REPORT OF CAPT. THOMAS L. CASEY, CORPS OF ENGINEERS. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, GENERAL: I have the honor to report as follows upon a preliminary examination of Whale Creek, New Jersey, as called for, by the river and harbor act of July 13, 1892: Whale Creek is in the town of Mattawan, Monmouth County, situated between Cheesequakes and Mattawan creeks, and draining about 11 square miles. It is a tidal creek, typical of the New Jersey marsh land, narrow and winding, and would be insignificant but for the deposits of clay on the upland near its banks. The creek empties into Raritan Bay on the south shore, 14 miles west of Keyport Harbor. It is 50 feet wide at its mouth, narrowing to 20 feet at the fixed highway bridge three-fourths of a mile above. One-half mile above the mouth there are two brickyards, having a capacity of from 10,000,000 to 15,000,000 brick per annum, all shipped by way of this creek. It is here 30 feet wide and from 3 to 4 feet deep at mean low water. Throughout the lower 500 feet of the creek the width increases to 40 and 50 feet, while the depth decreases to a few inches: At the outlet in the bay it becomes bare at low water. Here there is a larger brickyard, having a capacity equal to that of the two others combined. The traffic is now confined to small schooners, sloops, and canal boats; 100 tons is the maximum cargo, and 34 to 4 feet the extreme draft that can be carried out of the creek. The passage in and out of the mouth is dangerous, and is limited to the period of high water and to the extent of tidal flow, which averages 4.5 feet. Aside from the brick shipped from the three yards mentioned, there is but little traffic on the creek. The surrounding region is devoted to garden truck farming, for which some fertilizer is brought in by vessel, and a small amount of coal enters the creek for the brickyards and neighboring farmers. The nearest villages, Keyport and Mattawan, have waterways of their own. Any possible improvement of the creek would therefore increase the general freighting but little, since Keyport and Mattawan are distant but 1 and 2 miles, respectively, with better facilities for shipment than Whale Creek can ever possess. If the mouth of the creek were opened and regulated it would be a convenience to the present brick and clay interests, would result in some reduction in freights, and no doubt stimulate business on the creek. There are two other brickyards less than a mile from the creek now shipping entirely by rail, which, with better facilities for navigating the creek, would probably make use of this method of shipment. Any large growth, however, could not be expected because of the competition from the brick and clay interests of Mattawan Creek, Keyport Harbor, and Cheesequakes Creek. Still the amount of brick now shipped is large for so small a waterway, and constitutes a considerable industry. Some statistics bearing on this have been collected by Mr. William E. Kinkle, owning one of the yards on the creek, which I believe to be a fair statement, as follows: The people request a channel 4 feet deep at mean low water, connecting the creek with the corresponding depth in the bay. The examination showed that the tidal currents maintain that depth only where the width is 30 feet or less. The 4-foot curve in the bay is about 1,000 feet from the shore. The dredged channels into the bay, exposed to northeast storms, direct from the Atlantic and also from the northwest to some extent, have proved, when tried, as at Cheesequakes and Port Monmouth, to be failures. Extensive protecting works would be required to insure permanence. The condition of the creek seems to indicate that dikes could hardly be located in such a manner as to give the required scouring velocity without interfering with the free entrance to the tidal wave. At Cheesequakes the opening between dikes is 200 feet and the currents have failed to keep open the dredged channel, while beyond the dikes it has entirely disappeared. An opening of possibly 40 feet between dikes is as much as would maintain the required depth in this creek. By building flaring wings at the outer end to make the entrance easier and less dangerous this width would be passable. The dikes could be built cheaply, except at the outer end, where some stone-filled crib or timber work would be required. * Such an improvement should reduce the freight on brick by 20 cents per 1,000, resulting in an annual saving of over $5,000. * * The deepening of this creek being a matter for the benefit of very few interested parties, I am of the opinion that it is not worthy of improvement by the Government. Respectfully submitted. Brig. Gen. THOMAS L. CASEY, Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. THOS. L. CASEY, Captain, Corps of Engineers. (Through Col. Henry L. Abbot, Corps of Engineers, Division Engineer, Northeast Division.) [First indorsement.] NORTHEAST DIVISION, ENGINEER OFFICE, New York, October 8, 1892. Respectfully