only feasible improvement, but the amount of commerce does not warrant the expenditure. The amount expended June 30, 1890, was $37,435.56, thereby securing a marked improvement at ten of the principal shoals, especially at Seven Island Shoals, making up-stream navigation at that point possible at lower stages of the river than heretofore. A general deepening of the channel from 6 to 10 inches has been obtained and the channel cleared of snags and other surface obstructions. The steamer McPherson was purchased and paid for, in part, for use upon this stream. In May preparations were made for renewing operations at Bryant Shoals, and in June 195 cubic yards of loose rock was removed from channel, and 495 cubic yards of stone quarried, and 195 cubic yards of riprap dam built at that obstruction. The amount expended during the fiscal year, including outstanding indebtedness, was $4,027.05. 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, balance available $725.94 10,000.00 10,725.94 2,580.48 8, 145. 46 1,446.57 6,698.89 102,000.00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project...... (See Appendix E E 3.) 4. Clinch River, Tennessee.-This stream rises in the Cumberland Mountains in Virginia, and after following a southwesterly course for about 400 miles, empties into the Tennessee River at Kingston, about 110 miles above Chattanooga. About 230 miles of the river flows through the State of Tennessee. An examination of this river was made in 1875, when the channel was found to be very crooked, and obstructed by sand and gravel bars, by rough rock-reefs, and the surface obstructions usually found in mountain streams. It is deemed feasible to improve about 145 miles of its course in Tennessee by channel excavation and wing-dams, and the removal of such logs and overhanging trees, from time to time, as may prove obstructions to navigation. The present project consists in channel excavation, building wingdams, and removing surface obstructions, so as to obtain a safe, navigable channel of 2 feet depth at average low water from its mouth to Clinton-72 miles-and of 13 feet from Clinton to Haynes (Walker Ferry), about 75 miles. The amount expended to June 30, 1890, including outstanding indebtedness, was $31,000, which has resulted in clearing the channel of surface obstructions and in securing a longer period of safe navigation for flatboats and rafts. Active operations were resumed in June at Llewellyn Shoals, making necessary repairs of plant and temporary quarters. Forty cubic yards of stone was placed in dam, and two snags removed from channel. The amount expended during the fiscal year, including outstanding indebtedness, was $978.14. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended .......... Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890. June 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year $14.05 4,000.00 4,014.05 503.35 July 1, 1891, balance unexpended July 1, 1891, outstanding liabilities July 1, 1891, balance available Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... 3,510.70 474.79 3,035.91 15,000.00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1893 15,000.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix E E 4.) 5. Cumberland River, Tennessee and Kentucky.—(a) Below Nashville.— The present project for improving this portion of the river is based on an examination made in 1871. The obstructions were found to be of the same general character throughout, consisting of rock-reefs, sand and gravel bars, bowlders, snags, and overhanging trees, and other surface obstructions. This project comprises the deepening of the channel by excavation and the use of wing-dams; the removal of snags and surface obstructions, and the modifying of the channel in the Kentucky Chute of the Ohio, at the mouth of the Cumberland, by the construction of a pile-dike with crib superstructure. The total amount expended to June 30, 1890, including outstanding indebtedness, was $262,061.16, and has resulted in obtaining an increased depth at low water at the worst obstructions, thus securing a lengthened season of navigation. The amount expended during the fiscal year, including outstanding indebtedness, was $5,498.65: for general improvement, $5,366.38; for "at mouth of river," $132.27; the work done being reducing the gravel-bar, modifying the longitudinal dam and building new spur riprap dam at Catlin Shoals; rebuilding the United States snag-boat Weitzel, and in clearing the channel of snags and overhanging trees between Smithland and Nashville, in January, as far as practicable. Payments for watching Unlted States engineer property and contingent authorized expenses formed a part of the above expenditures. If the project to canalize the Lower Cumberland be adopted and provided for, the engineer officer in charge urges the advantage of immediately constructing the first lock at Harpeth Shoals, which is still a formidable obstruction to navigation and in need of radical improve ment. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended.... Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890.. $3,241.55 40,000.00 43, 241.55 4,500.56 June 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year. July 1, 1891, balance enexpended.... 38, 740.99 July 1, 1891, outstanding liabilities... $998.09 July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts.... July 1, 1891, balance available..... 20, 763.90 193,000.00 (Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project..... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1893 193, 000. 00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (b) Above Nashville.-The present project provides for the complete canalization of the river from Nashville to head of Smith Shoals, a distance of 337 miles. The project is based on an instrumental survey made in 1883, the estimates as approved covering the construction of thirty locks and dams, at an aggregate cost of $4,077,922, which estimate is now revised and increased to $7,500,000 by the engineer officer in charge for the reason that locks of larger dimensions have been adopted than were originally estimated for. The amount expended on account of locks and dams, including outstanding indebtedness, to June 30, 1890, was $47,762.13, which sum was applied to payments for purchases of sites, construction of lock-keepers' house, work at Lock No. 1, and the contingencies pertaininging to operation under the new project. Fifty thousand dollars appropriated by act of July 5, 1884, had been expended in channel work, building wing. dams, and the removal of surface obstructions. At Lock No. 1 the work of construction was carried on under contract during the first four months of the fiscal year, but in November high water caused a total suspension until May, when work was again resumed. A second contract was entered into October 17, 1890, for the completion of the lock masonry. The Board of Engineer Officers constituted for the consideration of