12. Ice-harbor at mouth of Muskingum River, Ohio.-The work in hand is the construction of a large lock through Dam No. 1, Muskingum River, in order to permit Ohio River craft to take refuge during ice floods in the pool created by this dam. This lock is also needed to replace Lock No. 1 of the Muskingum River, which had become dangerous and has been torn down. During the past fiscal year the masonry of the river wall and of half of the land wall was completed, and the remainder of the land wall was finished to half of its intended height. The work yet to be done is the completion of the land wall, the erection of the lower gates of the lock, and the establishment of the valves and operating machinery. It is expected that the work will be completed during the fiscal year. It can not be utilized until a new draw is placed in the railroad bridge below the lock. The owners of this bridge have been ordered by the Secretary of War to construct this draw, but thus far they have not done so. 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 (See Appendix G G 12.) $287.78 30,000.00 30, 287.78 10, 173. 49 20, 114.29 6, 017. 23 14,097.06 13. Muskingum River, Ohio.-This appropriation is limited by the act to the construction of a new lock at Taylorsville and the repair of the lock at Zanesville. During the fiscal year the excavation of a channel through the rocky bed of the river below the Taylorsville lock was continued. The frequent floods greatly interfered with this work, which is now about one-fifth completed. The lock can not be used by navigation until a new draw is placed in the Taylorsville and Duncan Falls Bridge. The owners of this bridge have been ordered to build this draw, but thus far they have not complied with the order. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended.... 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 G G 13.) $39, 121.33 3,820.09 35, 301.24 1,805.80 33, 495. 44 14. Operating and care of locks and dams on Muskingum River, Ohio.As originally improved by the State of Ohio, 11 dams and 12 locks were built on the Muskingum River, furnishing continuous navigation for 91 miles from the Ohio River at Marietta to Dresden, where a connection was made with the Ohio Canal near its middle point, this canal extending from the Ohio River at Portsmouth to Lake Erie at Cleveland. According to old reports from the State board of public works, the locks were built with a length between hollow quoins of 180 feet and a clear width of 36 feet, except the upper lock, between Zanesville and Dresden, which had a length of 120 feet and a clear width of 22 feet. The lifts as reported varied from 8 feet 10 inches to 12 feet 1 inch, but measurements made since the United States took charge show that none of the above dimensions were strictly accurate. The works cost the State of Ohio about $1,500,000. The lock and dam above Zanesville is now in a state of ruin, but the 75 miles of slack-water between the Ohio River and Zanesville has always been maintained; on this piece of river there are 10 dams, 11 locks, and 5 lateral canals with a total length of 33 miles. The locks and dams were about worn out when they passed into the hands of the United States, and a general reconstruction was unavoidable. This work was very greatly retarded and increased in cost by the extraordinary rainfall of last summer and autumn, which repeatedly carried away cofferdams and drowned out the work. At the close of the year the reconstruction of Locks 3, 4, and 8 had been completed, but Locks 6 and 7 were yet unfinished. The floods had a very disastrous effect on the dams; Nos. 1, 6, and 8 gave way, and a break took place around the abutment of dam No. 4. The latter has been thoroughly closed, but it was impossible to do anything for the repair of the broken dams. It is expected that before the close of 1891 the locks will be finished and all breaks repaired. Throughout the year navigation, except some local pool trade, was wholly stopped. Since the transfer of this work to the United States the sum of $741,863.03 has been expended in reconstruction, operation, and maintenance. (See Appendix G G 14.) EXAMINATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT, TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF RIVER AND HARBOR ACT APPROVED SEPTEMBER 19, 1890. The required preliminary examination of harbor of Owensboro, Kentucky, on the Ohio River, was made by the local engineer in charge, Lieutenant-Colonel Merrill, and report thereon submitted. It is the opinion of Lieutenant-Colonel Merrill, based upon the facts and reasons given, that this locality is not worthy of improvement. This opinion being concurred in by me, no further survey was ordered. The report was transmitted to Congress and printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 193, Fiftyfirst Congress, second session. (See also Appendix G G 15.) The required