beneficial in preventing delays of bar crossings. It is reported that the schooners Gotama and Stella, drawing 12 and 13 feet, were taken out June 7, at 9.30 p. m., when the weather was cloudy and rainy and gauge reading at just about mean high water. The act of towing out, even if the draughts were not the largest, when shore-ranges could not have been visible, shows confidence in the good channel. Night crossings and ones on half-tide were not uncommon during the last two years. The shoal, inside, above Fearless Rock, has moved from the channelway to directly above Pigeon Point, where it is not an obstruction. Formerly each tug could tow out but one deep draught vessel on a tide from the anchorage below Empire City; now the tugs take out three or four each on a tide. The table of vessel crossings, given under the commercial statistics, furnishes a measure of the commercial value of the improvement. The whole number of crossings has increased over that of the preceding year, and the increase is most marked in the deeper draughts. While the jetty can be subsequently raised, it is expected, in continuing the work, to dump as far ahead as practicable, bringing the top of the structure to about 15 feet of low water; this height is required for stability of the piling. The maximum depth in advance is 68 feet at 200 feet distance, and 9 feet more than existing a year ago, but about 95 feet further seawards. At 360 feet distance the bottom slopes upon the north spit to about the depth of the present jetty end; it appears to scour to the ledge-rock at from 150 to 200 feet ahead of the jetty end. When the inner channel, about 400 feet long, is crossed, a decided influence on the bar channel is expected. The estimate for next year, as it has for past years, includes the cost of stone, dump-scows, hire of a strong tug, purchase of stone, expense of laying a foundation course in advance, and of following with a low dump by working from land. Such a plan, it is believed, would very much decrease the final cost. If it were not desirable to avoid a sudden breach in the north spit, near the cape, all of the estimate for completion could be profitably applied in less than two years, but it is considered judicious to make the erosion of the end of north spit and the change of bar channel gradual, and under these circumstances about one-third of the total estimate is asked for. July 1, 1883, amount available..... Amount received by transfer of property to other improvements July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883 July 1, 1884, amount available....... Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884.... $40,000 30,000 30,000 30,000 130,000 $2,812 37 2,400 00 5, 212 37 5,190 33 22 04 30,000 00 Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885 30,022 04 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project...... 470,000 00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. 160,000 00 REPORT OF MR. R. S. LITTLEFIELD, SUPERINTENDENT. EMPIRE CITY, OREG., June 27, 1884. * * * I have found it very difficult to get accurate soundings (the result to-day is the fifth attempt), owing to the swiftly-running currents of both ebb and flood that occupy the place at the only time these soundings can be made. In point of fact, there is no time of slackwater at the particular locality between the jetty-wall and north spit, the strong tidal forces being influenced too, evidently, in way of confinement, beyond the extent of the jetty-wall. The extensive cutting ahead, as appearing after plotting the soundings of June 7, causes me to distrust them, and results of the successive trials since, some of which gave yet deeper water, suggested that the current probably exercised an effect in curving or bulging the lead-line at time the lead was on the bottom and apparently the correct depth called off. For the soundings represented as being correct I had a new lead-line of much less diameter than the old one, about like a strong fish-line, previously having taken precaution to nearly double the weight of the lead. This line presented little surface for the current to act against, and the lead being heavy enough to allow of a pretty strong pull while in contact with the bottom, I feel reasonably certain that the result to-day gives as correct delineation of depths below mean low water as can be had. We had no wind to bother as on efforts made previously. In fact, this morning was the only real good time for such work since I determined to go over the ground again; then I have failed to have assistance at command like when work was in operation. To indicate the force of the ebb current at time of sounding this morning, and as illustrative of a contrary force in operation, I narrate the experience: Low water by the tide-tables should be (here) at 10 a. m. At this time the ebb was yet too strong at end of the work to do anything. I ran out, therefore, ahead, at 9.52 to take some cross-soundings at near deepest water. At the gange the tide at the time had swollen 0.4 of a foot. At 10.04 I had attached the tagged line to end of piling and commenced work. The ebb was yet so strong that in every instance of casting the lead the boat was first rowed up-stream past alignment with our range, when the lead was thrown to just above the bottom; as the boat swung to exact range the sounding was taken on the instant of passing by letting the lead drop. Now, the ebb was running like this with its force lessening, however, from 9.52 to 10.40 a. m., and during this time the gauge recorded a rise of 0.9. The tagged line which was cast overboard after last sounding still remained stretched southwardly from end of piling, and I let it hang to note the time of its swinging up-stream by the flood. Suddenly, at 10.55, the line was swept up-stream at 1.6 rise from low water of the tide as observed. Before the time last named the flood was coming in swells. As the tides approach neap, these influences are less marked in effect and increased by nearness to the full spring. The run out to-day was not a very low one. All this has an important bearing in reference to pile-driving, in respect to piles having the least diameter practicable, which is why I suggested sawed 10 by 10 inch timbers. Referring to the profiles, the longitudinal one shows all the settlement there has been by soundings taken on the crest in same places as last year. To get the crosssections, I had ranges on Crib 13, two being of sides of crib, two of stakes set 6 feet in from sides, two outside of crib on each side, respectively 10 and 20 feet distant, these outer ranges thus making a width of 66 feet. I took an outer sounding on each side 10 feet outside, estimated, making the width of soundings 86 feet, to which I have drawn the figures, calculating that these outer soundings cover original bottom, or deposit made on it. As indicating deposit the three outer