Shades bars to a depth of not less than 8 feet at low water, and to remove snags, logs, &c., from points above Windsor Shades. The least depths on these bars, prior to the commencement of the improvement, were 4 to 5 feet at low water. The amount expended to June 30, 1883, was $14,448.83, and during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884, $551.17 have been expended, making a total to June 30, 1884, of $15,000, which expenditure has resulted in securing a channel through Binn's Bar 150 feet wide and 8 feet deep, and through Windsor Shades and Old Fort Bars 100 feet wice and 8 feet deep, and through the bar at the mouth of the river 90 feet wide and 14 feet deep at low water. For the completion of the project for the improvement of the upper part of the river $1,000 are still required. For the completion of the project for improving the river at the mouth, an appropriation of $13,000 is recommended; $5,000 appropri ated August 2, 1882, was expended in dredging a channel through the bar 90 feet wide, 14 feet deep, and 1,800 feet long. July 1, 1883, amount available. July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883.. $551 17 551 17 13,000 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.. Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. 13,000 00 (See Appendix K 12.) 13. Staunton River, Virginia, between Roanoke Station and Brookneal.The present project for the improvement of this river between Roanoke Station, on the Richmond and Danville Railroad, and Brookneal, 31 miles above, was adopted in 1879, the object being to secure a navigable channel not less than 35 feet wide, and 2 feet deep at low water, through the various ledges and sand-bars which obstruct the navigation, with a slope of water surface at rapids not greater than 10 feet to the mile. The amount expended to June 30, 1883, was $18,751.23, and during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884, $3,262.62 have been expended, making a total to June 30, 1884, of $22,013.85, which has resulted in securing a survey of the river from Roanoke Station, at the crossing of the Richmond and Danville Railroad, to Brookneal, the construction of derrick-boats and quarter-boats, the improvement of Hawk Mountain Shoal, Horseback Shoal, and a portion of Clark's Shoal. The channel has been improved for a distance of 7 miles by the excavation of rock and for 2 miles by the construction of spur dikes. An appropriation of $15,000 is asked to continue the improvement during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886, between Roanoke Station and Brookneal. $3,748 77 July 1, 1883, amount available July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883.. 3,262 62 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. (See Appendix K 13.) 41,200 00 15,000 00 14. Staunton River, Virginia, between Brookneal and Pig River.—The present general project for the improvement of this river between Brook neal and Pig River was adopted in 1882, the object being to secure a navigable channel for batean navigation not less than 14 feet wide and 1 to 2 feet deep at low water, with a slope of water surface at rapids not greater than 10 feet to the mile. After a survey in 1882 of the river from the bridge of the Virginia Midland Railroad to Pig River, a distance of 234 miles, Clement's Falls was selected as most in need of improvement. The project for improving Clement's Falls was adopted in 1883, the object being to secure a channel 14 feet wide and 14 feet deep at low water, with a water-surface slope of about 5 feet to the mile. The amount expended to June 30, 1883, was $508.94, and during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884, $1,385.85 have been expended, making a total to June 30, 1884, of $1,894.79, which has resulted in the improvement of 2 miles of the river above the Virginia Midland Railroad Bridge, including Clement's Falls, of 1,000 feet through Brown's Shoal, and 200 feet in Tuck's Shoal. To continue the improvement $10,000 should be appropriated. July 1, 1883, amount available July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883.. $1,491 06 July 1, 1884, amount available... 1,385 85 105 21 38,000 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. (See Appendix K 14.) 