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from easterly storms an anchorage of about 50 acres area with 12 feet depth at mean low water.

Colonel Houston states

The dredging in the upper harbor is the more urgently needed and should be the first improvement undertaken.

(See Appendix D 34.)

2. Cos Cob or Miamus River, Connecticut.-The improvement proposed contemplates the formation of a low-water channel 8 feet deep and 150 feet wide up to the railroad bridge, and 100 feet wide from the bridge to Miamus, at an estimated cost of $36,000.

(See Appendix D 35.)

3. Peconic River, Suffolk County, New York.-The following plan and estimate for improvement are presented:

For channel 75 feet wide and 6 feet deep at mean low water up to the head of Merritt Bay..

For turning basin in Merritt Bay, 250 feet by 400 feet and 6 feet deep..
Contingencies and supervision

To extend the channel 2,000 feet above Merritt Bay, with a width of 75 feet for the first 1,000 feet and of 50 feet for the remainder.. Contingencies, etc

(See Appendix D 36.)

$22,500.00

5,100.00

3,400.00

31,000.00

11, 100.00 1,900.00

44,000.00

4. Sag Harbor, Suffolk County, New York, for breakwater.-The improvement proposed, with a view to the protection from northeast storms, of the water front where the wharves are located, contemplates the construction of a riprap breakwater, with a height of 8 feet above mean low water, top width of 5 feet, side slopes of 1 on 1, and total length of 3,180 feet, extending from Conklins Point north by west about 1,330 feet, and thence nearly northwest 1,850 feet to the 9-foot curve; the estimated cost of this breakwater is $71,000.

(See Appendix D 37.)

IMPROVEMENT OF HUDSON RIVER; OF HARBORS AT SAUGERTIES AND RONDOUT, AND WAPPINGER'S CREEK; OF NEW YORK HARBOR AND RIVERS IN ITS VICINITY, NEW YORK; AND OF RARITAN BAY, NEW JERSEY.

Officer in charge, Lieut. Col. G. L. Gillespie, Corps of Engineers, with Lieut. Harry Taylor, Corps of Engineers, under his immediate orders. 1. Hudson River, New York.-The improvement of this river has been restricted by the wording of the appropriation acts to that part of it lying between Troy, at the head of navigation, 6 miles above Albany, and New Baltimore, about 14 miles below Albany.

Before the improvement was begun, the navigable depth in the channel between New Baltimore and Albany was 74 feet at mean low water; between Albany and Troy, 4 feet.

The plan of improvement adopted in 1867 proposed making the navigable depth between New Baltimore and Albany 11 feet, and between Albany and Troy 9 feet. This was to be accomplished by the construction of longitudinal dikes to direct the currents, and by dredging.

The estimated cost of making this improvement, prepared in 1882, subject to be increased annually, was $1,078,304. In 1889 the estimated cost was $1,424,435.

[blocks in formation]

The amount expended to June 30, 1890, inclusive of outstanding liabilities, was $1,074,485.69, of which sum a large part has, however, from the necessity of the case, been applied partly to the repair of decaying dikes. At that date the dikes provided for in the project of improvement, so far as built, have resulted in securing a channel depth of 10 feet nearly all the way from New Baltimore to Albany, and of 8 feet nearly all the way from Albany to Troy. The shoal spots make the navigable depths on those parts of the river 9 feet and 71⁄2 feet respectively.

The amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, inclusive of outstanding liabilities, was $96,172.36, and was applied to the repair of the dikes; to the construction of new dikes; to dredging at Fish House, Bogart Light, Winnies, and Washington Bars; and to the removal of Dittingers Rock, opposite Van Wies Point.

In compliance with the provisions of the river and harbor act approved September 19, 1890, a Board of Engineers, consisting of Lieut. Col. G. L. Gillespie, Maj. Amos Stickney, and Maj. C. W. Raymond, Corps of Engineers, was constituted by the Secretary of War to examine the obstructions to navigation in Hudson River, and submit project and estimate for its improvement. The report of the Board will be submitted when received.

July 1, 1890, balance unexpended...............

Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890...

$63, 491.23 150,000.00

213, 491.23 85, 148.52

June 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year..

July 1, 1891, balance unexpended..

128, 342.71

July 1, 1891, outstanding liabilities..

