84,000 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. 20,000 00 (See Appendix G 5.) 6. Sumpawanus Inlet, New York. The original project, which was adopted in 1880, provided for the dredging of a channel from 100 to 150 feet in width and 5 feet deep at mean low water, has not been modified. The original navigable depth was 2 feet mean low water. The amount expended to June 30, 1883, was $6,893.07, and at that date an improved channel existed 1,000 feet long and 75 feet wide and 5 feet deep, mean low water, connecting the long wharf with the 5-foot curve of the bay, and cuts around the wharf were made for the convenience of vessels using the inlet as a refuge during easterly gales. The original amount estimated to complete the project was $23,115, but owing to increased cost of dredging under small appropriations the estimate should be increased to $40,000. The amount available July 1, 1883, for continuing the improvement was $106.93. No work was done during the year. An appropriation of $10,000 is asked to extend the improved channel in accordance with the original project, so as to enlarge the area of protection for vessels taking refuge in the inlet. The benefit resulting from the improvement will be an increased protection to vessels making the harbor during easterly gales, and extending the commerce of the harbor by enabling large vessels to go there. Babylon is a wealthy town of 5,000 souls. The tonnage of merchandise carried annually to the station by rail is estimated at 250,000 tons. Two hundred vessels use the harbor. The money value of the commerce to be benefited by the improvement is $500,000 to $750,000 annually. July 1, 1883, amount available.... July 1, 1884, outstanding liabilities. Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.. $106 93 106 93 33,000 00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. 10,000 00 (See Appendix G 6.) 7. Cheesequakes Creek, New Jersey.-The original condition of the channel over the bar or shoal at the mouth gives a depth of 1 foot at mean low water for about three-fourths of the length to be improved, and for the remaining portion a depth from 4 feet to 14 feet at low water. The course of the creek is very crooked and requires to be straightened. The originally adopted project (1879) for the improvement was to change the outlet into a direction at right angles to the beach; to sustain this direction by parallel jetties of stone, and to straighten the course of the creek and increase the depth in the upper portions thereof. The amount expended to close of fiscal year ending June 30, 1883, was $28,534.59. At that date the east and west rubble stone jetties had been built 925 and 995 feet long, respectively, and a channel between them 650 feet long, 65 feet wide, and 5 feet deep, mean low water, had been excavated. The amount available for continuing the improvement July 1, 1883, was $11,465.41, of which amount $11,434.14 were expended up to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884. During the year the jetties were raised to their projected level; the channel between them was widened to 100 feet and extended 500 feet beyond their outer end to the 5-foot curve of the bay, and the old out let to creek was closed by a sheet-pile revetment 532 feet long, connecting on the one side with the heel of the west jetty, and on the other with the embankment of the Long Branch Railroad. The draw across the old outlet has been closed and a new draw-bridge built over the improved channel with a draw opening 40 feet in the clear. The amount required for the entire and permanent completion of the project, according to revised estimate, is $50,000. The appropriation asked for will be applied in extending the jetties and maintaining them in repair, and in deepening the river on the inside in accordance with the approved p.oject. The benefit to be expected is the better maintenance of the channel depth of 5 feet for vessels of that draught. The commerce of the river has not materially changed during the year. The number of vessels using the harbor is 538, with a tonnage of 46,137 tons. The money value of the commerce is estimated at $217,000 annually. July 1, 1883, amount available... $11, 465 41 July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883... 11, 434 14 July 1, 1884, amount available..... 31 27 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project...... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886 (See Appendix G 7.) 50,000 00 5,000 00 8. Passaic River above Newark, New Jersey.