Weldon, except upon sand bars 150 feet long at Spring Gut, 21 miles above Hamilton, about 1,600 feet long at Halifax, 57 miles above Hamilton, and about 800 feet long, 14 miles below Weldon, and upon a ledge of rock about 2,800 feet in length, extending from old Weldon Ferry up to old Weldon Landing, the depth at these four localities being about 4 feet at ordinary low water, assumed at the zero of the Weldon gauge. For about 25 of the 44 miles between Jamesville and Hamilton navigation was very considerably obstructed by overhanging trees and by snags, and from a point about 7 miles above Hamilton up to a point about 43 miles above it trimming of about 12 miles of bank was needful; otherwise the river was in good navigable condition. With the amount applied during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893, the channel for the greater part of the 25 miles most obstructed below Hamilton has been entirely cleared, and 174 miles of single bank has been cleared to the width of 20 feet. 3. Pasquotank River, North Carolina.-When the United States began this improvement, in 1891, the river had a wide channel nowhere less than 9 feet deep in calm weather and 8 feet in northerly winds, from Albemarle Sound up 17 miles to Elizabeth City, and a narrower but good channel, but little obstructed, not less than 7 feet deep 13 miles farther up to the entrance to the Dismal Swamp Canal at the lower end of Turners Cut; thence about 5 miles to the original terminus of the canal and upper end of Turners Cut in a tributary, the Moccasin Track, 1,100 feet above its confluence with the river the natural depth was not less than 5 feet, the channel very sinuous and badly choked with snags and stumps and obstructed by overhanging trees, and above the Moccasin Track the river was likewise choked and obstructed. The original project of 1889 was first to clear the 5 miles of channel in the river and Moccasin Track from the lower end of Turners Cut to the original terminus of the canal to permit boats passing through the canal to avoid Turners Cut, which had shoaled; and, second, to clear out the river 6 miles farther to Lebanon Bridge for navigation by pole or flat boats, at an estimated cost of $9,000. By letter of August 3, 1892, the Chief of Engineers authorized the application of $3,000 appropriated by act of July 13, 1892, to be restricted to the removal of such obstructions from the channel below the lower mouth of Turners Cut as interfere with boats of the draft, about 3 feet, that can be carried through the canal, because as great a draft can be carried through Turners Cut, because boats traversing the canal continued to use Turners Cut in preference to the sinuous and longer route in the river and Moccasin Track where a practicable channel had been cleared for them in 1891, and because of the very little commerce, merely by flat or pole boats, in the river above. The sum of $2,416.15 had been expended to June 30, 1892. At that date there was a channel in the river and Moccasin Track from the lower end of Turners Cut up to the original terminus of the canal practicable for, but not used at all by, the boats traversing the canal, the Moccasin Track and a channel 60 feet wide in the river for the 24 miles next below being thoroughly cleared, and fairly cleared the other 24 miles down to the lower end of Turners Cut. Below Turners Cut the boats which navigate the canal met with some obstructions in the channel. By the application of the amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893, those obstructions have been removed and there is now, for boats of the draft that can navigate the canal, an unobstructed channel in the river up to the entrance to the canal at the lower mouth of Turners Cut. July 1, 1892, balance unexpended Amount appropriated by act approved July 13, 1892. June 30, 1893, amount expended during fiscal year.... July 1, 1893, balance unexpended... July 1, 1893, balance available...... Amount (estimated) required for maintenance.. 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 L 3.) $589.85 3,000.00 3, 589.85 2,081.02 1,508.83 6.00 1,502.83 1,000.00 1,000.00 4. Mackeys Creek, North Carolina.-When the United States began to improve it in 1892 the depth was only 7 feet in the somewhat circuitous channel on the shoal at the mouth of the creek in Albemarle Sound. The project of 1889 was to dredge a straight channel 9 feet deep, 100 feet wide, and about 2,100 feet long through the shoal, modified in May, 1892, by increasing the width of the channel to 140 feet. To June 30, 1892, $12,061.03 had been expended upon this improvement. At that date the project had been nearly finished and a depth of 9 feet had been obtained on the shoal in the channel from the river to the sound. With the amount, $6,388.51, expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893, the project was completed, and a channel obtained 9 feet deep, 140 feet wide, and 2,250 feet in length through the shoal. July 1, 1892, balance unexpended June 30, 1893, amount expended during fiscal year. July 1, 1893, balance unexpended July 1, 1893, outstanding liabilities July 1, 1893, balance available (See Appendix L 4.) $6,992. 