1879, a channel 100 feet wide across the bar and portions of the inner harbor having been dredged to a depth of 8 feet below mean low water. During the year 1884 the channel at the bar was slightly widened. At the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1888, the sum of $32,500 had been expended by the Government. A new project based upon a survey made in accordance with the requirements of the act of August 5, 1886, was approved in 1887, for a channel 12 feet deep at low water and 150 feet wide from the Choptank River to the railroad wharf, and for dredging the inner barbor below the draw bridge to 10 feet and above the bridge to 8 feet below low water, at an estimated cost of $17,736.60. At the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1890, the sum of $4,918.72 had been expended in the execution of this project. The result was a channel 12 feet deep at low water and about 88 feet wide across the bar to a point opposite the Maryland Steamboat Company's Wharf, and thence only 22 feet wide to the railroad wharf, so that vessels drawing 113 feet of water, which formerly could not enter at all, can now go directly to the latter wharf without much difficulty. A project for the application of the appropriation of September 19, 1890, in continuing dredging at the bar and in the harbor below the bridge was approved, but a subsequent request was received from the citizens of Cambridge to have the funds expended above the bridge to give more anchorage ground. The commissioners of Dorchester County have under consideration the subject of widening the draw in the bridge. When this is done, it is proposed to expend the available funds as requested by the citizens of Cambridge. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890 $100.00 5,000.00 5, 100.00 18.72 June 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year. July 1, 1891, balance unexpended Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... (See Appendix H 15.) 16. Wicomico River, Maryland.-Wicomico River flows through Wicomico County, eastern shore of Maryland, and into Tangier Sound, Chesapeake Bay, from the east. Its tidal estuary is navigable for about 23 miles, Salisbury, the county seat, being at the head of navigation. The tide rises on an average 3 feet. The original depth in the river near Salisbury was 18 inches at the time improvements commenced in 1872. Under a project made that year and completed in 1885, a channel 7 feet deep and 75 feet wide, afterwards increased to 100 feet, was dredged at and below Salisbury and $50,000 was expended. The benefits that navigation and commerce derived from the improvement were quite marked. 5,081.28 7,736.60 7,736.60 The present project for improvement, proposed in a report on a survey made in 1889, and adopted under an appropriation of $10,000 made September 19, 1890, provides for dredging a channel 9 feet deep at mean low water and 150 feet wide from near Fruitland Wharf to the drawbridge at Salisbury, at an estimased cost of $23,200. The length of the proposed channel is about 3 miles. A contract for the expendi ture of the available funds has been made, but at the close of the fiscal year operations had not been commenced.' July 1, 1891, balance unexpended................. July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts .. July 1, 1891, balance available Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... (See Appendix H 16.) 10,914.63 9,000.00 1,914. 63 13, 200.00 13, 200.00 17. Manokin River, Maryland.-Manokin River is a tidal tributary of Tangier Sound, Chesapeake Bay, and flows through Somerset County, eastern shore of Maryland. Its length is about 18 miles, the lower 10 miles forming a wide estuary. The channel is interrupted for a distance of nearly 3 miles at the head of the estuary by shallow mud flats which made navigation very difficult, and rendered the upper portion of the river almost useless for the purpose of shipping and transportation. The average rise of the tide at the mud flats is 2.6 feet. The project for improvement proposed in a report on a survey made in 1889, and adopted under an appropriation of $7,500 made by act of September 19, 1890, provides for dredging a channel 6 feet deep at mean low water, and 100 feet wide from Locust Point to Sharp's Point, embracing the section called "the mud flats," the estimated cost being $30,000. With this first appropriation a cut was made during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, at the section indicated, about 13,515 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 3 feet deep at low water, and $7,360.12 was ex pended. Since the opening of this channel the small steamer plying between Princess Anne and Deal's Island has been enabled to make trips at stated hours, which heretofore was impossible, and the reports are that great interest is taken in the new facilities offered to shippers. Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890..... June 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year July 1, 1891, balance unexpended.. Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... (See Appendix H 17.) $7,500.00 7,360, 12 139.88 22,500.00 10,000. 00 18. Onancock Harbor, Virginia.-Onancock Harbor or Onancock River is about 5 miles long and flows into Chesapeake Bay in Accomac County, Virginia. The town of Onancock is situated at the head of the river, where the depth of water was originally 4 feet at low tide. The most serious obstruction is at the bar at the mouth, where the depth in the channel was 5 feet before it was improved. The average rise of the tide is about 2 feet. Eight thousand dollars was expended during the years 1880 and ENG 91-9 +++ 1881 and the channel across the bar was dredged to a depth of 8 feet below mean low water for a width of 100 feet and inside the river dredging was done to a depth of 7 feet below mean low water at and above Wise's Point and near the steamboat wharf at Onancock. The improvements made were of great benefit to the shipping on the river, but the channel at the bar soon filled up again. The present project for improvement, proposed in a report on a new survey made in 1889 and adopted under an appropriation of $6,000 made September 19, 1890, provides for dredging a channel 300 feet wide at the outer bar and 200 feet wide at the inner bar, also called "middle ground," both to a depth of 8 feet below mean low water, at an estimated cost of $12,511. A contract for the expenditure of the available funds in accordance with this project has been made, but at the close of the fiscal year operations had not yet been commenced. Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890.. July 1, 1891, balance unexpended... July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts.. July 1, 1891, balance available...... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.. (See Appendix H 18.) $6,000,00 29.75 5,970.25 5,250.00 720.25 6,511.00 6,511.00 19. Harbor at Cape Charles City, Virginia, and approaches by Chenton (Cherrystone) Inlet.-The harbor of Cape Charles City is an artificial rectangular tidal basin of about 10 acres area, excavated in the shore of the Chesapeake Bay about 12 miles north of the promontory of the peninsula formed by the State of Delaware and the eastern shores of Maryland and Virginia. It is in Northampton County, Va., and forms the shore terminus of the New York, Philadelphia, and Norfolk Railroad, from which transfers of freight and passengers are made to and from Norfolk, Va. The average rise of the tide is 2.6 feet. The project for improvement proposed in a report on a survey made in 1889 and adopted the past fiscal year under an appropriation of $25,000, made September 19, 1890, provides for dredging the harbor and the entrance to a depth of 14 feet below mean low water and the chaunel in Cherrystone Inlet and across Cherrystone Bar to a depth of 16 feet at mean low tide, the former to be 100 feet and the latter 200 feet wide; and for protective works of stone at the entrance to the harbor. The estimated cost of the project is $142,340. The harbor was originally made and inclosed with bulkhead wharves by the railroad company. It was then dredged, together with the entrance as far as Cherrystone Inlet Channel, to a depth of about 12 feet at low tide. This depth was not sufficient for the very large boats and barges employed in the traffic; the entrance was also too narrow and during prevailing northerly winds and low tides frequent delays occurred by the grounding of vessels at the entrance or within the channel across Cherrystone Bar. This was the condition of the harbor and approaches at the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1890. The appropriation of September 19, 1890, was expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, in dredging about one-half of the area of the harbor to a depth of 14 feet below mean low water, and dredg ing the entrance to a depth of 16 feet below mean low water and widening the channel thereat from 50 feet at the outlet of the harbor to 480 feet at the junction with Cherrystone Inlet Channel, and in removing portions of a shoal to the same depth in Cherrystone Inlet about 1 mile south of the harbor. The amount expended at the close of the fiscal year was $21,676.89. The improvements made have been of great benefit to the shipping and the difficulties encountered in entering or leaving the harbor have been much lessened. Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890. July 1, 1891, balance unexpended Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project..... $25,000.00 21,676.89 3,323.11 20,400,00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1893 20,400.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix H 19.) 20. Removing sunken vessels or craft obstructing or endangering navi gation.