C 12.

PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF PAWTUXET HARBOR, RHODE ISLAND.

In compliance with the requirements of the river and harbor act of August 2, 1882, I visited Pawtuxet, R. I., October 27, and made a personal inspection of the harbor.

This harbor is at the mouth of the Pawtuxet River, a small stream which enters Narragansett Bay from the west, about 5 miles south of Providence. The river has considerable fall just before entering the bay, and at this point a dam has been built, above which the tide does not flow. The harbor proper is about 600 yards in its longest dimension (north and south) and 150 yards wide; it is well sheltered, being protected from the east along its entire length by a high rocky peninsula. Off the end of this peninsula and in the mouth of the harbor are a number of bowlders which obstruct the entrance and render its navigation difficult and dangerous. The current from the river enters and crosses the harbor near its upper end; it is then deflected to the west shore and back again to the east; this action produces a series of bends in the channel where the depth is sufficient, with shoal spots between. The improvement desired is the removal of these shoals and of the bowlders at the harbor's mouth. Should this be accomplished the harbor would be a convenient one for the business of the place, which, though not large, I am told by those interested is of considerable importance. The principal industry carried on is the fish and oyster business. The village and adjoining country receive by water their supply of coal and building materials, which now they are obliged to land by means of scows. There is one factory in the place producing cheap jewelry in large quantities. The water-power was formerly valuable, but has suffered by the supply having been diverted to the city of Providence.

This harbor would appear to be one of those where the interests involved, though small, are really of a public character, and one which would be worthy of improvement provided the cost, determined by a survey, is found to be moderate. It is sought by a variety of small craft, and it is believed that, if improved, the navigation would be considerably increased.

The nature of the improvement is dredging and the removal of the before-mentioned bowlders, and the result, it is believed, would be reasonably permanent. I have, therefore, to recommend that a survey be made to ascertain the cost of the necessary work; the sum of $200 is sufficient for the survey and map. Respectfully submitted.

NEW LONDON, CONN., November 10, 1882.

J. W. BARLOW,
Major of Engineers..

APPENDIX D.

IMPROVEMENT OF HARBORS AND RIVERS ON LONG ISLAND SOUND.

REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL WALTER MCFARLAND, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, OFFICER IN CHARGE, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1884, WITH OTHER DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE WORK.

ENGINEER OFFICE, UNITED STATES ARMY,

New Haven, Conn., July 29, 1884.

GENERAL: I have the honor to transmit herewith my annual report upon the river and harbor works in my charge for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WALTER MCFARLAND,

Lieut. Col. of Engineers.

Chief of Engineers, U. S. A.

Brig. Gen. JOHN NEWTON,

635

D 1.

IMPROVEMENT OF THAMES RIVER, CONNECTICUT.

This river, formed by the confluence of the Yantic and Shetucket rivers at Norwich, Conn., is a tidal stream from that point to Long Island Sound, a distance of 15 miles. There is no navigation above Norwich, and improvement has been needed only in a section extending 3 miles below that city.

In 1836, under a project for making a channel 100 feet wide and 14 feet deep at mean high water, dredging and the construction of piers were begun. The desired results were obtained in 1873, but the shoals subsequently formed again, and in 1878 their removal was again undertaken, the project being modified by requiring a depth of 14 feet at mean low water instead of at high water-an increase of depth of about 3 feet.

Dredging proved to be only a temporary benefit, and in 1882 the project was further modified by providing for the construction of five training-walls along the outer sides of the channel curves, with additional low walls on the inner sides, should they be found necessary; at the same time the projected width of channel was increased to 200 feet. The total estimated cost of work under this project was $208,080, of which sum $55,000 has been already appropriated. By July 1, 1883, the Trading Cove training-wall, about 2 miles below Norwich, on the west side, had been finished and work was in progress on the wall opposite Mohegan and below Fort Point, about 3 miles below Norwich and lowest, or nearest the sea, of the five to be built; 800 linear feet had been completed, and as much more was in various stages of progress. The work was completed November 10, the channel length being 2,754 feet, with a shore connection 178 feet long. The wall was built of a double row of piles driven closely, 6 feet apart from out to out, cut off at high-water mark, and filled in between with stones. In addition a part of the shore connection, 56 feet long, was built of riprap, making the total length 2,988 feet. The work was done by Frederick K. Ballou, of Boston, Mass., under contract dated October 8, 1882, the price being $8 per linear foot. Work on this training-wall was begun May 1, 1883, and was finished November 10, 1883; the total cost of the wall, including the riprap section, was $23,686.

The dredging which was in progress in front of Trading Cove at the time of the last annual report was continued until the channel was made 60 feet wide and 14 feet deep at mean low water over the shoal, a length of about 3,000 feet. A channel was also dredged between Bushnell's Reef and Perch Rock, 1,150 feet long, 14 feet deep at mean low water, 100 feet wide for the first 900 feet, below Bushnell's Reef and 125 feet wide for the remaining distance.

This dredging was done by the Hartford Dredging Company, of Hartford, Conn., under a contract dated July 15, 1882, extended to November 1, 1883, the price being 143 cents per cubic yard. Work under this contract was begun July 20, 1882, and was completed October 26, 1883, 95,016 cubic yards of material, principally sand, having been removed from the channels, as follows:

At Thamesville
At Trading Cove..

At Bushnell's Reef

Total...

Cubic yards.

42, 932 29,729 22, 355

95, 016

Of this amount, all at Bushnell's Reef and 19,464 cubic yards at