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July 1, 1888, amount available.....

Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1883..

July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888 ....

July 1, 1889, balance available .....

Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project....
Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1891
Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and
harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

(See Appendix N 13.)

$203.58 5,000.00

5, 203.58

3,553.58

1,650.00

55,000.00 35,000.00

14. Waccamaw River, North Carolina and South Carolina.-In charge of Capt. W. H. Bixby, Corps of Engineers, until August 25, 1888. When placed under improvement, in 1880, this river was navigable for 12-foot draught boats at all stages of water from Georgetown, 26 miles, to Bull Creek, and at high water 6 miles further to Buck's Lower Mills; thence for 7-foot draught boats at high water 31 miles further to Conwayborough; thence it possessed an obstructed channel for 3-foot draught boats at ordinary winter water, 109 miles, to Reeves' Ferry, the present head of steam navigation; thence an obstructed channel with 3 feet depth at high water for 42 miles to Lake Waccamaw. The commerce of this river is estimated to have been about $400,000 per year.

The project provides for a channel 12 feet deep at all stages of water, with 80 feet bottom width, from the mouth of the river to Conwayborough, thence a clear channel to Lake Waccamaw. The estimated cost is $138,400.

During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889, about 2,000 obstructions were removed from the channel, and 5,000 obstructions overhanging the banks were cut.

Up to June 30, 1889, $58,584.18 has been spent, giving a thoroughly cleared channel, with 100 feet least width, and 8.8 feet least depth at high water (7 feet at low water) as far as Conway, and with 45 feet width and 3 feet depth 72 miles above Conway.

July 1, 1888, amount available...

Received sale property to Neuse River, North Carolina..
Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888..

$786.46 6.60 15,000.00

15,793. 06

July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888.

July 1, 1889, outstanding liabilities..

$8,970. 64
1,386.00

10, 356. 64

July 1, 1889, balance available......

5,436. 42

(Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30,1891 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

73,000.00 25,000.00

(See Appendix N 14.)

EXAMINATIONS AND SURVEYS FOR IMPROVEMENT, TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF THE RIVER AND HARBOR ACT OF AUGUST 11,

1888.

The required preliminary examinations of the following localities were made by the local engineer in charge, Captain Abbot, and reported by him as not worthy of improvement, with facts and reasons for such opin

io. The Chief of Engineers, concurring in the conclusious reached in these instances, has given no instructions to make further survey with the view to their improvement:

1. Broad and Saluda River, above Columbia, South Carolina.-(See Ap pendix N 15.)

2. Connect North Edisto and South Edisto Rivers by St. Pierre River and South Creek, South Carolina.-(See Appendix N 16.)

3. Combahee River, South Carolina: Examine whether the breaking of Bull River into Combahee River, near the head of Bull River, will injure the navigation of Combahee River, and report a plan for obstructing said breaks, and the cost thereof.-(See Appendix N 17.)

The required preliminary examination of Socastee Creek, South Carolina, from its entrance into Waccamaw River to the bridge at Socastee, was made by the local engineer in charge, and he considers it worthy of improvement to the extent of $10,000, to be expended in making a cut about 40 feet wide and 4 feet deep at low water through the Cypress Swamp from the bridge at Socastee for about three-fourths of a mile, also in clearing out obstructions, widening and deepening in places, just below the proposed cut.

This opinion being concurred in by the Chief of Engineers, and the result of the preliminary examination containing information sufficient to indicate to Congress the probable cost of the work required, no further report or survey appeared to be necessary.

About $1,000 would probably be needed annually for maintenance. (See Appendix N 18.)

Captain Abbot also made a preliminary examination, provided for by the act, of Ashepoo River, South Carolina, from the Charleston and Savannah Railroad Bridge, 6 miles down the river, with view to removing obstructions and shoals caused by sunken vessels, and states that he does not consider the river worthy of an expensive improvement. Having carefully considered the report made by the local engineer, in my opinion this locality is not at present worthy of improvement, and no instructions were therefore given for the survey proposed. (See Appendix N 19.)

