river at the foot of the new locks, and must be removed in order to enable boats to enter or leave the locks at the lower end, and also to allow the current of the river to sweep along close to the foot of the locks, and thus prevent the deposit of mud which would otherwise continually form at that point.

The rock bluff referred to is composed of limestone and slate, and is very ragged from rough blasting. Its general face is parallel to the center line of the new locks, and is about 15 feet inside of the face of the inside or southern face of the lock-chamber. It is a few feet higher than the top of the walls of the lower chamber. There would be continual liability to damage to boats in entering or leaving the locks from below, whenever a northerly wind is blowing, if this ledge were not smoothened. The best way to do this is by facing this bluff with a wall whose face is simply pick-hammered, and thus smooth enough to prevent injury to boats lying against it in entering or leaving the locks from below.

The dam from the head of Sand Island to the Indiana shore is in lieu of the one recommended by me in my report on the survey for a shipcanal around the falls of the Ohio, dated February 8, 1868, at the head of Falling-Run Pool just below New Albany, Indiana. The change was approved by you for the reason that the same ends will be accomplished, that it will cost less, and will interfere with no interest in its new position.

The moving of the outer protection-wall of the canal is necessary for the following reasons: There are many days during the high stages of the river when steamboats cannot pass under the two channel-spans of the railroad bridge without lowering their smoke-stacks, and some days when very large boats could not pass under even if the stacks were lowered. This involves much delay, and as it affects the larger class of boats, involves much expense. Now this railroad-bridge spans the canal with a draw which turns on a round pier placed just on the northern face of the canal, and when open gives a clear space between this round pier and the pier of the bridge just north of it. If then the space between these two piers were clear, the largest boat on the river could pass through without lowering its stacks. But the northern bank of the canal, with its rubble protection-wall, takes up about seventy feet of this space. Now, by removing this bank and setting the wall back flush with the northern edge of the round pier on which the draw turns, for a short distance above and below the bridge, we have a clear high water channel through it. This is one of the most important portions of this work, and its completion is looked forward to by all interested in the navigation of the river, with great delight. My letter of August 29, 1870, with the sketch which accompanied it, will explain this work more fully to you.

The new branch and the basin, in order to expedite matters, were only excavated to a width of ninety feet. There remains the balance of the earth and rock excavation to be completed in order to carry out the original plan.

In order, then, to save time, I advertised for bids for these various points as soon as I could prepare the working-drawings and specifications.

On the 1st of May, 1871, I opened the bids for the earth and rock excavation in the new branch and basin, and for moving the outer protection-wall above and below the railroad-bridge. There were six bidders for the former work and eight for the latter, as per Abstracts C and D, herewith annexed. The contracts in both cases were awarded to the lowest bidders.

On the 17th of May, 1871, I opened the bids for the construction of the dam at the head of Sand Island, and for the rock excavation and construction of the guide-wall at the foot of the new locks. There were nine bidders on the former work and five on the latter, as per Abstracts E and F, herewith annexed. The contracts in both cases were awarded to the lowest bidders.

After these various works were awarded, I found that I would still have available about $50,000, if the quantities did not overrun my estimates. I hoped that this amount would be sufficient to complete the dåm at the head of the canal and the excavation of the ledge of rocks inside of the apron-dam, and consequently advertised for bids for this work on the 22d of June, 1871. The result of this advertisement properly belongs to my next annual report.

All of the contractors for the new work have made favorable beginnings, and if all of them, old and new, complete their work, the canal will be passable for any boat not larger than the capacity of the new locks (80 feet by 335 feet) on the 1st of next November, or as soon thereafter as the directors of the canal can dredge out of the new locks the mud which has been deposited in them by back-water during the high stages of the river.

On the 23d of August, 1870, I opened the bids for the construction of the guard-gates at the head of the canal. There were three bidders, as per Abstract G, herewith annexed. The contract was awarded to the lowest bidder, and he completed his work during the season.

There will then remain to be done the following to complete this work according to the original plan, viz:

1. To carry up the side-walls to their full height.

2. To build a retaining-wall from the lower part of the first passing. place in the canal to the head of the canal on the south, or Louisville side, and thus complete the enlargement and improvement of the entrance to the canal. This wall was not placed under contract before, because I had no time to examine into the character of the foundations by boring until last month.

