The total amount of freight carried on this river in 1892 is estimated, as above, at 950,000 tons, being 55,000 tons less than in 1891. The decrease is altogether in the item of stone, which was less than during any recent year previous. No new lines of transportation have been established since July 1, 1892. D 4. IMPROVEMENT OF HARBOR OF REFUGE AT DUCK ISLAND HARBOR, CONNECTICUT. Duck Island Harbor is a bay on the north shore of Long Island Sound, between headlands known as Menunketesuck and Kelseys Points, respectively on the east and west sides of the harbor. It is about 7 miles west of the mouth of the Connecticut River, and midway between the harbors of New Haven and New London. In this distance of 46 miles there is no seeure harbor of sufficient size and depth to shelter any considerable part of the general commerce of the Sound. Duck Island Harbor has a large anchorage area, with depths of 16 feet or more at low tide and with good holding bottom. It is sheltered from the north by the mainland, partly sheltered from the east by Menunketesuck Point, and slightly sheltered from the south by Duck Island, an island about 900 feet long (north and south) by 300 feet wide, situated in the mouth of the harbor, rather more than half a mile westsouthwest from Menunketesuck Point. PROJECT FOR IMPROVEMENT. Under act of Congress of August 2, 1882, a preliminary examination of this harbor was made by Col. J. W. Barlow, Corps of Engineers, the report upon which was printed in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1884, Part I, p. 684, and in Senate Ex. Doc. No. 50, Forty-eighth Congress, first session. This report outlined two plans for improving the security of the harbor, and suggested that the adoption of a project be deferred for further consideration. The act of Congress approved August 5, 1886, provided for a "resurvey of Duck Island Harbor on Long Island Sound, including plans, specifications, and estimates of cost for making the same a harbor of refuge." A preliminary examination, together with the recent Coast Survey charts, afforded all the information necessary without a detailed survey. In the report on this examination dated November 12, 1886, and printed (with map) in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1887, Part I, p. 641, the required plaus, etc., were presented. They Total, 301,000 tons of stone, at $1.40 per ton......... ...do... .tons.. 181, 000 79, 000 41,000 $421, 400 42, 140 463, 540 The beginning of work under this project was approved by the Secretary of War September 27, 1890, after the first appropriation for this harbor had been made, and up to July 1, 1892, 23,462 tons of riprap sandstone had been delivered and placed in the breakwater, building 946 linear feet of the work to a height of 73 feet above mean low water, with a top width of 5 feet. The diminished cross-section was adopted as a temporary expedient to secure a larger sheltered area at once; the work will require enlarging to make it permanent. OPERATIONS DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1893. By act of Congress approved July 13, 1892, $35,000 were appropriated for continuing this improvement, and after the usual advertisement, proposals for extending the breakwater were received, and under date of October 13, 1892, a contract was entered into with S. and E. S. Belden, of Hartford, Conn., to deliver and place about 34,000 tons of riprap at the rate of $0.89 per ton. Work under this contract was begun April 5, 1893, and up to the close of the fiscal year, 8,087 tons of stone had been delivered and placed, extending the breakwater by about 294 linear feet. Work is still in progress; the contract expires December 31, 1893. PRESENT CONDITION OF IMPROVEMENT. The present length of the breakwater is 1,240 feet; its height is 7 feet above mean low water, with top width of 5 feet and side slopes of 1 upon 1; it contains 31,549 tons of riprap. The depth at the end of the breakwater is 16 feet at low tide. In connection with the island itself it affords shelter from southeasterly storms for an area of about 25 acres with 15 feet (or over) low-water depth. The length of the work is hardly sufficient as yet to afford valuable shelter from southwesterly storms. The condition of the work is generally good. In a few places, the part first built has settled slightly. PROPOSED OPERATIONS. Under the contract now in force, the breakwater will be extended westardly about 750 feet farther; a few slight repairs will be made to the older part of the work. Future appropriations will be applied to extending and enlarging the westerly breakwater, and to building the other breakwaters, as provided in the approved project for this work. Appropriations for harbor of refuge at Duck Island Harbor, Connecticut, have been made as follows: Duck Island Harbor is in the collection district of Hartford. The nearest light-house is at Saybrook Point, at the mouth of the Connecticut River, about 8 miles eastward. There is a light vessel on Long Sand Shoal, about 5 miles to the southeast. Fort Trumbull, New London Harbor, 21 miles east, is the nearest work of defense. Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project. 