PETITION. BOSTON, MASS., October 15, 1892. DEAR SIR: We, the undersigned wholesale fish dealers of Boston, believing that the lack of a channel around Jeffries Point works much against the proper development of the fish business in East Boston, do most earnestly request that a proper channel be dredged around that point. John R. Neal & Co, D. N. Freeman Co., Gloucester Fish Co,, J. Burns & Co., P. H. Pew, E. A. Rich & Co., J. Adams & Co., O. H. Wiley & Co., N. G. Stone & Co., Freeman & Cobb, Baker, Witherell & Co., Rich & Story, Conquest & Hodgkins, Story & Stevens, Blanchard & Towle, Boston Fish Co., F. C. Goodspeed & Co., Lombard & Curtis, Haskins Fish Co., Arnold & Winsor, B. F. Phillips & Co., Snow & Rich, Taylor Mayo, J. W. Marston & Co., Coleman, Son & Co., F. J. O'Hara & Co., P. Grimes & Co., J. W. Penlins, James Emery, jr., & Co. Col. MANSFIELD. LETTER OF MR. GEO. C. FITZPATRICK. EAST BOSTON, October 21, 1892. DEAR SIR: The captains of the vessels named on this list have been waited upon by the undersigned, and we have filled in their names, with value of vessel they command, with their full sanction and approval. DEAR SIR: We, the captains of vessels, now selling our fish in Boston, do most earnestly request that a channel be dredged around Jeffries Point, East Boston, to increase the market for fish and thereby very greatly increase the commerce of Boston. LETTER OF MR. JAMES SMITH, PRESIDENT BOSTON FORGE COMPANY. BOSTON FORGE COMPANY, East Boston, October 20, 1892. SIR: Your communication of the 11th instant I have received, and in answer respectfully submit the views of the promoters of the contemplated improvement at Jeffries Point, as I understand them. Their object is to develop the wharf property adjacent to the proposed channel, which is not now available on acconnt of the shallow depth of water in front of them. My opinion, as well as that of intelligent persons conversant with this property, is that such improvement would open up a long wharf front that would be of great benefit to the general public, the manufacturing, coastwise, and fishing interests; it would enable the manufacturers in this vicinity to receive their coal, iron, lumber, and other water-borne materials with greater facility, and conduce to the encouragement of commerce and trade. There is already established here a very considerable fish-curing trade, that will serve as a nucleus for a much larger business when vessels of comparatively deep draft of water can come to these wharves. Recently there has been manifested by the fish dealers of Boston much interest in this proposed improvement, and they assert positively that, in the event of its completion, these wharves will become the receiving and distributing depot, to a great extent, of the fish trade of Boston. The amount of commerce that would be benefited by this improvement it would be difficult, if not impossible, to estimate with any degree of certainty, but it is fair to assume that it would be quite large, because of the proximity of these wharves to two of the largest railroads in New England and the main channel of Boston Harbor. I can not more specifically answer the queries of your letter, but when these improvements are completed, doubtless this location will become of considerable importance to the maritime and manufacturing interests of Boston. Yours respectfully, Lieut. Col. S. M. MANSFIELD, LETTER OF THE BOSTON FORGE COMPANY. JAMES SMITH. BOSTON FORGE Company, SIR: Replying to your communication of the 11th instant, will state that the Boston Forge Company bought their wharf January 21, 1866; erected buildings and started their furnaces May following. We chartered two-masted schooners and landed our coal, fuel, sand, kaolin, and other supplies on our wharf until 1873, when two vessels grounded on the flats, which had to be lightered (this was caused by the gradual filling in of the flats), after which the owners objected to charter to our wharf, and we have ever since been obliged to pay wharfage and cartage, which amounts on the average to $2,500 per annum. This outlay is a great detriment in close competition with other manufacturers who have water facilities, and gives no encouragement for further outlay. We have at present $150,000 invested in our plant, and if the contemplated improvement is made could add greatly to our works. We have done a business during the past twenty-seven years of $10,000,000; at present we have about 100 employés. It would be of great benefit to all the abutters and add largely to the commercial and manufacturing interests of Boston. Yours respectfully, Lieut. Col. S. M. MANSFIELD, JAMES SMITH, President. Corps of Engineers, U. S. A. B 27. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF NEPONSET RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS. [Printed in House Ex. Doc. No. 35, Fifty-second Congress, second session.] OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, UNITED STATES ARMY, Washington, D. C., December 5, 1892. SIR: I have the honor to submit the accompanying copy of report dated October 31, 1892, by Lieut. Col. S. M. Mansfield, Corps of Engineers, of the results of a preliminary examination of Neponset River, Massachusetts, made to comply with provisions of the river and harbor act approved July 13, 1892. Lieut. Col. Mansfield states that in his opinion the river is worthy of improvement by the General Government, and he submits an estimate of $500 as the amount required to make the surveys necessary to the preparation of plan and project with estimate of the improvement proposed. I concur in his views. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. S. B. ELKINS, THOS. LINCOLN CASEY, Brig. Gen., Chief of Engineers. REPORT OF LIEUT. COL. S. M. MANSFIELD, CORPS OF ENGINEERS. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Boston, Mass., October 31, 1892, GENERAL: In accordance with the requirements of letter from your office of July 14, 1892, I have the honor to submit the following report upon the examination of Neponset River, Massachusetts, as provided in section 6 of the river and harbor act approved July 13, 1892. The Neponset River flows chiefly through marshy banks from the head of navigation, at the dam at Lower Mills, to Dorchester Bay, a distance of about 2 miles, and forms the dividing line between Dorchester (Boston) on the north and Milton and Quincy on the south. The natural conditions of the region are most favorable for the establishment of manufactories and. the handling of coal, lumber, stone, etc. United States harbor lines have been established between the mouth of the river at Commercial Point and the Neponset Avenue Bridge, and the bank on the northern side below the bridge is now occupied by the large Bay State Gas Company's works and several wharves, where is conducted a large business in coal and building materials. The river is crossed by three bridges having convenient draw openings, and several coal and lumber docks are located on both banks at Lower Mills. I am indebted to Messrs. A. and J. R. Churchill for statistics of the business of the river, and submit herewith a copy of their letter, with a condensed tabular statement of the business of the river during the past ten years, which embraces only that done above the bridges. There is also herewith copies of letters from the A. T. Stearns Lumber Company and Messrs. Pratt & Co., doing business below the bridges. In my opinion the river is worthy of improvement by the General Government, and estimate that $500 will be required to enable me to make a survey and report, including a project with estimate of the cost of the proposed improvement. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Brig. Gen. THOMAS L. CASEY, S. M. MANSFIED, Lieut. Col. of Engineers. LETTER OF MESSRS. A. AND J. R. CHURCHILL. BOSTON, October 22, 1892. DEAR SIR: In the matter of the petition by O. S. Godfrey and Henry L. Pierce and others for the improvement of the Neponset River, Massachusetts, we desire to submit the inclosed tables showing a part of the business upon said river for the last ten years; with also a comparative recapitulation thereof showing the increase through these years. We call your attention especially to the following points: The volume of business in coal has increased about 50 per cent. In lumber the volume of business has more than doubled. In brick it has trebled. But more important is it still to notice that the tonnage of vessels has been increasing from an average in 1882 of 389 to 423 (tons coal) in 1891. The largest in 1891 being 612. It is indeed chiefly this consideration, beside the increase in business, that justifies the appeal of the petitioners, viz, that coal, etc., is being shipped and will continue to be shipped in larger and larger vessels necessitating, of course, deeper and wider draft. It is desirable to-day to import coal in vessels of 800, 900, and even 1,000 tons burden. The necessity of the fature is still greater. Meantime large business interests like the Walter Baker chocolate business and the grain business of Mr. Samuel Gannett are dependent upon the river and its accommodations for coal and grain; and others like the paper business of the Tileston and Hollingsworth corporation will be benefited by facilitating and increasing the transportation of coal by the river. The petitioners hope for your favorable consideration of this matter, and we shall be glad to explain these figures to you, if necessary, at your convenience. Yours, very truly, Lieut. Col. MANSFIELD, U. S. Engineer, etc. A. & J. R. CHURCHILL. ENG 93 -51 |