B 17. IMPROVEMENT OF HARBOR AT PROVINCETOWN, MASSACHUSETTS. Provincetown Harbor is situated at the extremity of Cape Cod, about 40 miles southeast from Boston Light. It is one of the most valuable harbors of refuge on the Atlantic coast. The entire commerce of New England, and a very large local fishing interest, are directly benefited by its maintenance, which depends entirely on the preservation of the sandy beaches which inclose it. Since 1826 the project has been a general one, and provides for the preservation of the harbor by building dikes, bulkheads, and sandcatches, and extensive planting of beach grass to repair or prevent storm damages to the beaches. From the nature of the work it can at no time be considered completed. A full history of the improvements will be found in the Annual Reports of the Chief of Engineers for the years 1876, 1879, and 1886. A special dike across House Point Island Flats, to be built contingently, was recommended in the Annual Report for 1886. A plan of the harbor was published in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1886. The total appropriations or allotments for this work to date have been $153,978.44. The amount expended to June 30, 1890, was $143,063.66. The condition of the improvement on that date was as follows: LONG POINT. This long, narrow, low point forms the southeastern limit of the harbor. Its northerly end was fully protected from easterly storm action; but the northwestern part of the point, opposite the fog-signal station, has for some time been abraded by storms, and to secure the light-house tract it will probably be necessary to extend the breakwater protecting the easterly shore 250 feet to the south and west. The northwestern part of Long Point, between a point 2,000 feet west of Wood End Light and Abel Hill Dike, was narrow and low and needed additional protection. ABEL HILL DIKE. This dike was built to prevent the rush of water from Lancey's Harbor over House Point Island Flats into the main harbor. The rapid wearing away of the southern sandspit that forms Lancey's Harbor had threatened to make a breach through the beach south of the dike. To guard against this, brush and wooden sand-catches had been built on the outer beach opposite the west end of the dike. They were all in good order. HOUSE POINT ISLAND FLATS. These flats remained essentially unaltered from the condition shown by the last survey, and, as stated in the Annual Report for 1887, it still appears unnecessary to commence the dike projected to be built across these flats. The most of the grass planted during the year 1888 had rooted and was growing at the date of this report. BEACH POINT, HIGH HEAD DIKE, AND COVE SECTION. These works were all in good order. The river and harbor act of September 19, 1890, appropriated for this improvement $7,500. Of this amount it was proposed to expend $6,000 in providing additional protection to Long Point at its weakest section west of Wood End Light. The necessary material was secured by inviting bids by circular letters, and it was delivered early in June, 1891. During the remainder of the month the work of construction was com menced with a force of hired labor. The bulkhead when completed will be 2,000 feet long, with groins connecting it with the grassed bluff in its rear. At the close of the fiscal year the several works of preservation are in essentially the same condition as on June 30, 1890. The nature of the works of preservation of the harbor requires a small sum to be always available for immediate repairs. Such necessary repairs have averaged $1,500 per annum. The prospective benefit to commerce is the preservation of an impor tant harbor of refuge. Provincetown is a port of entry in the collection district of Barnstable, Mass. The nearest light-houses are Wood End and Long Point Lights. The accompanying commercial statistics have been furnished by the deputy collector at the port of Provincetown, Mass. Money statement. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended..... Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890. $3,414.78 7,500.00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project . 1,500.00 1,500.00 COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. Amount of revenue collected, 1890, $111.58; 1891, $1,932.75. Four thousand vessels of all sizes visited the port during the year, mostly for shelter. B 18. IMPROVEMENT OF HARBOR AT CHATHAM, MASSACHUSETTS. Chatham Harbor is at the eastern end of Nantucket Sound, about 15 miles east of Hyannis, Massachusetts. Its outer anchorage, known as Chatham Roads, is a capacious, deep, unobstructed, harbor of refuge from northerly and easterly gales. The inner harbor, locally known as "Stage" Harbor, is small, but well land-locked. It is about one-half mile long, 500 to 600 feet wide, and has 8 to 12 feet depth at mean low water. Its entrance is obstructed by three bars, on which the depth at mean low water is not to exceed 4 feet. The mean rise or fall of the tide is 5 feet. The project for the improvement of the inner harbor was submitted December 19, 1890, and was based on a survey made in October, 1890. It proposed to dredge a channel 6 feet deep, at mean low water, through the three obstructing bars, 100 feet wide at the inner bar, 150 feet wide at the middle bar, and 200 feet wide at the outer bar, at an estimated cost of $10,000. But one appropriation has been made for this improvement, viz: This sum it is proposed to expend in dredging a channel 100 feet wide and 6 feet deep through the three bars. Bids for this work were invited by public advertisement, dated January 10, 1891, and the proposals received were rejected as excessive. No other operations were in progress during the year. The work will be again advertised during the summer months. To complete the improvement will require an appropriation of $5,000, all of which could be expended to advantage during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893. Chatham Harbor is in the collection district of Barnstable, Mass., of which Barnstable is the port of entry; the nearest light-house is Harding Beach Light. The accompanying commercial statistics have been furnished by the collector at Barnstable, Mass. Money statement. Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890. July 1, 1891, balance unexpended.......... $5,000.00 398.81 4, 601. 19 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project 5,000.00 5,000.00 Abstract of proposals for dredging from Chatham Harbor, Massachusetts, opened February 10, 1891, by Lieut. Col. S. M. Mansfield, Corps of Engineers. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF NORTH RIVER, SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS, FROM BEVERLY BRIDGE TO THE NORTH STREET BRIDGE. [Printed in House Ex. Doc. No. 28, Fifty-first Congress, second session.] OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith the accompanying copy of report, dated November 13, 1890, from Lieut. Col. S. M. Mansfield, Corps of Engineers, giving results of preliminary examination of North River, Salem, Mass., from Beverly Bridge to the North Street Bridge, made to comply with provisions of the river and harbor act approved September 19, 1890. Lieutenant-Colonel Mansfield reports that, with its limited present and prospective commerce, he is of the opinion that North River at this point is not worthy of improvement by the General Government. I concur in this opinion. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, THOS. LINCOLN CASEY, Brig. Gen., Chief of Engineers. REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL S. M. MANSFIELD, CORPS OF ENGINEERS. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Boston, Mass., November 13, 1890. GENERAL: In compliance with instructions contained in letter from your office, dated September 20, 1890, I have the honor to submit the following report of a preliminary examination of North River, Salem, Mass., from Beverly Bridge to the North Street Bridge, provided for in the river and harbor act approved September 19, 1890. North River borders the city of Salem on the north and west, flows northeastwardly and enters Beverly Harbor lying just east of Beverly Street Bridge. It averages a quarter of a mile in width between the high-water lines, within the limits of this examination, and its low-water channel carries from 3 feet of water at the North Street Bridge to 6 feet water at the line of Marsh street, Salem, in a crooked course through about the middle of the flats. In North Salem are two or three wharves near North Street Bridge, where there is annually delivered by light-draft vessels about 4,500 to 5,000 tons of coal, a dozen cargoes of wood and bark, and a half dozen cargoes of building materials. The east side of the river is now of no commercial importance and is almost entirely owned by the Eastern Division of the Boston and Maine Railroad, whose track skirts it. The Naumkeag Street Railway Company have recently purchased a tract of land upon the western shore and propose to erect thereon an electric-power plant which will require delivered to it about 5,000 tons of coal annually. Under chapter 194 of the acts of the general court of Massachusetts, in the year 1884, the city of Salem acquired possession of the flats in the river; section 1 of said act reads as follows: For the purpose of abating the nuisance in the city of Salem in that part of the North River lying easterly of North street, the said city may, from time to time, purchase or otherwise take any or all of the lands or flats in the said North River in Salem lying easterly of North street, and northerly of the location of the Eastern Railroad, and fill and raise the same to such grade as may be deemed necessary or expedient; or said city may dredge any flats taken by it under the authority of this act or heretofore taken by it under authority of chapter one hundred and eighty-five of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and eighty-three. On three separate occasions within 10 years the city of Salem has dredged out the channel of the river at an expense altogether of $20,000; the last dredging was done about 2 years ago. I understand the river is again in need of dredging to remove the discomfort occasioned by the accumulation in it of filth from the town of Peabody, which empties its sewage into the river, and the refuse from a long line of tanneries, glue factories, and cotton-cleaning establishments discharged into the river above. Repeated dredging of this basin has become a necessity to remove the nuisance, and so long as it is permitted to use the river for this purpose, periodical dredging will be required in the interest of the health and comfort of the people of Salem. Taking into consideration the present condition and use of the river, with its limited present and prospective commerce, I am of opinion that it is not worthy of improvement by the General Government. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, S. M. MANSFIELD, Lieutenant-Colonel of Engineers. |