Page images
PDF
EPUB

proposals were received. Both were rejected, as the lowest would make the improvement cost at least twice the amount available, and no advantage to commerce would result from its partial completion.

The work of completing this improvement as now proposed has been publicly advertised three times and it is evident that the small amount of work to be done in this locality, so difficult of access, will cost more than similar work in more accessible places.

The condition of the improvement June 30, 1891, is the same as on June 30, 1889.

The prospective benefits to commerce are increased facilities and safety to navigation.

[merged small][ocr errors]

Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.
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.

(See Appendix B 4.)

$2,462.92

2, 462.92

20,000.00 2,500.00

5. Harbor of refuge, Sandy Bay, Cape Ann, Massachusetts.-This bay is situated at the northeastern extremity of Cape Ann, Massachusetts. It is open to the full effect of easterly and northeasterly gales.

The proposed improvement contemplates the construction of a national harbor of refuge of the first class. The anchorage covered by the proposed breakwater will contain 1,377 acres.

The estimated cost of the improvement is $5,000,000.
The expenditures to June 30, 1890, were $287,765.56.

The condition of the improvement on June 30, 1890, was as follows: Two hundred and fifty-two thousand nine hundred and thirty-four tons of rubblestone had been deposited in the substructure of the breakwater, essentially completing it between crossranges 140 and 3540.

During the fiscal year 54,239 tons of rubblestone were deposited in the substructure of the breakwater by contract, at a cost of $49,178.30, essentially completing it between crossranges 140 and 3740.

The prospective benefits to commerce and navigation by the construction of this harbor of refuge are increased safety to life and property, and a consequent reduction in freights and insurance.

July 1, 1890, balance unexpended

Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890..

$26, 856.93 150,000.00

[blocks in formation]

July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts

96, 109.34

107, 022. 50

20, 656. 13

July 1, 1891, balance available

4,550, 000, 00 250, 000. 00

Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project
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.

(See Appendix B 5.)

6. Gloucester Harbor, Massachusetts.-Gloucester Harbor is an important center for the fishing fleet of New England, about 20 miles north of Boston. Its inner harbor was originally obstructed by sunken rocks and shoals, preventing free movement of vessels, and the ap

proaches to the wharves were shallow, varying from 1 to 12 feet. The outer harbor was open to all southerly winds.

The first project submitted in compliance with the act of July 11, 1870, proposed to clear the harbor of sunken rocks and to build a stone breakwater from Eastern Point to Round Rock Shoal. The operations in execution of this general project, under the acts of July 11, 1870, and June 10, 1872, have been confined solely to the removal of isolated sunken rocks specially obstructive to the navigation of the inner harbor. The act of June 10, 1872, appropriated $10,000, which sum was ap plied to the removal of Clam Rock, Pinnacle Rock, rock off J. Friend's Wharf, rock off Pew's Wharf, and a portion of Babson Ledge.

The act of August 5, 1886, appropriated $5,000 for a survey of the harbor and for continuing work on Babson Ledge.

The survey was completed in December, 1886, and a report and general project based on this survey were published in the Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1887, page 500.

The revised project proposed to remove from the inner harbor 1011 cubic yards of rock, known to exist, and 216,000 cubic yards, scow measurement, of material, at an estimated cost of $65,000; and to construct the breakwater that extends from Eastern Point to Round Rock Shoal, recommended in the project of 1884, at an estimated cost of $752,000.

The amount expended to June 30, 1890, was $24,580.84.

On June 30, 1890, the condition of the improvement was as follows: Clam Rock, Pinnacle Rock, rock off J. Friend's Wharf, and rock off Pew's Wharf had been reduced to the level of the surrounding bottom, and Babson Ledge to 14 feet at mean low water. Two channels of approach to the wharves in Harbor Cove had been dredged; each was 40 feet wide and 10 feet deep at mean low water; the eastern one was 550 feet long, the western 1,000 feet long.

During the fiscal year a contract was entered into to dredge 40,000 cubic yards. This contract expires December 31, 1891.

No operations were in progress during the fiscal year, and the condition of the improvement remains unchanged.

