being the water communication across Keweenaw Point, Lake Superior, from Keweenaw Bay to Lake Superior, in the State of Michigan, by way of the Portage River and Lake and the artificial cut made by said companies to render them available to commerce and navigation, together with the works of improvement on Portage Lake; the harbor works upon Lake Superior and Keweenaw Bay, with all lands and franchises connected therewith, free from all incumbrances, three hundred and fifty thousand dollars: Provided, That for the purpose of preserving and continuing the use and navigation of said canals, the sum of ten thousand dollars for each of the present and the next fiscal year be appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to pay the actual expenses of operating and keeping said canals in repair; and that an itemized statement of said expenses shall accompany the annual report of the Chief of Engineers: And provided further, That no money appropriated for this purpose shall be available until a valid title to all of said premises shall be vested in the United States, nor until the State of Michigan shall have ce led to the United States exclusive jurisdiction over the same, during the time the United States shall be or remain the owner thereof, for all purposes except the administration of the criminal laws of said State and the service of civil process on the lands and right of way so conveyed. The balance of the appropriation, to wit, five thousand one hundred and twenty-eight dollars and seventy cents, for examination of Portage Lake and Lake Superior Ship Canals, contained in the river and harbor act of August fifth, eighteen hundred and eighty-six, is hereby made available for each and every purpose connected with the establishment of new harbor lines in Portage Lake under the provisions of the act of June twentieth, eighteen hundred and ninety, authorizing and directing said estab lishment. A valid title to all of said premises having been vested in the United States, and the State of Michigan having ceded the required jurisdiction over the same, the purchase money was paid to the said companies, and the United States assumed control of the canals August 3, 1891. Under the authority given to the Secretary of War in section 12 of the river and harbor act approved September 19, 1890, harbor lines have been established at the following localities: Lubec, Me.; Kennebec River at Bath, Me.; Boston, Mass.; New York Harbor and adjacent waters; Philadelphia, Pa.; New Castle, Del.; St. Augustine, Fla.; Duluth, Minn., Bay of St. Louis, Superior Bay and adjacent waters, Minnesota and Wisconsin; Portage Lake, Michigan; Chicago, Ill.; San Francisco Harbor and adjacent waters, California; San Pedro, Wilmington Harbor, California; Humboldt Bay, California; Astoria, Oregon. Examinations were made, whenever required by the committees of Congress, of proposed bills authorizing the construction of bridges upon which the views of the War Department were desired. Of the bills so examined since my last report, to the close of the fiscal year, June 30, 1890, 25 originated in the Senate and 38 in the House of Representatives. During the fiscal year examinations were made of such plans and locations as were submitted by parties interested, of bridges proposed to be built over navigable waters subject to the approval of the Secretary of War, as authorized by acts of Congress. A brief statement is given of the action had in such cases. Under sections 4 and 5 of the river and harbor act approved September 19, 1890, persons, corporations, or associations owning or controlling bridges over navigable water-ways of the United States, which are unreasonable obstructions to the free navigation of such waters, after being given a reasonable opportunity to be heard, have been notified to so alter the bridges as to render navigation through or under them reasonably free, easy, and unobstructed. In each case the changes required to be made were specified in the notice, and a reasonable time was prescribed in which to make them. A detailed statement of the cases is given further on in this report. Reports made in compliance with the requirements of section 2 of the river and harbor act of July 5, 1884, and section 4 of that of August 5, 1886, of instances in which piers, break waters, or other works built by the United States in aid of commerce or navigation, are used, occupied, or injured by a corporation or an individual, will be found in Appendix C C C. The engineering works in the charge of this office are arranged in five divisions, and officers of the corps assigned as division engineers, to overlook the work, as follows: West of the Rocky Mountains: Pacific Division, Col. George H. Mendell. East of the Rocky Mountains: Northeast Division, Col. Henry L. Abbot; Southeast Division, Col. Wm. P. Craighill; Southwest Division, Col. Cyrus B. Comstock; Northwest Division, Col. Orlando M. Poe. South Pass of the Mississippi River.-During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, the legal channel was maintained through the Pass itself except for 3 days in April, when at one point the depth was 25 feet, and for 12 days the jetty channel had a central depth of from 27.5 feet to 29.4 feet. COAST AND GULF OF MEXICO. IMPROVEMENT OF RIVERS AND HARBORS IN MAINE AND NEW HAMPSHIRE. ATLANTIC Officer in charge, Lieut. Col. Jared A. Smith, Corps of Engineers. 1. St. Croix River, Maine.-In compliance with requirements of the river and harbor act of August 11, 1888, an examination and survey of the St. Croix River was made in 1888 and 1889, and a report with plan of improvement and estimate of cost was submitted by the engineer officer in charge. (See Report of Chief of Engineers, 1889, page 463.) 66 By act of September 19, 1890, Congress appropriated $35,000 for the improvement upon the condition that the Government of the Dominion of Canada shall expend a like sum in the improvement of the said river." As it is not yet known what action the Dominion Government is disposed to take in this matter, no steps have been taken towards the expenditure of the appropriation. Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890.. $35,000.00 35,000.00 245,000.00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project. (See Appendix A 1.) 2. Lubec Channel, Maine.-This channel lies between the eastern extremity of Maine and Campo Bello Island, belonging to the Dominion of Canada. Originally the channel was but 5 feet in depth at mean low water, and but 2 feet at low water of spring tides. The project adopted in 1879, and subsequently modified, is for a channel 275 feet wide, 300 feet wide in the bends, and 12 feet deep at mean low water. Amount expended to June 30, 1890, $157,213.03. Expended in last fiscal year, $11,716.39. As a result, the channel has been so nearly completed as planned that no further estimate is submitted. While the channel thus made is of great service, yet it is not straight and has not its full width near the upper end, where width is much needed. Under provisions of the river and harbor act of September 19, 1890, a report, setting forth the desirability for widening and straightening the channel, was submitted to Congress in January, 1891, and printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 158, Fifty-first Congress, second session.