The natural channel was narrow, tortuous, shoal, and much obstructed. Navigation was suspended on the upper portion during low stages and rafting generally difficult. The amount expended to June 30, 1884, is $3,997.27, and has facilitated transportation and rafting by making them more safe, permitting low-water navigation, and has promoted rapid settlement of the fertile and productive valley of the river. No active operations were conducted during the year from want of funds. The appropriation asked is to complete the present project, to extend its application 20 miles up-stream to the head of desired navigation, and to maintain the channel for the year. July 1, 1883, amount available.... July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883.. $72 73 70.00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project (including expense of maintenance for one year)...... 5,000 00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. (See Appendix Q Q 9.) 6,000 00 10. Skagit, Steilaquamish, Nootsack, Snohomish, and Snoqualmie rivers, Washington Territory.-The project for these improvements, adopted in 1882, consists in snagging operations and moderate scraping of bars annually, to give an easy and safe light-draught navigation at all stages to the heads of natural navigation. The natural channels are deep in the tidal sections, shoal and generally rapid in the upper portions, and much obstructed throughout by drift. The amount expended to June 30, 1884, is $19,993.21. With this amount a wooden snag boat was built having temporary quarters for the crew, but lacking some appliances, and snagging work conducted on the Snohomish River, by an experienced party working from small boats and on shore, from above and near Snohomish City to the mouth of the river. The appropriation asked is to complete construction and appliances of the snag-boat, and to operate her for a year on each of the rivers named, reserving $2,000 for a fund for rebuilding the boat at the end of ten years. The country tributary to the rivers is rapidly being settled, and there is an urgent call for removal of jams and drift to give transportation by boats. July 1, 1883, amount available.. July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883 $18,936 33 July 1, 1884, amount available.... Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884 Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885.... 18,929 54 6 79 10,000 00 10,006 79 15,000 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. 22,000 00 (See Appendix Q Q 10.) 11. Chehalis River, Washington Territory. The plan of this improvement, adopted in 1882, consists in annual snagging operations below Claquato, 82 miles from the river's mouth. The natural channel was much obstructed by drift and at places closed by jams. The amount expended to June 30, 1884, is $2,982.44, and has resulted in partly opening a channel, on a length of about 42 miles down-stream, from the Chehalis Indian Reservation Landing to Montesano, the head of coasting navigation. This was done last year by an experienced party working from small boats and from shore. Two jams and two drift-heaps were broken and many snags removed, making a total of 1,611 pieces of drift removed. The appropriation asked is to continue the snagging begun and to extend operations to the mouth of the Chehalis and up-stream to Claquato, and on a few miles of tributaries. July 1, 1883, amount available $2,904 45 July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883... 2,886 89 July 1, 1884, amount available .... 17 56 Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884... 2,500 00 Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885........ 2,517 56 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. (See Appendix Q Q 11.) 12. Lower Clearwater River, Idaho.-The present project, adopted in 1878, is to make a channel through the rock reefs and cobble-stone bars from Lewiston, at the mouth of the river, to the North Fork, a distance of 40 miles, of 4 feet depth at low stage, and of a navigable width for small steamers. The natural channel was impracticable for boats and difficult for rafts. The amount expended to June 30, 1884, is $15,000, and has resulted in improvement more or less complete at Reuben's Rapids, Kent's Chute, and Big Eddy Rapids, on the lower 30 miles. Work during the year was at Reuben's Rapids; 154.48 cubic yards of solid rock were removed. The appropriation asked is for continuation of the work. July 1, 1883, amount available. July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project $4,395 23 4,395 23 19,434 00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. 20,000 00 (See Appendix Q Q 12.) 13. Gauging waters of the Columbia River and principal_tributaries.— A self-registering gauge was operated at Astoria during July, August, and September, and record of reports of pilots made, to test the value of the gauge record in measuring the bar condition. From a study of the observations, in connection with others on the adjoining coast, it is reported that a definite relation exists between the tide-gauge curve and the movements of the sea volume other than tidal movements, and that this relation furnishes an indication of the state of the bar with regard to its roughness. The appropriation asked for ($5,000) is for the ordinary Astoria gauge service; for giving information about the bar to pilots, masters, and fishermen calling for it; to establish water-gauges at points above Astoria, on the Columbia and principal tributaries, and to gauge the river's outflow. July 1, 1883, amount available.. July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883.. July 1, 1884, amount available.. Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884.. Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. $48 52 48 33 19 1,000 00 1,000 19 5, 000 00 EXAMINATIONS AND SURVEYS FOR IMPROVEMENTS, TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF THE RIVER AND HARBOR ACT OF August 2, 1882. The following locality was, after preliminary examination, reported by the local engineer as not worthy of improvement, and the work not a public necessity: 1. Humptuleps River, Washington Territory. (See Appendix Q Q 14.) And the following as worthy of minor improvement, but work not a public necessity: 2. Lewis River, Washington Territory. (See Appendix Q Q 14.) 