06 6, 388.51 603.55 104.59 498.96 5. Ocracoke Inlet, North Carolina.-In 1828, when the United States began to improve the inlet, vessels drawing 9 feet could cross the ocean bar and enter the inlet at low water, but the channel, through the shoals immediately within the inlet, into Pamlico Sound was not practicable for vessels drawing more than 5 feet. In 1837 the sum of $133,732.40 was expended, producing an increase of 34 feet in the depth of one of the channels to Pamlico Sound and แ a material increase in the number of vessels seeking this outlet from North Carolina ports to the sea," but the shoaling of the dredged chan nel and destruction of a jetty constructed to prevent it led to the abandonment of the improvement. In 1891, when the inlet was surveyed preparatory to resuming its improvement with the sum of $90,000 appropriated by the act of September 19, 1890, the depth in the channel on the bar was not less than 14 feet at mean low water, and on the inner shoals was 7 feet in the channel then navigated and 5 feet in the channel selected for improvement. The project of 1889 is to dredge a channel 300 feet wide and about 6,000 feet long through the inner shoals, at an estimated cost, if 10 feet deep, of $100,000; if 13 feet deep, of $190,000; and if 15 feet deep of $280,000, with the possible construction of necessary protecting dikes, at an additional cost of $320,000, aggregating $600,000. To June 30, 1892, $2,225.84 had been expended. At that date the channel to be improved on the inner shoals had been surveyed and contract for dredging to the amount of $75,000 had been entered into and extended, but dredging had not commenced. With the amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893, a supplemental survey has been made of the inner shoals, but no dredging has been done. July 1, 1893, outstanding liabilities.. $5.00 July 1, 1893, amount covered by uncompleted contracts. 75,000.00 75, 005. 00 24, 871.85 July 1, 1893, balance available...... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project ...... 495,000. 00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix L 5.) 6. Fishing Creek, North Carolina. From its confluence with the Tar River, 56 miles above Pamlico Sound, for about 50 miles up to Bellamys Mill, Fishing Creek averages about 75 to 100 feet wide, and has a channel of good practicable width for small steamboats. September 19, 1890, when the first appropriation was made for its improvement the controlling channel depth on its bars was 3 feet at the average highwater stage of winter and spring. From its mouth, about 17 miles to Savages Bridge, the channel was more or less obstructed by submerged snags; for the lower and greater part of the 25 miles thence to the vicinity of the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad Bridge it was ob structed by many submerged snags and by large masses of trees and logs, forming in many places dense barricades spanning the creek and making its descent slow and tedious in a skiff. From the railroad bridge about 8 miles up to Bellamys Mill the channel was impracticable on account of its sinuous character around a short ledge of rock, masses of rock projecting from the concave bank at six sharp bends, many leaning trees, and more or less submerged snags. In summer the channel depth is but a few inches. The project of 1889, is "to clear out its natural obstructions from its mouth up to Bellamys Mill at a total expense of about $25,000.” No money has been expended upon its improvement to June 30, 1893, and the subject is reported to Congress with special report of May 31, July 1, 1892, balance unexpended... Amount appropriated by act approved July 13, 1892 $10,000.00 5,000.00 15,000.00 15,000.00 July 1, 1893, balance unexpended..... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project....... Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix L 6.) 10,000.00 7. Pamlico and Tar rivers, North Carolina.