OFFICE WESTERN RIVER IMPROVEMENTS, Cincinnati, Ohio, October 20, 1868. COLONEL: In accordance with your instructions directing me to inspect and report on the bridge over the Missouri River at Kansas City, Missouri, I have the honor to report as follows: In pursuance of your orders I left Cincinnati on the 5th October, 1868, arriving at St. Louis the next day. From this date to the 10th October I was engaged in collecting information concerning the bridge from pilots and captains engaged in navigating the Missouri River. On the 11th October I left St. Louis for Kansas City, in company with Mr. M. A. Bryson, representative of the central committee of the Mississippi Valley river improvement convention. The 12th October was spent in examinations at Kansas City. On stating to the officers of the bridge company the object of my mission, they very courteously gave me all the information in their power, allowing me to examine their maps and plans, and to take copies of such as were necessary to make my report intelligible. Two tracings thus obtained are appended. One shows the general plan of the locality, the other shows the site of the bridge on a larger scale. On the 13th October I returned to St. Louis, which place I left on the 14th, arriving at Cincinnati on the 15th. Appended to this report is a paper signed by a large number of pilots, captains, and owners of steamers running on the Missouri River, which will give you an idea of the feeling of the river interest on this question. The Kansas City bridge is situated at Kansas City, Missouri, about one and a half mile below the mouth of the Kaw or Kansas River. It is designed at a crossing for the Kansas City and Cameron railroad, a branch road connecting the Missouri Pacific and Hannibal and St. Joseph railroads. The North Missouri railroad, in process of construction, will also cross the Missouri on this bridge. It is intended to be used both for trains and for wagons. The superstructure is a modification of the Warren girder; the piers are built of limestone; width of roadway twenty feet. The spans are as follows: Beginning at the Kansas City end, the first or shore bay is 67 feet; the second is 133 feet. Then comes the draw, the double span being 363 feet; the next span is 200 feet, the next 250 feet, the next 200, and the last 175. All these dimensions are measured on the axis of the bridge. The first pier is 6 feet thick; the second 8 feet. The first pier, which is circular, is 30 feet in diameter, the next in order is 8 feet thick, and the four others are each 7 feet thick. The bottom chord is 10 feet above the highest known water-mark, the extreme range of water at this place being 37 feet, and the ordinary range 20 feet. The faces of the piers have a batter of 2 of an inch to the foot. They measure 50 feet in length at low water. The cornice projects 1 foot. The pivot pier has vertical faces, with a cornice 2 feet thick. The piers make an angle of 720 with the axis of the bridge. Above and below the pivot pier are masonry rests for the ends of the draw when open. Their faces are parallel to the piers, and they are to be connected with the pivot pier by a framework of timber faced vertically like the sides of a ferry slip. Beyond the last pier the bridge is carried 2,373 feet across the bottom lands on trestles, making the total length of the bridge 3,761 feet. The Missouri River makes a large bend at this point, in consequence of which a large body of water always moves along the concave shore, right bank. There is always twenty feet or more of water to be found under the draw. The river has tended constantly to wear into the concave bank, as is shown by the different shore lines marked on the large map. This is partially stopped now by the stone revetment of the bank, which is being carried up to the mouth of the Kaw. When this is completed, the channel line may be regarded as constant. From my observations I judge that the piers have been built parallel to the direction of the current at low water, but it is evident from the shape of the shore near the bridge, that there must be a constant tendency of the current to cross to the left bank a little above the site of the bridge. At the time of my examination the current was about two and a half miles an hour, the river being four or five feet above extreme low water. In ordinary stages, the velocity being only from two to three miles an hour, the attraction of the bank for the particles of water nearest it is sufficiently powerful to keep the channel near the right bank. At high water, however, the velocity runs as high as eight or nine miles an hour, and the attraction of the bank is so far overcome that the main body of water passes off in the direction of the fourth and fifth piers of the bridge. On a chart showing comparative sections of the river bottom at different stages, this action was very plainly shown by the depth of erosion at the point mentioned above. The