bor worthy of improvement by the General Government; also that the cost of the needful survey and detailed project may properly be estimated at $1,200. HENRY L. ABBOT, Colonel of Engineers, Bvt. Brig. Gen., U. S. A., Division Engineer. REPORT OF LIEUT. WM. W. HARTS, CORPS OF ENGINEERS. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, CAPTAIN: In compliance with your instructions of December, 1892, I have the honor to submit a report upon the examination of Stonington Harbor, Connecticut, with a view to its further improvement by the General Government. Information as to this harbor was asked by circular letters sent to persons supposed to be interested in its improvement. To these letters but a few replies have been received. The information embodied in the following report was principally obtained from a visit to the locality, from inquiries of steamboat captains and from maps and previous reports. (For maps of this harbor, see Coast Survey Chart No. 358, and Report of Chief of Engineers for 1882, p. 593; for 1884, p. 632, and for previous reports, see Annual Report of Chief of Engineers for 1872, p. 917; for 1881, p. 585.) Description.-Stonington Harbor lies on the northern shore of Fishers Island Sound, Connecticut, and toward its eastern end, and is an indentation in the mainland of Connecticut about 10 miles east of New London, Conn., and about 40 miles west of Newport, R. I. This harbor is naturally protected on the north, east, and west by the mainland and only partially on the south by Fishers Island and the other islands lying in this sound. The Atlantic Ocean is but a very short sail from this harbor, and because of this and the protection afforded in easterly and northerly storms, this harbor was used in very early times as a refuge for coasting vessels. The harbor later was artificially protected by stone breakwaters, one small one extending west from the town, one extending south and east from Wamphassuck Point, and another lying farther to the south and east, extending from Bartlett's Reef to Middle Ground. These breakwaters, with the natural protection, have formed a safe harbor for all storms, which harbor is now extensively used by coastwise sailing vessels. As a place of refuge it is easily accessible and well located with regard to the ocean and Long Island Sound. There is a depth of about 12 feet over a large area of the inner harbor near the docks, increasing to about 20 feet near the eastern breakwater. The mean rise and fall of the tides is 2.7 feet. On a peninsula forming the east side of this harbor is located the town of Stonington, a village at present of about 8,000 population. The town was formerly the headquarters of very important whaling industries and is now the terminus of the Stonington steamboat line, a point of transshipment of freight and passengers from New York to Boston and other eastern towns. There are valuable quarries of granite and brownstone near the town. There are no manufactories of any note, and except the before-mentioned industries there are no local enterprises of special importance. Navigation. The lights and buoys make the navigation of this part of Fishers Island Sound a comparatively easy task to a fairly experienced pilot. Vessels drawing 11 feet can easily reach the city docks and vessels drawing up to 18 feet can take shelter behind the breakwaters. There are, however, several shoals that are troublesome to deeper vessels entering by the west passage and some further shoals within the harbor proper, all of which, more or less obstruct its easy navigation. Since the construction of the breakwaters there has been some shoaling in this harbor, due possibly to their checking the outward flow of the sediment-bearing currents. This shoaling with the steady increase of draft of the vessels that navigate this harbor have of late years made it impossible for many of these vessels to carry their maximum load of freight, compelling them at certain stages of the tide to leave the harbor only partially laden. Commerce. The commerce of this port is of considerable value and has always been large for the size of the town. The fisheries are an important industry and much brownstone and granite is shipped for building and paving. The Providence and Stonington Steamship Company use this harbor as a freight and passenger terminus. They own and use eight vessels, valued from $600,000 to $1,000,000 and carrying about 70,000 passengers annually and about 200,000 tons of freight. About 25,000 vessels annnally pass the lightship at the entrance to the harbor. From statistics furnished by the collector of the port, Mr. C. T. Stanton, and estimates from previous years where better information could not be had, it is thought that the following estimate of the port for 1892 is a fair one: Passing through harbor (from water to rail, or vice versa): 68, 442 passengers, at $2.17 per fare. 206, 000 tons merchandise, at $400... Total exports and imports... $24,000 45,000 $69,000 7,500 31,000 2,000 6, 744 283, 085 29, 025 400,000 150,000 926, 354 147,846 82, 400, 000 82, 547,846 83,543, 200 In the above table the quantities have been received from reliable sources, but the prices have been estimated as near as possible from the information at hand. The increase in business may be shown from a comparison of the business of 1877 and 1890, as furnished by the collectors of customs in those years: Former improvements.