necting with the precise level line of 1892 the Commission's gauges at Blair, Nebr.; Plattsmouth, Nebr.; Nebraska City, Nebr.; Rulo, Nebr.; Brownville, Nebr.; Randolph, Mo., and Dewitt, Mo., referred to in Secretary's last Annual Report, was completed in the office. A small party under Assistant Engineer Turner was engaged between September 23 and November 3, 1893, in connecting by carefully checked Y levels with the precise level line such stone lines as had not been been connected with when the precise level line was run. Levels were also rerun by the party over ten stone lines, on which the original notes showed that the levels had not been properly checked. The notes of the party's work have since been reduced in the office. Comparative profiles were made showing, from St. Joseph to the mouth, the discrepancies between the Commission's direct and reverse precise level line of 1892, the precise level line of the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, and the Commission's stone line levels of 1884-1890. The locations of all the precise level bench marks from the mouth of the river to Sioux City have been plotted on the office detail maps. The level notes of all the stone lines, from the mouth to Sioux City and from Fort Benton, Mont., to Three Forks, Mont., have been recomputed. A list and descriptions of all the Commission's bench marks between these same points are being prepared for publication and are nearly completed. Full details of the year's level work in field and office will be found in Assistant Engineer Turner's report (Appendix A 2). Special Surveys.-A survey was made December 18-21, 1893, at the St. Charles bridge, to determine locations and elevations of obstructions, composed of loose rock and remains of old cribs and dykes, under and near the first span from the St. Charles side. Careful measurements were made at the two bridges over the Missouri River below Sioux City-Bellefontaine Bluffs, Missouri and Leavenworth, Kans.-completed during the fiscal year, to determine the lowest points of superstructure, clear opening between piers, and width and batter of piers.* At the latter bridge a survey was also made to determine location of certain dikes constructed by the bridge company. The following special surveys were made under the direction of the division engineers during the year: Little Tavern Creek, Missouri, to Rhineland Landing, Missouri. Missouri River at Murrays Bend. Missouri River at Barkersville Crossing. Head of Stanley Island, Missouri, to Little Tavern Creek, Missouri. Osage Point, Missouri, to Hords Landing, Missouri. Little Tavern Creek, Missouri, to mouth of Gasconade River, Missouri. In addition to the above, Division Engineer Fox kept a small survey party almost continuously in the field during construction operations, sounding on ranges and dike lines, giving grade and line to dike parties, on slope observations, partial shore line work, establishment and verification of local gauges, and in miscellaneous work incident thereto. GAUGES AND PHYSICAL DATA. At the date of the last Annual Report 21 permanent gauges were maintained by the Commission. These have been read continuously during the year. The readings of the standard cable gauge on the bridge at Randolph, Mo., began July 2, 1893, and have since been continuous. A standard cable gauge was established March 13, 1894, on the new railway bridge at Bellefontaine Bluffs, Missouri, and has since been read regularly. In addition to these temporary gauges have been maintained by the division engineers, readings of which have been sent weekly to this office as follows: From Ewings Landing, Missouri, throughout the year; from Herman, Mo., for 7 months, and from Gasconade, Mo., for 7 months. Readings have also been received weekly throughout the year from the gauge at Bismark, N. Dak., and for portions of the year from the gauges at Fort Benton, Mont.; Wolf Point, Mont.; Fort Buford, N. Dak., and Running Water, S. Dak. Through the courtesy of Capt. H. F. Hodges, Corps of Engineers, the Commission has been furnished with all records of the upper river gauges on file in his office, thus completeing the record of all gauges on the river to the end of the present fiscal year. Three complete tours of inspection of all the gauges below the Big Sioux River have been satisfactorily made during the year by Assistant Engineer L. P. Butler; one in September, 1893; one in November and December, 1893, and one in May and June, 1894. At the November-December inspection all the gauges were regraduated or so changed as to read precise level elevations above the St. Louis Directrix. New The results of these measurements