saw-mills above, and that no law is in force for preventing the continuance of this evil practice, a correspondence between the department of public works of the Dominion of Canada and the officer in charge of the work has resulted in an agreement to defer any improvement of this channel until they shall become satisfied that this practice shall be permanently discontinued. The attention of Congress is again respectfully asked to this matter, and to the necessity of some general law to protect from injury and obstructions all navigable waters under the control of the United States, and for the improvement of which appropriations have already been or may hereafter be made by Congress. Amount available July 1, 1875..... Amount available July 1, 1876.. $34,185 58 34,185 58 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project, on the part of the United States.. 65,000 00 (See Appendix A 1.) 2. Machias River, Maine.-The following appropriations have been made by Congress for the improvement of this river, viz: The improvement consisted originally in the removal of a very large and dangerous ledge, (known as Middle Rock,) which seriously obstructed the channel in front of the wharves at Machias, and in the excavation of the several shoals of slabs, edgings, &c., below, so as to obtain a channel 6 feet in depth at mean low-water, (or 193 feet at ordinary high-water,) from deep water near East Machias bridge up to the wharves at Machias, a distance of 3 miles. This work required 1,350 cubic yards of rock-excavation and 50,000 cubic yards of dredg ing. A contract was made, June 23, 1873, for the removal of Middle Rock, and on the 28th of July, 1874, its removal was completed down to an average depth of about half a foot below the plane of mean lowwater. A contract was made, August 29, 1874, for the partial removal of the Middle Ground, situated about two-thirds of a mile below "the falls;" also for the removal of other shoals above and below the Middle Ground. Another contract was also made, May 13, 1875, for completing the dredging at the Middle Ground and below. On the 1st of July, 1875, the shoal above the Middle Ground had been completed, and some progress made at the Middle Ground. On the 24th of July, 1875, the work contracted for in August, 1874, was completed, whereby the projected channel was excavated through the shoal above the Middle Ground for a length of 850 feet and a width of not less than 100 feet, and through the upper part of the Middle Ground for a length of 800 feet and an average width of 125 feet; the shoal near the draw-bridge, three miles below Machias, was also removed to the extent contemplated. The dredging contracted for in May, 1875, was commenced July 5, 1876, and is to be completed on or before the 30th of September, 1876. The dredging under these two contracts will open a channel, to the depth required, for a width of not less than 100 feet; but as these shoals have been caused chiefly by the slabs, edgings, and saw-dust from the saw-mills at and above Machias Falls, they will, of course, continue to form, so long as the mills shall bepermitted, as at present, to throw their "waste" into the river; so that the improvement now being made will doubtless be but temporary. It is therefore recom mended that no further appropriation be made for continuing the improvement of this river. It is respectfully recommended that Machias River, Saint Croix River, and all other navigable waters under the control of the United States, for the improvement of which appropriations have been or hereafter may be made by the United States Government, be protected from injury and obstruction by suitable legislation. Amount available July 1, 1875 Amount expended during fiscal year ending June 30, 1876 (See Appendix A 2.) $22, 011 53 12,661 03 9,350 50 3. Penobscot River, Maine.-The work originally projected for the improvement of this consisted A. In the enlargement and straightening of its channel through the several bars and shoals at and near Bangor, so as to have a width of not less than 200 feet and a depth of 12 feet at low tide, (25 feet at high tide,) in the lowest stages of the river, giving about 15 feet at low tide in its ordinary stages. B. In breaking up and removing all the sunken rocks down to the level of the general bed of the river, so as to have not less than 7 feet of water over them in the lowest stages of the river, except "Green's Pier Ledge," so called, which is to have about 5 feet of water over it in those stages, or 8 feet at low tide in its ordinary stages. At the beginning of the fiscal year, (July 1, 1875,) the projected improvement of all the bars and shoals had been completed, with the exception of the channel through the Middle Ground at Bangor; and all the sunken rocks had been broken up and removed to the extent projected, with the exception of Green's Pier Ledge, and some others. discovered in October, 1875. Contracts have already been made for completing all the dredging on the Middle Ground, and for completing the removal of Green's Pier Ledge, and it is probable that they will all be completed before the close of the present season, leaving only the removal of the recentlydiscovered ledges to be provided for. Under the appropriation of $10,000, made by act of March 3, 1875, to be expended for the improvement of the river at and near Bucksport Narrows, (eighteen miles below Bangor,) a