2. NEW YORK, June 10, 1884. DEAR SIR: According to the record kept by the surveyor of customs the following is the number of vessels that have docked at piers on the Brooklyn side of Buttermilk Channel, at and between Harbeck Stores and Red Hook (west side), from June, 1883, to June, 1884, with the minimum average value. The weight of imported merchandise, subject to duty, landed in Brooklyn between June, 1883, and June, 1884, from the record of the surveyor's department was 1,124,646 tons 12 cwt. 1 quarter and 25 pounds. Three-fourths of this amount, about, was landed between Harbeck Stores and Merchant Stores, adjacent to Buttermilk Channel. The merchandise consists of the articles mentioned in our former letter to you. The quantity of grain exported from Columbia and Kelsey's grain stores during the year ending June 1, 1884, was very great, but I have no means of ascertaining the number of bushels; should judge it was at least 50 per cent. more than the capacity of the stores, viz, 5,000,000 bushels. Very respectfully, J. P. ROBINSON, JR. The estimated amount required for the entire and permanent completion of the work in accordance with the revised estimate submitted with report for the year ending June 30, 1881, is $20,000. The available balance for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885, of $10,658.11, will be applied to continuing the dredging of the shoal in this channel. The amount that can be profitably expended in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886, is $20,000, the balance of the estimate, and it will be applied to dredging the shoal. A larger amount than this could be profitably expended if it should be concluded to remove the whole of the shoal. This work is in the collection district of New York. The amount of revenue collected during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884, $135,093,152.62. Amount of commerce benefited by the completion of this work is about $1,500,000 daily. Money statement. July 1, 1883, amount available.. Received from sale of fuel to Col. John Newton, $53, 172 14 100 00 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 available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885...... 53, 272 14 52, 614 03 658 11 10,000 00 10,658 11 20,000 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 F 4. IMPROVEMENT OF THE HARLEM RIVER, NEW YORK. The survey of this work was directed by the act approved June 23, 1874, and on February 18, 1875, a project and estimate were reported for the improvement of the river from Randall's Island to the Hudson River. The report of the commissioners to secure the right of way, free of cost, to the United States, is still awaiting the action of the court, as stated in the last annual report. The lines of the improvement are given in the annual report for 1882, and will be found on page 655 of Part I, Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1882. I append as part of this report General Newton's revised estimate for this improvement submitted by him December 14, 1878, and not heretofore published. UNITED STATES ENGINEER Office, GENERAL: I have respectfully to subjoin revised estimates of the three routes examined for connecting the Harlem and Hudson rivers by cuts across Manhattan Island at and near the line of Spuyten Duyvil Creek. The data for these estimates have been derived from results of former surveys made by the Government as well as by the department of public parks of this city, and from field work during the present season; the latter portion consisting of tidal observations, numerous borings to detect the presence of rock, and triangulation made necessary on account of loss of stations of the former survey of 1874. Borings have been made more frequently upon the line of cut by way of Dyckman's Creek than upon the other lines, in order to save expenditures of money and time in detailed work, which the large excess by estimate of the second and third routes rendered unnecessary. I regret to find that the route by way of Dyckman's Creek presents decided financial advantages over the others, because it is to be feared that this fact may increase the reluctance of certain property holders along that line to part with the necessary land as a gift to the enterprise. The surveys and compilation of the maps were under the direction of Mr. R. H. Talcott, assistant engineer, to whom, and to those under him, credit is due for the amount of information collected and of work done in the field under adverse circumstances. I desire likewise to express my obligations for courtesies from the president of the department of public parks, by which valuable and necessary features of the topography of the route were obtained for the cost merely of copying maps. ESTIMATED COST OF EXCAVATING A CHANNEL 350 FEET WIDE AND 15 FEET DEEP AT MEAN LOW WATER FROM THE HUDSON RIVER TO THE HARLEM RIVER TO MORRIS DOCK, OPPOSITE SHERMAN'S CREEK. Via Dyckman's Creek, No. 1. 943,427 cubic yards of dredging in Spuyten Duyvil Creek, at 30 cents.... $283,028 10 77,298 cubic yards of earth, mud and sand inside of coffer-dam, at 25 cents. 298,207 cubic yards of rock excavation inside coffer-dam, at $2. 