D 23. IMPROVEMENT OF PORT JEFFERSON HARBOR, NEW YORK. Port Jefferson Harbor is on the north shore of Long Island and about 50 miles east from New York City. It is a mile long and aver ages three-quarters of a mile wide, and a large part of the area has depths of 18 feet or more at low tide. Tributary to this harbor, on the west. are Setauket Harbor and Conscience Bay, two shallow tidal basins. Port Jefferson Harbor is surrounded on three sides by hills, and is separated from Long Island Sound on the north by a beach of sand and gravel, through which, and nearly in the axis of the harbor, is a single entrance 400 feet wide. This entrance is Port Jefferson Inlet, and through it a tidal reservoir of 2 square miles area receives and discharges some 300,000,000 cubic feet of water with every tide, producing a current whose maximum velocity exceeds 4 miles per hour. In the narrow part of the inlet the depth has always been considerable, but a short distance out into the sound was a broad, flat bar, which originally had a depth of 4 feet at low water. Until the beginning of Government improvement, in 1871, the location of this inlet had been shifting. Since 1838 it had moved westward 790 feet, an average annual rate of 24 feet. The village of Port Jefferson, with a population of about 3,000, lies at the head or south end of the harbor. The mean rise of tides at the village wharves is 6.2 feet; in Long Island Sound, outside the inlet, it is 7 feet. The difference is wholly in the low-water levels. PROJECTS FOR IMPROVEMENT. A survey of the harbor was made in 1853 by Lieutenant Harrison, U. S. Engineers. In 1870 an examination was ordered by Congress. The first project for improvement was submitted by General Warren. January 16, 1871, after an examination, and provided for building a jetty on the east side of the entrance, extending out to the 9-foot curve and rising to 11 feet above mean low water, to be built partly of dimension stone; also for dredging a channel 200 feet wide and 7 feet deep at mean low water through the bar. (See Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1871, page 805.) The estimated cost was as follows: Construction of jetty Total..... $150, 125 15,000 165, 125 When the project was adopted, under the appropriation of March 3. 1871, it was provided that the jetty should be of rip-rap; rising only to the level of mean high water, except between the high and low water marks on the beach, where it was to be carried to the level of the highest tides; but no change was made in estimates. Under this appropriation 600 feet of the jetty were built; and under the appropriation of June 10, 1872, it was extended to 1,052 feet. An estimate made in 1873 of the cost of completion ($35,000) made the estimate for the whole project $65,000. In 1875 a modification of the project, based on the observed effect of the jetty, was made, providing for a jetty on the west side of the entrance, about 1,075 feet long, and rising 4 feet above mean high water, designed to increase the force of the tidal currents. The width of the channel was also reduced to 100 feet. No new esti mate was submitted at the time, but in 1877, after about $8,000 had been expended on the west jetty, it was estimated that $12,250 would be required to complete it, or $20,250 in all. A revised estimate, made in the same year, for the whole improvement, contemplated extending the east jetty to the 9-foot curve, extending the west jetty 600 feet farther, and dredging a channel 100 feet wide and 8 feet deep (this increase of depth on account of increased draft of vessels using the harbor), at an estimated cost of $34,000; $45,000 had then been appropriated and nearly expended, making the total estimate from the beginning $79,000 (including $6,000 appropriated in 1876 and then unexpended). This estimate was incorrectly reported in 1878, but reverted to in 1879, and repeated in each subsequent annual report. In 1877 one cut 25 feet wide and 8 feet deep was dredged through the bar. The channel was dredged to a width of 100 feet under the appropriation of March 3, 1879. In 1877 the east jetty was raised to a height of 5 feet above mean high water and extended 50 feet. In 1878 the west jetty was extended 450 feet, but the height was made only 2 feet above mean low water, except the outer end and an intermediate point, which were raised to 4 feet above mean high water, to serve as guides. Between 1879 and 1883 both jetties were extended and repaired, making their respective lengths 1,390 feet for the east jetty and 940 feet for the west. This completed the then existing project. By act of Congress of August 11, 1888, an examination of Port Jefferson Inlet was ordered. A preliminary examination was found sufficient, with recent Coast Survey charts, for all required purposes, and with the report on this examination dated December 5, 1888, and printed in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1889, Part I, page 751, were presented plans and estimates for making and maintaining channels through the inlet of 10 and 12 feet depth, respectively. The 10-foot channel was considered by interested parties as sufficient for present needs. The estimates in detail were as follows: For channel 10 feet deep and 200 feet wide: Repairing and enlarging east jetty Contingencies, say. Total.. $34, 200 18, 150 25, 390 12, 260 90,000 Commencement of work under this project for 10 feet depth was approved by the Secretary of War November 1, 1890, after an appropriation had been made for "the project to give a channel 10 feet deep and 200 feet wide." OPERATIONS DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1891. By act of Congress approved September 19, 1890, $25,000 were appropriated for "improving harbor at Port Jefferson Inlet in the project to give a channel 10 feet deep and 200 feet wide." It was proposed to apply $15,000 of this amount to repairing and enlarging the jetties and $10,000 to dredging. After due advertisement, proposals for riprap for the jetties were received, and under date of February 3, 1891, a contract was entered into with Humphrey Toomey, of Guilford, Conn., to