-During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, the following wrecks were removed under the provisions of the act of June 14, 1880: The schooner Maria Green, from Jackson Creek, Chester River, Maryland, and the schooner Mary H. Rhoades, from Smyrna River, Delaware. (See Appendix H 20.) EXAMINATIONS AND SURVEYS FOR IMPROVEMENT, TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF RIVER AND HARBOR ACT APPROVED SEPTEMBER 19, 1890. The required preliminary examinations of the following localities were made by the local engineer in charge, W. F. Smith, United States Agent, Major of Engineers, U. S. Army, Retired, and reports thereon submitted through Col. Wm. P. Craighill, Corps of Engineers, Division Engineer, Southeast Division. It is the opinion of Major Smith, and of the Division Engineer, based upon the facts and reasons given, that these localities are not worthy of improvement. The conclusions of these officers being concurred in by me no further surveys were ordered. The reports were transmitted to Congress and printed as executive documents of the Fifty-first Congress, second session. 1. Linchester River, Maryland.-Printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 161. (See also Appendix H 21.) 2. Nanticoke River, Maryland, the northwest fork of the same.-Printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 163. (See also Appendix H 22.) 3. Tangier Harbor, Virginia.-Printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 172. (See also Appendix H 23.) The required preliminary examination of Broad Creek River, Delaware, was made by the local engineer in charge, W. F. Smith, United States Agent, and report thereon submitted through Col. Wm. P. Craighill, Corps of Engineers, Division Engineer, Southeast Division. It is the opinion of Major Smith, and of the Division Engineer, based upon the facts and reasons given, that this river is worthy of improvement. The report of the preliminary examination containing sufficient information to indicate to Congress the probable cost of the work required, no further survey appears to be necessary at this time. The improvement proposed contemplates enlarging the channel between Laurel and Bethel, Del., to a depth of 8 feet below mean low water and a width of 70 feet, at an estimated cost of $15,000. (See Appendix H 24.) The required preliminary examinations of the following localities were made by the local engineer in charge, W. F. Smith, United States Agent, and reports thereon submitted through Col. Wm. P. Craighill, Corps of Engineers, Division Engineer, Southeast Division. It is the opinion of Major Smith, and of the Division Engineer, based upon the facts and reasons given, that these localities are worthy of improve ment. The conclusions of these officers being concurred in by me, Major Smith was charged with and has completed their survey and submitted reports thereon. 1. Turner's Creek, Maryland.-The improvement proposed contemplates dredging away a portion of the point projecting into the mouth of the creek and the construction of a spur dike 400 feet long near the entrance, at a total estimated cost of $1,060. (See Appendix H 25.) 2. La Trappe [River], Maryland.-The improvement proposed contemplates dredging a channel through the bar at the mouth 11 feet deep at mean low water and 150 feet wide, and enlarging the present low-water channel from the mouth to Trappe Landing so that it will be not less than 75 feet wide and 8 feet deep. The cost is estimated at $7,250. (See Appendix II 26.) 3. Warwick River], Maryland.-The improvement proposed contem plates increasing the dimensions of the channel heretofore made by the United States, by deepening and straightening it where necessary, to a width of 100 feet and depth of 10 feet at low water from the Chop. tank River to the wharves. The estimated cost of this work is $18,600. (See Appendix H 27.) 4. Broad Creek, Maryland.-The improvement proposed contemplates the formation of a 7-foot low-water channel 120 feet wide from the 7-foot depth in Pocomoke Sound to the same depth in Little Annemessex River, at an estimated cost of $54,000. (See Appendix H 28.) The required preliminary examinations of the following localities were made by the local engineer in charge, W. F. Smith, United States Agent, and reports thereon submitted through Col. Wm. P. Craighill, Corps of Engineers, Division Engineer, Southeast Division. It is the opinion of Major Smith, and of the Division Engineer, based upon the facts and reasons given, that these localities are worthy of improve ment. The conclusions of these officers being concurred in by me, Major Smith was charged with their survey, the reports on which will be submitted when received. 1. Murderkill River, Delaware. 2. Mispillion River, Delaware, with a view of cutting a canal so as to shorten the distance to the bay, and making an outlet in the bay which would furnish deeper water. 3. Susquehanna River, Maryland, above Havre de Grace. 4. Rock Hall Harbor, Maryland. IMPROVEMENT OF PATAPSCO RIVER AND CHANNEL TO BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, AND OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. Officer in charge, Col. William P. Craighill, Corps of Engineers. 1. Patapsco River and channel to Baltimore, Maryland.-The depth of this channel has by successive steps been increased from 17 feet at mean low water to 27 feet, with an average rise of tide of about 18 inches. |