enlargement being still unfinished, it now becomes a question whether, in view of the terms of the resolution of Congress of 1860, any portion of the appropriation for rivers and harbors can be applied to the work of enlargement, or in any manner toward the improvement of this canal until the five individual share-holders transfer to the United States all the rights, &c., they now hold in trust. Although the subject has been frequently brought to the attention of Congress, yet no act or resolution has ever been passed specifically accepting the conditions of the Kentucky act of 1842, and authorizing or directing any officer of the United States to receive the bonds held by the trustees, and assume the control of the canal. But these individual share-holders now composing the Louisville and Portland Canal Company deem it their duty not to surrender their trust unless the United States assume the indebtedness of the company, which up to this time they have not done, and virtually refuse to do. While this anomalous condition of things continues, (these five individuals holding United States property in trust by authority of the legislature of a State, and controlling public property which has cost millions, and still unable to complete the canal improvement without increasing its debt,) the heavy tax upon the commerce of our most important rivers is continual, and the navigation of the Ohio is most seriously obstructed. The wants of this commerce imperatively demand the completion of this enlargement, to do which, the only practicable mode appears to be annual appropriations from Congress until the work is finished, the tolls of the canal being used for the payment of working expenses and the absorption of its debt, which they are adequate to. After a careful examination and consideration of the whole subject, I am decidedly of opinion that an allotment of some portion of the recent appropriation for rivers and harbors to the enlargement of the canal may properly be made, and I therefore recommend it. If this recommendation be approved, a specific sum will be named for this work in a report recommending to your consideration a plan of distribution of the recent appropriation, which will be presented as soon as all the information called for from the officers in charge of river and harbor improvements is received. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. JOHN A. RAWLINS, A. A. HUMPHREYS, Brigadier General, and Chief of Engineers. Secretary of War. L 2. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, SIR: I have the honor to submit the following annual report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1869, for the improvement of the Tennessee River: On the 4th of August, 1868, I received the department letter of the 31st of July, 1868, informing me that the sum of $85,000 had been allotted toward the improvement of the Tennessee River between Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Decatur, Alabama, and Florence, Alabama, and its mouth. I accordingly advertised for proposals for making the improvements between these points, reported as necessary to be made in my special report on the "survey of the Tennessee River," dated February 20, 1868, and awarded the work at "Ross's Tow-head," "Burroughs's Bar," "Tumbling Shoals," "Kelley's Shoals," and "Gunter's Bar," to the lowest bidder. Deeming all the bids at the other points too high, I re-advertised for bids on the "Tumbling Shoals," the "Suck," and "Boiling Pot," in the Upper Tennessee River, and all the points in the Lower Tennessee River specified in the above-mentioned report, and then awarded the contract to the lowest bidder. In the course of the winter, as I became better acquainted with the subject, I became convinced that, as during the season in which I made the survey there had been an unusually low stage of water, several of the obstructions enumerated in the Upper Tennessee River in my report were really unimportant, and that all the money to be expended on the Upper Tennessee River should be expended on the "Tumbling Shoals," the "Suck," and "Pot." The suggestion made to the department in accordance with this view was approved. All the contracts for work on this river having been, with the approval