soundings on both sides were quite generally sand, though at part mentioned last year it does not appear to have increased, but sand mixes in up the sides of the mound. With these north and south ranges, so to speak, I had, at each 50 feet, a pole laid across the piling, with two plumb-bobs suspended at ends, to give the lines east and west for cross sounding. A study of the figures is interesting, one thing, as showing the incomplete forms near end and the tendency to build up the side up-stream sooner. This is undoubtedly an effect of dumping in the strong waves or pulsations of flood tide, the tendency being to deflect the load by a little; but as the dump nears completion to the water surface, both sides appear rounded alike. In later stages of the dump the stone taking the leaner side, or where the vacant space is. One fact seems remarkable. The dump is no or a little wider in the deep water at end than near the cribs. To account for this, the rock being soft, the surfaces do not slide on each other as would be the case with hard stone, and the whole becomes more homogeneous by settlement. This is seen in walking on the part exposed at extreme low water, the stone being so closely packed and well cemented by barnacles as to be difficult to force apart. In consideration that all the effort has been to force the embankment ahead, by dumping ahead, without depositing to the sides or paying any attention to the latter, the sectional forms present as good an appearance, I think, as can be expected or desired. For 170 feet outward from end of piling of last fall very little change appears in depth to the bottom, but beyond for +100 feet considerable cutting has occurred since suspension of operations on September 18 last. Regarded as a stream here and this deepest area as its mid-channel depth, in the process of forcing the stream westward by the jetty advancement, may not the mid-channel, or bed, take up and successively abandon positions correspondingly with jetty advancement, and as the change from old positions to new is made, the old fills by deposit before the dump reaches its confine; such action to go on until there is relief by a turn of the stream to a straight or straighter course across the present site of the spit. I have not had opportunity to prod, as last year, nor could it be successfully done, I think, in such water and currents. The unchanged soundings, the lead catching now and then, shows rock. In sounding across the line of deepest water I found below, about 50 feet outside the line of the large cribs, 74 feet depth; above, on channel side, at same distance, estimated, the depth was 64 feet. By date of reaching the outer rim of this shoaler water (the 170 feet) by the ebb of the large tides of next winter and spring (should the work advance to this point) the spit opposite may reasonably be expected to give way, making a deposit from the inner part of Coos Heads. Opposite the end of work and to near the spit's end it is observed to be cutting yet on the lower sides. No part is as high as last year. The high part, in about the same position, is covered at a gauge reading 7.5. Respecting South Slough navigation, there is now no complaint, one man alone having the past year successfully scowed Matchwood, where formerly it took a crew of three or four to safely get by Rocky Point. The condition of the jetty, as respects the piling and track, is generally so good that a new description of breakage, due to drift-logs brought against the work by high tides and seas, will probably answer the requirements. At the extreme outer end 24 feet length of track and piling is gone, and near Crib 13 100 feet of track stringers were carried away. This refers to two separate patches of the track, and is the total length of the 6 by 6-inch timbers taken as a stick. On the 1880 crib seven piles at different places have gone; their absence, however, is not noticeable by any change in level of the track. From inner end of the large cribs to the turn leading to Barker's quarry no change has occurred, but from this point in the piling has been more or less disturbed, eight bents of piles at different parts having been washed out or knocked over, where the driving was shoal. The track above is continuous until near shore at a point 60 feet distant from its high-water line. Here piles and track are gone. No rail has been lost, as the iron both here and at the embankment was taken up. In cutting into the crib-timbers, at low-water course, it is found that there is more worm than timber; however, in trying timber of the cross solid walls, where the stone filling was in immediate contact with the timber, the worms appeared less numerous. At one place, Crib No. 7, two ties (low-water course) which were never covered up in stone are eaten entirely off. The weight of the structure above low water, taking into consideration, too, its strong bolting by which three corners are bounded, will doubtless prevent for a while any break to the crib-work; still such result is among the possibilities of next winter's storm tides. At low water there is no sound fiber left, the wood admitting of easy penetration by a crow-bar. The jetty track, though in places considerably shaken, can be repaired at no great expense. The pools partly crossing North Spit are as shoal as last year, indicating no cutting action across above the line of the work. Very little change appears except at the south end where cutting positively has been effected. The deposit at Coos Head, or either inside, is not as great as I had supposed, still it is a beginning, indicative of the effect of future extensions to the work in hand. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Capt. CHAS. F. POWELL, Corps of Engineers, U. S. A. R. S. LITTLEFIELD. COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. Coos Bay is in the collection district of Southern Oregon. Empire City, on the bay, is the port of entry. The nearest light-house is at Cape Arago, on the south side of the entrance. The following are for the year ending June 30, 1884, and were furnished by Morton Tower, deputy collector: Draught. Record of vessel-crossings. [Compiled from weekly vessel reports.] June. July. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. Total * Increase, 9.1 per cent. Increase, 7.2 per cent. Increase, 39.1 per cent. Increase, 2.3 per cent. Forty-six different vessels were engaged in the trade. The steamship Arcata, loading from 12 to 13.5 feet, makes tri-monthly trips from San Francisco. Besides the two principal exports, lumber and coal, reported in the collector's statement, matchwood and stavewood in considerable quantities, leather, hides, and salmon are shipped. There are 4 saw-mills, 2 coal mines, and 1 tannery in operation on the bay. A railroad is projected from Coos Bay to Roseburg, Oreg., in the Umpqua Valley, and on the Oregon and California Railroad. |