10,000 00 15. Dan River, between Madison, North Carolina, and Danville, Virginia. The project for this improvement was adopted in 1880, the object being to afford a channel for navigation not less than 35 feet wide, and not less than 14 feet deep in the pools and 2 feet deep in the rapids at extreme low water. The project was afterwards modified to a channel of not less than 16 feet wide and 2 feet deep in the rapids at extreme low water, which have been the dimensions excavated. The amount expended to June 30, 1883, was $21,243.23, and during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884, $3,804.28 have been expended, making a total to June 30, 1884, of $25,048.51. These expenditures have resulted in securing an efficient outfit of derrick-boats, quarter-boats, scows, &c., and the improvement of about 4.8 miles of the river above Danville. An appropriation of $10,000 is recommended for continuing the improvement during the year ending June 30, 1886. July 1, 1883, amount available... July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of $4,255 77 outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883 $3,764 28 July 1, 1884, outstanding liabilities 40 00 3,804 28 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project...... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. (See Appendix K 15.) 21,500 00 10,000 00 16. Roanoke River, North Carolina.-The project for the improvement of this river was adopted in 1871, the object being to improve 5908 EN--11 navigation by the removal of rocks near Weldon and Halifax, and all wrecks, snags, and overhanging trees at various other points, and dredging channels through the numerous bars and shoals. In the report dated April 28, 1871, an estimate amounting to $269,000 was submitted for a channel 5 feet deep, and another estimate amounting to $519,000 for a channel 8 feet deep. The amount expended to June 30, 1878, was $45,000, and since this date no funds have been available for the continuation of the work until August 2, 1882. Up to that period the work consisted in the removal of rocks at Weldon, and many wrecks, logs, overhanging trees, and building three dikes at Indian Highland Bar. The appropriation of $5,000 made August 2, 1832, was expended in repairing two dikes at Indian Highland Bar. A survey was also made to ascertain the changes which have taken place since 1871, and a report dated November 26, 1883, has been submitted. The amount expended to June 30, 1883, was $46,274.81, and during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884, $2,748 have been expended, making a total to June 30, 1884, of $49,022.81. The Engineer recommends that the work should be limited for the present to the building of snagboat, the removal of snags, and to the careful examination of certain bars. For this work an appropriation of $17,000 is asked for the fiscal year closing June 30, 1886. July 1, 1883, amount available... July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883...... $3,725 19 2,748 00 Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885...... 977 19 3,000 00 3,977 19 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. 17,000 00 (See Appendix K 16.) 17. French Broad River, North Carolina.-The first project for the improvement of this river was adopted in 1878, the object being to secure a channel 35 feet wide, and not less than 23 feet deep at low water, between Brevard and Big Buck Shoal, a distance of 31.64 miles. The amount expended to June 30, 1882, was $37,780.22, with which expenditure the following results have been attained: A survey of the river between Brevard and Big Buck Shoal, the im provement of the various shoals and rapids, by means of rock and gravel excavation, and the construction of wing-dams for a distance of 26 miles below Brevard. For the completion of the improvement from Brevard to Big Buck Shoal $7,500 will be required. The act of August 2, 1882, appropriated $5,000 for improving the river "from Smith's Bridge up." A survey from Smith's Bridge (near Asheville) to the foot of Long Shoals, a distance of 12.09 miles, was made in 1882 and a project adopted for securing a channel 30 feet wide and not less than 24 feet deep at low water for this distance. In the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884, the river was improved for a distance of 43 miles above the bridge. The amount expended to June 30, 1883, was $39,355.52, and during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884, $3,432.71 have been expended, making a total to June 30, 1884, of $42,788.23. For continuing the improvement $10,000 is asked. July 1, 1883, amount available.... July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883.. $3,644 48 3,432 71 July 1, 1884, amount available.... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project 211 77 24,000 00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. 10, 000 00 (See Appendix K 17.) EXAMINATIONS AND SURVEYS FOR IMPROVEMENTS, TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF THE RIVER AND HARBOR ACT OF AUGUST 2, 1882. The following localities were, after preliminary examination, reported by the local engineer as not worthy of improvement by the General Government and the work not a public necessity: 1. Hull's Creek, Northumberland County, Virginia. (See Appendix K 18.) 2. Piscataway Creek, Prince George's County, Maryland. (See Appendix K 19.) 3. Chicamuxen Creek, Charles County, Maryland. (See Appendix K 20.) 