Amount available July 1, 1873.... (See Appendix M 4.) $70,542 40 150,000 00 5. Water-gauges on the Mississippi and its tributaries.-The system is in good working order, and the officer in charge has made a report of his annual inspection, accompanied by records of the stages of water at all the gauge-stations, with such reliable records as could be found at the stations prior to the establishment of the present gauges. The gauge-records kept at Pittsburgh, Wheeling, and Cincinnati have also been included. The gauges are now kept up by allotments from the general appropriation for examinations and surveys and contingencies of rivers and harbors, in lieu of which the officer in charge recommends a special appropriation of $6,000. (See Appendix M 5.) EXAMINATIONS AND SURVEYS FOR IMPROVEMENT. The attention of this office having been called to the condition of the harbor of Mount Vernon, Ind., Major Merrill was directed to cause a detailed examination to be made and to report its present condition and what improvement is required. For his report see Appendix M 6. The following examination and surveys provided for in the act of March 3, 1873, have been assigned to Major Merrill. These examinations are in progress, and the results will be duly transmitted when received. 1. Of Youghiougheny River, Pennsylvania. 2. Of exploration of routes for the extension for the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal to the Ohio River by the north and south branches of the Potomac River. IMPROVEMENT OF THE NAVIGATION AT THE FALLS OF THE OHIO RIVER, AND ENLARGEMENT OF THE LOUISVILLE AND PORTLAND CANAL. Officer in charge, Maj. G. Weitzel, Corps of Engineers, having under his immediate orders Capt. M. B. Adams, Corps of Engineers. The controversy with the directors of the canal relative to the expenditure of the $300,000 appropriated June 10, 1872, was settled by the decision of Mr. Justice Miller, of the Supreme Court of the United States, in the circuit court, and the work was prosecuted without interruption. The widening of section No. 2 and the new side walls thereon, the high-water passage through the bridge, (except a little coping,) the dam at the head of Sand Island, and the new guide-wall, and nearly all of the rock excavation at the foot of the new locks were completed, and good progress made in completing the new side walls of the canal and grading the banks. Amount available July 1, 1872.... Amount appropriated by act of March 3, 1873... Amount expended during fiscal year ending June 30, 1873. Amount available July 1, 1873.. Amount required for fiscal year ending June 30, 1875.. .$346,033 66 100,000 00 299,272 18 146,761 43 100,000 00 In order that the Secretary of War might be prepared to comply with requirements of the river and harbor act of June 10, 1872, Major Weitzel was directed to report upon the condition of the Louisville and Portland Canal, and the provisions necessary to relieve the same from incumbrance and render it free to commerce, &c. This report, together with a report from this office to Hon. J. A. Rawlins, Secretary of War, April 15, 1869, upon the application of a portion of the general appropriation of that year to the enlargement of the canal and locks, will be found in Appendix N 1. BRUNOT'S MOVABLE HYDRAULIC GATES FOR CHUTES AND LOCKS. In order to obtain full information concerning the plan for movable hydraulic gates for chutes and locks, designed by Felix R. Brunot, the adoption of which in the improvement of the Ohio and other rivers had been urged upon this office, a board of engineer officers was constituted to examine and report upon the applicability of the plan and its cost. The report of the board will be found in Appendix No. 2. IMPROVEMENT OF TENNESSEE RIVER, AND OF CUMBERLAND RIVER BELOW NASHVILLE, TENN. Officer in charge, Maj. Walter McFarland, Corps of Engineers, having Capt. L. C. Overman, Corps of Engineers, under his immediate orders. The improvement of Cumberland River below Nashville was in the charge of Maj. G. Weitzel, Corps of Engineers, to May 2, 1873. 1. Tennessee River above Chattanooga.-A large force of workmen has been employed throughout the year in removing obstacles to navigation at Sandy Shoals, Watts's Bar, White's Creek Shoals, Half Moon Shoals, Caney Creek Shoals, Long Island Shoals, Seven Islands Shoals, Wilson's Island Shoals, Bogart's Shoals, and Sweetwater Shoals, these being the most serious obstacles to navigation above Chattanooga, the appropriation not being sufficiently large to enable the officer in charge to carry on work advantageously at others where improvements are necessary. The amount of work accomplished in the portion of the river referred to is about 22,000 cubic yards of rock quarried, 14,000 cubic yards of riprap dam built, 1,000 cubic yards gravel, 1,100 cubic yards solid rock, and a large number of snags removed from the channel of the river. The entire work has been done by hired labor. Amount available July 1, 1872 ... Amount appropriated by act of March 3, 1873.. Amount expended during fiscal year ending June 30, 1873 Amount required for fiscal year ending June 30, 1875. (See Appendix O 1.) 