the washing away of the material of the bank apparently stopped. A close watch of this particular point of danger has been kept for the past three months, but no change since the final settling of the wall has taken place, and as the appropriation of the last Congress has become available, and work will soon be resumed, efforts will at once be made to permanently stop this evil and make the bank thoroughly tight at this point. Operations were commenced at the lower lock September 10, 1872, and the weather being favorable the work was carried on successfully up to the 10th of December, when work stopped because of cold and stormy weather. Work was again resumed on the 9th of April, 1873. At this time, at the request of Mr. Williams, the contractor on the lower lock, (the request being agreeable, also, to the parties furnishing stone for the work,) all stone, both for the main lock-wall (coping) and for slope-wall, was permitted to be delivered at the middle lock, cut-stone masonry there to be cut, and both cut-stone and slope-wall stone to be brought down to the lower lock free of charge. Slope-wall stone was delivered sufficient to complete the inside of the river-bank to a point about 500 feet above the pier-head. Owing to high water in the river, other portions of the slope-wall, i. e., inside the river-bank above the lock, and the wall connecting the lower inside end of the lock with the shore, were out of reach, being under water. On the 10th of April, 1873, a temporary bridge, reaching from the river-bank to the shore side of the work, gave way, precipitating into the water three cars, each holding a piece of cut-stone coping, which was intended for and would have finished the 6-foot coping on the inside wall. But owing to the great depth of water the contractor has made no effort to raise the stones. All coping, both on the miter-sills and lock-wall, was firmly doweled; that on the miter-sill with dowels 4 feet in length, and on the lock-walls with dowels 2 feet in length. These dowels were well set with lead and antimony mixed, 85 parts lead with 15 of antimony. Iron plates were also doweled on the steps leading up to the pier-head. As the vertical walls at either end of lock presented a very rough exterior, not harmonizing with the rest of the work, and if left with such a finish would no doubt be injurious to boats coming in contact with them, they were pointed down. The work of pointing commenced in November, and ceased in December, because of intense cold weather and a rise in the river. About one-half the vertical walls was so finished, giving a much better appearance to the work. All rock excavation in lower-lock section is completed. There remain a few yards, say 100, of earth excavation on the shore-side of the lock. Of earth embankment, there is needed about 500 yards on the upper end of the river-bank. As yet there has been no macadam broken on any part of the work, though there is about 400 yards of rock, refuse from excavations in the lock-pit, lying on the banks near the lock. All parts of the work are in good condition as far as visible, though the past winter was a severe one. The river was frozen over from the middle of December, 1872, until the 9th of March, 1873, and when the ice moved out, though it was piled many feet high on the slope-wall outside the river-bank, not the slightest damage was done. The last estimate for work during this fiscal year was for the month of May, 1873, since which time no work has been done. I regret that I have not the pleasure of reporting an entire completion of the masonry connected with the lock-walls. This could and would have been done easily, but for negligence on the part of contractors in furnishing stone. The total amount of work done during the year is as follows: Adding to this amount the sum of $3,355.78, due to former contractor, on his last estimate, we have left of the allotment ($35,000) for this part of the work for the last fiscal year the sum of $4,429.81. I would further report the following amounts (approximate) of materials required to complete the lower-lock walls and banks according to original plan : 100 cubic yards cut-stone masonry; 100 cubic yards earth excavation; 500 cubic yards earth embankment; 3,000 cubic yards macadam; 400 cubic yards slope-wall stone. I have in contemplation a plan for a sluice through the lock embankment which should be made for the purpose of draining off the water in the lower canal level, and also to wash out the sediment which may be deposited in the lower bay. If this sluice is adopted, it will, of course, change the above estimate. AT THE MIDDLE LOCK Mr. Johnson, contractor for labor, having had the contract for 1871, was fully prepared with tools and machinery already in position, and work was begun September 9, and continued in operation without delay during the season of 1872. November 27, the laying of all masonry requiring cement was suspended on account of injuries it might receive by freezing; and all uncompleted walls were covered with straw and earth for protection during the winter. The dressing of stone and laying of slope wall was continued during the winter, in which time a greater part of the stone was dressed for the lock wall, with the exception of the large dimension stone and coping, which had to be furnished from the quarries. The stone, which was dressed during the winter, was a great item, and enabled the contractor to complete his contract much sooner than he could have done, had he relied on dressing his stone as he laid his masonry; for in a structure of this kind and magnitude the delay is in dressing the stone, and especially in this case, on account of the irregular manner in which the stone had been received, no system having been observed in piling it, face-stone, backing, and even condemned stone, all having been piled together, so that stone could not be taken from the pile and dressed to supply the masons with stone of the various dimensions required without much culling. During the winter nearly all the stone was handled over and all that was suitable for facestone was cut, classified, and conveniently piled-all the straight ashler and sheeting, and most of the