C 25. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF PAWTUXET HARBOR, PROVIDENCE RIVER, RHODE ISLAND. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Newport, R. I., June 10, 1893. GENERAL: In accordance with the river and harbor act of July 13, 1892, and orders from your office dated July 14, 1892, I have the honor to submit the following report upon a preliminary examination of Pawtuxet Harbor, Providence River, Rhode Island. My opinions, as below stated, are based upon my own personal knowledge and careful study of this special locality, which was visited by me in person March 15, 1893. The statements as to the present and prospective demands of commerce are compiled mainly from replies to numerous letters addressed by me.to the chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, and of the United States House Committee on Rivers and Harbors, to the United States Senators and Representatives in whose State and district the improvement lies, and to postmasters, collectors of customs, and to such other prominent persons of the neighborhood as were supposed to be interested therein, all of whom were requested to give addresses of other interested parties, and to contribute such information and assistance as was at their disposal. In answer to my letters very few replies and very little definite information were received, showing that the demand for this improvement was not a general one. Pawtuxet Harbor (see Coast Survey Chart No. 113) is the enlarged outlet of the Pawtuxet River, and is located on the west side of the Providence River, about 5 miles south of the center of the city of Providence. The Pawtuxet River, entering the harbor at its upper end, is completely closed by a water-power dam about 400 feet from the harbor; and is therefore of no importance as regards questions of navigation, The harbor itself is of very small size, being of about 2,000 feet length, 400 feet breadth, and of about 4 feet average depth, with a bar entrance carrying only about 1 foot depth at low water. The distance from the harbor entrance to the nearest deep water in the Providence River is from 2,000 to 3,000 feet, and any improvement of the harbor would necessarily include the dredging of this channel entrance. As a village Pawtuxet Harbor is merely a residential suburb of Providence, and comprises a few hundred houses, and has no large manufac tories and no commerce other than that needed to supply the necessaries of life to its own population of about 1,000 persons. Its interests are extremely local in their nature, and concern merely itself and the adjoining city and towns. The local surroundings are such that even were this harbor improved to its utmost capabilities its commerce for many years would be naturally restricted to the 5 miles distance between itself and the city of Providence, and would not affect to any appreciable extent even the rest of its own State, and much less other of the United States. Its improvement would undoubtedly be of great local benefit, but its cost ought, in my opinion, to be paid for by those most immediately interested, and not by outsiders. I have therefore to state my opinion that for the reasons above 1 given this harbor at present is decidedly not worthy of improvement by the General Government. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. H. BIXBY, Brig. Gen. THOMAS L. CASEY, Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. Captain, Corps of Engineers. (Through Col. Henry L. Abbot, Corps of Engineers, Division Engineer, Northeast Division.) [First indorsement.] NORTHEAST DIVISION, ENGINEER OFFICE, New York, June 14, 1893. Respectfully forwarded to the Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army. For the reasons stated by the local engineer, I am of opinion that this harbor is not worthy of improvement by the General Government. HENRY L. ABBOT, Colonel of Engineers, Bvt. Brig. Gen., U. S. A., Engineer Northeast Division. C 26. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF APPONAUG HARBOR, COWESSET BAY, RHODE ISLAND. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Newport, R. I., June 10, 1893. GENERAL: In accordance with the river and harbor act of July 13, 1892, and orders from your office dated July 14, 1892, I have the honor to submit the following report upon a preliminary examination of Apponaug Harbor, Cowesset Bay, Rhode Island. My opinions, as below stated, are based upon my own personal knowledge and careful study of this special locality, which was visited by me in person March 15, 1893, and at several times during the past year. The statements as to the present and prospective demands of commerce are compiled mainly from replies to numerous letters addressed by me to the chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, and of the United States House Committee on Rivers and Harbors, to the United States Senators and Representatives in whose State and district the improvement lies, and to postmasters, collectors of customs, and to such other prominent persons of the neighborhood as were supposed to be interested therein, all of whom were requested to give