15. Manasquan (Squan) River, New Jersey.-In its original condition this stream had a depth of from 4 to 6 feet at mean low water for several miles above its mouth, but was obstructed at its outlet into the ocean by a sand spit, which had deflected the stream into a channel parallel with the beach, communicating with the ocean across shifting sand bars, on which the best depth did not exceed 14 feet at mean low water; mean range of tide, 2.4 feet. In severe storms this channel was sometimes entirely closed by sand, remaining so until the fresh water in the river had accumulated sufficiently to force a new outlet. Under these conditions the river could not be used by commerce. The project for its improvement was adopted in 1879, and contemplated dredging the lower river and obtaining, by means of jetties, a permanent outlet nearly at right angles to the beach, with a depth of 6 feet at mean low water, at an estimated cost of $52,120. This was increased to $72,000 in 1882, the increase being due to advanced prices and to a proposed increase in the length of the jetties. The amount expended under this project to June 30, 1892, was $39,000. With this amount two jetties had been constructed, but neither to its full length, appropriations having ceased in 1882. No permanent improvement had been effected. An appropriation of $2,000 was made in the act of September 19, 1890, to be expended in the removal of obstructions placed by the Government at the mouth of the river, if, in the discretion of the Secretary of War, the same should be done. There were no expenditures during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893, as the removal of the obstructions alluded to in the act of September 19, 1890, was, in the opinion of the engineer in charge, deemed unnecessary, and so reported under date of December 19, 1890, and was approved by the Secretary of War December 30, 1890. July 1, 1892, balance unexpended.. July 1, 1893, balance unexpended.... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. $2,000.00 2.000.00 31,000.00 (See Appendix F 15.) EXAMINATIONS MADE IN COMPLIANCE WITH RIVER AND HARBOR ACT APPROVED JULY 13, 1892. The preliminary examinations of the following localities, required by act of July 13, 1892, were made by the local engineer, Capt. Thos. L. Casey, Corps of Engineers, and reports thereon submitted through the division engineer, Col. Henry L. Abbot, Corps of Engineers. 1. Seaford Creek, Long Island, New York.-Capt. Casey submitted report of examination under date of September 22, 1892. It is his opinion and that of the division engineer, concurred in by this office, that the creek is not worthy of improvement by the General Government. The report was transmitted to Congress and printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 38, Fifty-second Congress, second session. (See also Appendix F 16.) 2. Channel connecting Freeport with Great South Bay, New York.Capt. Casey submitted report of examination under date of September 23, 1892. It is the opinion of the division engineer, concurred in by this office, that the locality is not worthy of improvement. The report was transmitted to Congress and printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 65, Fifty-second Congress, second session. (See also Appendix F 17.) 3. Whale Creek, New Jersey.-Capt. Casey submitted report of examination under date of October 4, 1892. It is his opinion and that of the division engineer, concurred in by this office, that the creek is not worthy of improvement by the General Government. The report was transmitted to Congress and printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 89, Fiftysecond Congress, second session. (See also Appendix F 18.) IMPROVEMENT OF RIVERS AND HARBORS IN SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY; OF DELAWARE RIVER AND BAY, AND OF WATERS TRIBUTARY THERETO, NEW JERSEY, PENNSYLVANIA, AND DELAWARE. This district was in the charge of Maj. C. W. Raymond, Corps of Engineers, with Lieut. Albert M. D'Armit, Corps of Engineers, under his immediate orders to June 14, 1893; Division Engineer, Col. Henry L. Abbot, Corps of Engineers. 1. Delaware River, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.-Trenton, the head of natural navigation on the Delaware River, is about 30 miles above the upper part of the port of Philadelphia. In its original condition. this part of the river was obstructed by shoals at the following localities: Between Bordentown and Trenton, a distance of about 5 miles, a narrow and circuitous channel existed, which carried from 3 to 6 feet at mean low water; at Kinkora Bar, about 9 miles below Trenton, a shoal carrying from 7 to 8 feet, and at Five Mile Bar, at the upper part of Philadelphia, a shoal across the Pennsylvania channel carrying only 3 to 4 feet at mean low water, there being, however, 13 feet of water past Five Mile Bar, in the New Jersey channel, passing south of Petty Island. Below Philadelphia the river, in its original condition, presented obstructions at Mifflin Bar which reduced the depth at mean low water to 17 feet, at Schooner Ledge and Cherry Island Flats to 18 feet, at Bulkhead Shoal and Dan Baker Shoal to about 20 feet. In that part of the Delaware River between Trenton, N. J., and Bridesburg, Pa., efforts in the past have been directed toward relieving commerce from the obstructions