-This harbor having been in use by the merchant marine of the United States since very early times, it was likewise at a very early date that improvements here were first made by the General Government. Formerly an open harber, some protection against southerly storms for the vessels frequenting it, was so much needed that in 1827 Congress ordered its examination and survey. This was made in 1827 by Lieut. J. Prescott, First Artillery, who recommended an improvement and furnished a project providing for the construction of a stone pier on the east side of the harbor, extending in a westerly direction, to act as a breakwater, at a cost of $44,000. Congress, acting on this report, appropriated, in 1828, $20,000 "towards erecting piers or other works at or near Stonington Harbor, in the State of Connecticut, for the purpose of making same a good and safe harbor." In 1830, $16,491.67 was further appropriated for this purpose. From these appropriations the pier was built substantially as recommended by Lieut. Prescott, being 740 feet long and about 12 feet wide on top. Nothing further was then done for many years. In 1871, to meet a demand for better harbor protection and anchorage area, Congress ordered another survey, which was made in the same year under direction of Gen. Warren, of the Corps of Engineers. In his report upon this survey (see Annual Report of Chief of Engineers for 1872, p. 917) Gen. Warren recommended the construction of a breakwater extending out from Stonington Point to the south and westward, a sea wall or second breakwater on Wamphassuck Point extending to the south and eastward, and a certain amount of dredging to increase the depth of channels and anchorages. Congress appropriated, in 1873, $25,000 for deepening and dredging the approaches to this harbor; and in 1874, $20,000 more to continue this improvement. In 1875 $25,000 was appropriated; in 1878, $40,000; and in 1879, $37,500; all of which money was expended in constructing the breakwater from Wamphassuck Point. This breakwater was completed in 1881 at a total cost of $103,190. It is 2,025 feet long and contains 94,158 gross tons of granite. In 1880, $25,000 to continue improvements at Stonington was appropriated by Congress, and as only a small amount of this was required in the completion of the Wanphassuck Point breakwater, a project for the expenditure of the remaining amount in the construction of an eastern breakwater, to further screen this harbor from southerly and southeasterly storms, was approved. This breakwater was to extend from the south end of Bartletts Reef to the north end of the middle ground. In 1881, $30,000 was appropriated to continue this construction; in 1882, $25,000 further was appropriated for the same purpose; in 1884, $10,000; in 1886, $20,000; in 1888, $8,000; in 1890, $12, 500; in 1892, $12,500, making a total of $143,000 appropriated for the eastern breakwater. These improvements (costing in all $338,619.83), have had the effect of providing a very safe and sheltered harbor of from 12 to 18 feet depth. Formerly in southern gales much damage was done to the shipping; but there seems to be at present thorough protection. Steamboat captains who have known this harbor for many years speak in high praise of the efficiency of the breakwaters. Present needs.-Extending southeast from near Noyes Rock there is a long narrow shoal almost directly across the entrance and between the ends of the breakwaters. The minimum depth on the shoal is about 11 feet. There are deep channels around the ends of this shoal, but of difficult navigation. It appears desirable now that part of this shoal should be removed to allow the easy navigation of this harbor of vessels drawing up to 15 or 16 feet. The inner harbor should also have a channel in the upper part of at least 200 feet width and 17 feet depth, to allow all vessels to reach the city docks. Dredging from private docks to this channel could then be done by the owners of the docks. These improvements, if made, would doubtless be of much value to all deep-draft vessels. There still remains to be built about 200 feet on the west end of the eastern breakwater; but this work is provided for under the present project. The extremity of this uncompleted western end has not, however, been as yet fixed definitely in position, and there seems at present to be a question as to the exact length necessary. The breakwater at present seems to fulfill the demands upon it, but its extension would materially increase the deeper anchorage area, and give increased protection to the whole harbor against southerly winds, and for this reason would be of much value not only at the present time but for some years to come. Recommendations.-In my opinion this harbor is "worthy of improvement by the General Government." I have therefore to recommend that a detailed survey be made to determine the extent and location of the areas to be dredged and the character and amount of material to be excavated. It is estimated that such a survey may cost from $800 to $1,200. Respectfully submitted. Capt. W. H. BIXBY, WM. W. HARTS, Second Lieut., Corps of Engineers, U. S. A. Corps of Engineers, U. S. A. APPENDIX D. IMPROVEMENT OF CONNECTICUT RIVER AND OF RIVERS AND HARBORS IN CONNECTICUT AND NEW YORK TRIBUTARY TO LONG ISLAND SOUND, AND ON SOUTHERN SHORE OF LONG ISLAND. REPORT OF LIEUT. COL. HENRY M. ROBERT, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, OFFICER IN CHARGE, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1893, WITH OTHER DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE WORKS. 1. Mystic River, Connecticut. 2. Thames River, Connecticut. IMPROVEMENTS. 3. Connecticut River, Massachusetts and Connecticut. 4. Harbor of refuge at Duck Island Harbor, Connecticut. 5. Clinton Harbor, Connecticut. 6. New Haven Harbor, Connecticut. 7. Breakwaters at New Haven, Conn. 8. Milford Harbor, Connecticut. 9. Housatonic River, Connecticut. 10. Bridgeport Harbor, Connecticut. 11. Black Rock Harbor, Connecticut. 12. Saugatuck River, Connecticut. 13. Norwalk Harbor, Connecticut. 14. Wilsons Point Harbor, Connecticut. 15. Five Mile River Harbor, Connecticut. 16. Stamford Harbor, Connecticut. 17. Harbor at Cos Cob and Miamus 18. Port Chester Harbor, New York. EXAMINATIONS. 28. Westport Harbor, Connecticut. 31. Southold Harbor, Long Island, New York. HARBOR LINES. 32. Shaws Cove, New London Harbor, | 33. Bridgeport Harbor, Connecticut. Connecticut. ENGINEER OFFICE, U. S. ARMY, New York, N. Y., July 10, 1893. GENERAL: I have the honor to transmit herewith the annual reports upon the works of river and harbor improvement under my charge for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893. . Col. D. C. Houston, Corps of Engineers, was in charge of these works up to May 18, 1893; he was succeeded by First Lieut. Thos. H. Rees, Corps of Engineers, who remained in temporary charge till June 12, 1893. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Brig. Gen. THOMAS L. CASEY, HENRY M. RORERT, Lieut. Col., Corps of Engineers. Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. ENG 93 -57 897 |