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[PUBLIC-No. 53.]

AN ACT to establish a bridge across the East River between the cities of Brooklyn and New York, in the State of New York, a post road.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the bridge across the East River, between the cities of New York and Brooklyn, in the State of New York, to be constructed under and by virtue of an act of the legislature of the State of New York, entitled "An act to incorporate the New York Bridge Company for the purpose of constructing and maintaining a bridge over the East River between the cities of New York and Brooklyn," passed April sixteenth, eighteen hundred and sixty-seven, is hereby declared to be, when completed in accordance with the aforesaid law of the State of New York, a lawful structure and post road for the conveyance of the mails of the United States: Provided, That the said bridge shall be so constructed and built as not to obstruct, impair or injuriously modify the navigation of the river; and in order to secure a compliance with these conditions, the company, previous to commencing the construction of the bridge, shall submit to the Secretary of War a plan of the bridge, with a detailed map of the river at the proposed site of the bridge, and for the distance of a mile above and below the site, exhibiting the depths and currents at all points of the same, together with all other information touching said bridge and river as may be deemed requisite by the Secretary of War to determine whether the said bridge, when built, will conform to the prescribed conditions of the act, not to obstruct, impair, or injuriously modify the navigation of the river.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of War is hereby authorized and directed, upon receiving said plan and map and other information, and upon being satisfied that a bridge built on such plan, and at said locality, will conform to the prescribed conditions of this act, not to obstruct, impair, or injuriously modify the navigation of said river, to notify the said company that he approves the same; and upon receiving such notification the said company may proceed to the erection of said bridge, conforming strictly to the approved plan and location. But until the Secretary of War approve the plan and location of said bridge, and notify said company of the same in writing, the bridge shall not be built or commenced; and should any change be made in the plan of the bridge during the progress of the work thereon, such change shal be subject likewise to the approval of the Secretary of War.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That Congress shall have power at any time to alter, amend, or repeal this act.

Approved March 3, 1869.

A true copy.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

Washington, April 1, 1869.

R. S. CHEW, Chief Clerk.

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS,
Washington, D. C., May 31, 1869.

SIR: The report with accompanying papers of the commission constituted by Special Orders No. 72, from the Adjutant General's Office, to examine and report upon the bridge proposed to be built between the cities of New York and Brooklyn, is herewith respectfully submitted to

the Secretary of War. After an examination of them, and a careful consideration of the subject, the conclusion at which I have arrived is, that the proposed bridge, if built subject to the conditions recommended by the commission, with the prescribed height in the middle of one hundred and thirty feet above mean high water of spring tides, will conform to the requirements of the act of Congress, "not to obstruct, impair, or injuriously modify the navigation of the river," and I recommend to the Secretary of War approval of the same.

The phrase in the act of Congress "not to obstruct, impair, or injuriously modify the navigation of the river" was prepared by myself, and with reference to the meaning attached to those words by the best authorities; and they were, I believe, used in the act with that understanding of them.

I would further recommend that the bridge company be furnished with a copy of the report of the commission.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Hon. JOHN A. RAWLINS,

A. A. HUMPHREYS, Brigadier General and Chief of Engineers.

Secretary of War.

[Indorsement.]

WAR DEPARTMENT, June 19, 1869. Respectfully returned to the Chief of Engineers, whose views and recommendations, as well as those of the commission herein referred to, are concurred in and approved; provided, that the height of the center of the main span of the bridge shall not be less than one hundred and thirty-five feet in the clear, at mean high water of the spring tides, and provided further that the structure shall conform in all other respects to the conditions recommended by the commission.

The Chief of Engineers will furnish the bridge company with a copy of the act establishing the bridge, a copy of the report of the commission and of this report, and will notify the company that the plan and location of the bridge are approved, subject to the conditions herein imposed. JNO. A. RAWLINS, Secretary of War.

Q 4.

UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE,
HOUSTON, CORNER GREENE STREET,

New York, October 14, 1869.

GENERAL: I have the honor to present the following report of the operations for the removal of the wreck of the steamship Scotland, situated in the south channel of New York Harbor, near Sandy Hook, New Jersey, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1869:

REPORT.

In accordance with letter of August 1, 1868, from Headquarters Corps of Engineers, informing me that one hundred thousand dollars had been appropriated by Congress for the removal of the wreck of the steamship Scotland, and placing me in charge of the work, I advertised under date of August 5, 1868, for proposals for removal of the wreck.

The contract was awarded on the 5th September, 1868, to the Neptune Submarine Company of New York City, the lowest bidders, for the sum of $63,300, and all the rights of the United States to the vessel and cargo, as per abstract of proposals herewith, to which is attached a copy of the advertisement; the wreck to be removed by the 1st December, 1869. This company entered into contract on the 9th of September, giving bonds for $30,000 of same date, for its faithful performance.

