In September, 1888, a modification of the original project was approved, which provided for "extending the dike northward and towards the west side of the channel at College Point, and for dredging, omitting the dikes running westerly to Herrick Point, and the single row of piles on the east side." In 1891, owing to strong opposition to the dike by a large number of property owners at Flushing, College Point, and Newtown, further work upon it was discontinued, and the project was modified to provide for maintaining the channel by dredging only. Up to July 1, 1891, 4,663 linear feet of dike had been built; and the channel which had been repeatedly dredged had nearly the required depth of 6 feet at mean low water, but with less than 100 feet width. OPERATIONS DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1892. A contract for dredging was entered into June 30, 1891, approved July 6, 1891, with Charles and Henry E. Du Bois, at the rate of 18 cents per cubic yard, measured in scows. Work under this contract was begun early in July, and completed August 22, 1891, 73,849 cubic yards of mud being dredged, and deposited in deep water in Long Island Sound; the channel was made 90 feet wide and 8 feet deep at mean low water, where previous depth had been 5 to 7 feet; the additional depth was found expedient in order to retain the projected depth of 6 feet; the length of the channel dredged was 5,200 feet, beginning at the bend near the extreme south end of the dike; and continuing parallel to the dike, to deep water in Flushing Bay. PRESENT CONDITION OF IMPROVEMENT. The upper part of the dike has settled in places from a few inches to a foot; the lower part, built of sheet piling, partially protected by riprap, is left incompleted, and is considerably damaged by storms. The channel in the bay, at the close of the work in 1891, had a depth of over 6 feet and width of 90 feet or over. It has filled in slightly from subsidence of the banks. PROPOSED OPERATIONS. Under the modified project, future appropriations will be applied to improving the channel by dredging. Appropriations for improving Flushing Bay have been made as fol lows: Flushing Bay is in the collection district of New York. The nearest light-house is on the North Brother Island, 3 miles to the northwest. The nearest fortification is Fort Schuyler, about 4 miles to the northeast, Money statement. July 1, 1891, balance unexpended.. June 30, 1892, amount expended during fiscal year.. July 1, 1892, balance unexpended Amount appropriated by act approved July 13, 1892 . $15,500,02 15, 217.38 22.64 Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1893 . 10,000.00 10, 282.64 58,500.00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project...... Abstract of contract for improving Flushing Bay, New York, in force during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892. Commercial statistics for Flushing Bay, New York, have been asked for, and have not been received. D 25. IMPROVEMENT OF PATCHOGUE RIVER, NEW YORK. Patchogue River is a small stream on the south side of Long Island, emptying into Great South Bay, near the eastern end and about 55 miles in a direct line east from New York City. The village of Patchogue which lies about a mile north of the mouth of the river, has a resident population of about 5,000, which is considerably increased during the summer months. The approach to the Patchogue River by water is through Fire Is land Inlet, and thence by a rather crooked course for some 14 miles through Great South Bay; the depth through the bay and up to within half a mile of the river's mouth is about 8 feet; at the mouth of the river the depth shoals up to about 2 feet, which depth could be carried up to the village landings. About the year 1870 the State of New York made an appropriation for improving the entrance to this river. A jetty about 1,000 feet long was built from the west side of the mouth of the river, and a channel dredged alongside of it. The jetty was built of a single row of sheet piling, with round piles at intervals of about 6 feet, and riprapped along the sides; in 1891 about 200 linear feet of the piling remained, but badly injured; the riprap could be traced for nearly the whole length of the work, but no trace of the dredged channel remained. The mean rise of tide at the Patchogue River is 1.1 feet. PROJECTS FOR IMPROVEMENT. The river and harbor act of June 4, 1880, provided for a survey of the river, which was made that year; the report, dated October 30, 1880, and printed in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1881, Part I, page 674, contained estimates for a plan of improvement as follows: The estimate to secure a depth of 6 feet: at mean low water by dredging Total....... $21,000 15, 800 5,520 42, 320 One dike was to be on the west side of the river's mouth, and another and shorter one on the east side; the total length of the two to be about 2,400 feet, to be of carbolized timber filled with riprap, and to be from 5 to 7 feet wide from out to out. Nothing had been done towards the desired improvement, and in 1886 another examination (ordered by the river and harbor act of that year) was made. The report on this examination is printed in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1887, Part I, page 759. This report contained a project and estimates for dredging a channel 60 feet wide and 6 feet deep from the highway bridge at Patchogue (4,000 feet above the mouth of the river) to the 6-foot contour in Great South Bay, a total length of about a mile, and to protect the channel in the bay by a dike or a jetty on its west side 1,700 feet long; the plan also mentioned the possible necessity of a dike on the east side, but it was not included in the estimates, which were as follows: Dredging from the head of navigation at the bridge to the 6-foot contour Diking 1,700 linear feet, at $10 per linear foot.... Total....... $18,000 17,000 5,000 40,000 Beginning of the work under this project was approved by the Secretary of War October 4, 1890, after Congress had made the first appropriation for the improvement, and up to July 1, 1891, 450 tons of stone had been placed, building 150 linear feet of the jetty, and partly completing 900 feet additional. OPERATIONS DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1892. At the beginning of the year work on the jetty was in progress, under a contract with E. Bailey & Sons, of Patchogue, N. Y., to furnish and place riprap at the rate of $2.80 per gross ton. During the fiscal year 2,552 tons of riprap were delivered and placed in the jetty, completing 900 linear feet of the work, which had been begun during the preceding year. The contract was completed October 9, 1891, 3,002 tons of stone having been delivered and 1,340 linear feet of jetty completed. With the approval of the Chief of Engineers an agreement was made with Alonzo E. Smith to deepen the channel by dredging at the rate of 20 cents per cubic yard, prism measurement. Work under this agreement was begun September 11, 1891, and up to the time of completion, January 16, 1892, 16,265 cubic yards of mud and sand were dredged and placed behind the jetty, making the channel 50 feet wide and 6 feet deep at mean low water extending from deep water in Great South Bay, shoreward and parallel with the jetty; the dredged channel was made about 1,850 feet long, and extends about 350 feet beyond the shore end of the jetty and into the mouth of the river. PRESENT CONDITION OF IMPROVEMENT. The jetty is in good condition; it is 1,340 feet long, 3 feet wide on top, and stands about 1 foot above mean high water; its outer end is in 4 feet depth of water. The dredged channel has filled considerably, owing to the subsidence of the very soft banks. The available depth of the river above the dredged channel is about 2 feet at mean low water. PROPOSED OPERATIONS. Future appropriations should be applied to completing the dredged channel, and to extending the jetty, as contemplated by the project. The only appropriation for Patchogue River is the one of $15,000, made in 1890. Patchogue River is in the collection district of New York. The nearest lighthouse is at Fire Island Inlet, 14 miles southwest. The nearest work of defense is Fort Hale, New Haven. Harbor, Connecticut, about 35 miles in a direct line northward. Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1893............ Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project ..... 8,000.00 9, 181.62 17,000.00 17,000.00 Abstract of contracts for improving Patchogue River, N. Y., in force during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892. E. Bailey & Sons, Patchogue, Apr. 18, 1891 Delivering riprap $2.80 per Alonzo E. Smith, Islip, N. Y.. and constructing break water. Dredging.. ton. .20 per Work completed Oct. 9, 1891. 3,002 tons delivered and placed. Work completed Jan. 16, 1892. 16,265 cubio yards. The principal articles of commerce by water are coal, wood, brick, stone, lumber, oysters, and general merchandise. "In addition to the above there are a number of improvements in the way of docks, dredging, etc., in progress, that are the direct result of the Government work that has been done at this place, and during the present year there will be more vessels run from our place, including one large freight steamer, which will probably add 30,000 tons to receipts and 20,000 tons to the shipments of this port." D 26. IMPROVEMENT OF BROWNS CREEK, SAYVILLE, LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK. Browns Creek is a small stream flowing midway between the villages of Sayville and Bayport, near the south shore of Long Island, and emptying into Great South Bay, about 11 miles northeast of Fire Island Inlet. From Fire Island Inlet to the vicinity of Browns Creek there is a rather crooked channel of about 8 feet available depth. The original entrance to the creek was crooked, narrow, and shifting. Its depth at mean low water was about .4 foot. In the stream itself the low-water level was from .3 to 1.3 feet higher than low water in Great South Bay and the channel depths from zero to 3 feet below low water in the bay. The width of the stream from the bay to the highway bridge, about 5,000 feet, averages 77 feet. Its course lies through a sandy marsh from one-quarter to one-half mile in width, separated from the bay by a low and narrow beach. In its natural condition this stream was not avallable for any purpose of navigation. The permanent population of Sayville is said to be 3,500. The mean rise of tide in Great South Bay is 1.1 feet; at the highway bridge, except in dry seasons, it is scarcely noticeable. PROJECT FOR IMPROVEMENT. In pursuance of the river and harbor act of August 11, 1888, a survey of Browns Creek was made, the report on which was printed in House Ex. Doc. No. 22, Fifty-first Congress, first session, and also in |