-The present project was adopted in 1872, and provides for the removal of rock and other obstructions between Newark and the head of navigation, so as to afford a sufficient channel 6 feet deep at mean low water, the original navigable depth being 24 feet mean low water. The total amount expended to June 30, 1883, was $111,600.88, and has resulted in securing a 6-foot chaunel of 75 feet width, mean low water, from Midland Bridge to Passaic. The amount available July 1, 1883, for continuing the improvement was $9,399.12. Sealed proposals were opened July 27, 1883, and the contract awarded to the lowest bidder, for excavating a channel through the shoals between the Midland Railroad Bridge and Newark. The contract was completed December 19, after the removal of 19,190 cubic yards of sand and gravel. The amount expended during the year ending June 30, 1884, was $8,827.28. The work accomplished was the opening of a channel 1,200 feet long and 60 feet wide, with 6 feet depth, above Clark's Spool Factory, and a channel 2,300 feet long and 75 feet wide above Point Pleasant. The local engineer invites attention to the report of April 10, 1884, transmitting chart of survey of the river from Passaic to l'aterson, made in compliance with act of August 2, 1882, which will be found in Appendix G 27 of this Report. The navigation of the river is now practicable throughout the year from Newark to Passaic for river boats drawing 4 to 5 feet. At Passaic navigation is obstructed by the Dundee Dam, built by a company possessing a State charter to build a canal from Passaic to Dundee Lake above the dam. It is not advisable to improve the river above the dam until this company opens the canal under its charter. This question is now before the State courts. The appropriation of $3,000, act July 5, 1884, will be applied to maintaining the improved channel. The appropriation of $10,000 asked for will be applied towards widening the channel lately opened below the Midland Railroad Bridge and in maintaining those previously opened over other obstructing bars towards Passaic. The combined manufacturing interests of Passaic and Paterson are estimated at $15,000,000. The benefit to be expected is the improved navigable facilities of the river, causing an increase of commerce with a diminution of expense to manufacturers and producers. Original estimate for improvement (Annual Report Chief of Engineers for 1872, page 807). -$151,349 00 Amount expended to include appropriation of July 5, 1884, 124, 000 00 July 1, 1883, amount available.... 9,399 12 July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883.... 8,827 28 July 1, 1884, amount available..... 571 84 Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884. 3,000 co Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885.... 3,571 84 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project...... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. (See Appendix G 8.) 127,349 00 10,000 00 9. Passaic River, from Pennsylvania Railroad Bridge to its mouth, New Jersey. The project for this improvement was adopted in 1880, and provides for the formation and maintenance of a channel 200 feet wide and 10 feet deep at mean low water, from the Pennsylvania Railroad Bridge, at Centre street, Newark, to Newark Bay; the navigable depth at the beginning of improvement being less than 7 feet mean low water. The amount expended to close of fiscal year ending June 30 1883, was $94,174.70; at that date there was a completed dike at the entrance 2,0034 feet long; and an improved channel was opened from the entrance 3,300 feet above the toll-bridge. At the entrance the chanuel had a width of 400 feet; thence to the New York and Newark Bridge 200 feet, and thence only 100 feet wide. The amount available for improvement July 1, 1883, was $28,825.30. At that date a contract for dredging was in progress and continued to May 27, 1884, when it expired. The material removed during the year was 110,221 cubic yards, making the aggregate removed under the contract 165,288 cubic yards. The amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884, was $28,816.77. The improved channel was carried to the Centre Street Bridge, Newark, the extreme limit of the project for the river improvement, but the width of the upper reach nowhere exceeds 125 feet, or 75 feet, less than what the approved plans call for. During the winter the dike was injured slightly by the ice, and the meadow at the shore cut away by fishermen to afford a passage around the dike for row-boats. The cut was closed and the repairs made at slight expense. The local engineer reports that Newark Bay has shoaled a great deal near Passaic Light since the Coast Survey map of 1872 was prepared, and recommends that the project for improvement be extended by prolonging the dike at the entrance to Passaic River 8,000 feet through the bay below its present southern end, and by dredging a channel 200 feet wide through the shoal abreast Passaic Light, at a total estimated cost of $121,000. The act of July 5, 1884, appropriated $25,000 in continuing the improvement of the Passaic River and the shoals in Newark Bay. It will be applied probably in Newark Bay. An appropriation of $75,000 is asked to complete the improvement projected for the Passaic River and to commence the improvement in Newark Bay projected by the local engineer. The city of Newark has a population of 150,000 souls, and the money invested in manufactures is estimated at $31,000,000. The estimated annual tonnage of the Passaic River is 1,200,000 tons, and is carried by over 22,000 vessels. The benefit to be expected by the improvement is the greater facilities afforded to the immense shipping and manufacturing interests at Newark and vicinity for reaching home and foreign markets by the great highway of the Passaic River and Newark Bay at diminished cost to the manufacturer and producer. Since the navigable depth in the river of 7 feet in 1878 was increased to 10 feet in 1882, the revenue collected at Newark has increased threefold. July 1, 1883, amount available $28,825 30 July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883.. 