15.-MONROE HARBOR, MICHIGAN-(Sketch N. By act approved 23d June, 1866, there was appropriated for this work $31,015 27. The plan adopted for its repairs was, 1st, to rebuild the outer breach part of south pier, and to repair the decayed and broken portion of the inner parts of that pier; 2d, to repair the west pier thoroughly; 3d, to construct a new work of 300 feet in length to connect the inner part of the west pier with shore, to stop a dangerous breach that had been opened here in the side of the canal, allowing sand to be driven through from the lake beach into the harbor at every blow from the northeast. It required much labor in making measurements and plans and bills of materials to fit everything to the old work. Borings were made to determine how to place the construction of the new work, (item 3.) After duly advertising. inviting proposals, contracts were made 2d October, 1866, for the material and for doing the work. The delivery of materials and doing the work were pushed through the winter, and the energetic contractor, W. II. Mott, taking advantage of the favorable condition of the ice which covered the harbor all the exterior under-water work of item 1 was securely put in before the spring thaw came. Up to the end (30th June, 1867) of the fiscal year there had been expended $6,760 06, leaving available 1st July, 1867, $24.255 21. By the price in the. contracts, the cost of completing all the items, 1, 2, 3, including ten per cent. for contingencies, is $12,484 36, leaving, after completing items 1, 2, 3, $12,770 65, which can be applied to the harbor hereafter, as circumstances may develop. No additional appropriation seems necessary to be asked for at present for this work. 16.-ST. CLAIR FLATS, MICHIGAN—(Sketch O.) By act of 23d June, 1866, and of 2d March, 1867, there were sums appropriated for this improvement amounting to $230,000; and by the last of said acts Congress fixed the plan to be followed for the improvement, to consist of a straight, direct ship canal from sufficiently deep water at the mouth of the south pass of the St. Clair river, through the shoal, to sufficiently deep water in Lake St. Clair, an extent of about one and a half mile; the canal to be 300 feet wide in the clear-sides to be diked and banked, to be made five feet above water and fifty-eight feet wide on top, of the materials to be dredged out to make the water-way thirteen feet deep below lowest known stage. After receiving orders to make preparations for commencing the work, advertisements were published inviting p oposals for furnishing materials and doing the work, March 20, 1867. Owing, however, to my absence under orders from the War Department, the bids were not opened and the abstracts of them made out, so as to decide who were the lowest responsible bidders for materials and labor, until May 7, 1867. A difficuy arose in awarding the contracts, and this was not allayed before the expiration of the fiscal year, 30th June, 1867, so that up to that date nothing had been accomplished, but much office work. Amount expended to 30th June, 1867, $29 68, leaving available 1st July, 1867, $229,970 32. My first approximate of the cost of the work was $428,754. As yet I know of no reason why this estimate should be enlarged, though, when we come to exactly locate the work and take the soundings referred to, the lowest known stage, we may find a result differing somewhat, in the amount of dredging, from what I estimated and based upon the survey of 1856, made under the direction of Captain, now Major General, Meade. It was upon that Burvey. the last we have, that I made my estimate, and so stated in my first report, August 13, 1866, and in my revised report, December 10, 1866. Upon that basis, therefore, besides what was available July 1, 1867, we shall need an additional appropriation to be made by Congress for the completion of this work to the amount of $198,754. 10 w-Vol. ii Notwithstanding the embarrassment arising to prevent putting this improvement in operation during the past fiscal year, I have no doubt that we shall commence active operations on the work by at least two dredges before the close of September, 1867, and be able to push it to an entire cempletion, as Congress will make the needful appropriations. 17.-SAGINAW RIVER MOUTH-(Sketch P.) By acts 23d June, 1866, and 2d March, 1867, the sums appropriated to this highly important work amounted to $95,500. This estimate, it is to be borne in mind, is based upon a survey made under the direction of Captain Macomb, topographical engineer, in 1856, without representing the character of the bottom to be dredged. Advertisement was published inviting proposals for executing this work August 28, 1866. A favorable contract was made 5th October, 1866. Owing, however, to the lateness of the season, work could not be commenced that season, and the time for completing the work to the 30th November, 1868, should the materials to be dredged prove hard. The plan fixed upon was to dredge a channel from the lower reach of the river proper, straight out into the lake, whatever materials might be found in the way, for a width of channel at bottom at first of 195 feet, with side slopes of two horizontal to one vertical, and to a uniform depth of twelve feet water below the lowest known stage of water, and to make it 200 feet wide afterwards, as we could obtain the means. Taking advantage of the ice during the winter, I had made under my direction a complete set of soundings and borings into the bottom to the required depth for dredging. These borings developed a remarkable formation of earth. I also had during the winter the channel to be dredged perfectly located, and ranges on the mainland erected by which the dredges should