18. Survey of Cypress Bayou and the lakes between Jefferson, Tex., and Shreveport, La.-This survey was ordered by river and harbor act of September 19, 1890, to ascertain whether the navigation of the bayou and lakes can be materially and permanently improved by the construction of locks and dams, and, if found practicable, the probable cost thereof. The original estimates for the survey amounted to $12,000, but only $10,000 was appropriated, and owing to this insuflicient amount and delays by high water the work was not completed. A report was submitted by Capt. Willard, the local engineer in charge, February 6, 1892, stating the progress made in the conduct of the survey, and the neces sity for further consideration and investigation of the subject. The river and harbor act of July 13, 1892, appropriated $2,000 for completing the survey, which has been done during the past fiscal year. The plan for improving the lakes and bayous between Jefferson, Tex., and Shreveport, La., contemplates the construction of a dam, with waste weir across Sodo Lake, with entrance from Red River through Cottonwood Bayou by a lock with double gates, at an estimated cost of $375,000. But as the plan of improving Red River is carried out and the outlets closed along its right bank, the water supply of Cypress Bayou and the lakes will be limited to the natural drainage of their basin, with what might be let in from Red River through Cottonwood Bayou, or through sluices near by. In view of the limited amount of commerce to be benefited, the cost of operating and maintenance, and the fact that the probable life of the improvement can not be estimated, it is doubtful whether the work should be undertaken. EXAMINATIONS MADE IN COMPLIANCE WITH RIVER AND HARBOR ACT APPROVED JULY 13, 1892. The preliminary examinations of the following localities, required by act of July 13, 1892, were made by the local engineer, Capt. J. H. Willard, Corps of Engineers, and reports thereon submitted through the division engineer, Col. C. B. Comstock, Corps of Engineers. 1. Sulphur River from its mouth to Sulphur Station, Tex.-Capt. Willard submitted report of examination under date of May 16, 1893. He considers the river worthy of improvement by removing snags and other obstructions, with perhaps a small amount of dredging. It is the opinion of the division engineer, concurred in by this office, that this portion of the river is worthy of improvement to a small extent, by snagging, by the General Government. No survey is necessary for preparation of project and estimate of cost of improvement. (See Appendix V 19.) 2. Little River, Arkansas.-Capt. Willard submitted report of examination under date of May 17, 1893. It is his opinion and that of the division engineer, concurred in by this office, that the river is not worthy of improvement by the United States. (See Appendix V 20.) 3. Ouachita River above Camden, Ark.-Capt. Willard submitted report of examination under date of May 17, 1893. It is his opinion and that of the division engineer, concurred in by this office, that this portion of the river is not worthy of improvement by the General Government. (See Appendix V 21.) 4. Cassity Bayou, Mississippi.-Capt. Willard submitted report of examination under date of May 17, 1893. He considers the bayou worthy of improvement by the United States as soon as the chartered rights of the Cassity Lock and Dam Company over this stream are revoked. It is the opinion of the division engineer, concurred in by this office, that the bayou is not worthy of improvement by the General Government. (See Appendix V 22.) 5. Coldwater River, Mississippi.-Capt. Willard submitted report of examination under date of May 17, 1893. It is his opinion and that of the division engineer, concurred in by this office, that the river is not worthy of improvement by the United States. (See Appendix V 23.) IMPROVEMENT OF ARKANSAS RIVER AND OF CERTAIN RIVERS IN ARKANSAS AND MISSOURI. This district was in the charge of Capt. H. S. Taber, Corps of Engineers; Division Engineer, Col. C. B. Comstock, Corps of Engineers. 1. Removing obstructions in Arkansas River. Prior to the first improvements in 1833, shifting sand bars, numerous drift piles, and dangerous snags constituted the obstacles to navigation in the lower reaches, and gravel and rock shoals, with a few snags and many overhanging trees, constituted those of the upper. Except for a few special reaches, like the Fort Smith and Pine Bluff, the general plan of improvement has consisted in snagging operations, including the cutting of overhanging trees, in building wing dams to improve the shoals, and in surveys looking toward plans for its permanent improvement. The appropriations to June 30, 1893, amount to $505.251.37. Of this sum there had been expended to June 30, 1892, 8410,446.10. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893, $22,073.54 was expended in snagging operations at or near low water, and in construction of snag boat. July 1, 1892, balance unexpended...... Received on account of sale of U. S. towboat C. B. Reese June 30, 1893, amount expended during fiscal year..... July 1, 1893, balance unexpended July 1, 1893, balance available ..... $2,028.43 20,000.00 20,000.00 42.028.43 22,073.54 19, 954.89 4,322.58 15, 632. 