Information regarding the progress of the Commission in its duties was transmitted to Congress, as required by the above act, in a report dated December 21, 1883, which was printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 37, Forty-eighth Congress, first session. This report embraces the following subjects and subdivisions, viz: 1. Progress of surveys and examinations since December 1, 1882. 2. Construction. 3. Remarks on the subjects of levees and outlets. 4. Legislation. 5. Financial statements and estimates of funds for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885, for "Surveys and expenses of the Commission," and for "Improving the Mississippi River." (See Appendix T T.) PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTION OF CHARTS OF THE NORTHERN AND NORTHWESTERN LAKE S. Under the supervision of this office the following engraved plates of the Lake Survey have been electrotyped : Lake Erie Coast Chart, No. 7. Sandusky Bay. South end of Lake Huron. Sand Beach. Saginaw Bay. Saginaw River. L'Anse and Keweenaw Bay. Presque Isle and Middle Islands. The following have been placed in the hands of the electrotyper: Huron Island. Marquette Harbor. During the year, 7,426 charts were issued under the supervision of Lieut. Col. O. M. Poe, Corps of Engineers. Amount appropriated by act approved March 3, 1853, for fiscal year 1883-84. $3,000 00 July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year. 1,555 51 1,211 34 2,766 85 Amount available for fiscal year 1884-'85.. 3,000 00 Amount required for survey of Northern and Northwestern Lakes for fiscal year ending June 30, 1886, namely, for printing and issuing charts for the use of navigators, and electro-typing copper plates for chart print 3,000 00 ing (See Appendix U U.) MILITARY AND GEOGRAPHICAL MAPS. The new map of the territory of the United States west of the Mississippi, scale zooooo, has been engraved on stone and an edition printed. The compilation of an outline map of the United States, scale 5000000 has been completed. The northeastern and northwestern sheets are now in the hands of the engraver. A map of the Military Department of the Missouri, on a scale of 16 miles to 1 inch, by Lieut. O. M. Carter, Corps of Engineers, 1884, has been photolithographed and an edition printed. A map showing the field of operations of the cavalry at the battle of Gettysburg, surveyed under the direction of John B. Bachelder, scale 1200, has been engraved on stone, and an edition printed. GEOGRAPHICAL SURVEYS OF THE TERRITORY OF THE UNITED STATES WEST OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH MERIDIAN. Officer in charge, Capt. George M. Wheeler, Corps of Engineers, until March 6, 1884. Lieutenant Macomb, Fourth United Stated Artillery, was in temporary charge from July 1 to October 1, and was relieved from duty with the survey on December 31, 1883. During a leave of absence for two months, ending March 1, 1884, this officer voluntarily assisted in the final preparation of maps for reproduction and completion of reports for the press. The office of the survey was closed during February, the records and property being transferred to the custody of the Engineer Department. Work during the year, consisting mainly of completion of all topographical plots, construction and final drawing of regular atlas sheets, preparation of data and completion of manuscript for unfinished reports, and distribution (until January 1, 1884) of maps and reports, has been entirely confined to the office. The remaining work on six topographical maps was completed, which concludes all that can be done, with means at disposal, upon the regular topographical atlas sheets. The manuscript of the special volume of positions, distances, &c., was placed in the hands of the Public Printer on February 1, and that for the final report (Volume I) would have been forwarded except for the illness of the officer in charge. The Secretary of War transmitted to Congress the detailed report upon the Third International Geographical Congress and Exhibition at Venice, Italy (mentioned in last annual report), with the recommendation "that the report and accompanying illustrations be ordered to be printed in quarto form, with the view to its wide distribution." (See Senate Ex. Doc. No. 9, Forty-eighth Congress, first session.) This report contains an account of the acts of the Geographical Congress, a description and discussion of the exhibits from twenty-two separate countries, a summary of the scope and progress of the discussion touching the establishment of a single initial meridian and standard or cosmopolitan time, for the uses of the entire civilized world, as well as information concerning the origin, organization, functions, history, and progress of the topographic, hydrographic, and geologic surveys of the several governments. So far as practicable