Abstract of proposals for dredging in Pawcatuck River, Rhode Island, received at Engineer Office, U. S. Army, Newport, R. I., in response to advertisement dated December 8, 1888, and opened at 12 o'clock noon on Tuesday, the 8th day of January, 1889. No. [To be commenced on or before March 15, 1889, and completed on or before August 15, 1889.] Name and address of bidder. Removing Removing bowlders other bowlexceeding 1 cubic yard, per cubic yard. ders and dredging, per cubic yard. * Cents. 40 Abstract of proposals for dredging in Pawcatuck River, Rhode Island, received at Engineer Office, U. §. Army, Newport, R. I., in response to advertisement dated April 2, 1889, and opened at 12 o'clock noon on Tuesday, the 23d day of April, 1889. No. [Work to be commenced on or before May 15, 1889, and completed on or before July 1, 1890.] Name and address of bidder. Removing Removing bowlders other bowlexceeding 1 cubic yard, per cubic yard. ders and dredging, per cubic yard. Cents. COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. [Furnished by Messrs. Maxson & Co., Westerly, R. I.] Receipts at Westerly by water. Shipments. Number of passengers carried by steamers. C 14. HARBOR OF REFUGE AT STONINGTON, CONNECTICUT. Stonington Harbor lies on the north side of the eastern entrance from the ocean into Long Island Sound, and the main object of the improvement is to furnish a harbor of refuge for vessels entering and leaving this entrance to the sound. The mean rise and fall of the tide is about 23 feet. • ORIGINAL CONDITION. Originally it was an open bay, unprotected from southerly storms, and obstructed by a shoal, having a low-water depth of but 6 feet at the shoalest part. This shoal nearly filled the inner harbor, and left but a narrow channel on either side of a depth insufficient to permit vessels of 12 feet draught to reach the upper wharves at low water. PLANS OF THE WORK. A short breakwater was constructed in the years 1828-31, at a cost of $34,766.65, for the protection of the commerce of the town of Stonington. The enlarged project of 1871 for the improvement of Stonington Harbor and its subsequent modification, under which work is now carried on, embraced dredging in the upper harbor and the construction of two breakwaters in the outer harbor. One of these (the western) was to be built out from Wamphassuck Point, the southwest limit of the harbor, and to extend about 2,000 feet, and the other (the eastern) was to extend from the vicinity of Bartlett's Reef to the Middle Ground. The western breakwater was completed in 1880, at a cost of $103,190. The amount expended in dredging in the upper harbor was about $45,000. The position of the western end of the easteru breakwater has not been determined, but it will probably be found necessary, in order to afford all the protection desired, to extend the breakwater at least until it intersects a range from Stonington Light to the middle of Wicopessit Island. It may then be found desirable to carry it still further, possibly to the range from Stonington Light to the eastern end of Fisher's Island. A plat of this harbor, showing the position of the breakwaters, was published in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1884, page 632. AMOUNT EXPENDED AND RESULTS TO JUNE 30, 1888. The amount expended upon the eastern breakwater up to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1888, including liabilities outstanding at that date, was $109,548.90, and its length at that date was 2,210 feet. OPERATIONS DURING THE LAST FISCAL YEAR. At the beginning of the last fiscal year no work was in progress. By act of August 11, 1888, Congress appropriated $8,000 for continuing the improvement. A project for the expenditure of this sum was ac cordingly prepared and was approved by the Chief of Engineers. The project contemplates extending the eastern breakwater to the westward as far as the funds will permit. Advertisements for proposals for furnishing riprap granite under this project were published December 17, 1888, and proposals opened January 17, 1889. An abstract of the proposals received and the terms of the contract will be found in the appended table. Work under this contract was commenced March 25, 1889, and was in progress at the close of the fiscal year. During the year 3,664.5 tons of riprap granite were placed in the breakwater. Mr. C. O. Abell, until May 6, and Mr. F. I. Angell from that date to the end of the fiscal year were local inspectors of the work, AMOUNT EXPENDED DURING THE LAST FISCAL YEAR AND RESULTS TO JUNE 30, 1889. The amount expended during the last fiscal year, including liabilities outstanding June 30, 1889, was $5,440.76, and the result was the extension of the eastern breakwater to a point about 2,240 feet from its eastern extremity, or about .87 of the shorter of the alternative lengths projected. WORK REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE EXISTING PROJECT. The work required to complete the existing project is to finish the construction of the eastern breakwater. In case it be found that suffi cient protection to the harbor of refuge has been afforded when the range from Stonington Light to the middle of Wicopessit Island is reached, the length of the breakwater yet to be built is about 330 feet. Should it be decided to extend it to the middle ground, it will require about 150 feet more. By reason of the great danger to the large passenger steamers of the Stonington Line (New York and Boston), caused by the western end of the breakwater, especially in foggy and thick weather, and which will continue to exist until it is completed and a light-house and fog-signal are erected upon it, it is very desirable that the whole amount necessary to finish the breakwater