LETTER OF MR. F. E. FENGAR. NEW LONDON, CONN., November 5, 1890. DEAR SIR: I have to submit the following statements regarding the amount of commerce carried on on Shaw Cove for a period of 1 year, ending November 1. 1890, viz: Statement of Charles A. Bishop, lumber dealer, 673 M feet of lumber, valued at $15,000. Statement of John Bishop, jr., lumber dealer, 600 M feet of lumber, valued at $20,000. Statement of Fengar & Higgins, coal dealers, 2,000 tons of coal, valued at $10,000. The present draft of water at the drawbridge and into the cove, say 150 yards, is 10 feet at high tide. This draft is insufficient for the carrying on of commeree to any considerable extent. Mr. John Bishop, jr., is obliged to unload 50 per cent. of the vessels consigned to him in New London Harbor and to raft the lumber to his wharf. This extra handling of the lumber entails considerable expense, to say nothing of the depreciation in value of the lumber that comes in contact with the salt water. The present draft of water acts as an embarrassment and hindrance to merchants engaged in business in the cove, as their commodities delivered at their respective places of business cost them more on account of extra expense incurred on account of the draft of water than is paid by merchants engaged in similar enterprises whose yards are located on the river front. In my opinion the draft of water should be increased to 15 feet at high tide. and a channel 100 feet in width of said depth of 15 feet should extend the length of the cove. I should have transmitted this memorandum to you before, but was obliged to wait for the statement of Mr. Bishop, jr. Respectfully, yours, Mr. JOHN HOPSON, Jr. F. E. FENGAR. LETTER OF THE COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS. CUSTOM-HOUSE, NEW LONDON, CONN., COLLECTOR'S OFFICE, November 7, 1840. DEAR SIR: As requested will give you the tonnage and number of vessels hailing from the ports named: New London has 177 vessels, the tonnage of which is 38.906.29 gross, 34,031.40 net. Hartford has 84 vessels, the tonnage of which is 12,629.35 gross, 10,913.60 net. Stonington has 113 vessels; 5,170.28 gross and 4,614.19 net tons. If I can be of any further use to you in any way or if any assistance I can render would be of any avail I am at your service. Respectfully, yours, Mr. JOHN HOPSON, Jr. D 31. M. WILSON DART. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF CONNECTICUT RIVER, FROM LONG IS LAND SOUND TO HARTFORD, AND BELOW HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT. [Printed in House Ex. Doc. No. 86, Fifty-first Congress, second session.] ENGINEER OFFICE, U. S. ARMY, GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report on preliminary examination of the Connecticut River, Connecticut, from Long Island Sound to Hartford, with a view to such improvements as will keep the channel from shifting its course at certain places, and Connecticut River below Hartford, made in pursuance of the river and har bor act approved September 19, 1890. It is understood that the object of the first examination is indicated by a petition to Congress, of which the following is a copy, omitting signatures: To the Honorable the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled: Your petitioners, whose names are hereto signed and whose post-office address is Glastonbury, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, respectfully represent that the said town of Glastonbury is situated on the east side of the and adjoining the Connecticut River, a navigable river; that said river adjoining this town is a very crooked river; that the meadows adjoining said river are our most valuable lands; that said river, by constantly wearing into said meadows, has in several places changed its bed from two to more than four times the width of the river into and upon our said lands; that heretofore Congress has appropriated money for the improvement of navigation in said river; that so far as said appropriations have been expended opposite to our said meadows, instead of erecting piers and jetties to protect the river bank and hold the river to its (then) proper channel, said piers, etc., were erected on the opposite side of the channel, forcing the river more and more into and upon said meadows, until now said piers, etc., are far beyond the channel of the river; that we respectfully petition Congress to make an appropriation to protect the bank where the river is encroaching upon our meadows as stated, and thus hold the river to its present channel and improve the navigation of the river; that the erection of piers, etc., which will protect our meadows and keep the river within its present channel, will improve said river for navigation as can be done in no other way. And your petitioners will ever pray. Dated Glastonbury this 25th day of February, 1890. The Connecticut River from Hartford to Rocky Hill, a distance, of 11 miles by river and 8 miles in a straight line, including the locality mentioned in the petition, winds through meadows which are generally flooded at high water. The bed of the river is constantly changing by erosion on the concave banks and deposits on the convex banks, so that in many places the river has entirely changed its bed. It appears from the petition that this is the case at Glastonbury. A project for improving this part of the river by bank protection and dikes was