APPENDIXES TO THE REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, UNITED STATES ARMY. FORTIFICATIONS, ETC. APPENDIX No. 1. PROTECTION OF SITE OF FORT NIAGARA, NEW YORK. REPORT OF CAPTAIN DAN C. KINGMAN, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, OFFICER IN CHARGE, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1892. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Oswego, N. Y., July 9, 1892. GENERAL: I have the honor to transmit herewith annual reports for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, for the following works in my charge: Protection of the site of Fort Niagara, New York. Brig. Gen. THOMAS L. CASEY, Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. DÁN C. KINGMAN, Captain, Corps of Engineers. PROTECTION OF THE SITE OF FORT NIAGARA, NEW YORK. Operations have been in progress for the protection of the site of Fort Niagara, New York, under an allotment from the appropriations for "sea walls and embankments," and "preservation and repair of fortifications." The project for this work was approved November, 1888, and is briefly as follows: First. To build a dike of stakes and fascines, paved on the top with stone, and held at a reference 2.0 feet, Lake Ontario gauge, from the northwest bastion of Fort Niagara to the northerly angle of the wharf, and to demolish the wall that makes the western front of the fort and use its material as a riprap and filling behind the dike. Second. To build a similar dike from the southern end of the lighthouse reservation towards the southern end of the military reservation of Fort Niagara, as far as the means available will permit, and to fill in behind the dike, a bank of low slope to a reference 6.0 feet, Lake Ontario gauge; to grade the bank above to a slope of 1 on 2 down from the general level of the parade, leaving between the two slopes such a roadway as may be desirable for the use of the post; to plant the lower slope with willows and the upper one with grass. Subsequently this project was modified by substituting iron pipes for the wooden stakes used to secure the fascines. This change increased the durability of the work, but it also increased its cost nearly 50 per cent. The project was extended to include the repair of the retaining wall at the northwest angle of the fort, and all other necessary repairs to the same along the lake front. The amount expended under this project to June 30, 1892, is $29,449.38, and has resulted in the rebuilding of a portion of the retaining wall 40 feet long and 393 feet high, bonded into the old work, and in the repair of numerous breaks in the face of the wall along the lake front (over 50 cubic yards of dimension stone being used for the latter purpose alone), in a pretty general pointing of this wall, and in the construction of a concrete breakwater 70 feet long to protect the exposed northwest angle. It has also resulted in the construction of 770 feet dike work along the lake front, and 941 feet along the river front-1,711 feet in all-and in the filling in and grading behind 941 feet along the river front according to the project. Sodding the slopes is now in progress. OPERATIONS. The work of repairing the sea wall was resumed August 4, 1891, and continued until December 14, 1891. The coping was laid on the rebuilt angle of the wall, a large amount of grouting and pointing was done to the wall generally, and a number of very large cavities in the wall were carefully and thoroughly repaired. Some of the holes extended nearly through the backing, and the largest was about 54 feet long and 4 feet high. They were all near the mean-water line. The water was from 1 to 4 feet deep along the base of the wall, and the slightest onshore wind caused the waves to dash violently into the breaks. The bottom was very hard, and it would have been difficult and expensive to build cofferdams that would stand. I accordingly caused a strong crib to be built in the form of a scow, 20 feet long, 12 feet wide, and 6 feet high. It had a strong tight deck, and a bottom made of 4-inch oak plank. The whole was calked and pitched and made water-tight. It was intended to load it with a sufficient quantity of stone to hold it firmly on the bottom when filled with water; then to float it to the described position, open valves which were provided, and allow it to sink. Its deck would then be 2 or 3 feet above the surface of the water and would serve as a platform for the masons, while the side of the crib would protect the work from small waves which would tend to wash the mortar out of the joints before it had time to set. When it became nec essary to move the crib, the valves could be closed, the water pumped out, and it could easily be floated to the new position. The crib cost about $530 for labor and materials; but it was not needed, for the lake fell with unusual rapidity and attained an exceptionally low stage early in the season, so that by rolling up stones near the base of the wall a beach was caused to form, upon which the men could stand and work when the lake was smooth. A concrete breakwater, 70 feet long, 8 feet high, 13 feet thick at the base and 6 feet on top, with a batter towards the lake, was built to protect the northwest angle of the wall. It rested on a submerged timber crib that had been built for this purpose during the previous year. The bottom in front of this structure was covered with heavy bowlders. The stone needed for the repairs to the wall and for a belt course for the concrete breakwater was brought from the limestone quarries at Chaumont, N. Y.. The fascine breakwater had been damaged at two or three points along the lake front, and it was repaired using large bowlders from the lake. The total cost of all this work was $6,256.35, including $530 for the movable crib. The expenditure was divided as follows: In addition, the work of grading the bank along the river front was begun October 8, 1891, and the earthwork was completed December 10, 1891. Nine hundred and forty-one feet of bank was graded. The bank was given a slope of two on one, and the fill was made behind the stake and fascine breakwater as described in the project. Fourteen thousand one hundred and ninety-nine cubic yards of earth was moved to accomplish this work. The bank was very hard in places, and explosives were tried, with indifferent success, to break it up. The project provides for the protection of the lower flat slope next to the water by a growth of willows. As the work was finished in December it was obviously impossible to secure a growth that would afford the slightest protection during the coming spring freshets. This slope was therefore covered with a rough pavement of stone. The drains from the quarters near this work were permitted to discharge over the bank. To prevent this water from injuring the slope, open wooden drains were built to carry it to the river, till such time as the houses are connected with a proper sewer which is now in progress of construction. The total cost of this work was $4,981.98, which was divided as follows:, Work was suspended January 18, 1892. It was resumed June 24, with the object of redressing the slopes and securing a growth of grass upon them. |