July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts

$11, 023.84
59,679.78

70, 703.62

57, 639, 09

July 1, 1891, balance available

Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project..
Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30,1893
Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and
harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

(See Appendix E 1.)

145,000.00 145, 000. 00

2. Harbor at Saugerties, New York.-This harbor is formed by the mouth of Esopus Creek, which empties into the Hudson River, on the west bank, about 100 miles above New York City.

The bar at the entrance at the time of original examination, made in November, 1883, with the view of preparing estimates for improvement, had a navigable depth of 3 feet only at mean low water, and the distance between the 6-foot curves across it was 1,100 feet. The harbor could therefore be entered only at high water even by the smallest class of vessels.

The plan of improvement which was adopted in 1887 provided for securing a depth of 8 feet, mean low water, from the entrance to the head of navigation, 13 miles, by the construction of two parallel dikes, each 2,300 feet long, 260 feet apart on the inside, and 280 feet apart on the outside, and by dredging, if found necessary, 30,000 cubic yards of material from the channel between the dikes.

The estimated cost of the improvement was $52,000; the amount expended upon the project up to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1890, inclusive of outstanding liabilities, was $31,278.07. At that date the South Dike had been completed, and its length by actual

measurement was 2,3633 feet; the North Dike had been completed for a length of 809 feet; and the shoal in front of Sheffield's paper mill had been dredged to afford a channel 50 feet wide and 7 to 8 feet deep. The channel across the bar was 200 feet wide and 9 feet deep, mean low water.

The amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, inclusive of outstanding liabilities, was $5,021.04, and was applied towards the construction of 1,270 feet of piled dike on the north side of the creek.

The existing navigable depth from the entrance to the head of navi gation is 9 feet, mean low water, in a channel from 100 to 300 feet wide.

July 1, 1890, balance unexpended ...

Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890

$721.93 10,000.00

10, 721.93

June 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year...

3,043.69

July 1, 1891, balance unexpended

July 1, 1891, outstanding liabilities..

7,678.24

July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts..

$1,977.35
3,078.63

5,056. 18

2,622.06

=

10,000.00

July 1, 1891, balance available.....

Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project....
Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1893
Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and
barbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

(See Appendix E 2.)

5,000.00

3. Harbor at Rondout, New York.-This harbor is formed by the mouth of Rondout Creek, which empties into the Hudson River on its west side about 90 miles above the city of New York, and is the eastern terminus of the Delaware and Hudson Canal. The creek is a tidal stream for 3 miles above its mouth, and prior to 1871 all improvements had been made by private parties.

The Government made a survey of the harbor in 1869, and the available depth of water then in the channel was only 7 feet at mean low water. The project of improvement, based on this survey, was for the formation and maintenance of a channel 100 feet wide and 14 feet deep, mean low water, at the mouth of the creek, to be obtained by means of dikes and dredging. Two parallel channel dikes, 350 feet apart at the entrance, were to be built outward, toward and into the Hudson River, and a branch dike up stream to protect the north dike against destruction by ice.

The estimated cost of the project was $172,500.

The project was completed in 1880 at an actual cost of $90,000 only. At that time the length of the north dike was 2,200 feet, and that of the south dike 2,800 feet, and there was a channel between them 50 feet wide and 13 feet deep, mean low water, and 100 feet wide and 12 feet deep, mean low water.

The appropriations which have been made since 1880 have been applied exclusively to the repair of the dikes.

The amount expended upon the project and upon repairs up to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1890, was $101,500, at which date the navigable channel was 100 feet wide and from 123 to 13 feet deep, mean low water. The dikes were built originally of timber and stone to the height of mean high water, but the timber has since become so damaged by age and by the ice that the stone filling in many places has

fallen out from between the rows of piles, and the height of the dikes has been correspondingly lowered.

No funds were expended upon this improvement during the past fiscal year.

Sealed proposals will be opened July 16, for the work contemplated by the project for the expenditure of the appropriation of $5,000, aet of September 19, 1890.

The work to be done consists of repairs to all the dikes where the stone has settled or the waves undermined foundations. When the proposed repairs are completed, the dikes will be in fair condition.

Amonnt appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890
July 1, 1891, balance unexpended

Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project..

$5,000.00

5,000.00

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 E 3.)