* July 1, 1890, balance unexpended July 1, 1891, balance unexpended............ (See Appendix A 2.) 3. Moose-a-bec Bar, Maine.-The project for this improvement was adopted in 1881, and modified in 1888, the object being to give a direct channel 300 feet wide and a depth of 14 feet at mean low water over the bar, and to remove ledges near and in the channel to a depth of 16 feet. Amount expended to June 30, 1890, $53,417.68. The channel over the bar had been dredged to a width of 300 feet and a depth of 14 feet at mean low water. $18,894. 07 18, 823. 49 70.58 At certain stages of the tide strong currents set obliquely across the channel. To prevent these, a small breakwater is to be built from Pile of Ballast Ledge to Nova's Rock, and a beacon is to be built on the ledge at edge of channel. Work upon the breakwater and beacon was commenced in June, 1891, under a contract. It will probably be completed before the close of the summer season. Expenditures in the last fiscal year, $2,293.99. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended............... Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890.. June 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year.... July 1, 1891, balance unexpended... July 1, 1891, outstanding liabilities July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts.... 5,320.94 July 1, 1891, balance available..... 10,790.77 80,000.00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project (See Appendix A 3.) 4. Pleasant River, Maine.-In compliance with requirement of the river and harbor act of August 11, 1888, an examination of this river was made by the engineer officer in charge in November, 1888, and a survey was made in August, 1889. The project adopted for the improvement is to mark the channel rocks by one stone beacon and one iron spindle, and to remove bowlders from the channel above Addison Point, at a total estimated cost of $3,500. *See Appendix A 28. Work was commenced in June, 1891, and the improvement will probably be completed in August. Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890.... $3,500.00 3,500.00 270.60 3,229.40 5. Narraguagus River, Maine.-The obstruction to navigation consisted in a bar from the anchorage near the mouth of the river to deep water, the shoalest part having only 4 feet depth at extreme low water and 53 feet at mean low water. The project for improvement consists in dredging the channel to a depth of 11 feet as far as the lower landing and thence 9 feet deep to the anchorage. The amount expended to June 30, 1890, was $20,000. As a result the lower part of the channel had been dredged to grade, 55 feet in width and 2,800 feet long, thence 100 feet wide, a distance of 1,600 feet, and thence a width of 300 feet, forming a turning basin of about 600 feet length. A contract was made in January, 1891, for continuing the dredging under the appropriation of September 19, 1890. Work was commenced May 16, and will be completed in July. The improvement thus far is of considerable benefit to sailing vessels, but is especially valuable to steamers which touch at the lower wharves. Expenditures in last fiscal year, $5,956.20. Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890.. $7,500.00 2,341.57 July 1, 1891, balance unexpended 5, 158. 43 July 1, 1891, outstanding liabilities.. July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts... $3, 614.63 5, 116.80 July 1, 1891, balance available.... 41.63 22,500.00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix A 5.) 6. Breakwater from Mount Desert to Porcupine Island, Maine.-The anchorage and landing at Bar Harbor is entirely exposed to storms and seas from southerly directions. The object of the improvement is to protect the harbor from southerly storms. The act of August 11, 1888, appropriated $50,000 for commencing the work. A contract was subsequently made with the lowest bidder, but the failure of the contractor, as stated in last annual report, prevented any considerable progress. The contract expired by limitation of time on the 30th of June, 1890. Expenditures previous to June 30, 1890, were $13,711.78. Expended in last fiscal year, $9,081.27. In August, 1899, proposals were invited for delivery of stone in the breakwater to complete the work which had been abandoned by the former contractor, and a new contract was made with the lowest bidder. After the approval of the contract it was too late to commence work before spring. The delivery of stone was commenced April 25. The act of September 19, 1890, appropriated $50,000 for continuing the work. It has been deemed advisable not to invite proposals for delivery of stone under this appropriation until the progress of contractors under former appropriation could be observed. Specifications have been prepared and a contract will be made at an early day for the last appropriation. The original location and estimate of cost of the breakwater were based upon soundings upon Coast Survey chart. These have been found inaccurate; it has therefore been necessary to modify the location and estimate. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended...... Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890. June 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year.. July 1, 1891, balance unexpended July 1, 1891, outstanding liabilities.. July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts $3,648.52 $36, 288. 22 86,288.22 80,855.47 28, 274. 15 52, 581.32 July 1, 1891, balance available.... 706,000.00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project (See Appendix A 6.) 7. Bagaduce River, Maine.-The river and harbor act of August 5, 1886, required an examination or survey of the Bagaduce River, Maine. A report, with estimate of cost of works considered necessary, was submitted by the engineer officer in charge, February 2, 1888. (See Report of Chief of Engineers for 1888, page 401.) July 1, 1890, balance unexpended.... Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890 July 1, 1891, balance unexpended The project adopted for the improvement consists of deepening the channel to give a width of 100 feet and a low-water depth of 6 feet from South Penobscot to Bridge Point. This includes dredging and removing rocks. The project also includes removing a small amount of rock in Johnson Narrows. By act of August 11, 1888, Congress appropriated $3,000, and by act of September 19, 1890, the further sum of $4,000, for the improvement. Previous to June 30, 1890, the sum of $100 had been expended for making plans, etc. The amount now available is too small to carry on such a work to any advantage. It may be found advisable to defer commencing work until the season of 1892, when, should a further appropriation be made, it may be added to funds now available. The estimate for removal of rock alone is about $25,000, and this should be done before any dredging is commenced. $2,900.00 6,900,00 |