APPENDIX U U. IMPROVEMENT OF RIVERS AND HARBORS IN THE SECOND SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, DISTRICT. REPORT OF CAPT. THOS. H. JACKSON, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, OFFICER IN CHARGE, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1908. IMPROVEMENT. Sacramento and Feather rivers. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, SIR: I have the honor to forward herewith the annual report of the Board of Engineer officers for the improvement of the Sacramento and Feather rivers, California, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1908. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, THOS. H. JACKSON, Captain, Corps of Engineers. The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. ARMY. REPORT OF BOARD OF ENGINEERS. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, 66 GENERAL: The Board of Engineers created by the act of Congress approved June 3, 1896, "for the purpose of making surveys and examinations" of the Sacramento and Feather rivers, to submit the most feasible plan for the improvement of said rivers and the maintenance of navigation thereon, and to have charge of the work by them recommended as appropriations are made therefor," has consisted during the past fiscal year of Lieut. Col. John Biddle, Maj. C. H. McKinstry, and Capt. Thos. H. Jackson, Corps of Engineers. For general information concerning the project for improvement attention is invited to the summary of this report. For details concerning the operations during the past fiscal year attention is invited to the accompanying report of Capt. Thos. H. Jackson, Corps of Engineers, secretary and disbursing officer of the Board, in immediate charge of the work. JOHN BIDDLE, Lieut. Col., Corps of Engineers. C. H. McKINSTRY, Major, Corps of Engineers. THOS. H. JACKSON, Captain, Corps of Engineers. The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. ARMY. REPORT OF CAPT. THOS. H. JACKSON, CORPS OF ENGINEERS. The operations during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1908, were confined to the Sacramento River. The work consisted of removing snags and other obstructions to navigation, and cutting trees on the banks of the stream, under the projects printed in the Annual Reports of the Chief of Engineers for 1898 (pp. 2944-2945) and for 1899 (pp. 3171-3181). This work has been carried on by hired labor, using the U. S. snag boat Seizer, with a crew of about 35 men, and the new United States snag scow (constructed and equipped during the past winter), with a crew of about 10 men. At the close of the last fiscal year the U. S. snag boat Seizer was removing snags and other obstructions from the Sacramento River in the vicinity of Jacinto, 189 miles above the mouth of the river. These operations were continued downstream as far as Threemile Slough, about 10 miles above the mouth of the river, until October 22, 1907, on which date the snag boat was tied up for the winter months at Sacramento. The snag boat was placed in commission again on June 23, 1908, and from that date to June 30, 1908, was engaged in removing snags and other obstructions in the Sacramento River between Chico Landing and Colusa. The work done by the snag boat during the past year is shown in the following statement: The new snag scow was placed in commission on April 6, 1903, with a crew of 10 men, and on that date left Sacramento in tow of a steamboat for the upper Sacramento River. From that date to June 30, 1908, the scow was engaged in removing snags and other obstructions from the stream between Sacramento bar, 9 miles below the head of navigation, at Red Bluff, and Jacinto Chute, 70 miles below Red Bluff. The work done by the snag scow during the past year is shown in the following statement: The crew of the snag scow drove 85 piles for a wing dam at Jacinto Chute, and cut and placed the necessary brush in the wing cam. The new snag scow placed in commission the past year was designed for work in the Sacramento River between Red Bluff and Colusa. The hull was built at Oakland, Cal., during the past winter under a contract with W. A. Boole & Son, of San Francisco, the contract price for the hull, including the "A" frame, spuds, spud hoisting frame, and derrick boom being $4.270. The hull was built of Oregon fir. It is 64 feet long, 28 feet wide, and 3 feet deep. After the hull was completed at Oakland it was towed to Sacramento and equipped with the necessary machinery and house for the men. The total cost of the scow, equipped ready for work, was $6.525.62. Minor repairs were made the past year to U. S. snag boat Seizer. The projected least low-water channel depth of 7 feet in the Sacramento River from its mouth up to the city of Sacramento has existed the past year; also the projected least low-water depths of 4 to 5 feet from the city of Sacramento up to Colusa. The low-water depths of 2 to 24 feet from Colusa up to Red Bluff have also been maintained. The navigation in the upper 60 miles. or so of the Sacramento River is said to be the best that has existed for many years. It will be necessary to remove snags, etc., each year to keep the upper portion of the stream open for navigation. The sum of $25,000 is required to be expended annually in removing snags, cutting trees, and constructing wing dams, in order to maintain the channel depths required by the project for improve June 30, 1908, amount expended during fiscal year for works of improvement 31, 689. 20 July 1, 1908, balance unexpended – July 1, 1908, outstanding liabilities_ July 1, 1908, balance available... 19, 693.69 2, 397. 28 17, 296. 41 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project. Indeterminate. Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1910, for works of improvement, in addition to the balance unexpended July 1, 1903---- $25,000.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sundry civil act of June 4, 1897. Abstract of emergency contract in force during fiscal year ending June 30, 1908, for constructing one snag scow. Name of contractor, W. A. Boole & Son (Incorporated); contract dated September 23, 1907; work to be begun by October 23, 1907, and to be completed by January 23, 1908. The contract provided that the contractor should construct and deliver at Oakland, Cal., one scow 64 feet long, 28 feet wide, and 3 feet deep, including "A" frame, spuds, spud hoisting frame and derrick boom, for $1,270. The contract was completed on January 8, 1908. COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. The freight and passenger traffic on the Sacramento and Feather rivers the past year was handled by about 35 steamboats, 50 gasoline boats and launches, 35 barges, and in the lower portions of the Sacramento River by a number of gasoline and sail schooners. The principal steamboat lines operating regularly report that they carried 367,224 tons of freight and 67,715 passengers during the year ending December ber 31, 1907. The above does not include the freight carried by numerous craft which ply at irregular intervals, nor the passengers carried by various launches plying between different points. It has been impracticable to obtain complete returns, especially as to the number of passengers carried. It is known, however, that approximately 400,000 tons of freight and 150,000 passengers were carried during the year. APPENDIX V V. IMPROVEMENT OF RIVERS AND HARBORS IN THE FIRST PORTLAND, OREGON, DISTRICT. REPORT OF LIEUT. COL. S. W. ROESSLER, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, OFFICER IN CHARGE, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1908. IMPROVEMENTS. 1. Coquille River, Oregon, from Coquille to mouth. 2. Entrance to Coos Bay and Harbor, Oregon. 3. Coos River, Oregon. 4. Tillimook Bay and bar, Oregon. 7. Columbia River and tributaries be- 8. Columbia River between the foot of The Dalles Rapids and the head of Celilo Falls, Oregon and Washington. 9. Canal at the Cascades, Columbia River, Oregon. 10. Operating and care of canal and locks at the Cascades of the Columbia River, Oregon. 11. Columbia River between Vancouver, Washington, and mouth of Willamette River. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith annual report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1908, pertaining to "improvement of rivers and harbors in western Oregon and of Columbia River above the mouth of Willamette River, including Snake River, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho," in my charge. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, S. W. ROESSLER, Lieut. Col., Corps of Engineers. The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. ARMY. V V I. IMPROVEMENT OF COQUILLE RIVER, OREGON, FROM COQUILLE CITY TO MOUTH. Information concerning the project for the construction of jetties at the mouth of the Coquille River is given in the summary of this report. |