are shown in the table appended (Appendix A 3) and on the accompanying plate. inclined wooden gauges were erected at Brownville, Nebr., and Dewitt, Mo., and all necessary repairs to the gauges were made. The pilot bulletin service, exhibiting the daily stage of the river at all the Commission's gauges below Kansas City, was discontinued for the winter at the end of November. The service at Kansas City was, at the request of local steamboatmen, continued through the winter. At the guage stations below Kansas City the service was resumed March 16. A bulletin was erected in the spring on the new bridge at Bellefontaine Bluffs, Missouri, exhibiting its first reading April 16. The bulletins indicate heights above a zero 5 feet below the mean low-water stage during navigation seasons at each station; and their readings should agree exactly with those of the Weather Bureau at Kansas City, and should differ but slightly there from at other stations. Full details of the year's gauge work will be found in the report of Assistant Engineer A. H. Blaisdell. (Appendix A 4.) The results of borings made in the river valley at Leavenworth, Kans., Jefferson City, Mo., and St. Charles, Mo., since the date of the last report on borings, will be found in an appended report. (Appendix A 5.) Assistant Engineer J. A. Seddon has carried his study of flood movement as far up the river as Kansas City, and has made a preliminary study of regimen throughout the same length of river. The outline is given in his report. (Appendix A 6.) Assistant Engineer C. M. Winchell has prepared an index of the survey and physi cal data published in the annual reports of the Missouri River Commission from 1885 to 1893, inclusive. (Appendix A 7.) COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. Methods similar to those of last year have been followed for obtaining the amount of commerce on the Missouri River for the calendar year 1893. The results are given in the report on this subject appended. (Appendix A 8.) ESTIMATES. Office and traveling expenses and salaries of commission.. Total. APPENDIX A 1. $20,000 30,000 50,000 ANNUAL REPort of 0. B. WHEELER, ASSISTANT ENGINEER, 1894. OFFICE MISSOURI RIVER COMMISSION, SIR: I have the honor to report herewith upon the field work and reductions of survey work done by Assistant Engineer O. H. B. Turner and myself in July and August last, viz: First. Setting a geodetic and elevation monument, together with a meridian stone on the State capitol grounds at Jefferson City, Mo. Second. Connecting the commission's secondary triangulation system with the primary triangulation system of the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey at Kansas City, Mo. The purpose of the monuments at Jefferson City is to record latitude, longitude, elevation, and a true meridian on the State capitol grounds. The stones are of Missouri red granite, or syenite, and are of the following dimensions: The larger one is 20 inches by 20 inches in section and 81 inches long over all; the smaller, 8 inches by 8 inches in section and 574 inches long over all. Both stones are placed 48 inches in the ground and for this length have the quarry face. For 30 inches above the ground the larger stone is dressed and polished on all sides and terminates at the top in a truncated pyramid 3 inches in height with an upper base 14 inches square. For 8 inches above the ground the smaller stone is patent hammer dressed on three sides and dressed and polished on the fourth, and terminates at the top in a truncated pyramid 1 inches high with an upper base 14 inches square. In each stone in the center of the small upper base is set vertically a bolt of hard-hammered brass one-half inch in diameter and 24 inches long with a slightly convex head. A hole of one-sixteenth inch diameter and one-half inch deep is drilled vertically The positions of these same two points when made to depend upon data of the Missouri River triangulation given in the Commission's report for 1887 and our present angles are: Or the difference in position as given by the two systems of survey for the courthouse is 6.41 in latitude and 1.50 in longitude; the Coast Survey determination being greater in latitude and less in longitude. A like comparison at Jefferson City, noticed earlier in this report, gives 6.22 in latitude and 2.06" in longitude. Hence the discrepancy between the two surveys is 6.41-6.22′′'+0.19 +19 feet in latitude and 1.50"-2.06′′-0.56" 44 feet in longitude in a net of triangulation of about 160 miles length between Independence and Jefferson City. Since the azimuth error in this nearly east and west direction can affect the discrepancy in