survey was made to ascertain the object of the appropriation, which resulted in a project for the improvement of navigation by the removal of the middle ground in front of the wharves at Bucksport to a depth of 12 feet at mean low-water, or 22.3 feet at ordinary high-water. A contract was made for this work, after advertising for proposals therefor, at 123 cents per cubic yard, and it was completed on the 21st of October, 1875, by 61,910 cublic yards of dredging. The officer in charge of this work states that the throwing of saw-dust into this river is still continued to a very great extent, and to the serious detriment of its navigation. In view of this, and of the fact that several other navigable rivers in his district, now being improved by the United States Government, are also being injured by the throwing in of slabs, edgings, and saw-dust, by the building of piers and bridge-draws in improper places, and otherwise, he suggests the passage of some general law for the protection and preservation of all navigable waters under the control of the United States Government, for the improvement of which Congress has already or may hereafter make appropriations. Amount available July 1, 1875...... Amount expended during fiscal year ending June 30, 1876 $68,885 18 23,840 90 Amount available July 1, 1876, including $1,022 due on contracts... (See Appendix A 3.) $15,041 28 10,000 00 6,000 00 6,000 00 4. Camden Harbor, Maine.-All the work projected for the improve ment of this harbor has been completed during the past fiscal year, being as follows, viz: Regulating the entrance, by dredging between Portland steamer and Sanford's steamer wharves, and dredging a channel 2,000 feet long, 80 feet wide, and 7 feet deep at mean low-water, (or 16 feet at mean high-water,) from said entrance up to the upper wharves on the east side of the harbor; and another channel of same depth, and for a width of 80 to 100 feet, connecting with the eastern channel near the lime-kiln wharf, extending up to the head of the harbor on its western side. In 1873, the eastern channel and the entrance to it were opened to a depth of 7 to 9 feet at mean low-water, and for a width of 50 to 100 feet, extending from the 9-foot curve, near the Portland steamer wharf, up to the head of the wharves on the eastern side of the harbor, altogether a distance of about 2,000 feet. Under the appropriations since made, two contracts were made for completing the dredging, which was accomplished on the 30th of September, 1875, 82,199 cubic yards of dredging having been done under those two contracts, making altogether 104,952 cubic yards of dredging done for the improvement of this harbor and in completion of same. Amount available July 1, 1875..... Amount expended during fiscal year ending June 30, 1876... (See Appendix A 4.) $19,393 30 19,393 30 5. Kennebec River, Maine.-All the work projected for the improvement of this river has been completed, with the exception of the removal of Dry Rock, situated in The Narrows, about one and one-half miles below Richmond. From Richmond up to Gardiner, a distance of eleven miles, the channel has been made safe and navigable for a width of not less than 100 feet and for a depth of 10 feet at low tide (or 15 feet at high tide) in its lowest summer stages; and from Gardiner to Augusta, a distance of seven miles more, it has also been improved for a width of not less than 100 feet, so as to have not less than 63 feet at low tide (or 11 feet at high tide) in the lowest summer stages of the river. Under a contract made May 6, 1875, for the removal of Dry Rock to a depth of 12 feet at mean low-water, operations have been carried on during the past fiscal year, resulting in the removal of about 375 cubic yards of the rock. This work will probably be nearly, if not quite, completed in the course of the present season, the funds available being sufficient for the purpose. Amount available July 1, 1875.. Amount expended during fiscal year ending June 30, 1876...... (See Appendix A 5.) $28,548 38 733 05 27,815 33 6. Portland Harbor, Maine.-All the work projected for the improvement of this harbor has been completed, with the exception of the dredg ing in front of the harbor commissioners' line above Merrill's wharf; but this work will be done only on condition that the several wharves above Merrill's wharf will be removed so far as they extend beyond the harbor line. The funds now available are sufficient for this purpose. During the past fiscal year the work done in this harbor has been ap plied to deepening the dock at custom-house wharf, for the benefit of the United States revenue-cutter, in compliance with the request of the Secretary of the Treasury. An accurate triangulation and survey, much needed, has also been made of the wharves and harbor lines. Amount available July 1, 1875................ Amount expended during fiscal year ending June 30, 1876.. (See Appendix A 6.) $47,074 38 2,505 40 44,568 98 7. Richmond's Island, Maine.-The improvement projected for this place consists in making a harbor of refuge by means of a rubble-stone breakwater, to connect the island with the main-land. The length of the proposed breakwater is about 2,000 feet, with an average thickness of 25 to 30 feet, and a height of 4 feet above ordinary high-water. During the past fiscal year 4,093 tons of stone have been added to the work, making a total of about 58,143 tons to date. To complete this work in accordance with the original estimate, 10,000 tons more of stone will be needed, for which an appropriation of $15,000 will be required. Amount available July 1, 1875..... Amount expended during fiscal year ending June 30, 1876..... $7,269 83 7,269 83 15,000 00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1878. 