2. Tennessee River below Chattanooga, including the Muscle Shoals.For this work the sum of $100,000 was appropriated by the act of March 3, 1873. Operations have been confined to the improvement of "Ross's Tow-head," "Tumbling Shoals," "The Suck," and Colbert Shoals. All the above work has been accomplished by hired labor. A minute survey was made of the "Muscle Shoals" with the view of determining the exact amount of work which would be required in the repair and enlargement of the old canal around Big Muscle Shoals and in its extension around Elk River Shoals and Little Muscle Shoals. This survey develops the fact that a much larger amount of rock excavation will be required than was estimated for by the officer in charge in his last report. His estimate now is $4,003,000 instead of $3,676,000, an increase of $327,000. No work has been attempted at this point, for the reason that the appropriations were found to be entirely inadequate to the purpose. The old canal line is crossed by many brooks and creeks, against whose action new work would have to be guarded, and it would have taken nearly the whole of the present appropriation to provide the necessary temporary works, which in all probability would be materially injured, perhaps destroyed, before an additional appropriation could be obtained. Amount available July 1, 1872.. Amount appropriated June 10, 1872 Amount appropriated by act of March 3, 1873.. Amount expended during fiscal year ending June 30, 1873 Amount available July 1, 1873 Amount required for fiscal year ending June 30, 1875. (See Appendix O 1.) 3. Improvement of Cumberland River.-Work has been confined to the improvement of Harpeth Shoals, below Nashville. The death of one contractor, the lateness of the season when a second contract was made, and the condition of the river, have prevented any great progress. It is expected that the entire available appropriation for this improvement will be expended by the close of the present fiscal year. Amount available July 1, 1872.. Amount appropriated by act of March 3, 1873. Amount expended during fiscal year ending June 30, 1873. Amount available July 1, 1873... Amount required for fiscal year ending June 30, 1875 (See Appendix O 2.) EXAMINATIONS AND SURVEYS FOR IMPROVEMENT Major McFarland was charged with the direction of, and has completed, the survey of Tombigbee River, between Fulton and Columbus, Miss., in compliance with provisions of the act of June 10, 1872. For his report thereon, see Appendix O 3. BRIDGING THE NAVIGABLE WATERS OF THE UNITED STATES. Owing to the great demand made upon the railways of the United States for uninterrupted and speedy transportation, both of passengers and freight, and in order to prevent delays and avoid transshipments at the crossings of navigable waters, Congress has, from time to time, authorized a number of bridges to be constructed by railway and bridge companies and other corporations, at certain specific localities, subject to certain specific conditions. These acts of authority, while imposing such conditions as will prevent the bridges from materially obstructing or impairing or injuriously modifying the navigation of the rivers, yet differ in the means or processes by which this protection of the interests of navigation is to be secured. In some cases it is required that the location, plans, and specifications shall be submitted to the Secretary of War, and that the construction of the bridge shall not be commenced until the location and plan have received his approval. In others there are no conditions requiring the plans and specifications to be submitted to the Secretary of War, or requiring them to be submitted to any branch of the Executive; the acts simply fixing the dimensions as to length and height of spans and in other particulars, and providing that in case any question arises in regard to obstruction or alleged obstruction to the free navigation of the river the cause may be tried before a district court of the United States. It is to be remarked, however, that the more recent acts place the supervision of the location and construction of bridges under the control of the Secretary of War. In carrying out these provisions of the bridge laws a great deal of labor has devolved upon the officers of the Engineer Department. It has been found necessary to convene boards of experienced officers to examine and report upon bridge projects, and oftentimes to make detailed examinations and surveys. In discharging this duty, and also while engaged upon works for the improvement of rivers under appropriations made by Congress, it has been ascertained that bridges are in process of construction over navigable waters of the United States, under authority claimed by the companies or corporations to be derived not from specific acts authorizing the construction of bridges, but from acts granting a right of way over the lands of the United