3. To grade the banks of the canal.

4. To complete the dam at the head of the canal and to excavate the ledge of rocks inside of the apron-dam.

These four points will cost $300,000 in addition to the amount yet available, provided the amount is appropriated at one time, and I, therefore, request that this amount be appropriated for this work, to be expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1873.

The amounts that have been appropriated for this work up to date are as follows:

Amount required according to my original estimate, (see

last annual report)..

Excess over original estimate....

$85,000

178,200

450,000

250,000

963, 200 300,000

1,263, 200

1,243, 500

19, 700

I am confident that if the money could have been given me under our system of appropriations for public works as I called for it, so that I could have carried on the work in a more business-like manner, it could have been done for at least $100,000 less, even though I was compelled to alter the dimensions of the side wall, and thus create an additional expense of $100,000, not contemplated in my original estimate. A large portion of the amount would have been saved of contingent expenses alone. For this reason I sincerely hope that the whole of the $300,000 yet required to complete this work will be appropriated at once. The work still to be done should be completed as soon as possible. The entrance to the enlarged canal should be proportionally enlarged. Hence the wall on the Louisville side at the head of the canal, and the rock excavation inside of the apron-dam, should be completed. The walls should be carried up to their full height, so as to insure their stability against the great pressure they must bear, and to guard them against damage from the weather which is likely to result in the absence of coping. The banks should be graded immediately, for their slopes were necessarily made very steep to enable the money that was available last year to cover the work of widening the prism. They will consequently bring a much larger pressure to bear on the walls, and will certainly cave in more or less after high stages of the water. The dam should be completed as soon as possible, in order to give the increased depth of water in the canal wifich it will produce, and to save the rent of the lot on which the lumber is stored and the house in which the iron is stored. This work is located in the third collection district of Kentucky. The nearest port of entry is Louisville, Kentucky.

The amount of revenue collected at this port of entry during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1871, was $131,810 92.

The commerce and navigation of the Mississippi River and all its branches would be benefited by the completion of this work.

Abstract H (herewith annexed) shows the names of the persons to whom contracts have been awarded.

That portion of this report wherein I have stated what I have done, explains fully the steps I have taken to prosecute the work.

The amount of cash received for this work during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1871, is $353,200. The amount expended during the same period was $258,830 23.

The amount of appropriation available June 30, 1871, was $450,000. The amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1873, is $300,000.

I do not propose to make any further alterations in the plans heretofore reported.

I consider it my duty to reproduce here the following extract from my last annual report:

In conclusion, I feel it my duty again to call the attention of the authorities to their duty in relation to this work. Every day forces more and more upon me that the Government is in honor bound immediately to assume charge of this canal. The first set of bonds, amounting to $370,000, which the Louisville and Portland Canal Company issued, in order to enable them to enlarge this canal, and build the branch and new locks, are due next January. The company will pay them off on maturity, with the

assets in their hands.

The debt that then will rest upon the canal is as follows, viz:

399 bonds, due in 1876..

398 bonds, due in 1881.

400 bonds, due in 1886.

$399,000 00

393,000 00

400, 000 00

1,197, 000 00

These bonds bear a 6 per cent. currency interest.

By assuming these bonds and purchasing the five shares of stock (each at $100) held by the five directors of the company, the Government gets a piece of property worth at least $3,000,000, and by then converting it into a free canal, (that is, charging only toll enough to pay running expenses and repairs,) it will do an act of very tardy justice to at least one-half of its population, all interested in the navigation of this river, and from whom already nearly $5,000 of cash money has been unjustly taken in the way of tolls, to enable them to make use of this national highway.

I will not repeat the facts which many others and I have already stated, to prove that this is the duty of the Government, but will simply refer to the various printed public documents bearing upon the subject, and, as one of the servants of the Governinent, earnestly invoke its attention to the facts therein stated.

The company paid off the first set of bonds at maturity.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servent,
G. WEITZEL,

Brigadier General A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Major of Engineers.

Chief of Engineers, U. S. A., Washington, D. C.

G. WEITZEL, Major of Engineers.