H 18. IMPROVEMENT OF SAINT JONES RIVER, DELAWARE. No work has been performed at this point during the fiscal year end ing June 30, 1884. The estimated cost for improving the stream from Dover to Delaware Bay, so as to secure a 3-foot navigable low-water depth, is $35,000, and for a 4-foot channel $42,500. But $5,000 have thus far been appropriated, which is withheld at present in order to ascertain the intention of Congress in this matter. The following copy of the report of Mr. J. M. Stewart, assistant engineer, gives commercial statistics of the river: Total amount appropriated to June 30, 1884... $5,000 00 117 90 Saint Jones River is in the collection district of Delaware, the nearest port of entry being Wilmington, Del., at which the revenue collected during the past fiscal year amounted to $34, 923.68. Fort Delaware is the nearest fort, and Mahon's River Light is the nearest light-house. Money statement. July 1, 1883, amount available.. July 1, 1884, amount available.. Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884. Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885...... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project..... $4,882 10 4,882 10 10,000 00 14,882 18 20,000 00 20,000 00 REPORT OF MR. J. M. STEWART, ASSISTANT ENGINEER. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Lewes, Del., June 30, 1884. SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report on improvement of Saint Jones River, Delaware, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884. The Department having approved the recommendation of Col. J. N. Macomb, Corps of Engineers, that the expenditure of $5,000 appropriated by the act of March 3, 1881, for the improvement of this stream, be deferred until further action by Congress, and as no such action has been made, no work has been done on this stream during the past year. Very respectfully, Capt. W. H. HEUER, Corps of Engineers, U. S. A. J. M. STEWART, There are trading regularly in Saint Jones River six vessels, aggregating 400 tons, one small steam-tug, and about fifteen trips are annually made there by transient vessels. Dover, the capital of the State, is at the head of navigation, and the town of Lebanon, situated on the river, is about 9 miles below Dover. There are sent annually by rail from Dover about 700,000 baskets of peaches, but with a navigation made suitable for light-draught steamers these, as well as many other products of the country, would be shipped by water. H 19. IMPROVEMENT OF MAURICE RIVER, NEW JERSEY. No work has been done on this improvement during the past fiscal year. The river and harbor act which passed August 2, 1882, made an appropriation of $3,000 for this work. The project for the improvement of this river contemplates the construction of a 6-foot low-water navigation to Millville, 24 miles from the mouth of the river, by the removal of obstructions extending from Millville to about 4 miles below. The estimated cost of this improvement is $112,000, and as the sum appropriated was so small that it could not be profitably expended, the work was not begun. A copy of the report of Mr. A. Stierle, the assistant, in local charge of the work, is hereto attached. This work is in the collection district of Bridgeton, N. J., which is also the nearest port of entry. The amount of revenue collected at this port during the past fiscal year was $3,313.64. The nearest fort and light-house are, respectively, Fort Delaware and Maurice River Light. Total amount appropriated to June 30, 1884. $3,000 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... 92,000 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886..... 40,000 REPORT OF MR. A. STIERLE, ASSISTANT ENGINEER. JULY 1, 1884. The appropriation of $3,000 made by the river and harbor act of August 2, 1882, is still withheld by order of the Secretary of War until further appropriations are made, this amount being considered too small to be expended with profit. No appropriation had been made for the improvement of this river before the above date, and none has been made since. The project which was submitted with the report upon the survey of Maurice River made in 1881 contemplates the dredging of a 6-foot low-water channel 100 feet wide from a point 4 miles below Millville up to this town, continuing the same for a short distance along the city front, with a reduced depth of 4 feet at mean low water. This would require the removal of 320,000 cubic yards of sand and mud, at an estimated cost of $112,000. If a sufficient appropriation is made, it is proposed to begin the construction of the channel below and near Millville, as described in the project. During the fiscal year ending June, 30, 1886, $40,000 can be profitably expended on this work. Respectfully submitted. Maj. W. H. HEUER, Corps of Engineers, U. S. A. A. STIERLE, Assistant Engineer. Several of the parties that furnished commercial statistics for last year's report were requested to do so again for the present report, but up to date no answer has been received. H 20. IMPROVEMENT OF MANTUA CREEK, NEW JERSEY. The appended report of Mr. A. Stierle, assistant engineer, gives a full history of the scheme of improvement contemplated in this creek. As was remarked by General Weitzel in the annual report of last year, there seems to be no necessity at present for further appropriations in this direction. No work has been done during the past fiscal year. This work is in the collection district of Camden, N. J., which is also the nearest port of entry. Fort Mifflin is the nearest fort, and Tinicum and Fort Mifflin Bar Cut range lights are the nearest light-houses. The amount of revenue collected at the port of Camden during the past fiscal year was Total appropriations to June 30, 1884.... $3,000 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project... $3,000 3,000 32,000 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886.. 