Provisos. the direction of the Secretary of War in accordance with the plans, specifications, and recommendations of the Mississippi River Commission: Provided, That no portion of this appropriation shall be expended to repair or build levees for the purpose of reclaiming lands or preventing injury to lands or private property by overflows: Provided, however, Repairing lev. That the commission is authorized to repair and build levees, if in their judgment it should be done, as part of their plans to afford ease and safety to the navigation and commerce of the river and to deepen Salaries, Mis- the channel: Provided further, That the office, clerical, and traveling sissippi River expenses and salaries of the Mississippi River Commission may be paid from this appropriation. ees. Commission. Approved, March 3, 1891. PRIVATE ACTS. January 19, 1891. CHAP. 81.-An act for the relief of Stubbs and Lackey. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Treas Albert Stubbs ury be directed to pay to Albert Stubbs and Job Lackey, of Lebanon, and Job Lackey. Ohio, the sum of two thousand one hundred and twenty-eight dollars Payment to. and eighty-seven cents, in full of all work done by them, or by John B. Holbrook, in building a dike at Merriam Bar, and dams at Captina and Fish Creek Islands, in the Ohio River; and there is hereby appropriated, for such purposes, out of funds otherwise unappropriated and lying in the Treasury, the sum of two thousand one hundred and twenty-eight dollars and eighty-seven cents. Approved, January 19, 1891 February 13, 1891. CHAP. 175.-An act for cancellation of contract with United States engineer for delivery of stone for the improvement of the mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon and Washington. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United Oregon Paving States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of War be, and Contract and he is hereby, authorized to cancel a certain contract entered into by Company. and between the Oregon Paving and Contract Company, of the one Cancellation of part, and Captain Charles F. Powell, United States Engineer, acting contract with. for and on behalf of the United States, of the other part, and dated the second day of June, anno Domini eighteen hundred and eighty-seven, whereby said Oregon Paving and Contract Company contracted to furnish a certain amount of stone of certain dimensions to be used in the improvement of the mouth of the Columbia River, Oregon, on such terms as he may deem equitable and just. Approved, February 13, 1891. March 3, 1891. RESOLUTION. [No. 24.] Joint resolution authorizing Brigadier-General Thomas L. Casey, Chief of Engineers, United States Army, to accept from the President of the French Re public a diploma conferring the decoration of officer of the National Order of the Legion of Honor. Thomas L. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States Casey. of America in Congress assembled, That Brigadier-General Thomas L. May accept decoration f Casey, Chief of Engineers, United States Army, is hereby authorized Legion of Honor to accept from the President of the French Republic a diploma confrom President ferring upon him the decoration of officer of the National Order of the of France. Legion of Honor. Approved, March 3, 1891. APPENDIXES TO THE REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, UNITED STATES ARMY. FORTIFICATIONS, ETC. APPENDIX NO. 1. PROTECTION OF SITE OF FORT NIAGARA, NEW YORK. REPORT OF CAPTAIN DAN C. KINGMAN, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, OFFICER IN CHARGE, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1891. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Oswego, N. Y., July 10, 1891. GENERAL: I have the honor to transmit herewith annual reports for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, for fortifications in my charge. * * Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Brig. Gen. THOMAS L. CASEY, Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. DAN C. KINGMAN, Captain, Corps of Engineers. PROTECTION OF SITE OF FORT NIAGARA. Operations have been in progress for the protection of the site of Fort Niagara, under an allotment from the appropriation for "sea walls and embankments." The project for this work was approved November, 1888, and is briefly as follows: First. To build a dike of stakes and fascines, paved on the top with stone, and held at a reference 2.0 feet of the Lake Ontario gauge, from the northwest bastion of Fort Niagara to the northerly angle of the wharf, and to demolish the wall that makes the western front of the fort and use its material as a riprap and filling behind the dike. Second. To build a similar dike from the southern end of the lighthouse reservation towards the southern end of the military reservation of Fort Niagara, as the means available will permit, and to fill in be hind the dike a bank of low slope to reference 6.0 feet, Lake Ontario gauge; to grade the bank above to a steep slope leading between the two slopes such roadway as may be desirable for the use of the post; to plant the lower slope with willows and the upper one with grass. Estimated cost per 100 feet, $750. Subsequently this project was modified by substituting iron pipes for the wooden stakes used to secure the fascines. This greatly increased the durability of the work, but it also increased its cost to about $10 per running foot. The project was also extended to include the repair of the retaining wall at the northwest angle of the fort and to make all necessary repairs to the same along the lake front. The amount expended under this project to July 1, 1891, is $18,311.05, and has resulted in the construction of 1,711 linear feet of dike work along the lake and river front, 941 feet of which along the river front requires the filling and grading as above described. The total cost of this work was $11,873.60. In addition, repairs have been made to the wall at the northwest angle, as described in full in the report of operations below. July 1 to July 23, 1890: OPERATIONS. The revetment on lake front, east of fort, 214 feet in length, which was built in May and June, received some additional work, costing for service, $74.75. July 23 to 30 and August 29 to September 5, 1890: The crib-work base for northwest angle breakwater, 70 feet long, 14 feet wide, and 3 courses or 3 feet deep, was built on ways upon the wharf and completed ready to be launched when stage of water should permit of construction of its concrete superstructure. It cost for material For services Total.... It has not yet been launched. $304.24 148.36 452.60 The rebuilding of the masonry forming the exposed northwest angle of Fort Niagara was prepared for in July and August by clearing away the débris, building a cofferdam in the lake around its base, and col lecting gravel and sand for use in its construction. The cofferdam was repeatedly broken before masonry work was begun, by the waves to which it was fully exposed: The clearing of foundation and collection of sand and gravel, and the picking up and cleaning of stone from the fallen wall: Cost of all, for services...... September 23 to December 6, 1890: $763.11 The rebuilding of the northwest angle and its bonding into the por |