The widening the channel as planned will greatly increase the facilities. for receiving and shipping numerous freights, such as coal and building materials. July 1, 1888, amount available, including amounts covered by existing contracts 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. $15, 521, 61 25,000.00 40,521.61 $20,796.79 16, 343.96 38, 677.67 1, 843.94 July 1, 1889, balance available. 128,750.00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... (See Appendix A 13.) 14. Breakwater at mouth of Saco River, Maine.-This breakwater was partially built in 1869 to 1873. In 1883 it was found necessary to complete the breakwater to the full height of 15 feet and top width of 12 feet to secure the object of preventing the sand from drifting into the channel and maintaining a bar at the mouth of the Saco River. There had been expended upon this work to the 30th of June, 1888, the sum of $27,498.52. As a result the breakwater had been completed from its outer end a distance of 1,310 feet and partially repaired a further distance of 292 feet. The repairing of the breakwater has had no perceptible effect in increasing the depth of water on the bar. At the close of the last fiscal year the available funds had been practically expended. Congress having appropriated $12,500 by act of August 11, 1888, a contract has been awarded for continuing the work as far as available funds permit. Work under the contract will be completed during the ensuing year. $1.48 July 1, 1888, amount available..... Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888.. 12,500.00 12.501.48 July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888... 30,000.00 (Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1891 30,000.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix A 14.) 15. Saco River, Maine.-The project for improving the Saco River includes the works considered necessary to give a channel, having not less than 6 feet depth at low water, to the cities of Saco and Biddeford. The channel was obstructed by a bar, by shoals, and in one place by a ledge, and does not afford a continuous depth exceeding 33 feet at low water, though much of the channel is deeper. The revised estimate of the entire expense is $155,000. There has been appropriated $22,500. Expenditures to June 30, 1888, $12,436.32. Expended in last fiscal year, $5,077.11. The results thus far, though improving the depth in the river channel at Little Islands, has not increased the available depth over the bar, nor in the upper part of river, so that no greater draught of vessels can be used until other parts are improved. A contract has been made for expenditure of available funds, completing the training-wall above Little Islands, and in commencing wingdam at Cow Island. It would be economical and advantageous to complete the jetty over the bar at once, and in a single year. The amount asked is for this purpose. 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...... $63.68 10,000.00 10,063.68 $3,028. 41 9,760.98 302.70 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project... (See Appendix A 15.) 132,500.00 25, 000. 00 16. Kennebunk River, Maine.-All the projects for improving this river have been completed. There have been no appropriations since 1881. The works completed consist of stone piers, supplemented by cribwork to keep the channel open at and near the mouth. Total expended to June 30, 1888, $65,075.58. The small amount of $22.80 expended in last fiscal year has been for making charts of the channel and for other contingent expenses. An examination of the river has been made and reports have been submitted by the officer in charge of the work. July 1, 1888, amount available... $99.42 July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888.... 22.80 July 1, 1889, balance available... 76.62 (See Appendix A 16.) 17. York Harbor, Maine.-The project for this improvement, adopted in 1886, has for its object the widening of the channel in three bends where it did not exceed 75 feet of a navigable depth, and where the tidal currents are very rapid. The channel at the points mentioned is to be widened by dredging and removing such rock as may be found. Expenditures to June 30, 1888, $12,928.11. Expended in last fiscal year $293.72. A contract has been made for expenditure of available funds in removing the ledge at Stage Neck. This will result in greatly improving the entrance and utilizing the work hitherto done, though a part of the ledge will still remain. July 1, 1888, amount available.... $2,071.89 Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888 10,000.00 12,071.89 July 1, 1889, amount covered by existing contracts.. July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1883. . 19,000.00 July 1, 1889, balance available........... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.. (See Appendix A 171.) 19, 000. 00 18. Harbor at Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The project for improv. ing this harbor was adopted in 1879, the object being to check the strong tidal currents in the harbor, and to give a navigable depth over the ledge known as Gangway Rock, opposite the navy-yard. Expenditures to June 30, 1888, $106,604.94; expenditures in last fiscal year, $1,074.20. The results are the entire removal of Gangway Rock to a depth of 20 feet at mean low water, the completion of the breakwater to stop the cross-currents coming in from between Great and Goat Islands, and a removal of part of the ledge projecting from Badger's Island. There remains to complete the original project only the removal of the remaining ledge on the point projecting from Badger's Island. It has been decided as unadvisable to complete the original project of removing the ledge on Badger's Island to 10 feet. A contract has been made for expenditure of available funds in removing the ledge to a depth of 18 feet. $395.06 15,000.00 July 1, 1888, amount available..... Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888 15, 395. 06 July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888.. $1,074. 20 July 1, 1889, amount covered by existing contracts.. 13, 511. 06 14,585. 26 July 1, 1889, balance available..... (See Appendix A 18.) 809.80 19. Bellamy River, New Hampshire. The project for this improvement consists in dredging the channel of the river to give a depth of 5 feet at mean low water and a width of 50 feet at the bottom. The river is a tidal arm of Great Bay, which connects with the Piscataqua River at Dover Point, 4 miles above the bridge at Portsmouth, N. H. The object of the improvement is to obtain a channel which will enable vessels of 500 or more tons to ascend to head of navigation at high tide. The improvement was estimated to cost $28,000. Congress having made an appropriation for commencing the work, a contract has been made for dredging the channel as far as available funds permit. Dredging was commenced May 1, 1889. June 30, 22,700 cubic y of material had been removed, resulting in an improved channel distance of 3,500 feet. Total expenditures, $5,205.33. It is proposed to expend available funds, and the appropriation a in dredging to complete the project. 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, $10, $4, 757.01 4,516.75 9, 18, Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing projects.. (See Appendix A 19.) 20. Cocheco River, New Hampshire.-The project for improvin Cocheco River to give a channel 50 feet wide on the bottom and of 5 feet at mean low water, has been completed. The channel wa structed by a ledge of rock, and by sand, gravel, and bowlders, g a channel depth of less than 3 feet at low water. The original estimate for cost of the work was Expenditures to June 30, 1888. Expenditures in last fiscal year Total...... $47, 37. 46, In addition to completion of project, the channel at Alley's Poin been further improved by removing the filling from a land slid making excavations to prevent a recurrence. The river and harbor act of August 11, 1888, required an exa tion or survey of this river. The preliminary report having indi that the river is worthy of improvement, the officer in charge improvement has been instructed to make a survey and submit of the further improvements considered necessary. The small balance of available funds will be expended in maki survey. 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 A 20.) 9 9 21. Harbor of Refuge at Little Harbor, New Hampshire.-The p for this improvement upon the "enlarged plan," as indicated in and harbor act of August 11, 1888, consists of two small breaky at the mouth of the harbor, and of dredging the channel and a age to a depth of 12 feet at low water. The object of the improv is to form a refuge for vessels in the very frequent times whe adverse winds and strong tidal currents are such that they ca get into Portsmouth Harbor. The harbor had a small anchor feet deep at low water, but the channel leading to it had an average depth of less than 6 feet. Amount expended to June 30, 1888, $9,907.76; expended during last fiscal year, $11,418.23. As a result, a channel of 9 feet depth and 75 wide has been dredged entirely to the anchorage, and several cuts have been made to enlarge the anchorage. Work is now in progress under a contract for expending available funds in dredging to a depth of 9 feet. It is proposed to expend funds which may be appropriated in constructing one or both breakwaters, and, subsequently, in dredging to a depth of 12 feet at low water. July 1, 1858, amount available Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888. July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of July 1, 1889, balance available...... 205,000.00 (Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1891 50,000.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix A 21.) 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, Lieutenant Colonel Smith, and reported by him as not worthy of improvement, with facts and reasons for such opinion. The Chief of Engineers, concurring in the conclusions reached in these instances, has given no instructions to make further survey with the view to their improvement: 1. Harbor and channel at Pembroke, Maine.-(See Appendix A 22.) 2. Monhegan Island Harbor, Maine.-(See Appendix A 23.) 3. Medomac River, Maine.-(See Appendix A 24.) 4. Hampton River, New Hampshire.-(See Appendix A 25.) A preliminary examination of Harrissecket [Harraseeket] River, Maine, was made by the local engineer, and reported by him as worthy of improvement, and this conclusion being concurred in by the Chief of Engineers, the result of the preliminary examination containing informa tion sufficient to indicate to Congress the probable cost of the work required, no further report or survey appeared to be necessary. Estimated cost of improvement, $36,000. (See Appendix A 26.) It appearing from the report of the preliminary examination made by the local engineer that the following localities are worthy of improve. ment, and the public necessity therefor being apparent from the facts and reasons reported, which are concurred in by the Chief of Engineers, Lieutenant-Colonel Smith was charged with their survey, the results of which will be submitted when received. 1. Belfast Harbor, Maine. 2. Union River and Union River Bay, Maine. 3. St. Croix River, Maine. |