The company commenced operations on the 22d of September and made various reports of the progress of the work, and having notified me that they were ready for a survey of the first section of the wreck, I dispatched on the 13th April, 1869, the United States engineer steamer belonging to the fort at Sandy Hook, with competent surveyors and submarine divers under charge of my assistants at this office. The result of this survey, which occupied several days and was very accurately made, although not allowing of the payment of the contractors for the removal of the first section of the wreck, was satisfactory and demonstrated the fact that real progress had been made upon several portions of the wreck. The process used, that of exploding gunpowder confined in strong kegs, the charges being placed near the part to be detached, has to this period proved efficient.

Respectfully submitted.

JOHN NEWTON,

Lieut. Col. Engineers and Bvt. Maj. Gen. U. S. A.

Bvt. Maj. Gen. A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Chief of Engineers, Washington, D. C.

NOTE. The first section of the wreck has been removed and paid for since the commencement of this fiscal year.

FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

Amount appropriated by Congress as per letter from Headquarters Corps of Engineers, August 1, 1868.... Expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1869 ....

Amount available June 30, 1869....

$100, 000 00 940 86

99, 059 14

UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE,
No. 27 WEST HOUSTON STREET,
New York, August 5, 1868.

Sealed proposals will be received at this office until 12 noon of Saturday, September 5, 1868, for the removal of the wreck of the steamer Scotland, situated in the South Channel, near Sandy Hook, New Jersey.

The wreck and all material pertaining to the vessel must be removed to a depth of at least twenty-two and one-half feet mean low water, and no portion shall again be deposited, after removal, below high-water mark. The work must be completed by December 1, 1869.

The wreck will be divided into three sections by dividing the space from the bow to the stern into three equal portions. When the first section, beginning at the bow, has been removed to the prescribed depth, and according to the foregoing conditions, one-quarter of the stipulated price for the removal will be paid; when the second section has been removed, one-quarter of the price, as above, will be paid; and when the third section has been removed, the balance of the stipulated

sum will be paid; provided, that the work shall be prosecuted and finished in the order above given.

Proposals must state, first, the sum in money asked for the removal of the wreck, the contractor receiving nothing from the proceeds of the material and cargo removed; second, the sum in money asked, the United States waiving in favor of the contractor all its interest in the proceeds of the material and cargo removed.

Proposals to be accompanied by a guarantee of two responsible persons that the bidder will execute a contract.

The proposals and guarantee will be of the form to be obtained at this office.

No bids exceeding one hundred thousand dollars will be entertained. JOHN NEWTON,

Lieut. Col. of Engineers and Bvt. Maj. Gen. U. S. A.

Abstract of proposals received in answer to advertisement dated August 5, 1868, for removing the wreck of the steamer Scotland, situated in the South Channel, near Sandy Hook, New York Harbor, opened at 12 o'clock, noon, of September 5, 1868.

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ENGINEER OFFICE UNITED STATES ARMY,

Newport, R. I., August 27, 1869.

GENERAL: In compliance with circular, dated Office Chief of Engineers, Washington, D. C., June 12, 1869, I have the, honor to submit the following annual report of progress on the works of river and harbor improvements and surveys in my charge for the year ending June 30, 1869:

IMPROVEMENT OF PAWTUCKET RIVER, RHODE ISLAND.

The operations on this river have been confined to dredging the channel to the extent permitted by the balance of the appropriation, viz., $457 50.

To complete the work deemed necessary for the completion of the work on this river, viz., dredging to obtain a channel six feet deep at mean low water, the sum of $15,000 is estimated.

In regard to the points specially called for by the circular, I have the honor to report as follows:

2d, $15,000; 3d, $15,000; 4th, Providence district; 5th, Providence, Rhode Island; 6th, $184,520 30; 7th, same as previously reported; 8th, none; 9th, none; 10th, none;

11th, on hand June 30, 1868...

$357 50

Cash received during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1869...

Cash expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1869..

357 50 457 50

Due from the United States June 30, 1869...

100 00

Amount in treasury June 30, 1869

$100 00

Available June 30, 1869

Amount required for year ending June 30, 1871..

15,000 00

IMPROVEMENT OF PROVIDENCE RIVER, RHODE ISLAND.

No work has been done on this river during the year. It is estimated that the sum of $10,000 is needed for the further improvement of this river, as explained in my annual report, dated August 8, 1869.

In regard to the points especially called for by the circular, I have the honor to report as follows:

3d, $10,000; 4th, Providence district; 5th, Providence, Rhode Island; 6th, $184,520 30; 7th, same as previous reports; 8th, 9th, and 10th, none; 11th, no cash received or expended during year.

Amount required for year ending June 30, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT OF THAMES RIVER, CONNECTICUT.

$10,000 00

The operations on this river have consisted in dredging the channel immediately below Norwich, so as to obtain a depth of fourteen feet at high water.

The work, it is expected, will be completed the present season, and a sufficient balance will be left to enable an examination to be made next season for the purpose of ascertaining the effect of the work.

No estimate is submitted for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1871. In regard to the points especially called for by the circular, I have the honor to report as follows:

4th, third collection district of Connecticut; 5th, New London, Connecticut; 6th, -; 7th, same as in previous reports; 8th, 9th, and 10th, none during the year;

11th, on hand June 30, 1868.....

Cash received during fiscal year ending June 30, 1869...

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Expended during fiscal year ending June 30, 1869....

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