e cost of this improvement is estimated as follows: fing 80,000 cubic yards, at 28 cents... ngencies Total..... respectfully invite attention to the report of Mr. Harwood for the ils of the survey and a description of the river and its approaches. ystic River is in the collection district of Boston, Mass., of which ton is the port of entry; the nearest light-house is on Long Island, ston Harbor, Mass. Very repectfully, your obedient servant, Brig. Gen. THOMAS L. CASEY, Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. S. M. MANSFIELD, REPORT OF MR. T. T. HUNTER HARWOOD, ASSISTANT ENGINEER. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Boston, Mass., April 3, 1891. COLONEL: I have the honor to submit the following report upon the survey of Mystic River, Massachusetts, from the bridge of the Boston and Maine Railroad >astern_division) to the head of navigation on said river," made in November, 1890, 1 accordance with your instructions, and there with a map of the survey drawn to scale of 1:3000. TOPOGRAPHY. A base line 2,400 feet in length was measured along the track of the Boston and Maine Railroad over the Mystic River Bridge, of the western division. Thirty-two triangulation stations were located and occupied, all important angles being repeated at least three times. From these points a system of ranges was arranged on which the soundings were taken. The high-water and low-water lines are from this survey. The shore line shown is the approximate mean high-water line of the river banks in the marsh through which it flows, for the greater part of its length covered by the survey; large areas outside of these lines being overflowed by more than ordinary high tides. HYDROGRAPHY. The survey covers that section of the river extending from the Boston and Maine Railroad Bridge (eastern division) to the head of navigation, at a stone bridge known as Cradock Bridge, in the town of Medford, a distance of about 3 miles. One hundred and forty-nine lines of soundings were run, at an average distance of 120 feet apart, on which 6,836 soundings were taken, 908 of which were intersected with a transit from favorable triangulation stations, and 66 taken on a marked line. Two tide gauges were established from the bench mark at the United States navyyard in Charlestown, by observations at high-water slack, one on the Boston and Maine Bridge, of the western division, the other at Dunning's coal wharf, about half way up the river. The soundings are expressed in feet and tenths, and refer to the plane of mean low water at the navy-yard in Boston Harbor. They are selected from the number taken in the survey. DESCRIPTION OF CHANNEL AS DEVELOPED BY THE SURVEY. The Mystic River empties into Boston Harbor from the north, and extends from its mouth to the head of navigation, in the town of Medford, in a generally northwest direction. The distance from its mouth to the bridge of the Boston and Maine Railroad (eastern division), where the survey commences, is about 24 miles, up to which point clear 6-foot channel exists, passing two bridges known, respectively, as Chelsea Mass., of which Gloucester is the port of entry; the nearest light-how is Annisquam Light, 2 miles east of the mouth of the river. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Brig. Gen. THOMAS L. CASEY, Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. S. M. MANSFIELD, REPORT OF MR. T. T. HUNTER HARWOOD, ASSISTANT ENGINEER. Boston, May 1, 188 COLONEL: I have the honor to submit the following report upon the surve Essex River, Massachusetts, made in December, 1890, in accordance with your inst tions; and with it a map of the survey drawn to a scale of 1:3000. TOPOGRAPHY. Essex River empties into Ipswich Bay at a distance of about 2 miles southeas the mouth of Ipswich River. An unobstructed 6-foot channel of ample navig width is shown, by the U. S. Coast Survey map of 1857 and a survey of the lot part of the river made by the harbor and land commissioners of Massachusetts the summer of 1890, to exist across the bar at its mouth and for a distance of 24 m3 up the river until past Conomo Point. The distance between two of the main triangulation points of the harbor and l commissioners' survey was taken as the base line for this survey, and from this b (A-B, 5,569.29 feet in length) a system of triangles was extended up the river to head of navigation. Eighteen triangulation stations were located and occupied, more important angles being repeated at least three times. From some of these po a system of ranges was arranged on which soundings were taken for about half of distance up the river, and for the remaining