longitude but little, this 44 feet may be taken to represent the approximately true discrepancy in distance between the two surveys. This discrepancy is approximately three-tenths of a foot in a mile, or one in 15,000, and is too small to be shown on the scale of any map covering so great a distance. The following tables give the geodetic positions of points in the vicinity of Kansas City referred to the latitude and longitude of Morrison Observatory, or to the data of the Commission as given in their report for 1887: Central Presbyterian church (spire). Second Presbyterian church (spire U. S. C. and G. S.). College of Redemptorist Fathers, cupola (U. S. C. and G. S.). County line between Platte and Clay counties which was originally Bridge (north end embankment), Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Bridge (north pier, east side), Hannibal and St. Joseph R. R. Evans (roof over elevator shaft) Stations. Azimuth. 5 44 20. 0 69 23 09.8 40 07 02.2 Wayne to bridge, Chicago, Milwaukee and Kansas City to bridge, Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Kansas City to New York Life 88 32 43.7 202 36 35.9 64 48 18.3 328 39 28.6 12.589.5 21, 171.3 15, 010, 6 10,359, 6 10, 882. 7 3.837 2 3,072.3 6.453 3,247.9 4, 159.9 11, 104.6 1, 267.9 3, 384.7 Descriptions of stations Buster, Wayne, and Kansas City are given in the Commission's report for 1887. Those stations marked U. S. C. & G. S. may be had from the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey Office, and the new ones which it was practicable to mark are as follows: Rice is about 14 miles southwest from Raytown, Mo., on a high ridge between the Little and Big Blue rivers, on land owned by Mr. E. C. Rice. It is near the center of the SW. 4 of the NW. of sec. 8, T. 48 N., R. 32 W. It is 120 paces south from the north side of the 40 and 174 paces east from the stone fence of the road along the west side of the 40 paces (assumed to be 3 feet each). It is marked by a 2-inch iron pile 4 feet in length, driven down nearly flush with the surface of the ground. Section corner on State line is that between the fractional sections 26 and 35 of T. 12 S. and R. 23 E. from the sixth principal meridian. Bridge, Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul, is 128.5 feet northerly from the center of the north pier of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad bridge, in line with the west guard rail prolonged, is on the curved embankment 5 feet west from the west rail, and about 4 feet east from a signal post. It is a gas pipe driven into the ground with its top 3 inches below surface. Bridge, Hannibal and St. Joseph, is a nail of the survey of 1890 driven in a masonry joint on the east end of the north pier of the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad bridge. Bridge, Missouri Pacific, is on the east end of the north pier of the Missouri Pacific Railroad bridge over the Kaw River. It is a nail wedged between the iron bed plates and is 5 inches west from the east edges of the bed plates. New York Life is on the roof of the New York Life Insurance building, near the northeast corner. It is a cross cut in the tile of the roof at a distance of 2.68 feet from the east wall and 2.50 feet from the north wall. Evans is on the building of the Evans Drug Company, on Fifth street near Washington street. It is on the roof of the elevator shaft at the northwest corner of the building and is marked by the head of a screw. Armour is on the State line, on the south wall of the office of the Armour packing house. It is marked by a cross cut in a brick. The State line is also marked by a vertical line on the wall of the south side of said office. Point on county line is on the county line between Platte and Clay counties, Mo. It is a fence post 55 feet south from the center of the railroad track and at the water's edge on the north side of the Missouri River. In the office reduction of the notes I have been assisted by Assistant Engineer Turner and Computer C. E. Taylor. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, O. B. WHEELER, APPENDIX A 2. ANNUAL REPORT OF 0. H. B. TURNER, ASSISTANT ENGINEER, 1894. OFFICE MISSOURI RIVER COMMISSION, SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report on field and office work under my charge for the past year. It was decided in September to send out a party to connect with the line of precise levels, by a carefully checked line of levels, all bench marks and stone lines, ENG 94- -194 which had not been connected at time of running the precise line on account of their distance from it; nor had any connection by wye levels been run at time stone line was put in, as the bench marks of 1880 and 1881 from which the stone lines were established were found to be unreliable. The party left St. Louis, September 23, for Crescent, Iowa, the farthest point at which work was required. The party consisted of an assistant engineer and two rodmen, and such additional force as was required was employed where necessary. This was done to save transportation. Work was begun on September 25 and continued until November 3, when work was completed at Boonville, Mo. As stone lines 48-41, inclusive, had been leveled in one direction, they were considered unreliable and it was thought best to rerun them. Assistant Engineer L. P. Butler reported at Glasgow, Mo., October 25, to assist in rerunning these lines, as the river crossings could be made much better by two parties than by one. With but two exceptions these isolated stone lines and benches were connected with precise bench marks, and in these cases, connection was made to benches that were reliable. No very large discrepancies were found, except on stone line No. 101, where an error of nearly 2 feet was discovered. There were several discrepancies of from 1 to 0.2 of a foot. All stone lines and bench marks that were doubtful were rerun or good connection made to reliable benches. There were 70 miles of checked levels run and 8 river crossings made. Party was out forty-two days, including time in going from St. Louis to the field and in returning. The total cost of survey, including transportation and expressage of instruments, was $719.90, or $10.28 per mile of checked levels. The cost per mile, exclusive of transportation and expressage of instruments, was $8.35. 45 2 Bench mark No. has been washed out by the river; No. could not be found, 77 and was said to have been covered by driftwood and deposits of sand. Since returning from the field the notes have been checked and the new values of bench marks tabulated. The field notes of precise level survey of May and June have been reduced and checked, descriptions of bench marks have been written up, and all are now in form for publication. No errors were found in the field notes, and all lines check within the precise limit. The probable error per kilometer for the whole line is ±0.67 mm. The precise leveling rods X and XIII have been compared with the standard meter of Mississippi River Commission and found to be of normal length. These rods were compared in April, 1863, by Assistant Engineer O. W. Ferguson, and found to have been long, but as they had just returned from a field season near the gulf, no weight was given to that comparison. For my report on field operations see Appendix A 7 of report of Missouri River Commission for 1893, On account of so many large discrepancies being found between the precise levels and the ordinary levels, two of which proved on examination to be errors of computation, it was decided to recompute the level notes over stone lines from the mouth of river to Sioux City, Iowa, and from Fort Benton to Three Forks, Mont. The large discrepancies between the precise and the ordinary levels were found to be due (1) to errors in the field notes, lines not checking and this fact not being discovered; or (2) to errors of computation; or (3) to stone lines having been put in from old bench marks which either were not identified or were in error. Quite a number of small changes were made from the former reduction. The clevations of the bench marks as reduced depend on precise bench marks, generally not more than 3 or 4 miles distant; so no large discrepancy may be expected. The level notes between Fort Benton and Three Forks, Mont., were recomputed and a correction of+13.522 feet was applied to elevation of B. M. 3, at Fort Benton. This elevation of B. M. was brought down from Northern Pacific Railroad levels at Gallatin, Mont., by Assistant Engineer G. A. Marr in 1890. The correction of +13.522 feet depends on elevation of B. M. 4, at Fort Benton, as determined from the precise benches of Missouri River Commission at Sioux City, Iowa, by survey parties under Capts. C. F. Powell and H. F. Hodges and the Missouri River Commission. A book of bench marks is now being prepared and is nearly completed. This book will contain (1) all bench marks of 1881 and 1882, also those of former surveys that were connected with at that time; (2) all bench marks of stone lines put in from 1884 to 1890; (3) all precise bench marks of 1887, 1892, and 1893 also all precise temporary bench marks that were considered sufficiently permanent for future use. It is proposed to designate the degree of accuracy of these bench marks by names and by the use of large and small type. |