depth of this point was much greater than that under the draw, which was, however, deep enough to show that a considerable body of water passed through it even at high stages of water. The sheet of water which in floods pours across the low lands of the point opposite Kansas City must deflect the surface current to a certain extent, and probably gives it the same direction as at low water, viz., through the draw. How far below the surface this action extends I cannot undertake to say, but it is reasonable to suppose that a boat would be deep enough in the water to feel the influence of the powerful under-current which would also certainly make its way to the surface from time to time in boils, eddies, &c. With a current of eight miles an hour, a boat must be going at the rate of at least twelve miles to keep steerage-way on her. On approaching the bridge she must hug the right bank to run through the right-hand draw. Just before reaching the bridge she is obliged to turn slightly to the right to pass the draw, and at this moment she will feel the influence of the under-current setting across the river. The effect of this will be to slew her stern around and send her through the draw more or less side foremost. The draw being narrow, a long boat will be very apt to strike on the center pier, and as she would be going at great speed she would certainly be sunk by the collision. I think this represents fairly the state of the case; although not having seen the bridge at high water, I cannot say positively. I am, however, confirmed in my opinion by the statements of all the pilots I have conversed with on the subject. Their description of the difficulty which they encounter corresponds with what I have stated above, and they all say that when the center pier is built no large boat will venture to drop through head foremost. The time lost in turning round and dropping through stern foremost is a serious matter, and there seems to be no earthly reason why boats should be subjected to this delay and danger. I was informed that several boats have already struck on the cribs filled with stone, which are designed for the foundations of the draw rests. Below the present site points could have been found more advantageous as bridge locations than the one adopted; but they all have this disad vantage, that the channel-way is not stable, but shifts from one side of the stream to the other. This is avoided in the present location by the concavity of the bank, which always gives an ample channel depth under the draw. The bridge company are obliged by their charter to use a pivot draw-bridge, which no engineer, I think, would have recommended in this case. It was an excellent locality for using counterbalanced draws, with a half span of, say one hundred and twenty-five feet, giving a clear way of two hundred and fifty feet, which would have been sufficient to have allowed the largest boats to pass through sideways, if necessary. The act of Congress authorizing the construction of this bridge requires a pivot draw-bridge over the main channel of the river, with spans of not less than one hundred and sixty feet in the clear on each side of the pivot-pier of the draw; and also that the adjoining spans shall not be less than two hundred and fifty feet. If, as seems most rational, the expression "in the clear" was meant for the perpendicular distance from the face of one pier to the face of the next-that is, the width available for passing boats, then the first condition has not been complied with. The width at extreme low water is only 151.76 feet, and at high water only 151.69 feet. In this latter case the cornices of the piers would only be about eight feet above the water, take off nearly three feet of the available width. Measured on the line of the axis of the bridge, these distances are 159.50 feet at high water, and 159.57 feet at low water. The spans adjoining the draw are respectively one hundred and thirtythree and two hundred feet, instead of two hundred and fifty feet, as called for. The bridge presents no obstacle to an ascending boat, which can pass through both spans of the draw equally well. At high water a descending boat cannot risk the passage of the left span at all, and can only run the right hand one at great risk. It would be impossible for a descending boat to pass through this bridge at night. At the time of my examination the first two piers and the abutment were completed, and the superstructure over them finished. The foundations for the draw rests were in position, and the caisson for building the center pier was being placed. The next pier was finished. The next two were in process of construction. The two last piers were up, and the superstructure over them completed. In submitting these facts I cannot refrain from calling your attention to the bad results likely to ensue from the manner in which these bridge charters are granted. The act of Congress authorizing the construction