APPENDIX No. 3. BEACH PROTECTION, WATER SUPPLY, AND SEWERAGE SYSTEM AT FORT MONROE, VIRGINIA. REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL PETER C. HAINS, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, OFFICER IN CHARGE, FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1891. IMPROVEMENTS. a Beach protection at Fort Monroe, Vir- c Sewerage system at Fort Monroe, Virginia. Water supply at Fort Monroe, Virginia. ginia. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Washington, D. C., July 10, 1891. GENERAL: I have the honor to forward herewith my annual report for the year ending June 30, 1891, on fortifications in my charge. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Brig. Gen. THOMAS L. CASEY, PETER C. HAINS, Lieut. Col., Corps of Engineers. Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. 3 A. BEACH PROTECTION. The beach on the bay side and to the northeastward of Fort Monroe · is being eroded by tidal currents, and especially by northeast storms. This action has progressed to such an extent that the narrow strip of beach which connects Fort Monroe with the mainland, and which has been selected as sites for new batteries, is in danger of being cut through. This narrow strip of land, besides affording communication with the cemetery, is the only area of ground belonging to the reservation not Occupied by buildings, and its preservation is essential for military purposes. An allotment of funds from the appropriation for preservation and repair of fortifications, enabled the construction of jetties to be commenced, and an appropriation of $27,000 having been subse ENG 91-34 529 quently made for this purpose by act of February 24, 1891, a system of beach protection has been commenced. Under date of March 4, 1891, a contract was made with F. J. Kelly for the construction of about 1,600 linear feet of pile jetty, and the work is now in progress, though from lack of efficient management it has not advanced as rapidly as desired. The work of beach protection has not yet reached a sufficiently advanced stage to determine just what the result will be, but from indications already observed, it is expected that not only will the process of erosion be checked, but that accretions may result as the jetty construction progresses. Money statement. Amount appropriated by act approved February 24, 1891. $27,000.00 3,014.40 June 1, 1891, balance unexpended July 1, 1891, outstanding liabilities 23,985.5 July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts.... $2,453.62 13,365.00 15,818 € July 1, 1891, balance available.. 8, 166. 3 B. WATER SUPPLY. In my last annual report the necessity for an improvement in the water supply at Fort Monroe was referred to. The supply of good drinking water is dependent on rain water stored in cisterns. Th supply is sufficient for drinking purposes only, in consequence of whic an expensive system of bringing water in iron pipes from across M Creek is maintained. The water obtained in the latter manner is from driven wells, and is of inferior quality. The importance of an adequate supply of good water within the limits of the fortification, and not liabl to be cut off, is self-evident. In my last annual report I recommended an appropriation of $10,000 for the purpose of sinking an artesian wel as an experiment. It would be money well expended, whether water be found or not, but if a good supply of palatable water be found at no greater depth than 2,500 feet, it would be of great value to the entire community in that section, as well as to the Government. Six thousand dollars was appropriated by act of February 24, 1891. The subject ha received careful consideration and investigation during the past year but the amount made available by the appropriation of February 24 1891, is not sufficient for the purpose. It is known that a good supply of water can not be had within about 960 feet of the surface, as a wel was carried to that depth some years ago, without success. It is prob able that the above depth would have to be exceeded by several hun dred feet. As $6,000 would not at present cover the cost of sinking well beyond a depth already demonstrated to be insufficient, the wor has not been undertaken. I recommend that an additional appropria tion of $4,000 be made. Money statement. Amount appropriated by act approved February 24, 1891. July 1, 1891, balance unexpended.. July 1, 1891, balance available........... $6,000,0 6,000.0 6,000.0 3 C. SEWERAGE SYSTEM. No work has been done on the new sewerage system during the fiscal year 1891. Congress, by act approved March 2, 1889, made an appropriation of $25,000 for a sewerage system, complete, but, as stated in my report for 1890, that amount was insufficient for the work. A considerable portion of the reservation is occupied by hotels and private buildings for which no satisfactory sewerage system exists, and the owners of these buildings have now been directed by the Secretary of War to submit plans for a system of sewers for that part of the reservation outside the fort, and with which the post sewers could be connected. Such plans were submitted in February, 1891, and, with a few exceptions, were unobjectionable. No progress has yet been made toward carrying the plans into execution. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended Money statement. $24, 902. 10 24, 902. 10 24, 902. 10 APPENDIX NO. 4. REPAIR AND PRESERVATION OF FORT MARION, ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. REPORT OF CAPTAIN WILLIAM M. BLACK, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, OF- UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, GENERAL: for 1891, on the defenses of * W.M. BLACK, Captain, Corps of Engineers. Brig. Gen. THOMAS L. CASEY, Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. REPAIR AND PRESERVATION OF FORT MARION. Fort Marion, St. Augustine, Fla., was built during the Spanish pospossion. It was at first named Fort San Augustin, and later Fort San Marcos. In the act approved July 5, 1884, $5,000 was appropriated for the preservation of the fort and the inclosure of its grounds. With this appropriation a picket fence was built along a portion of the reservation boundary line; the sea wall and covered way breast-height walls repaired; two bastion towers renewed; the interior walls refaced where necessary; the ramp rebuilt, and a portion of the terreplein covered with a waterproof pavement for the protection of the casemates. In all of the repairs the original designs were followed as closely as possible. Under allotments from the appropriation for "preservation and repair of fortifications," the following repairs to the permanent work were made, viz: A short length of the sea wall at the north end of the fort and the north end of the water battery, which had been partly undermined by wave and current action, were protected; the sally port, the terreplein of the southwest bastion, and about two-thirds of the terreplein of the south curtain were covered with a waterproof pavement; a concrete drain was constructed under the sally port; the two sentry towers on the south face were repaired; a portion of the inner parapet wall of the east curtain was rebuilt; the two bridges leading to the fort were rebuilt, and a new floor was laid in casemate No. 4. 1 |