the projected dam at Lock No. 1, having withdrawn their contingent approval of a bear-trap dam, submitted a recommendation for a fixed dam, which has been approved. A contract for building the abutment of this dam was entered into May 30, 1891. Provision will be made for building the dam as soon as the lock-work is sufficiently advanced. At Lock 2, the lock site was bought in 1889 and the site of the abutment of the dam was acquired by condemnation on May 2, 1891. Contract was entered into February 24, 1891, for the masonry of the lock, complete, including cofferdam and necessary excavation for foundation. The construction of the cofferdam was progressing at the close of the fiscal year. The amount expended, including outstanding indebtedness, during the fiscal year was $31,680.26. The United States snag boat Weitzel was employed in the channel since January, snagging, reducing sand bars, etc., by virtue of the act of September 19, 1890, providing for the expenditure upon such work "above Nashville" of $5,000 of the act of August 2, 1882, remaining in the Treasury to the credit of the appropriation for improving Cumberland River above mouth of the Jellico, Kentucky. Good work was done at more than seventy places between Burnside and Double Island, a distance of about 276 miles, and costing $4,189.98, including outstanding indebtedness. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended .... Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890. $229, 539.81 250,000.00 479, 539.81 31, 221. 21 June 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year July 1, 1891, balance unexpended. 448, 318. 60 July 1, 1891, outstanding liabilities. July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts $459.05 231, 207.84 231,666. 89 July 1, 1891, balance available..... 216, 651. 71 (Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project......$6, 975, 000, 00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1893... Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. 1,000,000,00 (c) Above mouth of the Jellico, Kentucky.-In accordance with the provisions of the act of September 19, 1890, $3,374.46 of the appropriation of August 2, 1882, has been expended in the removal of snags and sand bars in the Cumberland River above Nashville. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended, and made available by act approved June 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year July 1, 1891, balance unexpended... July 1, 1891, outstanding liabilities. July 1, 1891, balance available (See Appendix E E 5.) $5,000.00 3,374.46 1,625.54 815.52 10.02 6. Caney Fork River, Tennessee.-This stream, after a course of about 200 miles wholly in the State of Tennessee, empties into the Cumberland River at Carthage, Tenn., about 116 miles above Nashville, Tenn. It is one of the most important branches of the Cumberland River. Examinations were made in 1879 as high up as Sligo Ford, about 72 miles, and in 1886 it was extended 20 miles farther to Frank Ferry, the head of navigation. The present project is to improve the river below Frank Ferry 92 miles, by removing drift and other surface obstructions, and in building the wing dams and training walls necessary to insure safe navigation for small steamboats and flatboats during the boating season, usually about 5 months in duration, from February to July. The amount expended to June 30, 1890, including outstanding indebtedness, was $22,441.99, which was used in removing surface obstructions, in reducing sand and gravel bars, and in repairing and building dams. The channel from Sligo Ford to mouth of river has been greatly improved at a 3-foot stage above low water, especially at Trous dale Ferry and Chandler Island. In June work was carried on in the channel from Frank Ferry to Mine Lick Shoals, a distance of about 37 miles. Eight fish-trap dams, 49 snags, and 439 cubic yards of rock were removed, and 4,787 overhanging trees cut down. A dam 75 feet long was built at Darkey Eddy Islands. Amount expended, including outstanding indebtedness during the fiscal year, was $930.50. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890.... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.. (See Appendix E E 6.) 7. South Fork of Cumberland River, Kentucky.--This stream empties into the Cumberland River near Burnside, Ky., about 325 miles above Nashville. By an examination made in 1880 its upper waters were found to be so obstructed by immense sandstone bowlders as to render its improve. ment impracticable. For a distance of about 44 miles, from its mouth to Devil Jumps, however, it was considered practicable to improve the channel by deepening the water on the sand and gravel bars by the use of wing dams and the removal of surface obstructions. The present project provides for this improvement to an extent that will allow of safe navigation for flatboats and rafts at a 3-foot stage above low water. The amount expended to June 30, 1891, was $11,968.94, which has resulted in obtaining safer navigation for rafts, etc., for a distance of 16 miles above its mouth. No expenditures were made during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended July 1, 1891, balance unexpended July 1, 1891, balance available .... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project $41.03 41.03 9.97 31.06 50,803.00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30,1893 15,000.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and barbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix E E 7.) EXAMINATIONS AND SURVEY 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, Lieutenant-Colonel Barlow, and reports thereon submitted. It is the opinion of Lieutenant-Colonel Barlow, based upon the facts and reasons given that these localities are not worthy of improvement. This opinion 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. Little Pigeon River, Tennessee, from mouth to Sevierville.-Printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 159. (See also Appendix E E 8.) 2. Harbor of Smithland, Kentucky.-Printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 107. (See also Appendix E E 9.) The required preliminary examination of Obion River, Tennessee, from its mouth to the crossing of the Louisville and Memphis Railroad in Obion County, was made by the local engineer in charge, Lieutenant-Colonel Barlow, and report thereon submitted. It is the opinion of LieutenantColonel Barlow, based upon the facts and reasons given, that this locality is worthy of improvement. This opinion being concurred in by me, Lieutenant-Colonel Barlow was charged with and has completed its survey and submitted report thereon. The improvement proposed contemplates the formation of a navigable channel not less than 3 feet deep at the lowest stages, by clearing the river of obstructions and snags, constructing dams, etc.; the cost of the work is estimated at $50,000, including plant for snagging and pile-driving. (See Appendix EE 10.) |