width attained being from 130 to 150 feet, and the depth 9 feet. A riprap dike was built inside White Point, to check the cross tidal current. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended ............. Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890. $513.39 5,000.00 July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts.. 1,768.05 1,918. 05 634.06 30,000.00 July 1, 1891, balance available..... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project. (See Appendix J 6.) 30, 000, 00 7. Patuxent River, Maryland.—The present head of navigation on the Patuxent River is Bristol, Maryland, about 46 miles above the mouth. Prior to the commencement of the improvement navigation below Bristol was obstructed by two bars, (1) Swann Point Bar, about 43 miles above the mouth, having a least depth of 7.8 feet, and (2) Bristol Bar, at Bristol, having least depths in front of the two wharves of 7.6 and 4.2 feet. Two other bars below, viz, Pope Shoal (24 miles above the mouth, and Warren Reach Bar (34 miles above the mouth), were mentioned in the report of the preliminary examination as worthy of survey, but they offer no obstruction to the present standard of navi gation. The original project was adopted in 1888, and contemplated dredging a cut 200 feet wide and from 12 to 13 feet deep through Swann Point Bar and Bristol Bar, so as to give when completed a channel about 100 feet wide and 12 feet deep at low tide. This project was modified in 1890 so as to provide for a channel 120 feet wide and 12 feet deep (theu already dredged), at Bristol Bar, and a channel about 100 feet wide and 9 feet deep at Swann Point Bar, these last-named dimensions being regarded as sufficient for the present and immediately prospective de mands of commerce. At the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1890, $5,000 had been expended, and a channel 120 feet wide, 12 feet deep, and 794 feet long had been dredged at Bristol Bar. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, $4,816.66 has been expended in dredging a channel 9 feet deep, about 100 feet wide, and about 2,250 feet long through Swann Point Bar. This work completes the existing project, unless it should appear from future examinations that works of contraction are needed to maintain the channel at Swann Point Bar. At the present time no further appropriations are recommended. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended ............... Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890.. June 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year.... July 1, 1891, balance unexpended July 1, 191, outstanding liabilities July 1, 1891, balance available.... (See Appendix J 7.) $1.50 6,000.00 6, 001.50 4,816.66 1, 184.84 150.00 1,034. 84 8. Rappahannock River, Virginia.-The obstructions to navigation of the Rappahannock River, before improvement, were nine bars between Tappahannock, 41 miles above the mouth, and Fredericksburg, 106 miles above the mouth, over which the ruling depths were from 4 to 10.5 feet. The chief obstructions were in the 12.5 miles of river below Fredericksburg, where seven of the bars are found. Of these bars, Fredericksburg Bar, with a least depth of 4 feet, and Spottswood Bar, 4 miles below Fredericksburg, with a least depth of 6 feet, caused the most delay to steamboats and vessels. The original project, adopted in 1871, proposed a channel 10 feet deep and 100 feet wide through all the bars. This was modified in 1879 by increasing the dimensions of the channel between Port Royal and Tappahannock to 15 feet in depth and 200 feet in width, to accommodate the larger class of vessels. Up to June 30, 1890, $108,421.30 had been expended, and depths of from 8 to 9.5 feet secured through the bars between Fredericksburg and Port Royal by dredging and the construction of dikes. Wrecks and snags obstructing navigation had also been removed. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, $3,364.94 has been expended. The dikes at Fredericksburg, Pollock, Bernard, Spottswood, and Castle Ferry bars have been repaired. A new plant for building and repairing dikes and for snagging on the Rappahannock, Mattaponi, and Pamunkey rivers has been nearly completed. A contract for dredging at Fredericksburg Bar has been made, work to be commenced July 15, 1891. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890... $2,527.77 15,000.00 17, 527.77 3, 364. 94 June 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year. July 1, 1891, balance unexpended.... 14, 162. 83 July 1, 1891, outstanding liabilities July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts $2, 419.67 10, 444. 55 July 1, 1891, balance available..... 3,718. 28 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix J 8.) 164, 000, 00 25,000.00 9. Urbana Creek, Virginia.