Hydraulic grader No. 2 has been docked and received new 6-inch yellow pine gunwales and new rakes. This grader has been carefully overhauled both in hull and machinery. Two new water chambers have been placed instead of the old ones that were cracked. Two more openings were made for the flow of water into the wells in which the receiving pipes are placed. Hydraulic grader No. 4 is now on the dock. A new water chamber was purchased during the season and has been used; one side only of the pump will be repaired, as the other side would require a new high-pressure cylinder and a new water chamber. Second district grader No. 40 was repaired, calked, and painted; deck shored up nuder pump, and a fore-and-aft 5-inch yellow-pine bulkhead placed in center of hull under pump; also two sets of rods were placed from top of outside gunwales to bottom of middle bulkhead to assist in holding up the weight of the pump. The cabin and machinery have been overhauled and painted. The heater was found to be very Jeaky and likely caused the trouble with the vacuum. The main shaft was also found to be in wrong and was changed end for end. A new condenser was purchased during the year. Steamboats.-Steamer Titan has three new boilers, with new boiler beams and breeching, also the system of feeding water into boiler has been changed from the pan in top of shell to a spray in mud drum. Two new and larger hog chain posts aft, two additional center and two additional forward hog chain posts and a second set of main hog chains, two knuckle chains under cylinders and a short chain under boilers fore and aft. Fantail been braced out and held up by a traverse system of chains. Iron straps attached to foot log on forward end of main chains was taken off and rewelded. Shore up main and boiler decks under pilot house. The wheel was rebuilt and painted. Pitman straps enlarged, machinery reset and lined. Steamer Graham has two new boilers in place of old ones worn out, also various other minor repairs to boat and machinery. Steamer Kirns has received only such general repairs to boat and machinery as have been necessary to keep the boat in commission. Steamer Itasca has had a new boiler, the hull, cabin, and wheel thoroughly overhauled and painted. Steamer Abbot had three partially decayed strakes in the hull which were repaired, nineteen new wheel arms were replaced, also a set of buckets complete. Twelve iron straps were placed on each side to tie the deck beams down to the hull. The hull was calked and painted. A second feed pump was placed on the boat in the engine room for use in case of accident to the first one. The machinery reset and lined up, one new sheet placed in boiler, a rigging for raising and lowering meter at stern of boat was also arranged. Sand pump boat.-The boilers were exchanged for better ones not in use on the fleet; a larger pulley for pump was purchased so that the engine might be speeded up to develop the proper amount of horse power, arrangements were made so as to take steam from boilers on steamer Graham. Warehouse A.-A warehouse for storing boilers and machinery has been built 125 long and 30 feet wide and is raised up 6 inches above high water. It has oak and ash foundation timbers, cypress siding, cottonwood frame, and tin-shingle roof, and tin gutters. General repairs.-There are many minor repairs to various pieces of plant that are classed under the head of general repairs, they were small amounts and at various times, and were necessary only to care for the plant or in construction of tools which could not be charged to a piece of plant as increasing its value. There is inclosed herewith table of repairs giving cost of each piece during the year. Respectfully submitted. C. W. STURTEVANT, Table of cost of repairs to various pieces of plant at Amelia, Ark., from June 1, 1891, to May 1, 1892. Abstract of proposals for furnishing stone for use at Hopefield Bend, Arkansas, received in response to advertisement dated June 30, 1891, and opened July 14, 1891, by Capt. S. W. Roessler, Corps of Engineers. Abstract of proposals for furnishing wire, wire strands, rope, etc., received in response to advertisement dated June 30, 1891, and opened July 14, 1891, by Capt. S. W. Roessler, Corps of Engineers. Abstract of proposals for levec work on Helena Front, Arkansas, received in response to advertisement dated July 30, 1891, and opened August 15, 1891, by Capt. S. W. Roessler, Corps of Engineers. Abstract of proposals for levee work on Helena Front, Arkansas, received in response to advertisement dated September 9, 1891, and opened September 19, 1891, by Capt. S. W. Roessler, Corps of Engineers. Abstract of proposals for levee work at Hushpuckana, Mississippi, received in response to advertisement dated September 16, 1891, and opened September 26, 1891, by Capt. S. W. Roessler, Corps of Engineers. Abstract of proposals for levee work at Carson Loop, Arkansas, received in response to advertisement dated October 13, 1891, and opened October 23, 1891, by Capt. S. W. Roessler, Corps of Engineers. List of civilian engineers employed on works of improving Mississippi River, first and second districts, in charge of Capt. S. W. Roessler, Corps of Engineers, from June 1, 1891, to May 31, 1892. River tonnage and passenger traffic for the calendar year 1891. Approximate value of plant belonging to the United States and used upon the improvement of the Mississippi River, First and Second Districts. 459 84,357 270 20, 420 27,549 7 14,700 1, 164 900 600 57 21, 130 548 900 1,263 40 13, 850 728 761 5 104 17, 619 4, 160 6,647 |