pany's wharf and the 15-foot channel, 750 feet wide, around and to the eastward of the dolphin on Goat Island Spit, had been completed, with the exception of a narrow strip along the western edge and to the north of the dolphin. The increase of width to be made between the 15-foot curves at the southern entrance by dredging in the spit south of Goat Island had been completed. The berth for vessels at the quar termaster's wharf at Fort Adams had been deepened to 10 feet at mean low water, and the littoral sand from the outside of Goat Island had been stopped for the present from washing into the channel at the southern entrance of the harbor by the construction of a jetty on the west side of the island. The southern entrance is completed for vessels of 15 feet draught, and of the total area to be dredged within the harbor (about 90 acres) about two-thirds had been completed. At the beginning of the last fiscal year no work was in progress. Work was commenced February 7, 1891, and completed April 18, 1891. The expenditures during the year resulted in the dredging of the strip along the western edge of the 15-foot channel north of the dolphin, and 6 acres of the 10-foot anchorage area. The work required to complete the existing project is the dredging of the remainder of the narrow strip along the western edge of the 15-foot channel north of the dolphin and the excavation of the 10-foot anchorage area; also the building of additional jetties outside of Goat Island whenever they may be required to arrest the drift of littoral sand and gravel into the harbor entrance. The balance available and the amount asked for, $27,500, are to be applied to continuing the improvement. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended... Received by Treasury settlement Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890. June 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year $11.68 5.09 12,500.00 12,516.77 11, 200.89 July 1, 1891, balance unexpended July 1, 1891, outstanding liabilities... July 1, 1891, balance available...... 1,315.88 1,295.88 20.00 27,500.00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1893 27,500.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix C 14.) 15. Harbor of refuge at Point Judith, Rhode Island.-Point Judith is the southeastern extremity of South Kingston, R. I., and marks the southwestern entrance to Narragansett Bay. A long ledge, known as Squid Ledge, extends for nearly a mile in a south by easterly direction about 1 miles west of the Point. The object of the improvement is to afford a harbor of refuge for passing vessels. The plan of improvement contemplates the construction of riprap breakwaters on Squid Ledge and between the southern extremity of this ledge and Point Judith. This is a new work. By act of September 19, 1890, Congress appropriated $75,000 for the work. Preparations have been made for carrying on the work by hired labor. A beacon has been established on the outer end of Squid Ledge, and the construction of the two arms extending one to the north and the It is proposed to apply the balance available and the appropriation $75,000.00 July 1, 1891, balance unexpended. July 1, 1891, balance available...... 44, 300.00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project...... 1, 175, 000.00 300,000.00 Submitted in compliance with the requirements of sections 2 of river (See Appendix C 15.) 16. Harbor of refuge at Block Island, Rhode Island.-The object of the improvement is to furnish a harbor of refuge for vessels engaged in foreign and coastwise commerce. Before the construction of the present harbor Block Island had no harbor which afforded protection for decked vessels. The original project and its subsequent modifications provide for a harbor of refuge on the eastern side of the island, consisting of an inner harbor or basin for small vessels and an exterior for large ones. The basin was to be about 250 feet by 300 feet in area and inclosed, with the exception of an opening 80 feet wide. The exterior harbor was to be formed by a riprap breakwater, which has been built. About 300 feet from the sea end of this breakwater, which is 1,900 feet long, a gap 200 feet long was left for the convenience of vessels. The present project contemplates the enlargement of the inner harbor. The total expenditures to June 30, 1890, were $354,125.59. The inner harbor and the main break water, built in prolongation of the eastern side of the inner harbor, and extending 1,900 feet from the shore, were constructed in the years 1870 to 1879, inclusive. The utility of the work at once became apparent. In stormy weather the inner harbor, especially, was filled with fishermen and coasters, and it soon became necessary to increase its depth from 7 feet, to which it had been dredged in the first instance, to 9 feet at mean low water. A strong jetty had been built out from the cliff to the eastward of the inner harbor, and a masonry wall constructed on the inside of the crib work forming the eastern side of the inner harbor. The filling of the gap in the main break water had been completed. The timber jetty, filled with stone, forming the shore end of the western wall of the enlarged inner harbor and about 160 feet of its north wall had been finished, and about 140 feet of the wall west of the opening into the harbor had been built to the level of mean high water. The shoal west of the breakwater had been dredged to a depth of 9 feet, from the steamboat wharf to within 100 feet of the north wall. By act of September 19, 1890, Congress appropriated $15,000 for continuing the work. The work was carried on by hired labor. The north wall was extended to the westward, the foundation reaching to within 50 feet of the end. The balance on hand and the amount asked for, $24,000, will be applied to the continuation of the work under the existing project. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890: June 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year..... $2, 171.48 15,000.00 17, 171.48 July 1, 1891, balance unexpended July 1, 1891, balance available ..... 7,726.45 9,445.03 4,861.03 4,584.00 24,000.00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1893 24,000.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix C 16.) 17. Pawcatuck River, Rhode Island and Connecticut.