28,816 77 July 1, 1884, amount available ... 853 Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884.. 25,000 Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885.... 25,008 53 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project..... 181,000 00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. 75,000 00 (See Appendix G 9.) 10. Channel between Staten Island and New Jersey. The project for this improvement, framed in 1873 and revised in 1880, provides for the excavation of a channel 400 feet wide from the east side of Shooter's Island to the deep water of Arthur's Kill, the central portion of which for a width of 200 feet shall be 13 feet deep at mean low water, and the residue 12 feet. Training-dikes were included in the project to maintain the channels once opened by dredging. The original condition of the navigable channel was a depth at the shoalest part of 9 to 10 feet at mean low water, and was not therefore available for the vast commerce passing through it. The amount expended to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1883, was $92,204 62, and the amount available July 1, 1883, was $1,795.38. No work was done during the year. The appropriation of $10,000, act of July 5, 1884, will be applied towards widening the existing deep-water channel. The channel has not seriously deteriorated since work on the improvement was suspended for want of funds. The local engineer recommends that the entire channel width of 400 feet be deepened uniformly to 13 feet, and that the projected training-dike on the south side opposite Elizabethport be built. The appropriation ($50,000) asked for will be applied to these improvements. The total annual tonnage of the chanuel is estimated at 16,500,000 tons, having a money value of $61,592,000. The benefit to be expected from these improvements for which an appropriation is asked is greater facilities to large vessels for the navigation of the channel, and the better maintenance of the improved channel. July 1, 1883, amount available July 1, 1884, amount available Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884 Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885..... $1,795 38 1,795 38 10,000 00 11,795 38 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. (See Appendix G 10.) 81,705 00 25,000 00 11. Shrewsbury River, New Jersey. The present project was adopted in 1879 and provides for the formation of a channel 6 feet in depth at mean low water from the entrance of the Shrewsbury River to Upper Rocky Point on the North Branch, and to Jumping Point on the South Branch. The original condition of the navigable channel was 4.3 feet mean low water at the entrance, and only 2.3 feet mean low water in the South Branch. The amount expended up to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1883, was $181,544.94. At that time there had been built the dikes at the junction of North and South branches, 3,650 feet long; a short dike in the North Branch near Barley Point; a dike 523 feet long on the east side, and one 1,600 feet long on west side of entrance to Pleasure Bay, South Branch, and a dike on the east side of entrance to main channel at Craue Point, 4,021 feet long. Channels with widths varying from 100 to 150 feet, and 6 feet deep at mean low water, had been excavated in the main stem and both branches, affording convenient navigation to boats drawing 4 to 5 feet of water, to Branchport in the South Branch and Red Bank in the North Branch at all stages of the tide. The channel over bar at entrance below Crane Point is only 75 feet wide, and does not nearly meet the demands of commerce. The amount available July 1, 1883, for continuing the improvement was $12,955.06, and a contract was in progress for deepening the entrance to the South Branch. The contract expired October 30, after the removal of 31,415 cubic yards of material, resulting in opening a channel 2,200 feet long, 100 to 125 feet wide, and 6 feet deep, mean low water. Owing to the want of more diking, these channels have not yet been made self-sustaining. Amount expended during fiscal year ending June 30, 1884, $12,367.25. The local engineer recommends the appropriation of $50,000 for building 1,400 feet of diking in the North Branch, for deepening South Branch to Seabright, and for deepening and widening the channel at the entrance to the main river below Crane Point, of which $25,000 is asked for the next fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. The annual tonnage of the river is estimated at 520,000 tons, having an estimated value of $3,000,000. Four steamboats and thirteen hundred sailing vessels do the carrying trade. |