403, 540.00 Abstract of proposals for constructing a breakwater at Duck Island Harbor, Connecticut, opened at Engineer Office, U. S. Army, New York City, September 26, 1892. COMMERCIAL STATISTICS FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR 1892. No record of the number of vessels passing this harbor of refuge has ever been kept. For general purposes it may be estimated as about two-thirds the number passing New Haven Breakwater, which was reported as 137,882 in 1891. The value of this commerce can not be ascertained. The following extracts from letters received indicate that the harbor is used to some extent in its present unfinished state: Mr. E. S. Belden, Hartford, Conn.-I would say that our barges with tugs have many times stopped there when bound west loaded to get shelter from storm. Mr. W. I. Lewis, Grove Beach, Conn.-The little stretch of breakwater is not yet long enough to give protection to any large tows of barges, though a number of small tows have sought shelter. November 27, 1892, I saw four three-masted schooners and one sloop come into the harbor and anchor for safety, and but a few days before I saw a tug with four barges come in. Mr. E. H. Jones, Grove Beach, Conn.-There is hardly a day when it is not used when the weather is such that vessels seek shelter. The largest number I have known to seek refuge at one time is seven. D 5. IMPROVEMENT OF CLINTON HARBOR, CONNECTICUT. Clinton Harbor is on the north shore of Long Island Sound, about 10 miles west of the mouth of the Connecticut River. It consists of an open, shallow bay, and of the mouth of the Hammonasset River, a small stream which flows easterly in front of the town wharves, and empties into the bay. For three-quarters of a mile above its mouth the river is separated from the bay by a narrow strip of sand and marsh. About 1840 a breach was made through this strip half a mile above the mouth of the river, which diverted a considerable part of the tidal flow, and since then two shoals have formed, one just inside the river's mouth with 4.5 feet depth of water, and one out in the bay shortly be fore reaching the deep water of the Sound, with a depth of 4 feet. It is said that formerly there were depths of from 8 to 12 feet on both these bars, and that shoaling occurred soon after the breach was made. PROJECT FOR IMPROVEMENT. By act approved March 3, 1881, Congress authorized a survey of the harbor, which was made the same year. In his report on the survey, dated January 17, 1882, and printed in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1882, Part I, p. 630, Col. Barlow, Corps of Engineers, submitted a project for restoring the original condition of the channel by closing the breach and by subsequently (should the increased tidal current not produce the deepening desired) dredging through the shoals to make a channel 100 feet wide and 6 feet deep at mean low water. The cost of a dike to close the breach was estimated at $3,000, and the cost of the whole project, including the dredging, at $10,000. This project was adopted in 1882, after the first appropriation for the improvement had been made. Up to July 1, 1892, the dike had been built and repaired, but no dredging had yet been done; the depth of the channel had not materially changed since the survey. In 1893 the project was modified to make the width sought 75 feet and the total cost $8,500. OPERATIONS DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1893. By act of Congress approved July 13. 1892, $2,000 were appropriated for continuing the improvement. Advertisement was made for proposals for dredging to deepen the channel, under which but one bid was received for 32 cents per cubic yard. By authority of the Chief of Engineers, this was rejected as being too high, and the work was readvertised by circular letter; the lowest bid received was that of the Hartford Dredging Company, at the rate of 283 cents per cubic yard, and it was accepted. Work was begun March 25 and completed May 10, 1893, 10,500 cubic yards of sand and mud being dredged, making a channel 6 feet deep at mean low water and 85 feet wide over the shoal first below the Clinton Wharves, and a channel of the same depth and 75 feet wide over the bar in the outer harbor. PRESENT CONDITION OF IMPROVEMENT. The channel now has a depth of 6 feet or more at mean low water with least width of 75 feet, up to the wharves. The dike is in good condition. It will probably need slight repairs within a few years, but none are necessary now. PROPOSED OPERATIONS. The dike is completed as designed, and the dredged channel, now 75 feet wide, as provided for in the modified project of 1893, is sufficient for the commercial needs of the harbor; the project is completed. Slight repairs to the dike and deepening of the dredged channel may possibly be required from time to time to maintain the work. No appropriation is required for the ensuing fiscal year. Appropriations for improving Clinton Harbor, Connecticut, have been made as follows: Clinton Harbor is in the collection district of Hartford. The nearest light-house is on Faulkner Island, 8 miles southwest. Fort Hale, New Haven Harbor, 22 miles west, is the nearest work of defense. |