock Island to consult with you, and orders were received soon after from the Chief of Engineers to offer the former contractors, Messrs. Dull & Williams, a new contract at their former rates. This offer was accepted by them, and on January 30 they commenced clearing their track, &c., for commencing work. This was very tedious on account of the large amount of snow and ice. But by hard work the first train of earth-cars was run down on the 15th of February, and of stone on the 22d. The new contracts were signed and forwarded on the 17th of February. From the commencement of the work under the contract, the following amount of work was performed to the end of the fiscal year: Grubbing and clearing three-fifths of the whole work; five and a half miles bailing and draining; 88,100 cubic yards excavation of earth; 64,728 cubic yards excavation of rock; 26,746 cubic yards face-stone in riprap walls. In order to save dissensions and to guard against any future claims that might be made against the Government, I inserted, by your permission, a clause into the contract, that any stone or earth taken from the prism of the canal, although beyond the limits of the theoretical prism, either in breadth or depth, should be considered and paid for as excavation, although in reality "borrowed." By this means a considerable amount was saved to the Government, besides endless trouble and annoyances to the engineer in charge. In April I was compelled to use the above article of the contract in order to obtain good building-rock, and ordered a stratum, or "ledge," below the theoretical bottom, to be opened, and material obtained for the riprap. During the month of April much trouble was experienced from the height of water in the river, causing leaks from the "head of water" given by the pumping out of the pits. These leaks are invariably through the rock, or rather between two strata, the "seam" or plane of stratification being opened by the blasting necessary for the rock excavation. These leaks cause no damage to the work, with the exception of the delay caused by them. The cost falls wholly upon the contractors, falling in the item of "bailing and draining," and is consequently one of the uncertain parts to be considered by them in taking the work. On the 18th of May the river reached its maximum stage, and commenced receding on that date. During this high stage several of the leaks above mentioned occurred in one pit, "Stott's Mill," and compelled the closing of the same for 3,650 feet. No delay to the work was occasioned, as the entire available force was immediately transferred to another position. During the season of 1871 I have endeavored to push, with all the speed compatible with good work, the riprap wall of the embankment, in order that it (the embankment) may be protected from the effects of the ice in the coming winter. In this I have succeeded, and have raised (or shall have done so by August 1, when the funds will be exhausted) |