-(One river, called the Pamlico below and the Tar above Washington.) When the United States began to improve it, in 1877, its channel was obstructed in two places below Washington by piles; just below Sparta by scuttled lighters; 1 mile below Tarboro by the wreck of a steamer; immediately below Washington by a bar with a depth of 5 feet at low water on its crest in the channel; between Washington and Tarboro the available depth exceeded 2 to 3 feet not more than eight months annually, and above Washington the entire river was more or less obstructed by snags, logs, and stumps in its channel and by trees overhanging from its banks. The project is that adopted in 1875 to secure by dredging and removal of war obstructions a clear and safe channel 9 feet deep at low water up to Washington, extended in 1879 to clear a channel 60 feet wide, 3 feet deep at low water 22 miles farther to Greenville, and 20 inches deep at low water 26 miles farther to Tarboro; again extended in 1889 to clear the river to its natural dimensions 40 miles farther to Little Falls, 2 miles below Rocky Mount, by removal of war obstructions, snags, logs, stumps, and overhanging trees, at a total final cost estimated in 1891 at $137,200. To June 30, 1892, $75,724.85 had been expended upon this work. At that date vessels could carry 7 feet of water at all seasons up the Pamlico 39 miles to Washington, whence 48 miles to Tarboro there was, for boats of 4 feet draft, an intermittent navigation of a variable duration of seven to nine months annually, less intermittent and of longer continuance to Center Bluff and Greenville, 31 and 22 miles above Washington. At ordinary low water of three to five months' duration annually boats could draw 2 feet to Greenville and Center Bluff, 20 inches to Tarboro, and about 18 inches to Little Falls. Vessels occasionally struck stumps and snags in the channel for about 3 miles below Washington, between which and Greenville boats were annoyed by snags and overhanging trees, of both of which the river was well cleared from Greenville to Tarboro, whence a practicable channel was cleared to Rocky Mount. With the amount applied during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893, the channel has been cleared of snags, logs, and stumps, and the banks of overhanging trees from a point 2 miles above Greenville down 24 miles to Washington, and 6,700 feet of the channel below Washington has been cleared of stumps to the depth of 9 feet, so that vessels can safely draw 8 feet of water at all seasons. Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project. 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 L 7.) $49, 200.00 17,000. 00 8. Contentnia Creek, North Carolina.-When the United States began to improve it, in 1881, it was badly choked with fallen timber, snags, logs, and stumps; also obstructed by sand bars, and navigation rendered exceedingly difficult, in many places next to impossible, by the dense overhanging growth. The project of 1881 is, by clearing it of these obstructions, to obtain, from its confluence with the Neuse 63 miles to Stantonsburg, a depth of not less than 3 feet during the higher stages of about nine months' duration annually, at a cost, estimated in 1888, at $77,500. To June 30, 1892, $49,789.45 had been expended upon this work. At that date a practicable channel had been moderately cleared 31 miles up to Snowhill and roughly cleared 32 miles farther to Stantonsburg. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893, the channel has been cleared to the above depth from Snowhill to a point 21 miles below that town. July 1, 1892, balance unexpended... Amount appropriated by act approved July 13, 1892. June 30, 1893, amount expended during fiscal year July 1, 1893, balance unexpended July 1, 1893, outstanding liabilities July 1, 1893, balance available.................... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project 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 L 8.) $2,247.65 7,000.00 9, 247.65 5, 752.42 3,495. 23 1, 109. 64 2, 385.59 18, 500.00 7,000.00 9. Trent River, North Carolina.-When the United States began to improve it, in 1879, the river was comparatively free from obstructions from Newbern 18 miles to Pollocksville, between which points a draft of 6 feet could be carried at low water. Above Pollocksville it was obstructed by bars of sand and rock, and especially by great numbers of snags in the 11 miles from Lower Quaker Bridge up to Trenton. One steamer ran regularly to Pollocksville, and one occasionally 9 miles farther to Lower Quaker Bridge, above which point navigation was confined to flatboats and rafts. The project of 1879 was to secure a channel 3 feet deep at low summer stage from Pollocksville above Trenton by removing all obstructions and dredging a cut 50 feet wide through the shoals at a cost estimated in 1887 at $59,000. In 1889 the project was extended to remove obstructions to permit navigation by small steamboats 33 miles to Trenton, and by pole boats 63 miles farther to Upper Quaker Bridge, at an additional cost of $13,000, the two projects aggregating $72,000. To June 30, 1892, $54,916.78 had been expended upon this work. At that date the channel had been cleared of snags, etc., and the banks of overhanging trees from the mouth to Trenton, and fairly |