be guided in making the channel to the proper width and alignment and the "bench mark" established for the lowest stage of water, by which the depth of dredging should be regulated, and the place marked for dumping. The operation of dredging commenced 21st May, and on that day a furious northeast gale suddenly arose aud drove the large dredge ashore; owing to this bad luck to the contractor and the bad weather it was not until the 12th June that he could recommence. During the remaining sixteen working days of that month there were dredged and dumped 3,426 cubic yards of very hard conglomerate clay, gravel, and sand. This closes the operation up to the end of the fiscal year, 30th June, 1867. I am gratified to find that notwithstanding the hardness of the material, there is no doubt of our being able the present season to open a channel before its close of navigation, that will admit vessels of ten feet draught, running through the entire length of the new cut. The portion which will be dredged will be to the full depth of twelve feet, the work having been commenced on the summit of the bar and extended both ways. One of the most powerful machines, and the best adapted in the United States, is working admirably in this hard material, sweeping the whole width, 195 feet, of the channel and to the full depth at a swing, leaving the bottom as even as a house floor. Two dredges are at work and each performing admirably, giving assurance of a complete success in the undertaking of the opening of a channel which before we commenced had to many the appearance of a quixotic effort, but which now begins to challenge admiration. The amount expended to the 30th June, 1867, was $422 32. The portion dredged not having been paid for until July, comes into the next fiscal year's expenditure. Amount available 1st July, 1867, was $95,077 68. As yet, I have no evidence of its costing more than I estimated in my last annual report to complete this work. I do not therefore ask at present any edditional appropriation for this work. 18.-HARBOR AT AUSABLE RIVER, MICHIGAN-LAKE HURON-(Sketch Q) After this was placed under my charge I found it necessary to make a tedious special study of the question. The survey that was made for this work by the lake survey assistant was defective in two essential points. No reference was given by which the low stage of water at the mouth of the river could be compared with the stage at the time of the survey, nor was there a bench mark made to which the stage, even at the time of the survey, can ever be identified. These are points too much neglected by officers and assistants of our corps, who are intrusted with these important surveys, and the officer who is called upon to make the detail plans and drawings, and bills of materials and the estimate of the cost of the work, is forced to grope in the dark for the proper data to work upon. I planned a work, however, for a ten-foot harbor, the stage of reference to be fixed hereafter, and it was approved, and advertised inviting proposals May 14, 1867, and reported an abstract of the bids received June 11, 1867. Owing to contention among the bidders arising from a difference of opinion as to what should be the construction of the law in reference to the principle of awarding contracts, this work has not been put under contract up to 30th of June, 1867. I have no expectation that it is possible to obtain a sufficient quantity of materials to judiciously commence work with until the 30th of May, 1868. From that time forward the work may be expected to be as rapidly pushed forward as the very unfavorable circumstances attending the place will permit. By act approved 2d of March, an appropriation was made for this work of $50,000, and all of this was available 1st of July, 1867. I have been able to make a close estimate of the cost of completing the work upon the plan fixed upon and the bids from responsible contractors for furnishing materials and doing the work, but not so close as I could have done had the faults in the survey not been perpetrated. The estimate of the cost, including ten per cent. for contingencies, is $69,367. We shall, therefore, need an additional appropriation to complete the work of $19,367. This, put with the $50,000 already available, will give us as good a harbor at this site as the case admits, but which, however well we may first construct it, will need in a few years much dredging from the enormous quantities of sand which the river brings along from the interior into the lake to be deposited at the mouth. 19. IMPROVEMENT OF ST. MARY'S RIVER, MICHIGAN (Sketch R.) By acts of 23d of June, 1866, and 2d of March, 1867, the sums appropriated for this work amounted to $100,000. After fixing upon the plans for expending the money to the best advantage for the large and increasing commerce that is to be benefited by the improvement of this river, proposals were invited for dredging, August 23, 1866, and a favorable contract was made for dredging, (only at present, however, in middle channel Lake George, a shoal expansion of the river,) 5th of October, 1866. The work was to be commenced as soon as machines could be taken there and completed, either by November, 1867, or in the following season of 1868, according to the softness or hardness of material found necessary to excavate to obtain a channel not less than 200 feet wide at bottom, and of a uniform depth of fourteen feet below low stage at middle channel, and thirteen feet depth at sides, with side slopes of two horizontal to one vertical. It was not possible, owing to the lateness of the season, before the contract was concluded and approved, to get the dredges safely into position before the 22d of June, 1867. As soon as possible I sent my assistant, Captain Lydecker, corps of engineers, who fixed the range signals and established the low-water "bench-mark" to guide the dredges, and located the field for dumping. On the 29th of June dredging commenced in good earnest, and up to the 30th of June, 1867, there had been excavated eighty yards. From the 1st of July, 1867, onward there are to be two dredges at work day and night.