the left bank of the river opposite the upper boom to past the head of Beef Island. This would cost as follows: Wing-dams, 3,270 feet long, at $3.25..... $10,627 50 250 00 10,877 50 Total The position of the winged end of the Round Hill boom, as shown on accompanying tracing No. 5, is that giving the widest opening between the boom and the left bank of the river, and it can be so swung as to entirely close the channel. 6. MOUTH OF THE RIVER. (SEE TRACING NO. 6.) There seems to be but one way of improving this point on the river, and that is by contracting the channel-way until the current of the Mississippi River is reached, strong enough to carry away any silt brought down by the Chippewa River. This would require the building of 8,400 feet of wing-dams and jetties, which would cost $27,300. The above estimates are substituted for those given in previous report for the corresponding items of cost. In the previous report, no estimates were made for improving the Dalles so as to permit of steamboat-navigation over them. I do not think that the commerce on the river will ever be of sufficient importance to warrant the construction of the locks and dams at the Upper and Lower Dalles. Before any well-digested plan for the improvement of the river below Eau Claire can be made, a continuous survey of the river must be made, and the experiment of protecting the steep slopes of the high "yellow banks" tried. There are places on the river where even raft-navigation is difficult during low water. New channels are cut through the sand-bars each year, and new sand-bars are discovered on the subsidence of every freshet. I have no doubt the works recommended above at the head of Beef Slough and at the mouth of the river will improve the channel of the river at those points. During the season of 1875, the Beef Slough Company has run down the river from Chippewa Falls to the head of Beef Slough about 160.000,000 feet, board-measure, of loose logs. These logs were mostly run during a good stage of water, thus presenting a formidable obstacle to steamboat-navigation, at a time when but few natural obstructions existed. I would respectfully request that this report be appended to my report of January 30, 1875, (printed in Part 6, H. Ex. Doc. 75, second session, Forty-third Congress.) The field-work was done by a party under the charge of Max. E. Schmidt, who showed great intelligence, energy, and economy in doing the work intrusted to him. Hoping that this may meet with your approval, I am, Brig. Gen. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. F. U. FARQUHAR, Major of Engineers. APPENDIX P. ANNUAL REPORT OF CAPTAIN WM. R. KING, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 3 1876. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Chattanooga, Tenn., September 19, 1876. GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report on the works under my charge for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. R. KING, Brig. Gen. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. Captain of Engineers. P 1. TENNESSEE RIVER ABOVE CHATTANOOGA. Work on this portion of the river being of a nature unsuited to the contract-system, authority had been procured to carry it on by hired labor. The improvement consists in deepening the channel at the numeros shoals, by building stone dams to contract the water-way, by blasting rock from the channel, and by removing sand-bars, so as to secure a least 3 feet of water at all stages of river between Chattanooga an Knoxville. The names and location of the shoals that have been considered a serious obstructions are shown on the small map of the Upper Tennes see, which forms a part of this report. Those marked 1 are essentially completed, those marked 0 are not begun, and those marked by frac tions,, &c., are in a state of progress represented by the fraction. The navigation of the river has already been greatly facilitated by these works, and the improvements are generally recognized and ap proved by river-men. Low-water navigation between Chattanooga and Knoxville by steam ers drawing 2 feet of water was formerly an impossibility, but that por tion of the river between Chattanooga and Kingston, where the improve ments are nearest completion, can now be navigated by steamer drawing nearly 3 feet of water during the whole year, and as the wor is extended toward Knoxville there is every reason to expect that the same degree of success will attend it. It is worthy of note that the Tennessee River is a remarkably satis factory one to improve, since its regimen is almost fixed, the bed being cut through solid limestone for a great part of its course, and the banks being generally formed of rocky bluffs, or of earth thoroughly protected by willow and other aquatic trees, which grow almost to the lowes water-mark. The improvements, therefore, instead of being uncertain in their re sults, as on many streams where a supposed improvement may provi only temporary in its action, or possibly prove a damage to navigation, |