-The navigable part of the Pawcatuck River extends from the town of Westerly to Little Narragansett Bay, and the object of the improvement is to deepen and widen this channel. Before improvement, the channel was crooked and obstructed by numerous shoals, on some of which there was but 14 feet of water at mean low water. By appropriations made in the years 1871 to 1875 the river was improved by the excavation of a channel 5 feet deep at mean low water and 75 feet wide below the wharves and from 35 to 40 feet wide between the upper and lower wharves. The present project contemplates the further widening of the channel to 100 feet below the wharves and by an additional width of two cuts of an ordinary dredging machine, or about 40 feet, between the lower and upper wharves; also the deepening of the entire channel to 8 feet at mean low water. The amount expended on the present project to June 30, 1890, including outstanding liabilities, was $20,862.62, and the result was the completion of the channel from the deep water opposite the village of Lottery to a point near the upper end of Major's Island. At the beginning of the last fiscal year no work was in progress. Operations were resumed April 28, 1891, and were in progress at the close of the fiscal year. The channel has been extended to a point about 1,000 feet above Major's Island. The balance available, $3,885, will be applied to the extension of the channel according to the project. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended.. Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890. $482.04 13.08 16, 600.00 17,095. 12 6, 260.43 Received by Treasury settlement June 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year July 1, 1891, balance unexpended. 10, 834. 69 July 1, 1891, outstanding liabilities.. July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts $3,286.05 6,949.69 July 1, 1891, balance available .... 3,885.00 (See Appendix C 17.) 18. Harbor of refuge at Stonington, Connecticut.-Stonington Harbor originally was an open bay, unprotected from southerly storms and obstructed by a shoal having a low-water depth of but 6 feet at the shoalest part. A short breakwater was constructed in the years 1828–31, at a cost of $34,766.65, for the protection of the commerce of the town. The enlarged project of 1871 for the improvement of the harbor, and its subsequent modification, under which work is now carried on, embraced dredging in the upper harbor and the construction of two breakwaters in the outer harbor. One of these, the western, was to be built out from Wamphassuck Point, the southwestern limit of the harbor, and to extend about 2,000 feet; and the other, the eastern, was to extend from the vicinity of Bartlett Reef to the Middle Ground. The western breakwater was completed in 1880, at a cost of $103,190. The amount expended in dredging in the upper harbor was about 45,000. The position of the western end of the eastern breakwater has not been determined. The amount expended on the eastern breakwater up to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1890, was $115,852.23, and its length at that date was 2,290 feet. By act of September 19, 1890, Congress appropriated $12,500 for the continuation of the work. Work was commenced December 10, 1890, by hired labor, and was in progress at the close of the fiscal year. The eastern breakwater was extended 87 feet to a point about 2,377 feet from its eastern extremity. The balance on hand and the amount asked for, $12,500, will be expended in extending the eastern breakwater farther to the westward. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended.. Received by Treasury settlement 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..... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project ... (See Appendix C 18.) 137.69 24.89 12,500.00 12,662.58 9, 462.38 3, 200, 20 2,710.20 490.00 12,500.00 12, 500.00 19. Removing sunken vessels or craft obstructing or endangering navigation.-Wreck of schooner Benjamin Gartside.-This vessel was sunk by collision October 5, 1889, while lying at anchor about 2 miles from Handkerchief light ship. She was loaded with a cargo of coal. A contract for removal of the wreck was made, and work was commenced June 18, 1890, and completed September 15, 1890. The property recovered was sold at public auction and the proceeds covered into the Treasury. Wreck of schooner Weybosset in the channel through Pollock Rip Shoals, Massachusetts.-This vessel struck on the shoals and sank August 13, 1890, near the bell buoy north of Pollock Rip light-ship. She was loaded with paving stone. A contract for the removal of the wreck was made and entered into, and the work was completed June 6, 1891. Wreck of schooner Josiah Whitehouse.-This vessel was sunk by collision October 12, 1890, about 33 miles from Gay Head Light. She was loaded with a cargo of coal. A contract for the removal of the wreck was made and entered into, and the work was completed December 31, Wreck of schooner S. S. Bickmore. This vessel caught fire and sank in Hyannis Harbor October 20, 1890. She was loaded with a cargo of lime. A contract for removal of the wreck was made and entered into, and the work was completed June 6, 1891. (See Appendix C 19.) 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, Major Livermore, and reports thereon submitted through Col. Henry L. Abbot, Corps of Engineers, Division Engineer, Northeast Division. It is the opinion of Major Livermore, 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. Narragansett Bay Channel, Rhode Island, between Starve Goat Island and the mainland, with a view of deepening the same.-Printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 173. (See also Appendix C 20.) 2. Watch Hill Cove, Rhode Island, in Little Narragansett Bay. - Printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 174. (See also Appendix C 21.) The required preliminary examination of Newport Harbor, Rhode Island, South of Goat Island, with a view to the removal of the Spit at the south end of the Island, was made by the local engineer in charge, Major Livermore, and report thereon submitted through Col. Henry L. Abbot, Corps of Engineers, Division Engineer, Northeast Division. It is the opinion of Major Livermore and of the Division Engineer, 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 proposed improvement contemplates the removal of the shoal at the south end of Goat Island to a depth of 15 feet at mean low water, the cost of which is estimated at $24,200. The report was transmitted to Congress and printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 180, Fifty-first Congress, second session. (See also Appendix C 22.) The required preliminary examinations of the following localities were made by the local engineer in charge, Major Livermore, and reports thereon submitted through Col. Henry L. Abbot, Corps of Engineers, Division Engineer, Northeast Division. It is the opinion of Major Livermore, and of the Division Engineer, based upon the facts and reasons given, that these localities are worthy of improvement. The conclusions of these officers being concurred in by me, Major Liv ermore was charged with their survey, the reports of which will be submitted when received. 1. Menemsha Bite [Bight], Massachusetts, an outlet into Vineyard Sound, on the north shore of the island of Martha's Vineyard, with a view of preventing the closing of said inlet. 2. Canapitsit channel, Massachusetts, between the island of Cuttyhunk and Neshawana, with a view of deepening the same and clearing the channel from obstructions to navigation. |