addresses of other interested parties and to contribute such information and assistance as was at their disposal. In answer to my letters, very few replies were received, showing that the demand for this improvement was not a general one. Apponaug Harbor (see Coast-Survey Charts Nos. 113 and 351) is located at the northwest corner of Greenwich Bay, on the west side of Narragansett Bay, about 10 miles south of Providence. Apponaug itself is a small village in the town of Warwick, and has a population of only about 1,000 persons, without any special manufactories or commerce. Its harbor, the enlarged mouth of a small stream called Appo nang River, is a cove or estuary of about 1,800 yards length, from 100 to 400 yards breadth, with a channel of about 3 feet general depth at low water (7 feet at high water). Where the mouth of this cove connects with Greenwich Bay the depth is 7 feet at low water. The apparent desires of the people of Apponaug are for the dredging of a channel of 7 to 10 feet depth, and 30 to 100 yards width from Greenwich Bay up to the village wharves. At present Apponaug has no special commerce. In former days considerable coal and baled cotton was brought in 8 to 12 feet draft boats through Greenwich Bay up to wharves at Greenwich Harbor, about 3 miles from Apponaug center, or to those at Cowesset, about 1.5 miles from Apponaug center, thence carted to Apponaug and thence from 3 to 7 miles farther to cotton mills in the western part of the town of Warwick. At other times these vessels lay at anchor in Greenwich Bay and their cargo was carried to Apponaug on shallow lighters. But these cotton mills now obtain their supplies by rail from Providence, this latter place being now accessible to boats drawing 25 feet at low water. The mills altogether constitute a large and important industry, and add greatly to the wealth and commerce of Rhode Island. Their imports in the way of raw materials amount to over $4,000,000 (mostly coal and cotton, brought by water), andtheir exports amount to over $8,000,000 (mostly manufactured cloths, sent off by rail). To-day these mills are tributary to Providence, from which they are only from 10 to 15 miles distant by railroad. Their commerce therefore forms an important element of that of Providence, and as such has already received great assistance from the General Government in its past liberal appropriations for the improvement of Providence River to 25 feet depth. The people interested in the improvement of Apponaug Harbor hope to secure soon a short line of railroad (not yet built) from the mill region to their harbor; and then, if they can secure the improvement of their harbor, they can divert to this harbor a large portion of the present commerce of Providence. The adjacent and rival town of Greenwich hopes in a similar way to secure these advantages to itself. This arrangement would at the most save to through freight from other States or foreign ports only about 10 miles of water transportation and only about 7 miles of rail transportation, and would not avoid the necessity of transshipment from boat to cars nor the necessity of some rail transportation. Under such circumstances, the diversion of this commerce from Providence to Apponaug or Greenwich would not affect to any great extent the total cost of freight and handling, could therefore concern but little other States, or even the State of Rhode Island itself as a whole, and can not be expected to specially develop any really new commerce. It appears to me, therefore, that such an improvement is of local and not general interest, and should therefore, if made, be paid for by those locally interested, and not by other States of the Union. I have therefore to state my opinion that for the reasons above given this harbor is not at present worthy of improvement by the General Government. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. H. BIXBY, Captain, Corps of Engineers. Brig. Gen. THOMAS L. CASEY, Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. (Through Col. Henry L. Abbot, Corps of Engineers, Division Engineer, Northeast Division.) [First indorsement.] NORTHEAST DIVISION, ENGINEER OFFICE, Respectfully forwarded to the Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army. Colonel of Engineers, Brt. Brig. Gen., U. S. A., Engineer Northeast Division. C 27. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF GREENWICH HARBOR, GREENWICH BAY, RHODE ISLAND. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Newport, R. I., June 10, 1893. GENERAL: In accordance with the river and harbor act of July 13, 1892, and orders from your office dated July 14, 1892, I have the honor to submit the following report upon a preliminary examination of Greenwich Harbor, Greenwich Bay, Rhode Island. My opinions, as below stated, are based upon my own personal knowledge and careful study of this special locality, which was visited by me in person March 15, 1893, and at several other times during the past year. The statements as to the present and prospective demands of commerce are compiled mainly from replies to numerous letters addressed by me to the chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, and of the United States House Committee on Rivers and Harbors, to the United States Senators and Representatives in whose State and district the improvement lies, and to postmasters, collectors of customs, and to such other prominent persons of the neighborhood as were supposed to be interested therein, all of whom were requested to give addresses of other interested parties and to contribute such information and assistance as was at their disposal. In answer to my letters, very few replies were received, showing that the demand for this improvement was not a general one. Greenwich Harbor (see Coast Survey Charts Nos. 113 and 351), is located at the southwest corner of Greenwich Bay, on the west side of Narragansett Bay, about 13 miles south of Providence. The town of Greenwich is a place of about 4,000 inhabitants, of which about 3,000 live in the village of East Greenwich adjacent to the harbor. Greenwhich has no great commerce nor many large manufactories; being to a great extent a residental town, many of whose leading citizens do business in Providence. The harbor itself is a cove or small estuary of about 2,500 yards length, 300 yards width, and with a channel of about 10 feet depth at low water (14 feet at high water) over half its length, and 8 feet depth along its wharf front. The apparent desires of the people interested in this improvement are for the dredging of a channel of 13 feet depth along its wharf frontage and from the mouth of the harbor out into the middle of the bay, a total length of dredging of about a mile and a quarter. At present, Greenwich Harbor has very little commerce. In spite of the fact that vessels of 10 to 12 feet draft can easily reach its wharves, the water commerce of 1891 was reported as only $100,000, mainly coal and lumber, almost all brought in two sailboats, each making weekly or fortnightly trips. Evidently the facilities of the harbor are already far in advance of the actual needs of the present water commerce. In former days large quantities of coal and baled cotton was brought to this harbor and thence carted from 5 to 9 miles to cotton mills in the western part of the adjoining town, Warwick. But these cotton mills now obtain their supplies by rail from Providence, this latter place being now accessible to boats of 25 feet draft. These mills altogether constitute a large and important industry, and add greatly to the wealth and commerce of Rhode Island. Their imports in the way of raw materials amount to over $4,000,000 (mostly coal and cotton, brought by water) and their exports amount to over $8,000,000 (mostly manufactured cloths, sent off by rail). To-day these mills are tributary to Providence, from which they are only from 10 to 15 miles distant by railroad. Their commerce therefore forms an important element of that of Providence, and as such has already received great assistance from the General Government in its past liberal appropriations for the improvement of Providence River to 25 feet depth. The people interested in the improvement of Greenwich Harbor hope to secure very soon a short line of railroad (not yet built) from the mill region to their harbor; and then, if they can secure the improvement of their harbor, they can divert to this harbor a large portion of the present commerce of Providence. The adjacent rival village of Apponaug hopes in a similar way to secure these advantages to itself. This arrangement would at the most save to through freight from other States or foreign ports only about 10 miles of water transportation and only about 7 miles of rail transportation, and would not avoid the necessity of transhipment from boat to cars nor the necessity of some rail transportation. Under such circumstances the diversion of this commerce from Providence to Greenwich or Apponaug would not affect to any great extent the total cost of freight and handling, could therefore concern but little other States, or even the State of Rhode Island itself as a whole, and can not be expected to specially develop any really new commerce. It appears to me, therefore, that such an improvement is of local and not general interest, and should therefore, if made, be paid for by those locally interested, and not by other States of the Union. I have, therefore, to state my opinion that for the reasons above given this harbor is not at present worthy of improvement by the General Government. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Brig. Gen. THOMAS L. CASEY, Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. W. H. BIXBY, Captain, Corps of Engineers (Through Col. Henry L. Abbot, Corps of Engineers, Division Engineer, Northeast Division.) [First indorsement.] NORTHEAST DIVISION ENGINEER OFFICE, New York, June 14, 1893. Respectfully forwarded to the Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army. For the reasons stated by the local engineer I am of opinion that this harbor is not worthy of improvement by the General Government. HENRY L. ABBOT, Colonel of Engineers, But. Brig. Gen., U. S. A., Engineer Northeast Division. |