enlarge the jetties, furnishing and placing about 9,000 tons of riprap granite, at the rate of $1.50 per ton. Delivery of stone under this contract was begun May 1, and up to the close of the fiscal year 1,464 tons had been delivered and placed upon the east jetty, partly completing the work of enlargement over a distance of about 600 feet. The contract is still in progress. PRESENT CONDITION OF IMPROVEMENT. The east jetty is from zero to 2 feet above high water, except in such places as it has been built up under the existing contract. The peaks in the outer half of the west jetty, built 4 feet above high water, now stand at about high-water level; the low part, built to about 2 feet above low tide, is in fair condition; the shore end, built to 4 feet above high water, is now about 2 feet above high water. The dredged channel retains its depth of 8 feet at mean low water, but the width has decreased from 100 feet to 75 feet. PROPOSED OPERATIONS. With the available funds it is proposed to continue repairing and enlarging the jetties, and to dredge a channel between them of 10 feet depth, and width as great as practicable. Future appropriations will be applied to completing the work provided for in the project. Appropriations for Port Jefferson Harbor have been made as follows: Port Jefferson is a port of delivery in the collection district of New York. There is a light-house on Old Field Point, 14 miles west of the harbor entrance. Fort Hale, New Haven Harbor, Connecticut, 23 miles distant is the nearest work of de fense. Money statement. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended....... Amount appropriated by act approved September 19, 1890 $347.76 25,000.00 25, 374.76 326. ST June 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year. July 1, 1891, balance unexpended. 25, 047.8 July 1, 1891, outstanding liabilities.. $2,335. 31 July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts 11, 302.00 13, 637.31 July 1, 1891, balance available..... 11, 410. Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.. 65.000.00 harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. Abstract of proposals for enlarging jetties at Port Jefferson Inlet, New York, opened January 15, 1891, by Col. D. C. Houston, Corps of Engineers. * Lowest bid; entered into contract February 3, 1891; in progress. NOTE.-Amount available for contract work, about $13,500. Abstract of contract for enlarging jetties at Port Jefferson Inlet, New York, in force during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891. Name and address of contractor. Humphrey Toomey, Guilford, Conn... Steamers. Total.. COMMERCIAL STATISTICS FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR 1890. Arrivals and departures of vessels (estimated). Total number of tons. 42, 325 $1,210,000 300 2 516 185 13, 332 60 3,600 IMPROVEMENT OF HUNTINGTON HARBOR, NEW YORK. Huntington Harbor is a land-locked basin about 2 miles long and a quarter of a mile wide, extending in a crooked but generally southern direction from Huntington Bay, from which it is separated by a beach of sand and gravel, through the western end of which a narrow inlet (about 300 feet wide) connects the harbor and bay. ENG 91- -52 The bay is a large, deep harbor of refuge, on the north shore of Long Island, about 40 miles east from New York City. The harbor has an available depth of about 8 feet at mean low water through the entrance and more than half way up, but in the three-quarters of a mile nearest the head or south end of the harbor the original channel was narrow and decreasing in depth to zero at low tide. Huntington Village lies about a mile south of the head of the harbor; it has 4,000 to 5,000 population. The mean rise of tide is 7.2 feet. PROJECTS FOR IMPROVEMENT. By act of Congress approved March 3, 1871, a survey of this harbor was authorized. It was made in that year, and with the report, dated December 11, 1871, and printed in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1872, page 907, was submitted an estimate of $22,780 as the cost of dredging out a shoal at the entrance to the harbor and of extending the 8-foot channel 150 feet wide for about 2,000 feet up to the old wharf, the property of the town. By act of Congress of June 10, 1872, $22,500 were appropriated for the harbor, and the project for improvement was completed in April, 1883, the outer shoal being removed to 8 feet depth, and the 8-foot channel being extended 2,200 feet to the old town wharf; the width of 150 feet was, however, reduced to 130 in the last 900 feet length on account of exhaustion of funds. It had been contemplated to dump most of the dredged material in the flats in the harbor, but, on account of much local opposition, this was abandoned after about 2,000 yards had been dumped there, and the rest of the dredged material was deposited in deep water in Long Island Sound. The amount dredged was 91,78 cubic yards. The river and harbor act of July 5, 1884, ordered a survey or examination of this harbor. A survey was made the same year, the report on which (printed in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 188, Part I, page 703 et seq.) contains a plan for restoring and maintaining the depth of 8 feet made by dredging in 1872 and 1873, but subse quently lost by settling of the banks, with estimate of cost for carrying the channel up to the old town dock, as follows: Dredging 84,000 cubic yards, at 25 cents per cubic yard... Superintendence and contingencies. Total... $21,00 7. 28.00 4, 32,000 with an estimate of additional cost of $10,000, should it be decided to carry the channel up to the last wharf on the east side, a distance of 800 feet farther. The beginning of work under this project was approved by the Secre tary of War November 3, 1890, after an appropriation for the improvement had been made by Congress. OPERATIONS DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1891. The river and harbor act of 1890 appropriated $10,000 for improving Huntington Harbor. Upon request of a large number of citizens of Huntington it was decided to expend this appropriation in dredging, |