distance the soundings were taken marked line stretched from bank to bank from stakes located by angles from s able triangulation stations. The high-water line shown is the approximate line of the river banks in marsh through which it flows. This marsh generally extends for some distance either side of the river, and is overflowed by more than ordinarily high tides. The only wharves are a small boat landing at Conomo Point and those shown the extreme upper end of the river. HYDROGRAPHY. Soundings were taken to cover the main channel of the river from below Cone Point to the head of navigation at the bridge of the Essex branch of the Boston Maine Railroad. One hundred and forty-one lines were run, on which 7,341 sow ings were taken. The plane of reference is mean low water of the U. S. Coast Survey outside =| bar, and was established by comparison of observations taken, on a temporary gau of normal high tides with predicted high waters given in the Coast Survey D tables, the average rise of tides being given as 8.8 feet. DESCRIPTION OF CHANNEL AS DEVELOPED BY SURVEY. The approach to Essex River from Ipswich Bay is in a southerly course across t bar at its mouth. After passing the bar the channel runs in a southerly direct for about 1 mile. Here it turns to the west and continues westerly for about miles to where the continuous 6-foot channel ends, a short distance past Cono Point. Beyond this the river follows a tortuous course in a generally southwester direction for about 24 miles to the head of navigation at the Boston and Maine Rai road Bridge. The channel is narrow, crooked, and shoal, the greatest continuous depth bei 1.7 feet, and is obstructed by nests of bowlders at points marked A, containing cubic yards; B, containing 12 cubic yards; D, containing 62 cubic yards; and E. ining 5 cubic yards; and by a ledge projecting from the north shore into the el at C, of which a special survey is shown on the map. point marked F the remains of an old ford exists in the form of a bed of small lers about 15 feet wide, running across the channel. Examination of the botf the river shows the material to be mud and sand. At about 1,000 feet below ilroad bridge the river is crossed by a highway bridge with a draw opening of eet. The ship-building yards, which comprise the main industry of Essex, are ted 2 just below and 1 above this bridge. è bench-mark established is the south corner of a projecting stone at the northcorner of the south pier of the drawbridge, and is 13.42 feet above mean low Very respectfully, your obedient servant, ut. Col. S. M. MANSFIELD, T. T. HUNTER HARWOOD, Assistant Engineer. Corps of Engineers, U. S. A. B 23. [Printed in House Ex. Doc. No. 155, Fifty-first Congress, second session.] PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF TOWN RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Boston, Mass., November 1, 1890. ENERAL: In compliance with instructions contained in letter from r office dated September 20, 1890, I have the honor to submit the wing report of a preliminary examination of Town River, Massasetts, provided for in the river and harbor act approved September 1890. own River is a small tidal river debouching into Weymouth Fore er, and lies entirely within the limits of the city of Quincy. It is ut 13 miles long from its mouth at Quincy Point to the upper wharves he city, where lumber and granite are handled, and where large unts of coal and heavy merchandise would be transferred were the lities for navagating the river improved. he upper half of the river (three-fourths of a mile) has a very narrow crooked channel, carrying about 12 feet of water at low tide, and is the region demanding improvement to the extent of securing 4 of water through a channel 200 feet wide. With this accomplished, able wharf privileges will be given the city of Quincy in addition hose already established, for the channel will run near to one bank he river. During the past year about 300 cargoes of granite (30,000 to 40,000 s) have been shipped, and over 40 cargoes of lumber landed, measg 2,500,000 feet, and 3 cargoes of brick. About 35,000 tons of coal Quincy were landed at the wharves at the mouth of the river incy Point), a large portion of which would be delivered near the ter of the city, and about 2 miles of teaming would be saved with improved river. think the river worthy of improvement, and recommend an allotat of $450 for a survey upon which to base a plan and estimate for work. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Brig. Gen. THOMAS L. CASEY, S. M. MANSFIELD, Lieut. Col. of Engineers, Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. |