-Urbana Creek is a tributary of the Rappahannock River, which it enters 16 miles above the mouth. Before improvement navigation was obstructed by a bar outside the mouth, over which but 6.5 feet could be carried, and a shoal within the creek having a least depth of 7 feet. The original project adopted in 1879 provided for dredging a channel 150 feet wide and 10 feet deep through the outer bar. This project was extended in 1883 so as to include dredging to 10 feet through a shoal within the creek near the town of Urbana. Up to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1890, $18,500 had been expended. The channel through the outer bar had been dredged to a depth of 10 feet and a width of 140 feet, but owing to the action of storms the width had decreased from sand filling to 90 feet. A channel had also been dredged through the shoal within the creek from 80 to 170 feet wide and 10 feet deep, and dikes and jetties had been built along the sand spit to check the movement of sand, which tends to close the natural channel at the end of the spit. In the river and harbor act approved September 19, 1890, an appropriation of $3,000 was made for continuing the improvement. A contract was made for dredging at and near the sand spit, work to be commenced September 15, 1891. Jetties will be also constructed along the beach on the outer side of the spit, this work to be done by hired labor. Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890...... $3,000.00 July 1, 1891, balance unexpended... July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts.. July 1, 1891, balance available..... 3,000.00 $100.00 1,987.50 2,087.50 912.50 13,080.00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project........ Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1893 13,080.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix J 9.) 10. York River, Virginia.-The Pamunkey and Mattaponi rivers unite at West Point, Va., to form the York River, which is 41 miles in length, and empties into Chesapeake Bay about 16 miles above Old Point, Va. Prior to the commencement of the improvement navigation was obstructed by Potopotank Bar, 9 miles below West Point, on which the ruling depth was 18.5 feet; by West Point Bar, extending about 2 miles below West Point, and having a ruling depth of 15.5 feet; and by shoal water in front of the West Point wharves, at the mouth of the Pamunkey. The original project provided for a channel 22 feet deep and 200 feet wide through these bars, with an increased width at the wharves. In 1884 the proposed channel width was increased to 400 feet, and in 1887 the project was amended so as to include the construction of a dike along the flats on the right of the channel, to contract the waterway and maintain the depth dredged, which had decreased from continued silting. Up to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1890, $127,489.27 had been expended in the following work: A channel 105 feet wide and 22 feet deep was dredged in 1880-'81 through Potopotank Bar, which bad, however, shoaled in 1890 to from 20.8 to 21.7 feet. A channel 22 feet deep and from 161 to 257 feet wide, with a center cut 24 feet deep and 40 feet wide, had been dredged at West Point Bar, the ruling depth in January, 1890, being 20.6 feet. An appropriation of $30,000 was made in the river and harbor act of September 19, 1890, for continuing the improvement. A contract was made March 9, 1891, with the Baltimore Dredging Company for dredg ing material from the channel and depositing it in an embankment on the flats, so as to form a dike and contract the river channel. The contract price for this work was 143 cents per cubic yard. Owing to the soft character of the material forming the flats the contractors were unable to form the embankment with the plant at their command, and after several weeks of unsuccessful work requested that their contract be modified so as to provide for dredging in the channel and dumping at other dumping grounds to be provided by them at 9 cents per cubic yard, stating that they had already been at large expense and had accomplished practically nothing. The proposed price was regarded as reasonable, and as channel dredging was required at once to accommo date the cotton shipments of the current year, and the proposed modifi cation would render about $10,000 available for the construction of a timber dike, it was thought advisable, in view of all the circumstances, to modify the contract. A supplemental agreement was accordingly made on May 11, 1891, and work thereunder commenced June 10, 1891. On June 30, 1891, a cut 80 feet wide and 22 feet deep had been made in front of the West Point wharves. An examination of the West Point channel shows that the shoaling continues, and that the ruling depth is now but 18 feet. Under the present appropriation the shoaler parts of this channel will be redredged, and the construction of the dike commenced. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended............. Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890 . $1,300.73 30,000.00 31, 300, 73 June 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year.. 2,420.90 July 1, 1891, balance unexpended. 