States, and acts making grants of land for the construction of railways. There are also cases where bridges have been built, and others where bridges are in process of construction across navigable waters of the United States, without any authority or alleged authority from the United States. It is respectfully suggested that the attention of Congress be invited to this subject, with the view to procuring such additional legislation as may be deemed necessary to secure the navigable waters of the United States against such sources of injury. During the fiscal year ended the plans and locations of the following bridges have been considered and reported upon by boards of engineer officers convened for their examination: 1. Bridge across the Mississippi River at La Crosse, Wis. (See Appendix 1.) 2. Bridge across the Mississippi River at Louisiana, Mo. (See Appendix 2.) 3. Bridge across the Missouri River at Nebraska City, Nebr. (See Appendix 3.) 4. Bridge across the Arkansas River at Little Rock, Ark. (See Appendix 4.) 5. Bridge across the Willamette River at Portland, Oreg. (See Appendix 5.) IMPROVEMENT OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI-REMOVAL OF THE RED RIVER RAFT, AND IMPROVEMENT OF CYPRESS BAYOU, AND TONE'S BAYOU, RED RIVER-IMPROVEMENT OF TANGIPAHOA AND CHEFUNCTE RIVERS, AND OF CALCASIEU PASS, LOUISIANA-IMPROVEMENT OF GALVESTON BAY AND HARBOR, TEXAS. Officer in charge, Capt. C. W. Howell, Corps of Engineers, having under his immediate orders Lieuts. H. M. Adams and E. A. Woodruff, Corps of Engineers. 1. Improvement of the mouth of the Mississippi River, Louisiana, at South-West Pass and at Pass à l'Outre.-From June, 1872, to June, 1873, a channel from 17 to 19 feet deep was maintained at the mouth of the river. The officer in charge reports that in March, 1873, a systematic and persistent blockade was effected by the tow-boats, and this blockade was so effectually maintained as to completely paralyze every effort at relief on his part, and necessitated the abandonment of the work at this place and the removal of the dredge-boats to Pass à l'Outre. From the fact that no system of legal prevention or redress in such cases exists, this great Government work of improvement may be de stroyed or neutralized by private parties with impunity, Some legislation is necessary to secure the results of these large annual appropriations from serious damage by private parties, and attention is again invited to the recommendation on this subject from the engineer officer in charge, embodied in my annual report for the year 1871. The dredges have made and maintained a channel 17 feet deep at Pass à l'Outre. Amount expended during fiscal year ending June 30, 1873..... (See Appendix Q 1.) $200, 734 57 85,083 00 160,000 00 2. Removing the raft in Red River, Louisiana.-The work of removal was commenced on the 1st of December, 1872, and commendable progress has been made. It is believed a navigable channel through the whole length of raft will be obtained before winter; attention will then be directed to the removal of the remaining portions of rafts and obstructions likely to cause their renewal. Amount available July 1, 1872.... Amount appropriated by act of March 3, 1873. Amount expended during fiscal year ending June 30, 1873.. Amount available July 1, 1873.... Amount required for fiscal year ending June 30, 1875.. (See Appendix Q 2.) $150,000 00 80, 000 00 135,858 53 94, 141 47 50,000 00 3. Improvement of Cypress Bayou, Texas.-This work was commenced December 18, 1872, and fair progress has been made. It consists in dredg ing a channel across the shoal places in the bayou, and is designed to improve the navigation between Jefferson, Tex., and Shreveport, La. A further examination of this stream will be made during the coming winter, and a project for a more permanent system of improvement submitted. Amount available July 1, 1872.. Amount appropriated by act of March 3, 1873... Amount expended during fiscal year ending June 30, 1873. Amount available July 1, 1873....... Amount required for fiscal year ending June 30, 1875, not yet ascertained. (See Appendix Q 3.) 4. Improvement of Tone's Bayou, Louisiana.-The construction of a dam across the mouth of this bayou was completed January 23, 1873. During March, 1873, the dam was undermined by the high water and partially swept away. An attempt was then made to partially close the mouth of the bayou by means of a raft composed of the drift-wood from the removal of the Red River rafts. This was also swept away by a rise in the river. A similar raft-dam has been begun in a more advantageous locality, and it is proposed to await the effect upon this'of the next rise of the river. Amount available July 1, 1872.. Amount expended during fiscal year ending June 30, 1873. (See Appendix Q 4.) 5. Improvement of Tangipahoa River, Louisiana.-The improvement of this river comprised the removal of snags and other obstructions to navigation. This has been effectually accomplished, and no further improvement is deemed necessary. |