It appearing from the report of the preliminary examination made by the local engineer that the following localities are worthy of improvement, and the public necessity therefor being apparent from the facts and reasons reported, which are concurred in by the Chief of Engineers, Captain Abbot was charged with their survey, the results of which will be submitted when received.

1. Beaufort River, South Carolina, from a point three miles south of the town of Beaufort through to Coosaw River, with view to its improvement, especially at Brick-yard.

2. Owendaw and Wando rivers and other waters and water-routes connecting Bull's Bay and the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina.

IMPROVEMENT OF CERTAIN RIVERS AND HARBORS IN GEORGIA, AND OF CUMBERLAND SOUND, GEORGIA AND FLORIDA.

Officer in charge, Lieut. O. M. Carter, Corps of Engineers. Division Engineer, Col. William P. Craighill, Corps of Engineers.

1. Savannah River and Harbor, Georgia.-The plan according to which operations have up to the present time been carried on in the Savannah Harbor and River was adopted in 1873, and modified and enlarged in 1879 and again in 1882. It contemplated the establishment of a channel from Tybee Roads to the city of Savannah, navigable at high water

for vessels of 22 feet draught, and the widening of the river opposite the city to 600 feet, of uniform depth with the balance of the channel. The cost was originally estimated at $482,000, and as amended and enlarged at $1,212,000.

The cost of obtaining a channel 26 feet deep at mean high water from the city to the sea is estimated at $2,900,000.

In 1873, prior to improvement, the channel was, in places, not more than 9 feet deep at mean low water, and the usual high-water draught of vessels was not more than 14.5 feet.

During the fiscal year just closed 92,922.45 square yards of log and brush mattresses, 8,108.5 cubic yards of stone, and 283.3 cubic yards of oyster shells have been used in the Oyster Bed training-wall. In the Fig Island training-wall 2,795.35 cubic yards of brush fascines have been used, and 622 cubic yards of stone removed.

Between the city water-works and Tybee Roads 187,671.52 cubic yards of material have been dredged. The hydrographic survey of the river has been completed. The expenditures during the year amounted to $106,028.34.

The total amount expended to June 30, 1889, including all outstand. ing liabilities is $1,170,664.55, and has resulted in securing a navigable channel from the city to the sea with a least mean low-water depth of 13 feet, a gain of 4 feet since the work was begun.

The gain in navigable depth is somewhat greater than here shown, and vessels of from 20 to 21 feet draught now go from the city to the sca on a single tide.

The estimated reduction in freight rates, due to the improvements already executed, is 25 per cent., which effects an annual saving in freights alone of more than the total sum of money expended by the United States upon the harbor within the last twenty-five years. There is no reason to believe that future expenditures for this work would yield a less valuable return.

July 1, 1888, amount available...

Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888.

July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888...

July 1, 1889, outstanding liabilities...

July 1, 1889, amount covered by existing contracts....

$4 0.65 180,000.00

180, 420.65

$106, 028.34
33,056.86
26,858.34

165, 943. 54

14, 477. 11

July 1, 1889, balance available

[ Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project...... 2,900,000.00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1891....

Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

(See Appendix O 1.)

500,000.00

2. Savannah River, Georgia.-The present project for the improvement of this river was adopted in 1880, the object being to secure a lowwater steam-boat channel not less than 5 feet in depth between the cities of Augusta and Savannah, Ga.

The cost of the improvement was originally estimated at $91,000, and in 1887, for reasons given in the Annual Report of that year, at $176,000. Prior to the improvement navigation was much impeded by logs, snags, piles, and other obstructions. The depth at summer low water over some of the shoals did not exceed 2 or 3 feet.

A survey of the river has been begun but high water has interfere with its progress. The expenditures during the year amounted t $4,750.62. The total amount expended to June 30, 1889, including a outstanding liabilities, is $78,603.73, and has resulted in improving th condition of the shoals near Augusta, and in removing the most da gerous obstructions to navigation throughout the whole extent of th river, no accidents to steam-boats having occurred since these obstru tions were removed.

The amount necessary to complete the improvement can not be est mated in advance of an examination, to be completed when the stage the river will permit.

July 1, 1888, amount available...

Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888

July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of

liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888

July 1, 1889, outstanding liabilities..

July 1, 1889, amount covered by existing contracts..

July 1, 1889, balance available.....

[blocks in formation]

Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1891 50,000. Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and

harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

(See Appendix O 2.)

3 Savannah River above Augusta, Georgia.-The project for the improv ment of this river was adopted in 1879, the object being to secure low water pole-boat channel, 30 feet in width and 3 feet in depth, b tween Augusta and Trotter's Shoal, 64 miles above. The cost of th improvement, which was not based upon accurate surveys, was estimat at $45,000.

The obstructions to navigation consisted chiefly of rock ledges ru ning across the channel, bowlders of various sizes, and shoals of grav with depths at low-water stage of from 1 to 2 feet.

No work has been done upon this river since August, 1883.

The total amount expended to June 30, 1889, including all outstan ing liabilities, is $38,346.98, and has resulted in improving the mediu stage channel through a few of the rock ledges, and in removing son of the most dangerous bowlders obstructing navigation. No addition commerce has been developed upon the stream by the work done, n have freight rates been appreciably reduced by that cause.

July 1, 1888, amount available....

July 1, 1889, outstanding liabilities..

July 1, 1889, balance available

(See Appendix O 3.)

$703.

50.

653

4. Romley Marsh, Georgia.-The project for the improvement of t locality was adopted in 1880, the object being to open a cut, with a mi mum bottom width of 48 feet and a mean low water depth of 7 fe between Dead Man's Hammock Creek on the north and Wassaw Cre on the south. The cost was estimated at $38,720.

The natural channel is extremely crooked and difficult to naviga and at the shoalest part not more than 3.5 feet deep at mean low wat No work was done during the last fiscal year. The expenditures duri the year amounted to $4,682.77,

The total amount expended to June 30, 1889, including all outstanding liabilities, is $46,936.22, including $5,000, advanced by private parties, and has resulted in the completion of the work, securing a navigable channel between Wassaw and Ossabaw Sounds with a low-water depth of not less than 5 feet.

No appropriation is asked for the next fiscal year.

July 1, 1888, amount available ...

Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888.

July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888 ....

July 1, 1889, balance available (See Appendix O 4.)

$221.55

4,633.77

4,855.32

4,682.77

172.55

5. Altamaha River, Georgia.-The present project for the improvement of this river was adopted in 1880, the object being to secure a steam-boat channel 80 feet in width and 3 feet in depth at low-water stage between Darien, Ga., and the junction of the Oconee and Ocmulgee rivers. The cost of improvement was originally estimated at $60,000, and in 1884 at $75,000.

Prior to improvement navigation was much impeded by logs, snags, and other obstructions, the low-water depth at some points not exceed ing 2 feet.

During the fiscal year just closed 157 snags and logs and 221 overhanging trees were removed.

The expenditures amounted to $8,318.

The total amount expended to June 30, 1889, including all outstanding liabilities, is $53,389.03, and has resulted in removing the most dangerous obstructions, no interruption to steam-boat navigation having occurred during the year.

July 1, 1888, amount available...

Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888..

July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of

liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888.

July 1, 1889, amount covered by existing contracts.

July 1, 1889, balance available....................

$4, 133. 57 10,000.00

14, 133. 57

$8,318.00
100.00

8, 418.00

5,715.57

Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1891 20,000.00 Submitted in compliance with requirementsof sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

(See Appendix O 5.)

6. Oconee River, Georgia.-The present project for the improvement of this river was adopted in 1878 and revised in 1880 and again in 1888, the object being to secure a low-water channel 3 feet in depth from Milledgeville to the mouth of the river. The cost of the improvement was originally estimated at $10,500, and in 1888 at $100,000.

Prior to improvement navigation was much impeded by sand-bars, overhanging trees, snags and sunken logs. On some shoals there were low-water depths of not more than 2 feet. During the fiscal year just closed 920 logs and snags and 817 overhanging trees were removed, 28 trees were deadened and 48 logs cut up on the bank.

The expenditures during the year amounted to $3,500,21,

ENG 89—11

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