the cost of specific works was obtained, thus affording information valuable for comparison in relation to minute surveys of an extended character. This information, grouped in a single view, facilitates the appreciation of the great permanent increase of exact geographical data, which forms a part of the results of these surveys, and defines the comparatively small portion of the total land area (about 6,000,000 out of 52,000,000 square miles) that has undergone alone a detailed topographical survey. The information relating to the works of more than thirty foreign countries has been drawn largely from translations from official publications, as also from original memoirs, introduced in full, prepared by several chiefs of foreign surveys, these data (entirely official) having been obtained through the individual courtesy of foreign officials, the personal efforts of Captain Wheeler, and the assistance of the State Department and its representatives abroad. Attention is again invited to this useful and interesting report. A photolithographic edition of each of 13 original and finished atlas sheets (scales, 1:506,880, 1:253,440, and 1: 42,240), final results of the labors of the survey, representing an aggregate area of 73,788 square miles, turned over to the Engineer Department on February 29, 1884, has since been issued at this office. Topographic plots of areas, in certain atlas sheets, which were but partly covered by the operations of the survey, have also been received at this office. The special volume of geographical positions, &c., awaits proofreading, which, together with Volume I of the quarto series, completes the reports that include the final results of the survey. The funds for the prosecution of this work are exhausted. The following is a summary of completed results from the field expeditions from 1869 to 1879, inclusive. Surveyed topographically of the mountain area west of the 100th meridian, 359,065 square miles. Topographical maps of above area, published in atlas-sheet form, each 19 by 24 inches=326,891 square miles. Part of above surveyed area, original data of which are reduced upon partially filled atlas-sheet plots, 32,174 square miles. Total number of publications of all kinds (quarto, royal octavo, and octavo), including annual reports separately issued and two not yet in print, 41. Total number of published maps and atlas sheets of various scales (topographic, land classification, and geologic), including those bound with reports, 161. (See Appendix V V.) RECONNAISSANCES AND EXPLORATIONS. The following-named officers have been on duty at the headquarters of the Army and at the headquarters of the divisions and departments, and have been engaged during the year in preparing such maps and making such surveys as were required by their respective commanding officers. Lieut. Col. O. M. Poe (colonel and aid-de-camp to the General of the Army) at headquarters of the Army until February 8, 1884, and Capt. James F. Gregory (lieutenant-colonel and aid-de-camp to the LieutenantGeneral), at same headquarters from November 1, 1883. Capt. James F. Gregory (lieutenant-colonel and aid-de-camp to the Lieutenant-General) at headquarters Division of the Missouri until October 23, 1883, and Capt. Thomas H. Handbury at same headquarters from December 15, 1883. Capt. W. R. Livermore at headquarters Department of Texas. Maj. W. A. Jones at headquarters Division of the Pacific and Department of California. Lieut. G. J. Fiebeger at headquarters Department of Arizona until August 9, 1883, and Lieut. T. A. Bingham at same headquarters since that date. Lieut. George W. Goethals at headquarters Department of the Columbia. Capt. Thomas H. Handbury, Corps of Engineers, on duty at headquarters Military Division of the Missouri, reports that no field work was in progress during the year, and that office work has consisted in collecting, compiling, and plotting geographical information for the improvement of existing maps, making reductions, enlargements, and copies of maps of military reservations, posts, scouts, reconnaissances, &c., for use at headquarters, for file, and forwarding. (See Appendix W W.) Lieut. Dan C. Kingman, Corps of Engineers, on duty at headquarters Department of the Platte, reports that the work of his office has consisted in the construction of roads and bridges in the Yellowstone National Park, in accordance with the provisions of an act of Congress approved March 3, 1883; surveying and marking the boundaries of the military reservation of Fort D. A. Russell, Wyo.; making certain surveys at Fort Omaha, Nebr.; plotting the above surveys and making tracings and photographic copies; making a map of the Department of the Platte and vicinity for the use of disbursing officers; supplying such information and data as is called for by the department commander, and collecting