of the Kansas City bridge included several others on different rivers, all of them being subject to certain general conditions which are not general in their application, nor sufficiently complete, if applicable. My views on the requirements of this particular bridge I have already given, and every bridge built is necessarily subject to special conditions suitable to the particular case. The probability is that within the next few years many railroad bridges will be needed, unless proper precautions are taken. They will almost destroy our river commerce, by presenting obstacles which no boat will dare to pass. There is no necessity for this, as bridges can be built which will leave the river navigation safe and untrammeled. My own opinion is that, before granting authority to any company to build a bridge, the subject should be submitted to an impartial board of military or civil engineers, and the subsequent legislation should be in accordance with their decisions. I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant, CHAS. R. SUTER, Brevet Major U. S. A., Captain Engineers. Colonel J. N. MACOMB, in charge of Western River Improvements. A. ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, September 28, 1868. GENERAL: The cities of the valley return their warmest thanks for the large share of the million and a half. The bridge over the Missouri River at Kansas City, when completed, will make navigation almost or altogether impossible. The builders are violating the charter granted by Congress. The citizens of St. Louis and other cities, and the members of Congress, desire you to send some competent engineer to immediately examine and report the facts to the Attorney General. If you will order one or more of the engineers here, I will accompany them, and render them every aid, and pass them over the railroad. Please answer immediately. Your friend, HEADQUARTERS CORPS OF ENGINEERS, COLONEL: The inclosed copy of a letter to these headquarters from M. A. Bryson, esq., dated September 28, 1868, in relation to the bridge over the Missouri River at Kansas City, is transmitted for your information and for report. With a view of obtaining all the facts of the case, you will direct your assistant, Brevet Major C. R. Suter, corps of engineers, to proceed at once to Kansas City, and make the necessary examinations, &c. By command of Brigadier General Humphreys. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. C. WOODRUFF, Brevet Brigadier General U. S. A. Colonel J. N. MACOMB, Corps of Engineers, True copy: J. N. MACOMB, Colonel Engineers, Brevet Colonel U. S. A. C. OFFICE WESTERN RIVER IMPROVEMENTS, Cincinnati, Ohio, October 5, 1868. MAJOR: For the purpose of getting all possible information in relation to a bridge which, it is understood, is about to be constructed from Kansas City, Missouri, over the Missouri River, to the probable injury of the navigation of that stream, you will proceed at once to St. Louis, Missouri, and confer with Mr. M. A. Bryson at that point, and proceed thence to Kansas City, Missouri, in order to ascertain the location and proposed plan and elevation of the bridge, and all facts bearing upon the question of its relation to the navigation, to enable you to prepare a full report upon the subject. On accomplishing this duty you will return to Saint Louis, Missouri, and without further delay there than the business in question may call for, you will proceed thence to Cincinnati, Ohio, and continue your duties with me at this office. I inclose for your information the within copies of two papers just received from the Headquarters of the Corps of Engineers. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Colonel Engineers, Brevet Colonel U. S. A., Bvt. Major C. R. SUTER, D. We, the undersigned, owners, captains, and pilots of boats navigating the Missouri River, hereby respectfully certify that the "Kansas City bridge" is not being built at an accessible point, as provided by the law, and greatly hinders and endangers navigation at all times, but especially during high water, when it is impassable with any degree of safety. And we hereby pledge our best endeavors to effect its removal. W. P. Lamothe, pilot and owner. E. W. Gould, owner. H. H. Symones, captain and pilot. T. S. Calhoon, captain and owner. D. H. Silver, captain and pilot. William Conley, pilot. George Vickers, pilot. Edward S. Herndor, captain. Henry S. Carter, owner and captain. A. G. La Barge, pilot. Fred. Dozier, pilot and 1. b. owner. Thomas J. La Barge, pilot. J. R. Sousby, pilot. T. K. Voorhees, captain. William C. Jamison, pilot. J. D. Dooper, pilot. C. W. Blunt, pilot. [pilot. J. Cathright, captain. R. Porter, owner. W. R. Massie, pilot and owner. E. B. McPherson, jr., owner. [owner. Henry McPherson, captain and Thomas W. Brylan, owner. William W. Ater, owner. William D. Shunks, captain. ntain and C. J. Rogers, captain and owner. t. D. Baldwin, pilot. G. W. Vaughn, pilot. |