32, 000 REPORT OF MR. A. STIERLE, ASSISTANT ENGINEER. In compliance with the river and harbor act of March 3, 1881, an examination of this creek was made during the following month of August, with the view of eliciting sufficient data for its improvement. The report upon this examination, which is published in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1882, page 806, embodied a project for constructing a low-water channel 10 feet deep and 80 feet wide at the mouth of the creek, diminishing to 4 feet deep and 40 feet wide at Mantua. By act of Congress dated August 2, 1882, $3,000 were appropriated for the improvement of this creek; the execution of the project was, however, withheld by order of the Secretary of War, until further appropriations should be made. No steps have, therefore, been taken during the past fiscal year towards beginning the improve ment. No further appropriation was recommended in the last annual report, and none has been made since. The original appropriation of $3,000 is still available. Should the project be carried out, the sum of $32,000 can be expended with the money on hand, during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. Respectfully submitted. Maj. W. H. HEUER, Corps of Engineers, U. S. A. A. STIERLE, Assistant Engineer. COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. Up to date no commercial statistics were furnished me by the parties interested in the navigation of the creek, although requested to do so. H 21. IMPROVEMENT OF WOODBURY CREEK, NEW JERSEY. No work has been done on the projected improvement of this creek during the past fiscal year. In his last annual report Lieut. Col. G. Weitzel gives a full history of operations to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1883. Attached hereto is a copy of report of Mr. A. Stierle, the assistant in local charge. This work is in the collection district of Camden, N. J., which is also the nearest port of entry. Fort Mifflin is the nearest fort, and the Schuylkill range lights are the nearest light-houses. Total appropriation to June 30, 1884 Total expenditures to June 30, 1884. $5,000 00 450 31 Money statement. July 1, 1883, amount available July 1, 1884, amount available Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project..... $4,549 69 4,549 69 10,500 00 10,500 00 REPORT OF MR. A. STIERLE, ASSISTANT ENGINEER. The river and harbor act of August 2, 1882, appropriated $5,000 for the improvement of this creek. A portion of this amount was expended in making a survey of the creek from the Delaware River to Broad Street Bridge, in the town of Woodbury, N. J. The report upon this survey, giving also a description of the project of improvement as desired by those interested, was printed in the last Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers. This report also states that the balance of the appropriation would be withheld until additional appropriations would be made of sufficient amount to complete the work at one time. The project submitted was for improving the creek from the Crown Point Road Bridge to Broad Street Bridge to obtain a temporary channel 40 feet wide at the bottom and 8 feet deep at high water, at an estimated cost of $15,000. The sum of $10,500 is required to complete the project, which amount, together with the available balance, can be expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. Respectfully submitted. A. STIERLE, Assistant Engineer. Parties interested in the navigation of the creek were requested to furnish commercial statistics for this report, but up to date no answer has been received. H 22. IMPROVEMENT OF RACCOON RIVER, NEW JERSEY. Nothing has been done here during the past fiscal year. A report of the survey made during the month of October, 1882, is printed in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1883. Annexed hereto is a copy of the report of Mr. A. Stierle, the assistant in local charge of the work. This work is in the collection district of Camden, N. J., which is also a port of entry. Fort Mifflin is the nearest fort, and the Tinicum Island and Fort Mifflin Bar range lights the nearest light-houses. Money statement. July 1, 1883, amount available.. July 1, 1884, amount available.. Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project $2,242 77 2,242 77 16,000 00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. 16,000 00 REPORT OF MR. A. STIERLE, ASSISTANT ENGINEER. JULY 1, 1884. A portion of the appropriation of $3,000 made August 2, 1882, was expended during the following October in making a survey of the creek from its mouth to Main Street Bridge, Swedesborough, a distance of 94 miles. A report upon this survey, together with a project for the improvement as desired by those interested in it, was submitted to the Department on February 26, 1883, and has been printed in the last Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers, page 646 et seq. This project was the dredging of a channel 4 feet deep at low water and 40 feet wide at the bottom across the shoal at Springer's Wharf, and above this point from a bend in the river called "Horseshoe" to the Swedesborough Railroad Bridge, at an estimated cost of $13,800, and the excavation of a channel 3 feet deep and 40 feet wide at the bottom at low tide above the said bridge to Main Street Bridge, Swedesborough, at an additional cost of $3,600, making a total of $17,940 to be expended in dredging. These channels, when dredged, are to make navigation safer and less difficult for the small class of vessels trading there. Nothing was done on this work during the past fiscal year, the balance of the original appropriation being still withheld, upon the recommendation of the officer in charge, until further appropriations are made. The sum of $16,000 is required to complete the project; if appropriated as a whole, it is proposed to expend this amount during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. Respectfully submitted. Maj. W. H. HEUER, Corps of Engineers, U. S. 4. A. STIERLE, Assistant Engineer. |