geographical information, and supplying instruments, &c., for use in the department. (See Appendix X X.) Lieut. O. M. Carter, Engineer officer at headquarters Department of the Missouri, made a reconnaissance, covering about 3,000 square miles, in Western Colorado in 1883, to ascertain a suitable location for a permanent military post, and in 1884 surveyed the eastern boundary of the Navajo Indian Reservation as extended by Executive order of January 6, 1880. He reports that surveys were made of the reservation and post of Fort Reno, and the timber reservation at headquarters of the department; that a reconnaissance was made in Northwestern New Mexico, and that surveys are in progress of the enlarged military reservation at Fort Supply, Ind. Ter., and the military reservation at Fort Bayard, N. Mex. An outline map of the department was completed in his office and printed copies distributed to officers serving in the department. Maps of reconnaissances in Western Colorado, and explorations in Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico have also been completed, and work continued on map of Northwestern New Mexico. Blue prints of these and other maps have been made and distributed. (See Appendix Y Y.) Capt. H. S. Taber, Engineer officer at headquarters Department of Dakota, reports the following work done: Determination of the meridian at Fort Sisseton, Dak.; survey of portion of the Fort Snelling reservation; resurvey of boundary of the Fort Sisseton military reservation; completion of work on the military road from Yankton to Fort Randall; the preparation and mounting of maps, and the plotting of new data on the department map. (See Appendix Z Z.) Maj. W. R. Livermore, Engineer officer at headquarters Department of Texas, submits a report of his operations in the department since 1878. By means of the reconnaissances and surveys that have been made, the existing maps have been corrected and new maps compiled. A pre liminary plot of his work, on a scale of 1 inch to 2 miles, has been completed, and a new map of Western Texas is in progress, on a scale of 1 inch to 16 miles. (See Appendix A A A.) Maj. W. A. Jones, Corps of Engineers, on duty at headquarters Division of the Pacific and Department of California, reports that operations have been carried on as follows: Surveys of Rancho Ojo de Agua de Figueroa and Presidio reservation. Observations for determination of latitude and telegraphic longitude of Yuma Depot, Ariz., and The Needles, Cal. (See Appendix B B B.) Lieut. Theodore A. Bingham, Engineer officer at headquarters Department of Arizona, reports having surveyed the northern boundary of the White Mountain Apache Indian Reservation, and the western boundary of the same from Sombrero Butte to mouth of San Pedro River, the running of levels, survey of 1,000 yards rifle range, and resurvey of post reservation at headquarters of the department. Office work has consisted of plotting the above work, the preparation of maps and plans, and the redrawing of the large map of the Territory. (See Appendix C C C.) Lieut. George W. Goethals, Engineer officer at headquarters Department of the Columbia, reports the following field work, office work, &c.: Engaged on examining trails from Fort Colville to Lake Osoyoos, for projected wagon-road, July 1 to 25; accompanied General Sherman's party to Lake Osoyoos, August 1 to August 12; accompanied party to Methow country, commanded by Lieutenant Backus, First Cavalry, August 13 to September 27; assisted in selecting site for bridge across the Spokane River in October; attempted exploration of Pend d'Oreille, December and January; reported on extension of wharf at Fort Stevens, Oreg., and breakwater at Fort Canby, Wash., February; worked on roads, locating buildings, &c., at Vancouver Barracks. Office work consisted in drawing plans, tracings, making solar prints, compiling table of distances, &c., and compiling new information for department map. (See Appendix D D D.) ESTIMATE FOR AMOUNT REQUIRED FOR SURVEYS AND RECONNAISSANCES IN MILITARY DIVISIONS AND DEPARTMENTS. For military surveys and reconnaissances, and surveys of military reservations by the engineer officers attached to the several headquarters of military divisions and departments, being an average of $5,000 for each of eight military divisions and departments west of the Mississippi River, $40,000; for publication of maps for use of the War Department, $10,000; total, 850,000. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS. In the labors of the office the Chief of Engineers was assisted on the 30th of June by the following officers in charge of the several divisions: Lieut. Col. John M. Wilson, brevet colonel, U. S. A. FIRST DIVISION.-Fortifications and Surveys relating thereto-Armament of Fortifications-Sites for Engineer Defenses-Boards of Engineers for Defenses. |