prepared in 1879 and an elaborate report on the subject is printed in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1880, pages 398-442. Owing to small appropriations, which were largely consumed in dredging, the only work done under this project was the construction of a dike near Glastonbury on the right bank of the river in 1881, and one at Hartford in 1883. Dredging was continued every year either by the United States or the Hartford and New York Transportation Company. In 1887 it became evident that the completion of the project of shore protection, etc., would not materially reduce the amount of dredging required each year, and it was accordingly discontinued with the approval of the Chief of Engineers. The improvement of this part of the river has since been carried on by annual dredging as being the most economical and efficient method. The matter is fully discussed in my report dated December 21, 1887, printed in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1888, page 537. As to the effect of the dike at Glastonbury in causing the erosion on the opposite bank, referred to in the petition, I would say that the movement of the river bed has been going on from the date of the earliest records. In the report on survey made in 1867 (Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1868, page 772) it is stated that— Half a mile above the South Glastonbury Landing there are two piers usually called the Glastonbury piers, marked S and T on the map, and shown on sheet 6. They were built by the Union Company from the left bank of the river, the one above and the other below the entrance of Roaring Brook into the Connecticut. The channel worked around the east end of pier S about 7 years ago, and was dredged out by the steamboat company, taking off part of the east end of the pier. The surveys made in 1867 and 1879, before the Glastonbury dike was built, show that the left bank had been moved back by erosion a dis tance of 800 feet since 1860. A comparison of the surveys made in 1867, 1879, and 1887, before and after the construction of the dike, do not show any greater movement of the bank than would result from natural causes and not nearly so great as has taken place at other points where no works have been built; near Naubuc, for instance, the entire bed of the river has changed since 1867. About 75 feet from the left bank of the river near Glastonbury is a high bluff composed of earth and gravel. The wearing away of the bank at this point will doubtless continue until the high ground is reached, when it will prob ably cease. The only object of the bank protection in this part of the river is the protection of land. The cost of this from Hartford to Rocky Hill would be very great, and a continual outlay would be necessary for maintenance. Navigation would not be benefited, and therefore it is not recommended. The second examination directed in the river and harbor act refers to the entire river below Hartford. The present approved project før this improvement is as follows: Completing jetties at the river's mouth and dredging between them... $80,000 10,000 This latter dredging has heretofore been done principally in the por tion of the river above Rocky Hill, where the bars form every year. Below Rocky Hill the character of the river changes, the banks are generally high, and the channel, except at Pistol Point, practically permanent. The following work has been done in this section of the river above the mouth: At Hartford Bar a dike has been built on the right bank of the river (the concave shore), to serve as a training wall. At Glastonbury Bar a dike has been built on the right bank of the river (the convex shore). At Hartford Bar, 13 miles below wagon bridge at Hartford, Clay Banks Bar, 2 miles below wagon bridge at Hartford, Pratt Ferry, of Naubue Bar, 5 miles below wagon bridge at Hartford, Press Barn Bar. 63 miles below wagon bridge at Hartford, Glastonbury Bar, 9 miles below wagon bridge at Hartford, Dividend Bar, 12 miles below wagon bridge at Hartford, dredging has been done nearly every year, and at Pistol Point Bar, 15 miles below wagon bridge at Hartford, Mouse Island Bar, 20 miles below wagon bridge at Hartford, Haddam Island Bar 30 miles below wagon bridge at Hartford, mouth of Salmon River, 33 miles below wagon bridge at Hartford, Calves Island Bar, 443 miles below wagon bridge at Hartford, less frequently, to maintain a naviga ble channel 9 feet deep at low water. A recent examination by Mr. Henry N. Babcock, Assistant Engineer. made in company with parties interested in the petition for this exami nation, shows the following as the improvement desired, in addition to those included in the approved project: (1) Middletown Ferry, about 18 miles below Hartford: The ferry crosses the river between Middletown and Portland, Conn., between the lower end of Willow Island and the Air-line Railroad Bridge; a shoal making from the islands crowds the ferryboat's course down too close to the bridge, making it difficult to cross when ice is running in the river, without striking the bridge. Occasional dredging at comparatively small expense would probably afford the relief desired. (2) Mouse Island Channel, about 20 miles below Hartford: This channel has been dredged to a width of 40 to 60 feet; it does not require annual dredging, as it fills up very slowly. It is desired to have the