of the Chief of Engineers, assigned to one person, I obtained from him a voluntary relinquishment of his contract for the other points on the Upper Tennessee, on condition that the whole amount thus made available should be expended on the three points above mentioned. He has been prosecuting his work as vigorously as the stage of the water would permit, and has made considerable progress in the improvement of the "Suck," and, with a favorable season, hopes to complete his contract this year. On the 15th of May, 1869, I received the department letter of the 12th of May, 1869, informing me that $40,500 additional had been allotted to the improvement of the Tennessee River. With this amount additional, I expect to be able to make a complete improvement of the portions of the river above designated, and it is my intention to prosecute this work during the coming season as vigorously as possible, completing first the work on the Upper, and then beginning on the Lower Tennessee River. The total amount required for the completion of this work, as already reported in my last annual report on the survey of the Tennessee River, I estimate as follows: To improve the river from its mouth to Florence, Alabama, and from Decatur, Alabama, to Chattanooga, Tennessee, $130,000. To enlarge and repair the existing canal, from Lamb's to Campbell's Ferries, $1,500,000. In order to enable me to get material for a proper estimate for canals around the Elk River and the Little Muscle Shoals, I recommend that another survey be made of these points. I estimate that this survey, properly made, would cost $10,000. The total amount therefore required, as far as I now can state, is $1,640,000. The amount that has been appropriated for this work is $125,500; leaving $1,514,500 still to be appropriated. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1871, the following amounts can be profitably expended: 1. To enlarge and repair the existing canal, from Lamb's to Campbell's Ferries... 2. To improve the river, from its mouth to Florence, Alabama $500, 000 00 500 00 3. To resurvey the river from Brown's Ferry to Florence, Alabama... Total..... $10,000 00 510,500 00 I am unable to give the number of the collection districts through which the river passes. The nearest port of entry is Louisville, Kentucky. The amount of revenue collected at this port during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1869, was $154,113 40. The commerce and navigation of the Mississippi River and all of its tributaries would be benefited by the completion of this work. Abstract A, herewith annexed, shows the bids received on both occasions, for improving the various points. Abstract B, herewith annexed, shows the names of the persons to whom the different contracts were awarded. The amounts of cash received for this work during the fiscal The amount expended during the same period. All of which is respectfully submitted. $60,000 00 15, 209 69 65, 500 00 510, 500 00 G. WEITZEL, Major Corps of Engineers and Bvt. Maj. Gen. Ú. S. A. Bvt. Maj. Gen. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Office of the Chief of Engineers, Washington, D. C. A.-Abstract of bids for the removal of the obstructions of the Tennessee River, opened on Wednesday, September 9, 1869, by Brevet Major General G. Weitzel, major Corps of Engineers, at Louisville, Kentucky. Charles J. De Graw.... Fulton, N. Y.. Bids. Ross's Tow-head: 940 cubic yards rock excavation, at $3 Burroughs's Bar: 900 cubic yards wing-dam, at $2 per cubic Boiling Pot: 5,000 cubic yards rock excavation, at $2 25 per The Skillet: 25 boulders to be excavated, at $5 per cubic yard; 746 cubic yards wing-dam, at $2 per cubic yard; capstan and fixtures, $400. Kelbey's Shoals: 2,666 cubic yards wing-dam, at $2 50 per cubic yard. R. R. & N. G. Dodge... Cleveland, Ohio.... Long Island: 922 cubic yards riprap in wing-dam and Abel Kisterson John L. Divine.... retaining wall, at $2 25 per cubic yard, and 450 cubic yards rock excavation, at $3 per cubic yard. Widow's Bar: 3,200 cubic yards riprap in wing-dam, at $2 per cubic yard, and 280 cubic yards solid rock excavation, at $3 25 per cubic yard. Larkin's Tow-head: 2,133 cubic yards riprap in dam, at $2.25 per cubic yard. Mink Creek Shoals: 3,200 