preliminary examination of Tionesta [Creek], Pennsylva nia, from the town of Tionesta, to the village of Balltown, with a view to the improvement and the removal of obstructions, was made by the local engineer in charge, Lieutenant-Colonel Merrill, and report thereon submitted. It is the opinion of Lieutenant-Colonel Merrill, based upon the facts and reasons given, that this locality 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 removal, at an estimated cost of $2,000, of the obstructions which interfere with the rafting of timber and lumber. The report was transmitted to Congress and printed as House Ex Doc. No. 196, Fifty-first Congress, second session. (See also Appendix G G 16.) The required preliminary examination with a view to improving the Ohio River, between the mouth of Green River, in the State of Kentucky, and the city of Evansville, in the State of Indiana, and confining the waters of the first named river within its present channel, and preventing danger to navigation from any changes therein, was made by the local engineer in charge, Lieutenant-Colonel Merrill, and report thereon submitted. It is the opinion of Lieutenant-Colonel Merrill, based upon the facts and reasons given, that this locality is worthy of improvement. The report of the preliminary examination, together with report dated November 16, 1887, of a survey of the locality made in compliance with the provisions of the river and harbor act of August 5, 1886, furnishing all the information required by the act of September 19, 1890, and 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 work proposed to be done to prevent the Ohio River from making a cut-off through the peninsula opposite Evansville consists in planting a strip of land along the axis of the peninsula with trees, the estimated cost of which is $49,000. The reports were transmitted to Congress and printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 195, Fifty-first Congress, second session. (See also Appendix G G 17.) IMPROVEMENT OF FALLS OF THE OHIO RIVER, OF WABASH RIVER, INDIANA AND ILLINOIS, AND OF WHITE RIVER, INDIANA; OPERATING AND CARE OF LOUISVILLE AND PORTLAND CANAL. Officers in charge, Capt. Edw. Maguire, Corps of Engineers, to May 25, 1891, and Major G. J. Lydecker, Corps of Engineers, since that date; Division Engineer, Col. O. M. Poe, Corps of Engineers. 1. Falls of the Ohio River, Louisville, Kentucky.-The general improvement under the present approved project comprises the enlargement of the upper portion of the Louisville and Portland Canal and the enlargement of the canal basin above the new locks. Enlargement of the upper portion of the Louisville and Portland Canal.-. The present project was adopted in 1883 and modified in 1890, at which time the estimated cost of completing the work recommended by the Board of Engineers was $710,230.40. It includes a large amount of rock excavation, whereby the canal will be widened to more than double its former width for a length of some 2,300 feet, and a capacious basin or harbor, with a width of 800 feet and length of about 3,200 feet, will be formed in advance of the entrance to the canal. Masonry walls and dams, aggregating 5,850 feet in length, are to close the enlarged canal and basin on the river side. The work is being done by hired labor, with machinery owned by the Government. The amount expended to June 30, 1891, was $389,612.95, of which $22,039.06 was expended during the last fiscal year. The deduction of this amount from the total cost as estimated by the Board of Engineers in January, 1890, viz, $710,230.40, leaves $688,191.34 as the present estimated cost of completing the project for this portion of the work. Enlargement of the canal basin above the new locks.-This work was by the river and harbor act approved August 5, 1886, made a part of the general improvement of the Falls of the Ohio at Louisville. The object is to construct a large basin wherein large tows may lie securely while waiting their turn to enter the locks, without interfering with navigation through the canal. The principal elements of work involved are the excavation of about 140,000 cubic yards of earth and rock and the construction of about 5,200 cubic yards of masonry retaining wall. The work is being done by hired labor with machinery owned by the Government, the attempt to do it by contract having proved most unsatisfactory. The amount expended to June 30, 1891, was $76,850.88, of which $6,059.85 was expended during the past fiscal year. The additional amount estimated as necessary for the completion of this work is, in round numbers, $70,000. Continued high water during the last fiscal year limited the working season to about 1 month, and thereby prevented any considerable progress on this work, as well as that at the head of the canal. The estimate for completing the existing project submitted in the statement below includes $688,191.34 for the work at the head of the canal, and $70,000 for that at the basin above the locks, making the total $768,191.34. 