1,604,633 cubic yards dredging in Harlem River, at 30 cents. Coffer-dams, pumps, &c.. Draw-bridge for railroad 5,600 linear feet of dike, at $20 5,650 linear feet of dike, at $18... 7,500 cubic yards protection to sole of cut, at $1. Contingencies, engineering, &c............. 19,324 50 596,414 00 481,389 90 50,000 00 100, 000 00 112,000 00 101,700 00 75,000 00 272,828 48 Total.... Via Kingsbridge, No. 2. 2,091, 684 98 1,127,161 cubic yards of dredging in Spuyten Duyvil creek, at 30 cents.. $338, 148 30 4,454 cubic yards of rock above mean low water, at $2 50,793 cubic yards of rock below mean low water, at $10. 370,867 cubic yards of rock inside of coffer-dam, at $2.. 12,990 cubic yards earth, mud, and sand, at 25 cents. 1,719,397 cubic yards of dredging in the Harlem River, at 30 cents. Coffer-dams, pumps, &c.. Draw-bridge for railroad 7,040 linear feet of dike, at $20 110,000 cubic yards of protection to sole of cut, at $1 5,320 linear feet of dike, at $18 Contingencies, engineering, &c Total.... 8,908 00 507,930 00 741, 734 00 3,247 50 515, 819 10 80,000 00 100, 000 00 140,800 00 95, 760 00 110,000 00 396, 352 04 3,038,698 94 ESTIMATED COST OF EXCAVATING A CHANNEL 350 FEET WIDE AND 15 FEET DEEP AT MEAN LOW WATER FROM THE HUDSON RIVER NEAR TUBBY HOOK TO THE HARLEM RIVER at Morris DOCK, OPPOSITE SHERMAN'S CREEK. Via Sherman's Creek, No. 3. 278,280 cubic yards of earth, mud, and sand inside of coffer-dam, at 25 cents 1,043,791 cubic yards of rock excavation inside of coffer-dam, at $2 646,735 cubic yards of dredging, at 30 cents $69,570 00 2,087,582 00 194,020 50 Coffer-dams, pumps, &c.. Draw-bridge for railroad. 3,000 linear feet of dike, at $20 3,900 linear feet of dike, at $18 Contingencies, engineering, &c Total...... 50,000 00 100,000 00 60,000 00 70, 200 00 394,705 87 3,026, 078 37 I transmit here with a skeleton sketch of the three routes, calling attention likewise to the fact that the estimates above embrace only the improvement of navigation from Morris Dock, opposite mouth of Sherman's Creek, thence following the respective routes across or around Manhattan Island to the Hudson River, and contain no items for the removal of obstructions in the lower portions of the Harlem River. From Morris Dock to its junction with the East River the improvement of the Harlem will cost the additional sum of $600,000; this includes the removal of the rocky reefs at the mouth of the Harlem River, upon which a small sum ($21,000) has already been expended. It has been suggested that these reefs might be avoided by taking the line of the Bronx Kills (between Randall's Island and the mainland) as the lower route of the Harlem improvement. This line has never been examined, no funds having been available for such purpose, and the cost of such changes cannot be stated. It may be remarked that ample opportunity in the future will be presented for deciding the propriety of a change of route at this end of the line. I consider it proper that the Government should exercise the right of approval of all bridges, tunnels, &c., which shall be constructed across the improved Harlem, 5908 EN-45 including Spuyten Duyvil (should this creek or any portion thereof form a part of the improvement), as also demand a modification of existing structures of the kind, or their removal, as may be deemed necessary after an examination by persons duly authorized by the Government; and I recommend, until these powers be granted, that no money be disbursed by the Government for the improvement. I recommend likewise that one contract be entered into for opening a cut connecting the Hudson and Harlem rivers, including the improvement of the Harlem as far down as Morris Dock. These points, of course, require the action of Congress. I trust, pending the decision of these questions, that additional appropriation at least be granted, because the sum now available ($300,000) will not be sufficient to advance the period of completion of this improvement. Respectfully submitted. JOHN NEWTON, Lieut. Colonel of Engineers, Bvt. Maj. Gen. Chief of Engineers. Brig. Gen. A. H. HUMPHREYS, This work is in the collection district of New York. Amount of revenue collected during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884, $135,093,152.62. Amount of commerce to be benefited by this work will be very large. The survey of this bay was directed by the act approved June 14, 1880, and the results, with a project of improvement and estimates of cost, were reported January 11, 1881. Contract was made with Elijah Brainard on August 7, 1883, for widen ing and deepening the channel of the south branch of the improve ment, and widening and deepening the channel from Erie Basin towards Hamilton Avenue Bridge, at 18 cents per cubic yard. Work was commenced August 20, 1883, and completed January 16, 1884, and 91,609 cubic yards of material were removed. The original condition of the channel was inadequate for the navi gation of vessels employed in the commerce of this district, the depth of water varying from 6.9 to 12.3 feet at mean low water. The originally adopted plan was to dredge a channel from the 18-foot contour outside the bay to the draw-bridge at Hamilton avenue. The estimated cost was $182,850. It has been recommended to the Department to dredge the existing channel from Hamilton avenue to the southwest corner of Erie Basin, |