15,000 00 (See Appendix A 7.) 8. Kennebunk River, Maine.—The work hitherto done for the improvement of this river consists in the extension and repair of the two stone piers at its mouth, and the repair of the United States Government wharf, a short distance above its mouth. For the entire completion of all the improvements necessary for this river, there remains only the deepening of the channel at the Wading Place and at Mitchell's Point, the estimated cost of which, $5,000, was provided in the act approved August 14, 1876. Amount appropriated by act approved August 14, 1876............. (See Appendix A 8.) $5,000 9. Cocheco River, New Hampshire. The improvement projected for this river consists in making a channel not less than 40 feet in width and 4 feet in depth at mean low-water (or 10.8 feet at mean high-water) from the Lower Narrows up to the Packet Landing. The several appropriations made from March 3, 1871, to March 3, 1875, for this river have been applied to the following improvements, riz: A. The excavation and removal of about 400 cubic yards of ledge at the Lower Narrows, and of numerous sunken rocks which obstructed the channel between the Lower and Upper Narrows, (including Watson's Rocks,) as well as some rocks below the Lower Narrows. B. Opening a channel through the ledge at the Upper Narrows for a length of 430 feet and for a width of 40 feet and a depth of 4 feet at mean low-water. C. Opening a channel through the ledge in front of Collins's wharf (above the Upper Narrows) for a length of 260 feet and for a width of 40 feet and a depth of 4 feet at mean low-water. D. Excavating (by dredging) a channel 40 feet wide and 4 feet deep at mean low-water, from Clement's Point Shoal up to Packet Landing, a distance of about half a mile. The work done during the past fiscal year has been the opening of a channel through the ledge in front of Collins's wharf, under a contract made May 8, 1875, for the sum of $15,000, which work was completed on the 30th of September, 1875; and in 7,108 cubic yards of dredging between Clement's Point Shoal and Packet Landing, under a contract made May 13, 1875, which was completed on the 24th of November, 1875; and in the removal of sunken bowlders and ledges in and near the Lower Narrows. The work that now remains to be done for completing the improvement of this river, as now projected, consists in the completion of the channel by dredging near Packet Landing, and, where necessary, at the shoals below, and the removal of sunken ledges and bowlders still necessary at and near the Lower Narrows, to effect which will, as estimated, require an additional appropriation of $6,000. Amount available July 1, 1875.... Amount expended during fiscal year ending June 30, 1876. Amount available July 1, 1876. Amount appropriated by act approved August 14, 1876... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1878.. (See Appendix A 9.) 6,000 00 6,000 00 10. Merrimac River, Massachusetts.-All the work projected for improving the falls of this river above Haverhill, Mass., has been completed to the extent now deemed necessary. Newburyport Harbor, at the mouth of the river, has also been improved by the removal of South Gangeway Rock, and of a wrecked schooner; and some progress has been made in the removal of North Gangeway Rock. Between Newburyport and Haverhill the river has been improved by deepening the shoals and the removal of numerous bowlders (including Little Currier Rock) which obstructed the channel above and below Rocks Bridge. During the past fiscal year the river below Rocks Bridge has been further improved by the removal of Petty Rock and a large number of other dangerous rocks. Some progress has also been made, under the contract of May, 1875, in the improvement, by dredging, of Currier's Shoal, about 4 miles below Haverhill, with a probability of its completion about the end of July. After its completion the balance then available will be applied to other projected improvements between Newburyport and Haverhill. For completing the removal of North Gangeway Rock and improving the Boilers in Newburyport Harbor an additional appropriation of $25,000 will be required. Amount available July 1, 1875 Amount expended during fiscal year ending June 30, 1876.. $13, 163 55 2,703 01 10,460 54 25,000 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1878. 25,000 00 (See Appendix A 10.) 11. Gloucester Harbor, Massachusetts.-Under the appropriation of June 10, 1872, the removal of the following sunken rocks has been completed, viz: Clam Rock, Pinnacle Rocks, rocks off J. Friend's wharf, rock off Pew's wharf, and Babson's Ledge, to the extent projected. Amount available July 1, 1875 Amount expended during fiscal year ending June 30, 1876 (See Appendix A 11.) $686 84 579 10 107 74 Salem Harbor, Massachusetts.-The work projected for the improvement of this harbor consisted in the excavation, by dredging, of a channel 1,730 feet long and 300 feet wide to a depth of 8 feet at mean lowwater (or 17.3 feet at mean high-water) from deep water to the entrance |