Statement of number of vessels doing business on the North Shrewsbury River, cost of same, amount of tonnage, value, amount of freights annually, and value of real estate bordering on said river; also, the amount of business done in merchandise in the different places located on above river, not including a large amount of business transacted yearly on the river by various vessels not belonging permanently in the above neighborhoods. Estimated value of real estate bordering on the North Shrewsbury River.. $5,500,000 1,800,000 Statement of vessels doing business on the South Shrewsbury River, cost of same, amount of tonnage, and their value; also, amount of their freights annually, and value of real estate bordering on said river; also, the amount of business done in merchandise in the different places located on above river. Estimated value of real estate bordering on South Shrewsbury River, including Long Branch neighborhood, adjacent thereto R 18. $10, 000, 000 UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September, 8, 1871. GENERAL: I have the honor to make the following report of operations for the year ending June 30, 1871, of the survey of Horseshoe Shoals, Delaware River, Pennsylvania. Upon inquiry and examination of the subject, it was ascertained that the survey of Horseshoe Shoals, provided for by the act of March 3, 1871, had for its object the examination and study of that part of the Delaware for the purpose of ascertaining the character, cause, and extent of the interruption of the navigation of the Delaware in that region, which recurs almost every winter during the season of severe frost, and which is occasioned by the ice covering the broad and shallow expanses on both shores, then becoming wedged and packed together in great masses, which rest on the bottom, and finally closing over the channel and packing on the flood-tide so as to cause a very serious obstruction to navigation. The general condition of the river, the character of and changes in its shores, the peculiar form of the horseshoe reaches of the river, and its history for a considerable period back, as well as its present condition, will all afford instruction respecting this difficulty. Much information has been gathered through the courtesy and aid of persons interested in the subject; valuable charts of different dates, for fifty years back, have been obtained; records of the meteorology of the locality, extending through eighty years, are being compiled. The experience and observations of navigators familiar with the river and the views and judgment of careful observers have been furnished me on this subject. The information obtained will be compiled and digested and the result furnished as soon as practicable, with suggestions of such remedial measures as the case appears to admit of. A survey of these shoals and their vicinity, showing depth of water, force and direction of currents, form and material of shore-lines of the river, and character of deposits on the bottom, is now being made and will be continued during the present season, when the work will be plotted and the results considered in connection with former surveys of the locality. A final report upon the subject will then be transmitted. All of which are respectfully submitted. J. D. KURTZ, Lieutenant Colonel of Engineers. Brigadier General A. A. HUMPHREYS, Chief of Engineers, U. S. A., Washington, D. C. R.19. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, December 29, 1870. GENERAL: I have the honor to present the following report of an examination made by me at Chester Harbor, on the Delaware River, Pennsylvania, as provided for in section 2 of the act of 11th July, 1870, (Public No. 152,) and in conformity with your instructions of July 20, 1870, together with a project for the improvement of the harbor. Chester Harbor is the uppermost of the series of ice-harbors which have been provided to aid in the navigation of the Delaware River during the bad season. The existing United States harbor there consists of two sets of piers, an upper and a lower, about 700 feet apart, in the direction of the stream, the inner piers being connected with the shore, and the outer ones separated from them by intervals of about 50 feet. This arrangement formed a good moderate-sized ice-harbor in front of the old town, which, at that time, was small and undeveloped. This state of things continued up to 1842, as will be seen by the accompanying Coast Survey map of the water-front of Chester, which shows that at that date no other wharf accommodations had been provided. The growth of the city since then, however, has been rapid, so that the shore south of the United States piers is now lined with wharves and docks for a distance of about a mile; while the ice-harbor has been occupied by private landings and valuable business establishments. Chester is most exposed to ice coming from up the river, when the wind blows down the long reach above from an eastwardly direction. This sets the current to the Chester shore about the mouth of Ridley Creek, and from thence it flows down the Chester reach. The business community of Chester do not appear to favor the establishment of an ice-harbor in front of their city wharves, apprehending that the piers will interfere with the access of vessels to them. I propose, in view of all the facts of the case, to abandon the existing United States harbor, which now affords but little anchorage, and establish a new harbor higher up the river, abreast of the unoccupied water-front. A position is shown on the drawing which affords a harbor about 800 feet long, with a depth of two to four fathoms of water. The piers so established will have a tendency to break up and divert the ice coming down the river, and turn it off from the old harbor and the city front without inconvenience from the proposed ice-breakers. The city of Chester has a population of about 9,500. The city and suburbs have 13,500 inhabitants. This is about double the number of 1860. The community is prosperous, and growing rapidly in means and numbers. Valuable and extensive manufacturing establishments occupy the ground unreclaimed ten years ago. It is the seat of important iron-works, where, in the present season of great depression in ship-building, a large iron steamship is under construction. One sugarrefining establishment has imported 1,312,000 gallons of molasses during the season of 1870, which yielded duties amounting to $105,000 to the United States Treasury. Chester is in the collection district of Philadelphia, and that city is the nearest port of entry. Fort Mifflin is the nearest fort, and Fort Mifflin light is the nearest light-house. The estimated cost of the proposed piers is as follows: Lumber.. ... For one pier Iron... Stone $5,200 00 450 00 13, 850 00 For six piers... Add for contingencies, including surveys, inspection of contract work, office, &c..... 19,500 00 $117,000 00 6,000 00 123,000 00 Of this sum it is recommended that $25,000 be appropriated for the service of the fiscal year ending 30th Juné, 1872, if Congress shall decide to have the work go on. I received all needed facilities from the mayor and a committee of the councils and Board of Trade, in examining the water-front and the business establishments of the city. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. D. KURTZ, Lieutenant Colonel of Engineers. Brigadier General A. A. HUMPHREYS, Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. R 19 a. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, December 6, 1870. GENERAL: I have the honor to present the following report of an examination and survey of the Delaware River, between the city of Trenton and Bordentown, made as provided for by the act of July 11, 1870, section 2, (Public No. 152,) and in conformity with your instructions of July 23, 1870, and to submit the accompanying project for the improvement of the river, to fit it for the required uses of trade and navigation. The river is navigable, for 12 feet of water at low tide, up as far as the foot of Newbold's Island, (a little below Bordentown,) where in passing from 12 feet in the south channel to 12 feet in the north channel a ridge must be crossed, on which there are but 5 feet at low water. From this point 6 feet of water can be had at low water up to the Trenton Bridge, except at one position, viz, Periwig Island, three miles below the bridge, where a shoal about 800 yards in length must be passed over, having only three feet of water on it. This shoal is the only serious obstacle to the navigation of the Delaware River in the region in question. There were formerly two channels over it-one by the west side of Periwig Island, the other on the east side. The former channel now affords hardly 2 feet of water, and is too narrow for use. The latter, which has been in use for thirty years or more, is deeper and has more width, but is curved rather sharply in its down-stream portion. The Delaware is subject to spring floods, which are represented to rise about 15 feet above ordinary high water, and which, with their accumulated ice, rubbish, and drift material, have produced great changes in some parts of the course of the river. This is the case at Periwig Island. From the point of the west shore opposite the head of the island for 1,200 feet up stream the river-bank is a bluff about 20 feet high, the lower part of which (from above high water to below low water) is composed of gravel and boulders imbedded in clay, &c. Above the boulder-bed the material of the bank is loam and brown earth up to the surface-soil. The floods erode and sweep away this bluff and scatter its material down the stream on the river bottom. The soft and fine matter is washed out by the current and the gravel and boulders are left, forming the shoals about Periwig Island. In this way the west channel has been stopped by a bulk-head across its upper entrance, just at the foot of the bluff, and the force of the floods has entirely swept away the surface of the island, (which in 1844 was above high tide,) so that now it shows only toward low water. The old western channel might be re-opened, the quantity of material to be removed being somewhat less than what is required to improve the eastern channel; but the work will cost somewhat more by the yard, (as the dredge material must be carried farther off,) while its proximity to the gravel bluff makes it probable that the first flood would fill the excavation again. For this reason it is considered safer to apply the work of improvement to the eastern channel. The commerce of the river requires a channel-way of 200 feet wide. Much of it is conducted in tows of canal-boats, which have a breast of three or more boats, and these need room to pass each other in the channel. It is proposed, then, to excavate a cut through the shoal so as to afford a depth of 6 feet, with a width of 200 feet, at low water. This cut will require the removal of 140,000 cubic yards of gravel, boulders, &c., estimated to cost 50 cents per cubic yard, or.. Below Newbold's Island a cut 200 feet wide, and 700 feet long, 1 foot deep, is needed; 5,000 cubic yards, at 40 cents per yard.... Add for supervision, surveys, and office expenses.... Total.... To open the channel on the west side of Periwig Island will require the removal of 100,000 cubic yards of material, at 60 cents.. Work at Newbold's Island, as above. Total... The city of Trenton, at the head of the tide-water of the Delaware, is specially interested in this improvement. This city is situated in a very fertile district of country, and by means of its turnpikes, railroads, and canals gathers in large quantities of grain, coal, and iron from the surrounding regions. Its manufactures are varied and extensive, the yearly products being of the value of $12,000,000 or $13,000,000. Iron, including hardware, stoves, &c., amounts to $2,200,000 annually; drygoods, $2,000,000; potteries, $690,000; stone and marble, $400,000; bricks, $340,000; boots, shoes, harness, soap, candles, &c., over $2,000,000. The desired improvement of the river would open its channel for the transportation of these and other products of industry, and would add another and cheap means of transit for the distribution of these staples of life to their markets of consumption. I received from the mayor of the city and the committee of the councils and Board of Trade all desired facilities for the examination and survey of the river; and also from the committee a statement of the business and industrial products of Trenton, (of which the above is an abstract,) and a copy of which accompanies this report. A map of the river, with plats of the obstacles to its navigation and the proposed improvement, is also transmitted herewith. Trenton is in the collection district of Burlington, the nearest port of entry being Philadelphia; the nearest fort is Fort Mifflin, and the nearest light is Fort Mifflin light. In conclusion, the improvement of the east channel, at Periwig Island, is recommended as most advisable, at an estimated cost of $75,000, and of this amount the sum of $20,000 is asked for the service of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1872. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. D. KURTZ, Brigadier General A. A. HUMPHREYS, |