July 1, 1890, balance unexpended.....

Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890

$419. 16 15,000.00

15, 419. 16 67.76

June 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year

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

15, 351.40 8,800.00

6,551.40

792,000.00

Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1893 305,000.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

(See Appendix B 6.)

7. Manchester Harbor, Massachusetts.-Manchester Harbor is situated about 5 miles northeast from the entrance of Salem Harbor, Massachusetts.

Its outer roadstead contains 300 acres approximately, with 5 fathoms of water. Its entrance channel is 100 feet wide and 6 feet deep at mean low water up to Proctor Point; it then shoals rapidly to a depth of 14 feet at the "Narrows," 1,400 feet from Proctor Point, and for a further distance of 2,500 feet to the town wharves no low-water channel exists.

The project for its improvement is based on the survey provided for in the act of August 5, 1886. It proposes to dredge a channel from Proctor Point to the town wharves, 4,000 feet long, 60 feet wide, and 4 feet deep at mean low water, at an estimated cost of $14,300.

The total appropriations for this improvement to date have been $7,500.

The expenditures to June 30, 1890, were $109.07 and the original condition of the harbor was unchanged.

During the fiscal year a contract, which expires December 31, 1891, was entered into to dredge 22,000 cubic yards, making a channel 35 feet wide and 4 feet deep at mean low water from Proctor Point to the railroad bridge.

Operations under this contract were commenced early in June, 1891, and at the close of the fiscal year 7,316 cubic yards had been dredged. The condition of the improvement is essentially the same as on June 30, 1890.

July 1, 1890, balance unexpended............

Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890

$2,390.93

5,000.00

7,390.93

June 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year

212.40

July 1, 1891, balance unexpended..

7, 178.53

July 1, 1891, outstanding liabilities..

July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts.....

$2, 121.64
4,258.36

6,380 00

July 1, 1891, balance available

798.53

Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project

6,800.00

Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1893. 6,800.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and har

bor acts of 1866 and 1867.

(See Appendix B 7.)

8. Salem Harbor, Massachusetts. -Salem Harbor is 12 miles northward of Boston, Mass. It contains a well-sheltered, entirely unobstructed anchorage of about 110 acres, more than 18 feet deep at mean low water.

The principal city wharves are located on South River, a small stream entering the harbor. This river is 3,000 feet long, from 150 to 300 feet wide and not navigable at low tide.

The original project for the improvement of this harbor was submitted December 16, 1872. It proposed to dredge a channel of approach to the mouth of South River, 1,730 feet long, 300 feet wide, and 8 feet deep at mean low water. This project was essentially completed in 1873-75.

The present project was submitted December 2, 1889. It proposed to clear out the channel as originally dredged, and to extend it to the head of navigation, gradually reducing its width from 150 feet, at the mouth of the river, to 100 feet near the inner end of Derby Wharf, and above this to excavate a channel 50 feet wide. To the inner end of Derby Wharf the improved channel to be 8 feet deep at mean low water and above this point 6 feet deep. The total length of the improved channel to be 5,100 feet approximately.

The total appropriations to date have been $39,000.

The expenditures to June 30, 1890 were $25,000. At that date the entrance channel dredged in 1873-1875 had essentially preserved its original dimensions.

During the fiscal year a contract which expires December 31, 1891, was entered into to dredge 50,000 cubic yards. No operations were in progress during the fiscal year under this contract and the condition of the improvement at the date of this report is the same as on June 30, 1890.

Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890.
June 30, 191, amount expended during fiscal year

July 1, 1891, balance unexpended

July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts.

July 1, 1891, balance available

$14,000.00 73.65

13, 926. 35

11,000.00

2,926.35

14,000.00

Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project
Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1893 14,000.00
Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and
harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

(See Appendix B 8.)

9. Lynn Harbor, Massachusetts.-The object of this improvement is to obtain a more direct, wider, and deeper channel of approach to the city wharves. The original channels were narrow and crooked and had but 6 feet depth at mean low water, and the greater part of the harbor was bare at low water.