* Disbursed up to 30th of June, 1867, end of the fiscal year, on the work, $4 56, leaving available 1st of July, 1867, $99,995 44. I have seen no reason since sending in my annual report for fiscal year ending 30th of June, 1866, to change the estimate I have made for the improvements of the several places requiring work to be done in this great river. Therefore there will yet remain to be appropriated to complete the improvements, including ten per cent. for contingencies, $323,983. 20. Summary statement for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 1866, and ending June 30, 1867. *For survey, $168 90; for improvement, $7 60; out of appropriation "Surveys and examination northwestern lakes." REMARKS. This table does not contain the estimates for adapting Buffalo, Erie, Cleveland, and Toledo to yessels drawing fourteen feet of water; for these additional estimates see text to the report. Of course it is understood that the foregoing report makes no record of work done or expenditures made since 30th of June, 1867. Since that time a large amount of materials have been delivered, and much work has been done on all the works that were put under contract before the expiration of the last fiscal year, all of which, with the expenditure, will come properly in place in my next annual report. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your most obedient servant, Colonel Engineers, Brevet Major General. Major General A. A. HUMPHREYS, Chief of Engineers United States Army. * In July one dredge working twenty-one days, and two three days, relieving each other at night, raised 15.287 cubic yards soft. In August two dredges, 1elieving each other at night, raised 32.561 cubic yards soft. Number of hours worked, 1,1694; which means that this is tantamount to one dredge working 1,1694 hours to raise 47,848 cubic yards soft material of that channel bed.-September 12, 1867. B 1. UNITED STATES ENGINEER Office, SIR: I have the honor to make this report upon the contemplated harbor at Ausable, Lake Huron: I. In your order of 28th March last, assigning this work to my charge, I was directed to submit my views, in case of a dissent from Colonel Raynolds' plan, for this work. I do not dissent from the general plan as to direction, extent of piers, and width of channel-way; but I respectfully submit that a ten-feet depth of water for this harbor will cost about thirty thousand dollars less than to make a twelve-feet harbor, as proposed and estimated for by that officer. All acquainted with that place are of opinion that this will be ample for all the trade there. And owing to the enormous quantities of sand away up in the river, and the other causes for accumulating deposits at the mouth of the harbor when constructed with all the care possible, I am satisfied that to maintain even that depth (ten feet) we shall have to resort to dredging, or extend the piers indefinitely beyond the present proposed limits. A bar will form across the mouth in a few years after constructing the piers. The lowest bid for constructing the work for a twelve-feet harbor is $82,892 72; the lowest bid for constructing the work for a ten-feet harbor is $58,037 37. Which depth shall be adopted? II. I have advertised and received proposals for each, as will be seen by the accompanying advertisement, and bids have been put in according to the advertisement, more especially according to the classifications (see last paragraph of advertisement) of work or labor and of materials, as shown on the abstract of bids herewith sent. To this classification, which is in harmony with the law making the appropriation, we must adhere, if we expect to hold the bidders up to the proposals, and successfully accomplish the work to good advantage. For the materials: class 1, round piles; class 2, sawed timber and lumber; class 3, all kinds iron material. For the labor or work: class A, dredging to place cribs, framing, boxing, bolting, placing, driving piles in their corners, superstructure, filling the cribs with stone, slabs, and brush, framing, fitting joist, plank, &c.; class B, dredging channel between piers and just above piers in the river. For each class of materials the lowest bidders are Carkin & Kimball, No. 3. For class A, labor or work, the lowest bidder is H. M. Mixer, No. 5. For class B, labor or work, the lowest bidder is Hasbrouck & Conro, No. 4. Observe Henry M. Loud, No. 8, in his bid for the whole, set class 1 (round piles) lower than No. 3 did, but No. 8 bid for the whole or none. It will be seen by the abstract, for either a twelve or a ten-feet depth of harbor, the abovenamed are the lowest bidders. I have to request the proper instructions from the proper authority to make the contracts with Nos. 3, 4, 5, as above named. I also request to be informed whether to contract for a twelve-feet or a ten-feet harbor. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, T. J. CRAM, Colonel Engineers, Brevet Major General. Major General A. A. HUMPHREYS, Chief of Engineers United States Army. P. S.-For a twelve feet harbor we have proposals for constructing the same length of piering and planking it over, $31,861, less than estimated for by Colonel Raynolds. This is the result of a more economical plan for cribs, and using slabs and brush to some extent, and less stone than proposed in his estimate. |