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.. $12, 018. 95 July 1, 1891, balance available Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... (See Appendix H H 1.) July 1, 1890, balance unexpended.... Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890. $161,635. 08 60,000.00 221,635.08 28, 488.91 193, 146. 17 26,740.27 166, 405.90 758, 191.34 300, 000. 00 2. Indiana Chute, Falls of the Ohio River.-The object of this improvement is to obtain a channel over the Falls which can be safely navigated by the largest tows when the river is at or above an 8foot stage by the upper canal gauge, whereby the great loss of time required for the passage of such tows through the canal and locks would be avoided; the principal features of the work include the excavation of about 60,000 cubic yards of rock from the proposed channel, the construction of lateral stone dikes aggregating in length about 3,700 feet, and of a concrete wall about 850 feet long. This chute was originally very crooked and full of dangerous reefs and rocky points; the work already done has cleared the channel of many of these so that a fairly navigable channel at the higher stages of water is secured. No work was done during the past fiscal year because of continuous high water throughout the year, it being impossible to carry on operations with the machinery now on the work except at very low water. The amount expended to June 30, 1891, is $116,104.30. $23, 885. 20 25,000.00 July 1, 1891, balance unexpended. July 1, 1891, outstanding liabilities.. 48, 885.20 10.50 48,874.70 113, 610.97 July 1, 1891, balance available .... S Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project (See Appendix H H 2.) 3. Operating and care of Louisville and Portland Canal, Kentucky.— The canal was open to commerce throughout the past fiscal year, except on 79 days, during which it was closed by high water. Operations during the year included dredging 100,585 cubic yards of mud and sand from the canal and its approaches, the construction of two new scows, the partial construction of two new middle gates for the new locks, and the necessary repairs of boats, bridges, buildings, and machinery. The dry dock was occupied for the repairs of boats belonging to pri vate parties during a period of 57 days 18 hours, and for repairs of craft belonging to the work, 20 days. The total receipts from all sources during the fiscal year were $962.49. (See Appendix H H 3.) 4. Wabash River, Indiana and Illinois.-The improvement of this river is carried on under two separate appropriations, one of which applies to that portion of the river below Vincennes, Ind., and the other to that above. a. Below Vincennes.-The first appropriation for this work was in 1872, and the project for work aims at securing a 3-foot low-water channel by excavating through rocky and sandy shoals, constructing dikes and dams to close secondary channels or contract the flow where necessary, removing snags, and the construction of a lock and dam about 2 miles above Mount Carmel, Ill., for removing the impassable obstructions to navigation extending a distance of about 10 miles, and known as the Grand Rapids. Operations during the year were chiefly on this lock and dam, though but little progress was made because the appropriation in the river and harbor act approved September 19, 1890, became available too late to be of much use during that season. Contract for all the stone required for the lock and the abutment of the dam were made, and most of it had been delivered at the close of the year. No other work was done during the year beyond the removal of a few dangerous snags, the extension of the Grayville levee 1,750 feet, and the construction of three new spur dikes at the same point. The appropriation now available will probably suffice to complete the lock and the abutment of the dam, but no advantage can be derived from these works until the dam is built. The estimated cost of the dam is $60,000, and the appropriation of at least this amount is necessary before starting any work on it, because having commenced the work it should be continued to completion without interruption. Shoals and snags constitute serious and in some cases total obstructions to navigation, and not less than $40,000 will remove them. The amount expended to June 30, 1891, is $258,203.04. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890. $11,955. 34 60,000.00 100,000.00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project b. Above Vincennes.-The object of the work and the project for operations are similar to those relating to the river below this place. There was no work done during the past year because there were not sufficient funds on hand at the beginning, and those appropriated by the act ap |