The project was adopted in 1884. It proposed a channel 200 feet wide and 10 feet deep at mean low water through the outer and inner bars. The outer channel is 3,610 feet long, the inner one 6,450 feet. It is supposed that the inner channel will need occasional dredging. To aid in keeping the outer channel open a training wall is proposed, if experience shall show it to be necessary.

On September 24,, 1888, it was proposed to extend the inner channel 400 feet within the harbor line and to excavate at its inner end an anchorage basin 500 by 300 feet in area, 10 feet deep at mean low water, at an estimated cost of $25,000.

The cost of the original project was estimated to be $157,000.

The total expenditures to June 30, 1890, were $75,415.32, of which $66,000 had been expended on the original project.

The condition of the improvement June 30, 1890, was as follows: The outer channel is 3,610 feet long, 200 feet wide, 10 feet deep at mean low water; the inner channel is 6,450 feet long, 150 feet wide, 10 feet deep; the anchorage basin is 125 feet wide, 500 feet long, 10 feet deep, connected with the inner channel by a cut 400 feet long, 100 feet wide, 10 feet deep. Nothing has been done on the training wall.

During the fiscal year a contract which expires December 31, 1891, was entered into to dredge 40,000 cubic yards from the interior basin, thus completing it.

No operations were in progress under this contract during the fiscal year, and the condition of the improvement remains as on June 30, 1890. The prospective benefits to commerce are increased facilities and safety to navigation.

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, amount covered by uncompleted contracts

July 1, 1891, balance available.....

$584.68 15,000.00

15,584.68

197.04

15,387.64 7,200.00

8, 187.64

$91,000.00

Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project
Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1893 50,000.00
Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and

harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

(See Appendix B 9.)

10. Winthrop Harbor, Massachusetts.-Winthrop Harbor is situated in the northeastern part of Boston Harbor. It contains 350 acres, approximately, all of which is essentially dry at low tide. The mean range of tides is 9.4 feet.

The original project for its improvement was based on the survey provided for in the act of August 5, 1886. It proposed to dredge a straight channel 3,900 feet long, 50 feet wide, 6 feet deep at mean low water, from the "Back" channel of Boston Harbor to Rice's Wharf. The total appropriations to date for this improvement have been $6,000.

No expenditures were made previous to June 30, 1890, and the original condition of the harbor then remained unaltered.

During the fiscal year a contract, which expired June 30, 1891, was entered into to dredge 20,000 cubic yards.

Operations under this contract were commenced early in May, 1891, and it was satisfactorily completed during the latter part of June, 1891, by the removal of 20,060 cubic yards.

At the date of this report the improved channel is 35 feet wide, 3 feet deep at mean low water, 3,900 feet long.

July 1, 1890, balance unexpended................

Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890

July 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year....

July 1, 1891, balance unexpended..

July 1, 1891, outstanding liabilities

July 1, 1891, balance available....

Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project
Amount that can be profitably expended iu fiscal year ending June 30, 1893
Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and
harbor acts of 1856 and 1867.

(See Appendix B 10.)

$1,000.00

5,000.00

6,000.00

2, 381. 18

3,618.82 2,944.82

674.00

11,600.00

11,600, 00

11. Boston Harbor, Massachusetts.-The object of this improvement is, first, to preserve the harbor by protecting the islands and head lands and, second, to improve it by widening, straightening, and deepening the channels.

The projects adopted for this purpose since 1866 have been mainly in accordance with the recommendations of the United States Commissioners, whose labors terminated during that year.

The works of preservation consist of sea-walls, aprons, jetties, etc., which protect the shores of the islands and headlands, prevent additional wash into the channels, control the tidal scour, and preserve the full height of anchorage shelter for vessels in the roadsteads. Such have been built or repaired at Point Allerton and the islands of Great Brewster, Lovell, Gallop, Long, Deer, Rainsford, George, and Castle.

The works of improvement have been by dredging and blasting, by which means many dangerous rocks and shoals have been removed and the main ship channel enlarged from 100 feet wide and 18 feet deep at mean low water so that it is now at least 625 feet wide and 23 feet deep at mean low water, except off the west end of Brewster Spit,

« PreviousContinue »