Money statement. 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..... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project $224.08 5,000.00 5,224. 08 4,593.74 630.34 5,000.00 5,000.00 Abstract of proposals for dredging in Stamford Harbor, Connecticut, opened December 13, 1888, by Col. D. C. Houston, Corps of Engineers. *Lowest bid; contract entered into with the Hartford Dredging Company, under date of February 4, 1889; contract completed April 15, 1889. The above is commerce by water, and does not include what comes into town via "the canal"—a private channel. D 14. IMPROVEMENT OF PORT CHESTER HARBOR, NEW YORK. This harbor consists of the lower part of the Byram River, and a bay at its mouth opening into Long Island Sound. This river for about 1 miles from its mouth forms the dividing line between the States of New York and Connecticut. It was formerly navigable to a point within a few hundred feet of the bridge at Port Chester, a little more than 1 mile from the mouth. Before improvement the depth below the wharves was in some places as little as 1 foot at mean low water. The mean rise of tide is 7.4. PROJECTS FOR IMPROVEMENT. A survey of this harbor was made in 1871, and a project based on this was submitted and adopted. It provided for the removal of two rocks; Sunken Rock at the entrance to the bay with 5.7 feet low-water depth, to be removed to 11 feet depth, and Salt Rock about 1,000 feet above the mouth of the river, partly bare at low water, to be removed to 9 feet depth, also a breakwater 400 feet long at Byram Point. The estimated cost of the whole was as follows, viz: Under this project Salt Rock was removed in 1873. No farther work was done until 1884, when a survey of the channel was made under the appropriation of August 2, 1882, and a project for extending the funds available in 1884 (about $16,000), based on this survey, was submitted and approved. It provided for making a channel from 60 to 100 feet wide and 2 feet deep at mean low water from the bay to the vicinity of the bridge at Port Chester. This modification was made in deference to the wishes of the business men of Port Chester. The channel was completed to within 150 feet of the bridge in May 1885. A contract was entered into May 15, 1886, with W. K. Pidgeon for the hire of the necessary plant for straightening and leveling the channel, and removing lumps left by the previous contractor both in the river and bay. This contract was completed July 22, 1886, 9,232 cubic yards of sand and gravel having been removed. In the project for expenditure of $5,000 appropriated in 1888 a change was made in the project, omitting the removal of Sunken Rock and changing the location of the proposed breakwater so as to make it extend from Sunken Rock towards the shore. Sunken Rock had been dangerous only because it was submerged and at the edge of the chan nel; the width of the channel at that point was sufficient for all prospective needs. A breakwater on the rock, rising above high water, would serve as a beacon and be an aid instead of a danger to navigation, besides affording more effective shelter than the originally proposed breakwater; thus it would take the place both of the breakwater and of the removal of Sunken Rock, together estimated to cost $83,980. The total cost of the breakwater extended from Sunken Rock to Byram Point is estimated at $15,000. OPERATIONS DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1889. Under the appropriation of $5,000 made by act of Congress August 11, 1888, a contract for construction of a breakwater to extend shoreward from Sunken Rock was entered into with S. & E. S. Belden, of Rocky Hill, Conn., under date of January 2, 1889. Rate per ton of riprap delivered in the work, $1.19. Work was begun March 18, and completed May 22, 3,698 tons of stone being placed in the breakwater, building it from Sunken Rock shoreward for a length of 288 feet. PRESENT CONDITION OF IMPROVEMENT. Salt Rock has been effectually removed. An available channel, 24 feet deep at mean low water and from 60 to 100 feet wide to a point 150 feet below the bridge and 25 feet wide to the bridge, has been dredged, and in front of the wharves, where vessels lie aground at low tide. The bottom has been leveled as nearly as practicable. Two hundred and eighty-eight linear feet of the breakwater have been built, with top width of 5 feet, rising to 1 foot above high water and with slopes of 1 upon 1; the end of the breakwater resting upon Sunken Rock was built to 5 feet above high water, to serve as a beacon. PROPOSED OPERATIONS. With future appropriations it is proposed to extend the breakwater to high-water mark on Byram Point, a distance of about 343 feet. The estimated cost of this work is $10,000, which sum could be advantageously applied to that purpose during the ensuing fiscal year. Appropriations for improving Port Chester Harbor have been made as follows, viz: Port Chester Harbor is in the collection district of New York. The nearest light-house is on Great Captain's Island, 13 miles east of the mouth of the harbor. The nearest work of defense is at Throg's Neck, about 15 miles southwest. Money statement. 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 $24.77 5,000.00 5,024. 77 5,010.06 14.71 64, 632.00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project..... |