which exist in the upper 9 miles of the river, and deepening the channel across Kinkora Bar. Previous to 1885 the efforts to improve the river between Philadelphia and the bay were confined to dredging, except at Schooner Ledge, where solid rock was removed, under appropriations for special localities and also under general appropriations for the Delaware River below Bridesburg. A board of engineers, convened by direction of the Secretary of War for the purpose of considering the subject of the permanent improvement of Delaware River and Bay, recommended under date of January 23, 1885, the formation of a ship channel from a point opposite Philadelphia and about midway between the American Shipbuilding Company's yard and the Gas Trust Wharf to deep water in Delaware Bay, having a least width of 600 feet and a depth of 26 feet at mean low water. The formation of such a channel is to be obtained, except at Schooner Ledge, where rock would require to be removed, by regulating the tidal flow by means of dikes, with recourse to dredging, where necessary, as an aid to such contracting and regulating works. The estimated cost of obtaining a channel of the above dimensions is about $2,425,000, which covers the estimated cost of the permanent improvement of the Delaware River between the upper part of Philadelphia and deep water in the bay. This estimate of cost does not include the improvement of Philadelphia Harbor, which is a separate project. With the present requirements of commerce above Philadelphia, it is not considered that the part of the river lying between Trenton and Bridesburg demands any further improvement. The entire amount expended on the improvement of the Delaware River from 1836 to June 30, 1892, under appropriations both for special localities and the general river, was $2,080,721.76, of which $118,500 was expended on that part of the river between Trenton and the upper part of Philadelphia. As a result of this expenditure there had been formed at the latter date a channel of navigable width and 72 feet deep at mean low water through the bars between Bridesburg and Bordentown; a channel across Kinkora Bar 72 feet deep; a channel across Five Mile Bar from 200 to 300 feet wide and from 12 to 15 feet deep; a channel from 200 to 400 feet wide and from 24 to 26 feet deep through the shoal areas at Port Richmond; a channel across Mifflin Bar from 200 to 350 feet wide and from 24 to 25 feet deep; a channel through Schooner Ledge 330 feet wide and 24 feet deep, except over a small area recently discovered, where the depth is reduced to 23 feet at mean low water; a channel through Cherry Island Flats from 200 to 450 feet wide and from 23 to 24 feet deep, and a channel across Bulkhead Shoal from 100 to 370 feet wide and from 24 to 26 feet deep. The channel between Philadelphia and Camden across Smith Island Bar had been improved by the formation of a dredged cut protected by revetment, so as to give a channel 100 feet wide, with a minimum depth of 6 feet at mean low water. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893, the sum of $83,103.97, which includes the liabilities outstanding June 30, 1892, was expended in surveys, examinations, the repair of the dike at Bulkhead Bar, and dredging at Cherry Island Flats, making a total expenditure since 1836 of $2,163,825.73, of which $811,825.73 has been expended on the present project. The changes during the past fiscal year are summarized as follows: The dredged channel across Kinkora Bar has shoaled, the minimum depth at mean low water being now about 7 feet. At Five-Mile Bar the dike has formed a channel from 12 to 15 feet deep at mean low water and 200 feet wide. At Mifflin Bar the channel has shoaled, the greatest depth being 24.4 feet at mean low water, with a minimum width of 150 feet. At Cherry Island Flats a channel has been dredged 200 feet wide and 26 feet deep at mean low water. At Bulkhead Bar the channel has a depth of 24 feet at mean low water with a least width of 450 feet, and a depth of 26 feet at mean low water, with a least width of 250 feet, and favorable changes are in progress. During the present year it is proposed to apply available funds to the improvement of the channel at Cherry Island Flats and Schooner Ledge. July 1, 1893, amount covered by uncompleted contracts... 8, 280.89 14, 851.30 July 1, 1893, balance available..... 123, 322.97 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project..... 1, 475, 000. 00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1895 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867 and of sundry civil act of March 3, 1893. (See Appendix G 1.) 500, 000. 00 2. Harbor between Philadelphia, Pa., and Camden, N. J.