4. Piscataway Creek, Essex County, Virginia. (See Appendix K 21.) Where improvements would be advisable but not a public necessity: 1. Port Tobacco Creek, Charles County, Maryland. (See Appendix K 22.) Úpon a favorable report from the preliminary examination made by him, as required by the above act, Mr. Abert was charged with and completed the following, the results of which were transmitted to Congress and printed as Senate Ex. Doc. No. 64, Forty-eighth Congress, first session: 1. Quantico Creek, Virginia. (See Appendix K 23.) 2. Piankatank River, Virginia. (See Appendix K 24.) 3. Great Wicomico from Cedar Point to Indian Point, Northumberland County, Virginia. (See Appendix K 25.) 4. Roanoke River, North Carolina. (See Appendix K 26.) IMPROVEMENT OF HARBORS OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, AND BEAUFORT, NORTH CAROLINA; OF CURRITUCK SOUND, COANJOK BAY, AND NORTH RIVER AND BAR; IMPROVEMENT OF CERTAIN RIVERS IN VIRGINIA, NORTH CAROLINA, AND SOUTH CAROLINA. Officers in charge, Capt. James Mercur, Corps of Engineers, to March 15, 1884, since which time Capt. F. A. Hinman, Corps of Engineers. 1. Harbor at Norfolk, Virginia.-Prior to the commencement of this improvement, the harbor proper had much deteriorated by filling up, due to many causes. The project for improvement, which consisted in dredging, was adopted in 1877, and, with slight modifications, all operations have been conducted in accordance therewith. The amount expended to June 30, 1883, was $326,817.32, which resulted in securing a channel having a least width of 200 feet and 25 feet deep at low water, from Hampton Roads to Norfolk, and also the general improvement of the harbor proper, affording additional anchorage ground. There was expended in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884, $30,030.54 which was applied to improving the channel with Southern Branch of Elizabeth River, the approach to the United States navy-yard, and the improvement of the Eastern Branch, with good results to navigation and commerce. The amount that can be profitably expended in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886, is $75,000. It is proposed to expend this in dredging Berkley flats, which is necessitated by the great increase of commerce, requiring additional wharf facilities, and also in deepening and widening the channels of the Eastern and Southern Branches, which the increase in the draught of vessels requires. The estimated amount required for the entire and permanent completion of the work of improvement in accordance with the approved and adopted project has been exceeded. Since the original estimate was made, the conditions upon which it was based have materially changed, owing to increased commerce, necessitating new wharves and increased anchorage room. The difficulty of correctly judging of the future requirements of this harbor, which is growing in importance yearly, renders the separation of estimates based on a comprehensive plan for its entire and permanent completion quite impracticable at this time. July 1, 1883, amount available.... July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883" $33, 182 68 $29,980 54 July 1, 1884, outstanding liabilities... July 1, 1884, amount available... Amount received from an officer for fuel Amount appropriated by an act approved July 5, 1884 Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885 30,030 54 3,152 14 33 75 25, 000 00 28, 185 89 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. 75,000 00 (See Appendix L 1.) 2. Improving approach to Norfolk Harbor and the United States navyyard between Lambert's Point and Fort Norfolk.-The original condition of the channel was good, with the exception of a bar opposite the mouth of the Western Branch of Elizabeth River, on some parts of which there was a depth of only about 15 feet at mean low water. The project for the improvement adopted in 1878 was to dredge this bar for a distance of 4,800 feet to a width of 500 feet and a depth of 25 feet at mean low water. It is not known what amount has been expended at this particular locality, as it cannot be separated from the sum total of the general expenditures for the improvement of the harbor at Norfolk and its approaches, of which this is a part. The result obtained from the expenditures at this point was a channel 4,400 feet long, 265 feet wide, and 25 feet deep at mean low water, which greatly facilitated navigation and commerce. No work has been done in this locality since November, 1880. The act of July 5, 1884, appropriated $50,000 specifically for widening the channel. There can be profitably expended on this work, during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886, the sum of $100,000, which it is proposed to apply to continuing the improvement by widening the channel. The advantages and benefits to be derived therefrom will be a better approach to the harbor and more room for anchorage. |