should be included in one appropriation. temporary light was placed on the western end of the breakwater in March last and has since been maintained. A The completion of this work will afford a thoroughly protected anchorage for vessels drawing 18 feet of water, and a harbor of refuge for the commerce which daily passes between Long Island Sound and the eastward. OPERATIONS CONTEMPLATED FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1890. It is proposed to extend the eastern breakwater further to the westward. Stonington Harbor is in the Stonington collection district and is a port of entry. The amount of revenue collected at Stonington in the last fiscal year was $1,375.50. The principal value of the harbor is as a harbor of refuge. The nearest lights are Stonington Light and Latimer's Reef Light. The nearest fortification is Fort Trumbull, New London Harbor, Connecticut. July 1, 1888, amount available.... Money statement. 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.... $450.80 8,000.00 8, 450.80 $3,485.46 1,955.30 2,097. 20 7,537.96 912.84 25, 000, 00 July 1, 1889, balance available..... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project..... Abstract of proposals for furnishing and placing riprap granite in the eastern breakwater at Stonington, Conn., received at Engineer Office, U. S. Army, Newport, R. 1., in response to advertisement dated December 17, 1888, and opened at 12 o'clock noon, on Thursday, the 17th day of January, 1889. [Work to be commenced on or before March 15, 1889, and completed on or before August 15, 1889.} Contract awarded to Charles F. Stoll, of New Londou, Conn., with the approval of the Chief of Engineers, and dated February 8, 1889. The schooner Alma was a vessel of about 200 tons burden, and was probably built in 1882 at Alma, New Brunswick. The name of the owner was not ascertained. She was loaded with lime and a deck load of lumber. The vessel caught fire somewhere off the coast of Cape Cod during the storm of September 26, 1888, and was towed to Vineyard Haven, Mass., and left by the tow-boat at a shoal spot about 1,200 feet northeast of the steam boat wharf. She lay in about 10 to 12 feet of water, and from her position on the edge of the channel was a dangerous obstruction to navigation. The notice required by section 4 of the river and harbor appropriation act of June 14, 1880, was given to all persons interested in the vessel, etc., by publication in newspapers, and no action having been taken by the owners looking to the removal of the wreck, proposals for the work were invited by advertisement dated January 12, 1889. An abstract of the proposals received and the terms of the contract will be found in the appended table. The contractor at first attempted to float the wreck by means of casks. This method was found to be impracticable and was abandoned, and the wreck blown up by dynamite. The cargo of lime was cleaned out with a steam-shovel. The work was greatly delayed by bad weather and high winds. It was completed May 1, 1889. Portions of the rigging and hull of the vessel were saved during the process of removal. They were sold at auction at Vineyard Haven, and the proceeds, amounting to $108, were covered into the Treasury. Mr. C. O. Abell, to March 25, 1889, and Mr. George F. Rostock, after that date, were local inspectors of the work. Abstract for proposals for removing the wreck of the schooner Alma received at Engineer Office, U. §. Army, Newport, R. Ï., in response to advertisement dated January 12, 1889, and opened at 12 o'clock noon on Tuesday, the 12th day of February, 1889. No. Name and address of bidder. Amount of bid. William Buckley, Vineyard Haven, Mass.. Hibbard Youngs, New London, Conn.. Lincoln Foster Baker, Boston, Mass.. 4 George W. Townsend, Boston, Mass 5 Charles W. Johnston, Lewes, Del 1234567 Charles E. Davis, Wood's Holl. Mass Harvey S. Cook, Agent Boston Tow-Boat Company, Vineyard Haven, Mass * Informal and not in triplicate. $770 777 1,000 1, 197 1,375 1,440 2, 200 Contract awarded to William Buckley, of Vineyard Haven, Mass., with the approval of the Chief of Engineers, and dated February 26, 1889. Work to be commenced within ten days after signing the contract and completed within forty days of the time of commencement. WRECK OF SCHOONER ANNIE E. HAYES. According to the best information obtainable the schooner Annie E. Hayes was owned by W. W. Baker, of Brooklyn, N. Y., who was also her captain. Her dimensions were approximately, length 150 feet, breadth 14 feet, depth from top of rail to bottom of keel 10 feet. She was bound from East Wareham, Mass., to Providence, R. I., with a cargo of 160 tons of molding sand, and between 10 and 11 o'clock on the morning of December 5, 1888, sprung a leak and went down, giving the captain and crew barely time to escape in the small boat. The wreck lay in about 22 feet of water about 1 mile south of Bird Island Light, Buzzard's Bay, Massachusetts, directly in the track of vessels bound in and out of Wareham River. Wreckers stripped her of everything of value except the masts. Her cabin was found on the beach a few days after the accident. The notice required by section 4 of the river and harbor appropria tion act of June 14, 1880, to all persons interested in the vessel, etc., was given by advertisement in newspapers, and proposals for removing the wreck were invited. No action having been taken by the owners, the proposals were opened March 18, 1889. An abstract of the proposals received and the terms of the contract will be found in the appended table. Dynamite was used to remove the wreck. The work was considerably delayed by unfavorable weather. It was completed May 1, 1889, Mr. F. I. Angell was local inspector of the work. |