31 Amount (estimated) required for work annually 35,000.00 70,000.00 2. Arkansas River.-Work during the past season has been carried on under four different acts of Congress. The appropriation made by act of August 5, 1886, except a small sum out of $10,000 allotted for work at Dardanelle, was expended prior to June 30, 1890; at Dardanelle the $10,000 was to be expended in erecting a permeable dike above and opposite the town in such a position as to remove the sand bar in front of the wharves. By act of August 11, 1888, the sum of $150,000 was appropriated for the improvement of this river, under plan providing for the formation of a channel at least 200 feet wide and 6 feet deep at low water from Little Rock to the Mississippi River, and the formation of a channel 2 feet deep at low water and from 200 to 300 feet wide from Fort Gibson to Arkansas City, as contemplated in the report of the Chief of Engineers for the year ending June 30, 1885, and in House Ex. Doc. No. 90, Forty-ninth Congress, first session, and authorized in the act approved August 5, 1886. By act approved September 19, 1890, the sum of $180,000 was appropriated. By act approved July 13, 1892, $250,000 was appropriated. The approved projects for the expenditure of this amount may be summarized as follows: At Van Buren, $4,000 to be expended in erecting a permeable dike at a suitable point a little above the town and upon the opposite side of the river, to contract the channel and prevent it from leaving the city wharves. From Fort Gibson, Ind. T., to the mouth of the river the balance to be expended in the erection of permeable dikes and in rock excavation at worst places, so far as the amount of the appropriation will permit, looking toward the permanent improvement of the river, to give a channel at least 6 feet deep and 200 feet wide from Little Rock to the mouth of the river, via White River Cut-off, as provided under the act of August 5, 1886, and an allyear-round depth of water of at least 2 feet from Little Rock, Ark., to Fort Gibson, Ind. T. Before operations were begun at Dardanelle a bad bar had formed along the town front, cutting off all approach to either wharf at low water or at medium stage. From Fort Gibson to the mouth of the river the river consists of alternating bars and caving banks, with crossings more or less troublesome at low water, a few of the latter operating to effectually close the river to navigation at extreme low water, even for boats drawing but 2 feet of water. From Fort Gibson, Ind. T., to the mouth of the river $177,897.93 has been expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893. The work was carried on under three allotments, so far as the appropriation for 1892 is concerned, two-fifths of this amount being intended for the reach from the mouth of the river to Little Rock, two-fifths from Little Rock to Fort Smith, and one-fifth above Fort Smith. The project for this last appropriation consisted practically in the solidifying of works already in existence, that were erected out of perishable materials, with new works in accordance with the general plan after these had been completed. At Moores Rocks a channel 75 feet wide, 425 feet long, and 2 feet deep at low water was completed. Dikes 1, 2, 2, and 3, above Fort Smith, were converted into solid stone-capped dikes. At Van Buren the old dike was solidified, as was also the railway incline. At Dardanelle work at solidifying the old dike and the construction of the new brush and stone dike was begun. A large quantity of rock was quarried at Big Rock, 3 miles above Little Rock, and taken down the river for works below. Some of this rock was also used for the conversion of Dikes A, B, and C above the ENG 93-18 Baring Cross Bridge into solid stone-capped dikes, and in the erection of two additional dikes 150 feet long and 7 feet above low water. Dikes 1, 2, 3, and 4 below the Little Rock and Fort Smith Railway Bridge were converted into solid dikes, as were also Dikes 2, 3, and 4 opposite the town of Pine Bluff, which, with the revetment of the bank between Dikes 4 and 5 completed, and that between Dikes 5 and 6 begun, with some works begun upon the A series of dikes below Pine Bluff, constitutes the sum total of the work of the season, except certain addition to the plant. July 1, 1892, balance unexpended.......... Amount appropriated by act approved July 13, 1892 June 30, 1893, amount expended during fiscal year. July 1, 1893, balance unexpended July 1, 1893, balance available Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project ... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1895. Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867 and of sundry civil act of March 3, 1893. (See Appendix W 2.) $37, 459.69 250,000.00 287, 459.69 177, 897.93 109, 561.76 15, 176.55 94, 385. 