4. Wappinger's Creek, New York.-Wappinger's Creek is a small stream which empties into the Hudson River on left bank, one-half mile below the village of New Hamburg, N. Y. The navigable portion, extending from the mouth to Wappinger's Falls, is 2 miles long, approximately, and affords navigation to small boats drawing not exceeding 6 feet in a water way which has a width varying from 25 feet to 75 feet.

The project for its improvement contained in the report upon the survey November 11, 1889, to comply with the river and harbor act, August 11, 1888, contemplates a channel 80 feet wide and 8 feet deep from the mouth to the falls. The estimated cost of the improvement was $13,000. The amount appropriated by the river and harbor act, September 19, 1890, was $13,000.

The work was advertised according to law and the sealed proposals received in answer thereto were publicly opened November 19, 1890, and being excessive in price were all rejected. It was readvertised June 8, 1891, and sealed proposals will be again opened July 16, 1891. Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890. June 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year..

July 1, 1891, balance unexpended....

(See Appendix E 4.)

$13,000.00 80.33

12, 919.67

5. Harlem River, New York.-The Harlem River and Spuyten Duyvil Creek are both included in this improvement. The head of navigation in the former is practically at the High Bridge, about 5 miles from its junction with the East River; in the latter at Kingsbridge, about 13 miles from the Hudson River, for vessels of 8 feet draft, at high water only.

The object of the improvement is to form a navigable channel between the East and Hudson Rivers.

The project for the improvement as originally adopted in 1875 was for a channel 350 feet wide and 15 feet deep at mean low water. In 1879 the project was so far modified as to increase the width of the channel in the Harlem River and Spuyten Duyvil Creek to 400 feet, and retaining the original width of 350 feet through Dyckman Meadow, but increasing the depth to 18 feet, mean low water. This project was revised in 1886 by narrowing the channel immediately north of High Bridge, where it skirts the Ogden estate on the east bank, to a least width of 375 feet.

The estimated cost of the work was $2,700,000; the amount expended upon the improvement up to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30,1890, inclusive of outstanding liabilities, was $367,060.22. At that date the excavation of the canal prism had been carried down to grade at the eastern end of the cut west of Kingsbridge road for a length of 317 feet, measured along the axis of the canal, and to nearly the full width of the channel; and at the western end for a length of 438 feet and width of 124 feet, giving a total area of 146,110 square feet, where the excavation had reached grade; over a large additional area the general level of the surface had been reduced to a plane but a few feet above grade.

The dam to the east of the Kingsbridge road, to keep out the waters of the Harlem River from the cut, had been completed, the site of the work drained, and the removal of material under the second contract had been begun.

The amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, inclusive of outstanding liabilities, was $121,544.79. At that date the excavation of the section of canal prism lying to the west of old Kingsbridge road was carried down to grade over an area of 57,465 square feet, giving a total area of 203,575 square feet where the excavation has reached grade, and completing the section of the cut to be excavated under the contract of December 15, 1887, with the exception of a core of rock left standing in the center of the excavation for temporary use as a roadway, and a spur of rock in the southwest end over which the tramway for transporting the broken stone to the dumping ground passes. Both these ledges cover an area of 42,000 square feet, and are now in process of removal. The old Kingsbridge road, where it crosses the canal, has been closed, and the material composing it excavated down to the underlying rock surface, and a temporary roadway over the east dam has been opened to public traffic. The earth, turf, and meadow sod between the east dam and the westerly limit of the contract of August 5, 1889, has been nearly all excavated down to grade, and the rock excavation begun and grade reached over an area of 600 square feet.

Nearly all the rock to be removed under the contract of March 9, 1891, has been stripped of earth, and the excavation in the rock has been carried down to grade over an area of 1,400 square feet. The dredging in the Harlem River began near Fordham foot-bridge, and was carried northward towards Kingsbridge in a water way of 600 feet long, 75 to 150 feet wide, and 9 feet deep, at mean low water. The quantity removed to the close of the fiscal year was 40,204 cubic yards. The contract for work west of west dam was not begun.

July 1, 1890, balance unexpended....

Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890.

.$163, 848. 51 250,000.00

413, 848.51 71, 549.56

342,298.95

June 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year.

July 1, 1891, balance unexpended

July 1, 1891, outstanding liabilities

$49,995. 23

July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts................

271, 801. 42

321,796. 65

July 1, 1891, balance available

20, 502.30

(Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project......1, 980, 000. 00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1893 500, 000. 00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and

harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

(See Appendix E 5.)

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