channel made 100 feet wide to accommodate boats from the Portland quarries which have to go up and down in tows, three or four at a time, and can not keep in the narrow channel. (3) Removal of Bodkin Rock and the point opposite, at "the Straits," about 22 miles below Hartford: It is represented that ice jams frequently form here, and back up the water so as to flood the Portland quarries and cellars in Middletown along the water front. The river makes a sharp bend here, and the channel depth is from 30 to 60 feet. (4) Chester Rock Channel, 38 miles from Hartford: and (5) Essex Channel, about 43 miles from Hartford: At both these places the depth is scant 9 feet, and no dredging has ever been done; the cost of deepening the channel would not be great and the work would not require to be done frequently. This work could all be done under the present project if appropriations were made in accordance with the estimates submitted in the annual reports, except that at Bodkin Rock, where it is represented that ice jams form very frequently, as above stated. The estimated cost of removing Bodkin Rock and the point opposite is roughly $32,000, and it is doubtful whether the desired end would be accomplished. Ice gorges are only temporary obstructions to navigation, and if necessary it is believed that they can be removed by explosives or other means. No complete survey of this portion of the river has ever been made, though it has been contemplated since 1867. A survey is now in progress by the Coast and Geodetic Survey, and the only additional surveys are those needed to determine the amount of dredging needed at Mouse Island, Chester Rock, and Essex channels. The cost of these would be small and they can be made as usual from the appropriation for improving the river, immediately before undertaking the work. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Brig. Gen. THOMAS L. CASEY, Chief of Engineers, Ú. S. A. D. C. HOUSTON, [Second indorsement.] ENGINEER OFFICE, U. S. A., Respectfully returned to the Chief of Engineers. I am of the opinion that the Connecticut River, Connecticut, from Long Island Sound to Hartford is worthy of improvement by the United States. The estimates for needed improvements were submitted in my annual report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1890, and are as follows: Annual cost of maintaining channel from Hartford to Long Island Sound by dredging 10,000 This latter item refers to the average annual cost, as more work is needed in some years than in others. The estimates submitted in my annual reports provide for all work considered necessary. D. C. HOUSTON, Colonel of Engineers. D 32. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF SAUGATUCK RIVER, CONNECTICUT. [Printed in House Ex. Doc. No. 179, Fifty-first Congress, second session.] ENGINEER OFFICE, U. S. ARMY. GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report on preliminary examination of the Saugatuck River, Connecticut, made in pursuance of the river and harbor act approved September 19, 1890. Improvements at this locality have heretofore been made by the United States for Saugatuck or Westport Harbor, Connecticut, as fo lows: In 1827-1836, certain obstructions in the river were removed; the amount of this work is not known, but is supposed to have been very small. In 1826-1829 and in 1837-238, a breakwater or sea wall was built on Cedar Point, at the east side of the river's mouth, to secure the beach which was in danger of washing away and into the channel; the breakwater was built about 390 feet long, 10 feet wide on top, and to a height of 4 feet above high water. In 1870 the seas had cut partly through the beach at the north or shore end of the wall and had undermined part of the wall; 644 feet of the old wall were rebuilt and it was extended northward 433 feet, making its present length about 434 feet: the new work was 54 feet wide on top and from 1 to 2 feet higher than the old wall. In 1836-1840 a canal was cut through Great Marsh, extending from a bend in the river near its mouth into the bay outside, with the object of "facilitating commercial intercourse between the port of Saugatuck [now Westport] and the city of New York," by cutting off the natural channel around Cockenoe Island, saving a distance of from 4 to 5 miles between the points named. The canal was made 68 feet wide at high water, 44 feet wide at the bottom, and was 1,350 feet long. The material removed was piled up on the banks. Part of the east side was protected by a dry wall of small stones extending out into the bay and terminating in a beacon. The present condition of the breakwater on Cedar Point is fair. The canal was used more or less for 10 years, but gradually filled up, and for 40 years past has been of little use except for the smallest vessels light loaded. At either end it is nearly bare at low water, with an average depth of 1 to 2 feet inside. In 1883 an examination of this harbor was made in pursuance of the river and harbor act of August 2, 1882. The officer in charge recommended that the canal be abandoned and that a survey be made to determine the cost of excavating a channel 4 feet deep up to the village of Westport, as being an improvement worthy to be made, provided it could be done at reasonable cost. A survey was made in accordance therewith, and an estimate of $36,000 submitted for such a channel to |