forwarded to the Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army. For the reasons within stated I consider that Whale Creek, New Jersey, is not worthy of improvement by the General Government. HENRY L. ABBOT, Colonel of Engineers, Bvt. Brig. Gen., U. S. A., Engineer, Northeast Division. INDEX. [The references in Roman are to part (or volume), and those in Arabic to page.] A. Aberdeen, Wash., establishment of harbor lines at.. Alaqua Bayou, Fla., examination of bar at mouth of.. 1, 463; IV, 3472, 3477 Improvement of waterway between Norfolk Harbor, Va., and. Allegheny River: Bridge at New Kensington, Pa., across, construction of Examination for lock and dam between Herr Island Dam and Examination of, between Olean, N. Y., and Warren, Pa Alloway Creek, N. J., improvement of Alpena Harbor, Mich., improvement of. Alsea River, Oregon, examination of inner navigation of Altamaha River, Ga. : Amite River, La., improvement of.. Anacortes, Wash., establishment of harbor lines at Anacostia River, D. C., improvement of.. Ann, Cape, Mass., improvement of harbor of refuge at Sandy Bay. Apalachicola Bay, Fla., improvement of. Apalachicola River, Fla., improvement of. Appomattox River, Va. : Examination of, at Petersburg.. Improvement of. Apponaug Harbor, Cowesset Bay, R. I., examination of Appoquinimink River, Del., improvement of ... Aquia Creek, Va., improvement of. Arkansas River: Improvement of Removal of wreck at Van Buren, Ark Removing obstructions in... Arthur Kill, N. Y. and N. J.: Examination for channel to connect mouth of, with New York Examination of South and Middle Branches of Patapsco River. Improvement of Improvement of channel to Curtis Bay. Removal of wreck in.. Bar Harbor, Me., construction of breakwater near Barnegat Inlet, Entrance and Harbor, N. J., examination of. Barren River, Ky., operating and care of lock and dam on Batteries.. Bay Ridge Chanuel, New York Harbor, N. Y., improvement of. Examination for breakwater at Improvement of harbor at.. Improvement of waterway between New River and. Improvement of waterway between Newbern and. Beaufort River, S. C.: Improvement of.. Wreck in Beaver River, Pa., construction of dam in Ohio River below. Bellamy River, N. H., improvement of. Belle River, Mich., at Marine City, examination of . Bellevue, Iowa, examination of Mississippi River at. Bellingham Bay, Wash., examination for preventing shoaling in Construction of bridge at Catlettsburg, Ky., across. Improvement of Levisa Fork of, Ky. Improvement of Tug Fork of, W. Va. and Ky. Improvement of, W. Va. and Ky.. Big Sunflower River, Miss., improvement of. Bills for bridges, examination of.. Biloxi Bay, Miss., examination of.. Biloxi Harbor, Miss., improvement of Black Creek, Fla., reconstruction of bridge across.. Black Lake Harbor, Mich., improvement of.. Black River Harbor, Ohio, improvement of.. Black River, La., improvement of... .1, 238; 11, 1784 .1, 31, 705 .1, 37, 724 .1, 463; IV, 3472 1,8 1, 148; 11, 1262 I, 23, 676 1, 183; 11, 1457 1, 26, 687 .1, 92, 993 Black, Bayou, La., examination for connecting Bayon Terrebonne with.1, 251; 1, 1845 Black River, Mich. : Establishment of harbor lines on Black River, Mo. and Ark., improvement of Black Rock Harbor, Conn., improvement of.. .1, 470 .1, 371; IV, 2877 .1, 462; IV, 2958 .1, 80, 942 Black Walnut Harbor, Md., examination of . Black Warrior River, Ala., from Tuscaloosa to Daniels Creek, Blaine, Wash., establishment of harbor lines at. Block Island, R. I.: Examination of breachway into Salt Pond . Blood River, La., improvement of Bluff Creek, Miss., improvement of. Members Members, additional duties of Boeuf River, La., improvement of Booth Brothers (schooner), removal of wreck of.. Alteration of bridges across Charles River .1, 143; 11, 1239 .I, 229; II, 1751 Construction of bridge across Fort Point Channel by city of. Defense of.. Improvement of harbor of Boyds Ferry, Tenn., construction of bridge across Holston River near. Brazos River, Tex., examination of.. Brazos Santiago Harbor, Tex., improvement of Breakwater construction in Lake Champlain, etc. Breakwaters built by the United States, occupancy or injury of. Establishment of harbor lines in .1, 46, 763 Examination for waterway to connect Mispillion River with... Bronx River, N. Y. : Brooklyn, N. Y., construction of bridges across East River. Browneys Island, Me., removal of wreck off.. Browns Creek, Sayville, N. Y., improvement of.. Brunswick Harbor, Ga., improvement of Brunswick Outer Bar, Ga., improvement of Buckhannon River, W. Va., improvement of.. Bridge obstructing navigation near Houston, alteration of.. Buffalo, N. Y.: .I, 461, 998 .1, 20, 463 -1, 20 .1, 20, 463 . II, 1183 .1, 140; 11, 1220 .1, 143; п, 1231 ..... .1, 133; 11, 1203 Improvement of channels connecting Great Lakes between Chi- cago, Duluth, and Improvement of harbor of. Occupancy of north pier. Burlington Harbor, Vt., improvement of Butte City, Cal., construction of bridge across Sacramento River at.. C. Cache River, Ark., improvement of.. |