21 3, 222, 479.00 1,500,000.00 3. Fourche Le Fevre River, Arkansas.-The improvement of this stream was begun in 1879, under the act approved March 3, 1879. Prior to improvement its channel was choked with snags, logs, and drift, and heavy timber overhung its banks. Several bad shoals also impeded navigation. Up to June 30, 1886, $21,000 had been expended in removing the greater part of the obstructions. By act approved August 5, 1886, $5,000 was appropriated for removing rock shoals situated about 4 miles below Perryville. At the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1888, this sum had been expended, completing a channel about 500 yards long, 30 feet wide, and 2 feet deep at low water through this shoal. By act approved September 19, 1890, $7,500 was appropriated. The approved project for its expenditure provides for the building and equipping of a hand-propelled snag boat at a cost not to exceed $4,000, to be operated for four months at or near extreme low water, in removing accumulated obstructions, snags, logs, drift piles, landslides, and bowlders on Piney Shoals, $450 to be expended in making a cut through May Shoal to provide for high and medium-stage navigation. Up to June 30, 1892, $6,192.03 had been expended in building and equipping the hand-propelled snag boat Pioneer, and in removing 1,923 cubic yards of rock and gravel, 1,026 snags, 4 large rack heaps, several landslides, and over 25,000 overhanging trees, opening the river to high and medium-stage navigation to Perryville Landing. 4. Petit Jean River, Arkansas.-Before improvement this river was obstructed by snags, logs, masses of driftwood, overhanging trees, and shoals. The original project for improvement contemplated rendering it navigable during high and medium stages of water up to Danville, Ark., by cutting the overhanging trees and cutting up the snags, logs, and drift. Three thousand five hundred dollars was expended in the execution of this project to June 30, 1888. The appropriation made by act of August 11, 1888, was $2,500, and work was limited to the river below the bridge at Rocky Crossing. The new project provides for removing portions of the shoals known as Slaty Crossing and Robinsons Ridge, and certain timber from the lowwater channel. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1890, no work was done on account of continued high water, rendering it impossible to begin the work with any certainty of completing it. The fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, was a favorable season for this work, and many obstructions to navigation were removed. By act approved July 13, 1892, $3,500 was appropriated for completing the original project. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893, navigation has suffered on account of the non-removal of the bridge at Rocky Crossing; the work will be completed during the coming fiscal year. The present appropriation meets existing demands of commerce. Amount appropriated by act approved July 13, 1892 July 1, 1893, balance unexpended (See Appendix W 4.) $3,500.00 7.50 3, 492.50 5. White River, Arkansas.-Before improvement the channel of this river was choked with drift piles, logs, and snags in its lower portion, and from Batesville up, gravel bars, rocky shoals, channel bowlders, and overhanging trees impeded navigation. The original project consisted in snagging operations, blasting ledges and bowlders, and dam building to remove gravel bars or to close chutes. The first separate appropriation for this river was made by act approved July 5, 1884. Provision for a survey of the river from Forsythe, Mo., to its mouth was added to the original project. At that date the river was in excellent navigable condition for boats drawing not to exceed 3 feet of water from its mouth to Newport, Ark. From Newport to Batesville there were many troublesome snags and from Batesville to Buffalo Shoals there were numerous bad shoals, rendering navigation very uncertain. From Buffalo Shoals to Forsythe, Mo., there were many fine reaches of river, but the depth of water on Buffalo Shoals and others prevented any navigation at ordinary stages of water. The present plan, based on the survey, provides for the maintenance at low water of a channel 2 feet deep between Newport and Buffalo Shoals, and a channel of not less than 5 feet deep at low water from Newport to the mouth, and also for a limited amount of snagging operations while these improvements are in progress. The result between Newport and Buffalo Shoals is to be accomplished by the erection of solid wing dams and some rock excavation. From Newport to the mouth this result is to be accomplished by the erection of low permeable spur dikes, to give the necessary depth of water on the shoals. By act approved July 13, 1892, $75,000 was appropriated. Up to June 30, 1892, $108,708.04 had been expended, which completed the survey, plotted the notes, published the maps, effectually improved some of the most dangerous shoals between Buffalo Shoals and Newport, Ark., gave much relief to navigation by removing the most dan |