3. Dwamish River, Washington Territory. (See Appendix Q Q 14.) EXAMINATIONS, SURVEYS, AND CONTINGENCIES OF RIVERS AND HARBORS. For examinations and surveys for improvements, and for contingencies, and for incidental repairs of harbors for which there is no special appropriation, an appropriation of $150,000 should be made, of which sum $50,000 for surveys and $100,000 for contingencies, including incidental repairs of harbors. MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS OF WASHINGTON AQUEDUCT—INCREASING WATER SUPPLY OF THE CITY OF WASHINGTON-ERECTION OF FISH-WAYS AT THE GREAT FALLS OF THE POTOMAC. Officer in charge, Maj. G. J. Lydecker, Corps of Engineers, with Capt. R. L. Hoxie and Capt. T. W. Symons, Corps of Engineers, under his immediate orders. 1. Washington Aqueduct.-The appropriation for the year was $20,000, of which one-half was contributed from the revenues of the District of Columbia. It has been applied to the usual routine work necessary for the care and preservation of the aqueduct and its accessory structures. The consumption of water in twenty-four hours, as measured on the 27th of June, was 24,827,013 gallons, being about the same as that shown by the measurements made in June, 1883, and 5,000,000 gallons less than for 1882. The following is a money statement for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884: Amount available July 1, 1883.. Amount expended during the year. $20,000 00 19, 724 61 20,000 00 The amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886, is $22,000, being $2,000 in excess of the last appropriation. Experience has shown that it is impossible to maintain and keep in repair the aqueduct, aqueduct road, dam, reservoirs, gate-houses, supply-mains, bridges and buildings, and attend properly to the distribution of the water supply, at an expenditure of less than $20,000 annually. But the construction of an overflow at the receiving reservoir has now become an imperative necessity, and for this purpose $2,000 is required. (See Appendix R R 1.) 2. Increasing the water supply of the city of Washington.-This work is being done in pursuance of an act approved July 15, 1882. The project, approved by this office July 30, 1883, consists, first, in the extension of the Washington Aqueduct from the distributing reservoir to the site of a new reservoir near Howard University, by a tunnel 20,715.8 feet long; second, the completion of the dam above the Great Falls, entirely across the Potomac River, to a height of 148 feet above mean high tide at the navy-yard; third, constructing a new distributing reservoir in the valley east of Howard University, capable of holding about 300,000,000 gallons; and, fourth, laying cast-iron water-mains 75 and 48 inches in diameter from the new reservoir to the center of distribution in the city of Washington. In August, 1883, the lands needed for carrying out this project were taken by due process of law, the honorable Attorney-General publishing the fact, with descriptions of the parcels taken. In September contracts for the supply of about 3,000 tons of cast-iron water-pipe were made, and its delivery was completed in the early spring. In October contracts for the construction of the tunnel, dam, and reservoir were entered into at prices which makes the estimated cost of the general works as follows: Dam.. Reservoir... $94, 293 75 548, 100 00 298,980 00 Active operations under these contracts were commenced in November, and continued to the close of the fiscal year, with such progress as justifies the expectation of completing all essential parts of the work during the fall of 1885. The work of laying mains has been carried on by hired labor; it was commenced May 1, and up to the close of the year 3,600 linear feet of 48-inch main had been laid. The following is a money statement for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884: An additional appropriation of $87,500 is imperatively required for completing the payments for lands actually taken for the reservoir, this being the sum necessary to make up the amount awarded by the arbitrators, from whose award there can be no appeal by the United States. With this exception it is believed that the amounts already appropri ated will suffice to complete the works on hand. The United States is charged with one-half the cost of the work only, the other half being charged against the District of Columbia. (See Appendix R R 2.) 3. Erection of fish-ways at Great Falls.--The act for increasing the water supply of Washington also included a provision for the erection of fish-ways at the Great Falls of the Potomac, on plans to be prepared by the Commissioner of Fisheries. The subject was held under advisement in the office of the Commissioner until June 7, 1884, when detailed plans and specifications approved by him were forwarded to Major Lydecker. Nothing has yet been done in execution of these plans. The amount appropriated for the work was $50,000, and is believed to be totally insufficient for the accomplishment of the work on the plans submitted. The following is a money statement for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884: Amount available July 1, 1883. Balance available June 30, 1884...... No estimate is submitted for any additional appropriation. (See Appendix R R 2.) PUBLIC BUILDINGS, GROUNDS, AND WORKS IN AND AROUND WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. Officer in charge, Col. A. F. Rockwell, United States Army. In addition to the work performed for maintaining in good condition the improved portions of the public grounds in the District of Columbia, satisfactory progress was made in continuing the improvement of the western side of the grounds south of the Executive Mansion, and an additional green-house for the accommodation of palms and crotons was erected in the nursery in the Monument Grounds. Additional and much needed drainage facilities were provided in the Smithsonian Grounds; the small triangular reservation at the intersection of Massachusetts avenue and Seventh and B streets northeast was graded and inclosed with park post-and-chain fence; and the work of improv. ing Reservation 17 was continued, an area of about 15 acres having been graded and sown down in grass seed. Attention is invited to the detailed report of the officer in charge, which embraces a statement of the number, area, location, and present condition of the public reservations in the city of Washington, and his estimates for the coming fiscal year are recommended, as follows: For improvement and care of public buildings and grounds.... For compensation of persons employed on and around public buildings and grounds... For contingent and incidental expenses. For rent of office public buildings and grounds Total (See Appendix S S.) MISSISSIPPI RIVER COMMISSION. $171,750 49, 060 500 900 222, 210 This Commission, organized under the provisions of the act of June 28, 1879, reports to and receives instructions from the Secretary of War, through this office. |