28,879.83 July 1, 1891, outstanding liabilities.. $500.00 July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts... 15,300.00 15,800.00 July 1, 1891, balance available ..... 13,079.83 150,050,00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1893 100, 000, 00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix J 10.) 11. Mattaponi River, Virginia.-The Mattaponi River is navigable for small steamers from its mouth at West Point, Va., to Ayletts, Va., a distance of about 52 miles, and can be made navigable for barges for about 26 miles above Ayletts to Munday Bridge. The obstructions to 5-foot navigation are five bars below Ayletts, having ruling depths of from 2.5 to 3.6 feet, and wrecks, snags, logs, and overhanging trees. There were eight bars reported above Ayletts, but no improvement of them is proposed. The approved project adopted in 1880 provides for a channel 40 feet wide and 5.5 feet deep through the bars below Ayletts, and the removal of logs, snags, overhanging trees, wrecks, etc., as far up as Munday Bridge. Up to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1890, $16,300 had been expended in removing snags, wrecks, logs, and other obstructions between Robinson Bar and Munday Bridge, a distance of 34 miles, and in building 2,226 linear feet of dike at Robinson Bar. The appropriation of $3,000, made September 19, 1890, was too small to be applied to dredging operations, and will be used in removing snags, leaning trees, etc., which again obstruct navigation. The plant formerly used for this purpose on the Rappahannock, Pamunkey, and Mattaponi rivers having become worn out, the construction of a new plant became necessary. At the close of the fiscal year this plant was nearly completed, and snagging operations will be commenced during the present working season (1891). July 1, 1890, balance unexpended....... Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890.. $3.11 3,000.00 3, 003. 11 July 1, 1891, balance unexpended July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts. $50.00 1,532, 44 1,582.44 July 1, 1891, balance available 1,420.67 (Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project $20,000.00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1893 10,000.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix J 11.) 12. Pamunkey River, Virginia.-The Pamunkey River has a navigable length of 59 miles, and empties into the York River at West Point, Va. Navigation was originally obstructed by five bars in the upper part of the river, and by snags, logs, and overhanging trees. The project was adopted in 1880 and amended in 1885, and provides for channels 100 feet wide and 7 feet deep through Spring Bar and Skidmore Bar, or to a distance of 47 miles above West Point, and channels 40 feet wide and from 3 to 5 feet deep through the bars above, together with the removal of logs, snags, wrecks, and overhanging trees. On June 30, 1890, logs, snags, etc., had been removed from 22.5 miles of the river between Garlick's Ferry and Hanovertown; dikes had been built at Spring Bar and Skidmore Bar, and a channel 95 feet wide and from 6 to 7 feet deep, dredged through the last-named bar. The amount expended to June 30, 1890, was $18,500. An appropriation of $3,000 was made September 19, 1890, which will be applied to the removal of snags, trees, and similar obstructions, which are annually renewed by freshets. The plant formerly used for this work having become worn out and useless, it became necessary to construct a new one. It is now nearly complete, and it is expected that the snagging operations will be commenced in July, 1891. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890... $16.36 3,000,00 July 1, 1891, balance unexpended 3,016.36 July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts.. $50.00 1,532, 44 1,582.44 1, 433.92 10,000.00 10, 000, 00 July 1, 1891, balance available ............. Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix J 12.) EXAMINATIONS AND SURVEYS FOR IMPROVEMENT, TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF RIVER AND HARBOR ACT APPROVED SEPTEMBER 19, 1890. The required preliminary examinations of the following localities were made by the local engineer in charge, Lieutenant-Colonel Hains, and reports thereon submitted. It is the opinion of Lieutenant-Colonel Hains, based upon the facts and reasons given, that these localities are not worthy of improvement. This opinion being concurred in by me, no further surveys were ordered. 1. St. Leonard's Creek, Maryland.-Report transmitted to Congress and printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 120, Fifty-first Congress, second session. (See also Appendix J 13.) 2. St. Jerome Bay, Maryland.-(See Appendix J 14.) 3. Piscataway Creek, Maryland.-Report transmitted to Congress and printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 49, Fifty-first Congress, second session. (See also Appendix J 15.) ENG 91-10 |