cubic yards riprap in dam, at $2 per cubic yard. Buck Island: 1,111 cubic yards riprap in dam, at $2 per cubic yard; 160 cubic yards rock excavation, at $4 per cubic yard. Town Island: 23 cubic yards boulder excavation, at $5 per cubic yard. Gunter's Bar: 470 cubic yards rock excavation, at $4 per cubic yard. Gunter's Reef: 300 cubic yards rock excavation, at $3 50 per cubic yard. Flint River Tow-head: 533 cubic yards riprap in wing. dam, at $2 25 per cubic yard. Whitesburg Shoals and Reefs: 2,963 cubic yards riprap in wing-dam, at $2 25 per cubic yard; 37 cubic yards boulder excavation, at $5 per cubic yard; 500 cubic yards limestone excavation, at $3 25 per cubic yard. Chattanooga, Tenn. Ross's Tow-head: 940 cubic yards rock excavation, at $4 per cubic yard; 940 cubic yards wing-dam, at $1 50 per cubic yard; 60 cubic yards wing-dam, of excavated material, at $2 50 per cubic yard. Chattanooga, Tenn., Tumbling Shoals: Rock excavation, at $8 50 per cubic yard. Boiling Pot: Rock excavation, at $3 per cubic yard. Burroughs' Bar: Rock excavation, at $8 50 per cubic yard. The Suck: Removing the rock in middle wall, at $3 per cubic yard; the solid rock excavation, deepening old canal, at $8 per cubic yard; loose rock excavation from Boulder Bar, at $2 per cubic yard. J. H. Dennis and H. Louisville, Ky..... Ross's Tow-head, Lookout Shoals, Burroughs' Bar, TumbCarlisle. Respectfully submitted. ling Shoals, the Suck, Boiling Pot, the Skillet, Kelby's Shoals, Long Island, Widow's Bar, Larkin's Tow-head, Mink Creek Shoals, Buck Island, Town Island, Gunter's Bar, Gunter's Reef, Flint River Tow-head, Whitesburg Reef and Shoals, Seven Mile Island, Colbert Shoals to Bee Tree Shoals, Bear Creek Shoals, Big Bend Shoals : the stone excavation at all these points, at $4 90 per cubic yard; and the riprap work, at same points, at $3 75 per cubic yard; capstan and setting, $450; cribbing per fog, set in complete, $30 per M, board measure. G. WEITZEL, Major Corps of Engineers, and Bvt. Maj. Gen. U. Š. A. B.-Abstract showing the names of parties to whom contracts have been awarded during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1869, by Brevet Major General G. Weitzel, major Corps of Engineers, on account of the improvement of the Tennessee River. Abstract of bids for removing obstructions of the Tennessee River, opened October 5, 1868, at 12 m., by Brevet Major General G. Weitzel, major Corps of Engineers. Name of bidder. J. H. Dennis.. John L. Divine Respectfully submitted. Louisville, Ky..... Suck: 1,250 cubic yards loose rock excavation, at $1 15 per cubic yard; 1,444 cubic yards solid rock excavation, at $3 75 per cubic yard; 7,000 cubic yards loose rock excavation, at 75 cents per cubic yard. Boiling Pot: 5,000 cubic yards solid rock excavation, at $1 50 per cubic yard. Seven Mile Island: 175 cubic yards solid rock excavation, at $3 75 per cubic yard; 3,636 cubic yards of riprap dam, at $2 25 per cubic yard. Buck Island: 6,611 cubic yards riprap dam, at $2 25 per cubic yard; 1,110 cubic yards riprap wall, at $2 25 per cubic yard. Colbert Shoals to Bee Tree Shoals, inclusive: 250 cubic yards rock excavation, at $3 75 per cubic yard; 25 cubic yards rock excavation, at $3 75 per cubic yard; 2,000 cubic yards boulder excavation, at $2 25 per cubic yard; 2,384 cubic yards riprap dam, at $1 20 per cubic yard; 1,060 cubic yards rock excavation, at $3 75 per cubic yard; 50 cubic yards boulder excavation, at $3 per cubic yard. Bear Creek Shoals: 711 cubic yards riprap dam, at $2 25 per cubic yard. Big Bend Shoals: 150 cubic yards boulder excavation, at $3 per cubic yard. Chattanooga, Tenn. This party was the only one bidding on the above specified work besides J. H. Dennis, and his bids for the work were much higher than those of Mr. Dennis. His proposals have been lost or mislaid and cannot be found. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, SIR: I have the honor to enclose herewith a copy of a letter received by me to-day from Mr. W. B. Garr, superintendent of the Tennessee River Improvement.. I believe, too, now, that it would be better to expend the money on the Suck, Pot, and Tumbling Shoals, and let Ross's Tow Head, Burroughs's Bar, and Kelley's Shoals, remain as they are for the present. An in |