quoins and recess stone-so that we were enabled to approximate very nearly, at the beginning of the present season, to the quantity of stone required to complete the lock. March 23, 1873, the laying of masonry was recommenced, and, with a large amount of cut-stone on hand, the work progressed very rapidly during the months of April and May, but since then work has been greatly delayed for lack of mitersill-stone and main-wall coping. Very few pieces, suitable for that part of the work, could be found in that already delivered, and from the peculiar stratification of the magnesian limestone quarries, it is impossible to quarry stone of the required dimensions as fast as required to complete the walls as we progressed. Had it not been for this delay this lock would have been completed, so far as it was practicable to continue this contract, by July 1, 1873. The condition of the work at the end of the fiscal year, June 30, 1873, was as follows: The entire lock and vertical walls completed, excepting 341 feet of main-wall coping, and 26 feet of vertical-wall coping, coping on the lower and a part of the upper mitersill. The slope wall on the shore-bank and inside of river-bank from Price's Creek to walls connecting vertical with slope walls was completed. The earth and rock excavation was about completed and used in making embankment and backing for slope wall. To complete the embankment will necessitate the removal of the remainder of the stone delivered for masonry, which is not practicable until it can be utilized in some other portions of the works. The excess of excavation, over what would be required to complete the embankment on the section work, can be used to complete the embankment of the lock. Result of the operations during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1873. Total amount of labor performed and materials furnished during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1873, there was still required to complete the middle lock: 136,876 63 Should the contemplated sluice be constructed now, it would reduce the earth embankment 9,400 cubic yards, and the surplus of stone on hand would be used to good advantage in the sluice-walls. Of the allotment of $100,000 of the appropriation made June 10, 1872, there remains unexpended a sufficiency to complete the lock, according to original plans, ready for the gates. During the progress of this work it has received close and careful inspection in all its parts, and strictly conforms to the specifications and plans furnished. Every precaution was taken in the selection of stone for the face walls. So large a proportion of the stone furnished was of an inferior quality, that extra care was required to prevent the use of such in the work. In fact, it frequently occurred that when a stone was partially dressed defects were discovered which had not heretofore presented themselves, and such stone had to be condemned. The duty of inspecting stone is a very onerous and responsible one, and should comprise a close and rigid examination of each stone, for even a single defective stone placed in a salient and important part of the work would greatly affect its durability. In piling it, much system should be observed, so that a stone of any required dimension could readily be found, in which event the work could be conducted more orderly and economically. The oak timber delivered here for lock-gates is in as good condition as could be expected. Many of the pieces are badly in wind and badly checked and cracked from seasoning. It shows no signs of decay excepting at the bottom, where it receives the moisture from the ground, and some of the larger pieces are affected with dry-rot. The timber is well piled, and has a board covering. STONE. The stone delivered under this contract has been closely inspected, and is of good quality. The total amount delivered during the fiscal year is as follows: Since the commencement of operations this spring the stone contractors have been very much behindhand in delivering, so much so as to very materially retard the progress of our work. They required and received constant urging, but without much apparent effect. The masonry of both locks would have been finished by June 30 if the stone had been on hand, whereas the middle lock was not finished till August 11, and the lower lock still requires a few days to complete it. CEMENT. James Clark has, as usual, fulfilled his contract for furnishing cement in the most satisfactory manner. He has delivered Appropriation by act approved June 10, 1872.... The amount of funds available for this work at the beginning of this fiscal year was : Balance from last year's appropriation... $212 53 400,000 00 Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1874...... 66,300 88 400,000 00 446,300 88 Amount required beyond appropriation for completing the work about... $800,000 00 The sum of $800,000 could be advantageously used during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1875, and I would recommend that an appropriation of that amount be made as soon as possible. During the present year it is proposed to complete the excavations and embankments of the entire canal, including all the locks, and the dams in the creeks for holding the sediment brought down by rains; also the excavations of the channels at the entrances at both ends of the canal, and to build the lower courses of the riprap-wall along the entire length of the interior of the canal embankment; also to construct the sluices at the three locks. During the year the " section work "has been under the charge of Mr. E. H. Worrall, civil engineer, assisted by Inspector Costello. The lower lock has been under the charge of Mr. O. S. Willey, civil engineer, assisted by Inspector Griffith, and the middle lock under the charge of Mr. S. L. Bayless, civil engineer, assisted by Inspector Carpenter. These gentlemen have been closely attentive to their duties, and to them is largely due the excellence of the work performed during the year. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Col. J. N. MACOMB, AMOS STICKNEY, Capt. Engrs. & Brt. Maj., U. S. A., In Local Charge. Corps of Engineers, U. S. A., Rock Island, Ill. |