-The islands in the Delaware River between Philadelphia and Camden compel the flood and ebb currents to pursue different paths, narrow the existing channels, and prevent the extension of wharves necessary for the purposes of commerce. The plan of improvement originally adopted by Congress provides for the removal of Smith and Windmill islands and a part of Petty Island, and the formation of a channel of ample depth and about 2,000 feet in width from Kaighn Point to Fishers Point. The project contemplates the advance of wharves and bulkheads on both the Philadelphia and Camden shores during the progress of the work. The excavation is to be done by the General Government. The advance of wharves and bulkheads is under the control of the local authorities and private owners, a portion of the material to be removed by the Government being considered available for the necessary filling. The estimated cost of the work to be done by the United States, exclusive of the cost of the islands, was $3,500,000. The project was modified by Congress in the sundry civil act approved March 3, 1891, by authorizing a change in the line limiting the excavation on Petty Island, and by requiring that all material removed under appropriations made to that date should be deposited and spread on League Island. The latter requirement was revoked by Congress in the river and harbor act approved July 13, 1892, which provides that the material removed may be deposited in any place or places approved by the engineer officer in charge of the work. The amount expended under the project to June 30, 1892, was $64,208.56. At that date 2,330 linear feet of revetment had been wholly removed and 923 linear feet partly removed; 322,429 cubic yards of material, scow measurement, had been excavated by dredging and about 35,000 cubic yards by scour, and 287,736 cubic yards was deposited on League Island. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893, 5,495 linear feet of piling and revetment inclosing Windmill Island was removed; 596,108 cubic yards of material, scow measurement, was dredged from Windmill and Petty islands and adjacent shoals, and 327,228 cubic yards was deposited on League Island. The contract with James A. Mundy & Co. was annulled on December 23, 1892, and on June 1, 1893, a new contract was entered into with the American Dredging Company, of Philadelphia, Pa., for the execu tion of all the work required for the improvement. Under this contract and at the close of the past fiscal year 112,825 cubic yards of material, scow measurement, had been removed. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1894, it is confidently expected that all the revetment will be removed; that at least 3,000,000 cubic yards, scow measurement, will be excavated and deposited, and that at least 700,000 cubic yards will be deposited and spread on League Island. July 1, 1892, balance unexpended... Amount appropriated by sundry civil act approved August 5, 1892. June 30, 1893, amount expended during fiscal year $635, 791.44 41,000.00 500,000.00 1, 176, 791. 44 96, 325.96 July 1, 1893, balance unexpended... July 1, 1893, amount covered by uncompleted contracts.. 1, 064, 394. 33 1,080, 465.48 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.....$2, 259, 000.00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1895.... Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867 and of sundry civil act of March 3, 1893. (See Appendix G 2.) 250,000.00 3. Schuylkill River, Pennsylvania.-When the work of improvement was commenced in 1870 there was a channel of entrance into the mouth of the river carrying a depth of only 10 feet at mean low water The original project under which work was commenced in 1870 proposed the formation of a channel 100 feet wide, with a depth of 20 feet from the mouth of the river to Gibson Point, about 4 miles, and a depth of 18 feet from thence to Chestnut Street Bridge, in Philadelphia, about 3 miles. In 1875 and 1883 this project was amended so as to increase the lowwater channel between the mouth and Girard Point, a distance of about 1 mile, to 400 feet wide and 24 feet deep, and from Girard Point to Gibson Point, about 3 miles, to 250 feet wide and 20 feet deep. In 1892 the project was again modified so as to provide for the construction of dikes to maintain a navigable depth at the mouth. The estimated cost of the entire improvement is $529,959. The amount expended upon this project to June 30, 1892, was $415,031.78. This work had resulted in the formation of a channel about 100 feet wide and from 18 to 20 feet deep at mean low water across the bar at the river's mouth; a channel about 250 feet wide and from 20 to 24 feet deep from inside the bar to Point Breeze, except at Yankee Point, where the width is 300 feet; and from Point Breeze to Gibson Point, a channel from 100 to 200 feet wide and from 18 to 20 feet deep; from thence to Chestnut Street Bridge a channel of navigable width and from 17 to 20 feet deep. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893, two earthen dikes having an aggregate length of 2,797 feet and a pile dike 800 feet in length were constructed at the mouth of the river, at a cost of $16,018.55. After the close of the winter they were repaired and strengthened, at a cost of $262.05. The sum of $17,229.80 was expended in dredging between Girard and Gibson points, where work is still in progress. All the dredging contemplated by the project will be completed under the existing contract, and with funds now available. The depth of the channel has increased opposite the upper end of the pile dike, but the dike has not been sufficiently extended to produce any decided effect upon the bar. It is proposed to apply available funds to dike construction and to dredging, if found necessary. July 1, 1893, amount covered by uncompleted contracts. 14, 011. 14 16, 187.60 July 1, 1893, balance available..... 15, 027.81 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project. 44,959.00 44,959.00 |