The cost of such a plant and its operation for one season will be approximately as follows: Cost of plant: 40 sprinklers complete, of best make, equipped with brake, pump, and Cost of lumber, labor, and superintendence in setting up plant in Park. Total.... Cost of operation: 1,500 7,500 4,400 48, 400 100 teams, at $3.66% per day, and 40 drivers, at $2 per day, including board; daily expense.. $446.66ğ Season from June 20 to September 20, makes 90 days, at $446.66 $40, 200 Superintendence Repairs, etc Proportion of office and other expenses.. Total outlay for first season............. 2,000 1,500 900 44, 600 93,000 I have no doubt that an actual trial of the experiment will show that, owing to exceptional causes already alluded to, the above figures will be found too small and that the expense will reach $100,000. The sprinkling of the hill roads will be a serious matter. The progress up hill with so large a load will be very slow; it will be necessary to stop every few rods to rest the teams. This will make it difficult to regulate the flow properly and it will also very much lessen the length of roadway covered per day. It may be suggested to sprinkle only down hill, but this at once doubles the expense by necessitating a drive one way to no purpose. Moreover, on the steeper hills, it is improbable that if enough water be put on the roads to last four hours, it will most of it, reach the foot of the hill before the sprinkler does. The running expense will have to be considered as a constant quantity, even when the roads may not need sprinkling. Teams could not be hired on the condition of losing all time when the roads are not dusty. And they could not otherwise be used to advantage. A driver with a four-horse team and a wagon, but without other assistance, is not in shape to do effective work, while a concentration of teams would be quite out of the question. Every opportunity, such as rainy weather, would be taken by the drivers to get to a blacksmith or repair shop for shoeing horses and making repairs. It may be accepted as reasonably certain that a first-class sprinkling plant for the existing system of roads in the National Park and its operation for one year will cost a sum at least one-third greater than any single appropriation which the Park has yet received. The undertaking appears to me, in view of the limited appropriations, wholly impracticable. Furthermore, if an appropriation were available large enough to leave a considerable sum for this purpose, it would not, in my opinion, be advisable to so expend it. The terribly dusty state of the roads in dry weather is very largely due to the fact that they are composed of nothing but the ordinary soil through which the roadway passes, in the general case utterly worthless for road material. It becomes mire in wet weather; in dry weather, powder. The remedy lies, not in sprinkling this powder, but in getting rid of it. The cost of a sprinkling plant and its operation in one season would cover with good gravel, as recommended in this report, 40 miles of road. This would suppress dust and mud at the same time. If, however, it is decided to try the experiment, I would strongly recommend that it might be done for one season on a very limited scale. Two sprinklers might be put on the road from Gardiner River to the top of Golden Gate Hill, a distance of about 28,000 feet. Owing to the large amount of steep grade on this stretch, there would probably be needed about fourteen supply tanks. Each sprinkler would require a six or eight horse team. If the experiment can be made a success here, it can anywhere in the Park. The road is one of the dustiest and it is a good place to commence. Being near the engineer office, it would thus facilitate the work of collecting data for future use. The cost will be approximately $5,000. If, after one season's trial, the scheme proves a failure, we shall not be encumbered with an extensive and useless plant. If it proves a success, our additional information will enable us to prepare more exact specifications for a complete plant. CAPTAIN KINGMAN'S REPORT. In my opinion, steps ought to be taken to secure the publication, by the Chief of Engineers, of the reports of Captain Kingman's work in the Park. These reports, extending over three years, have never been published by either the Chief of Engineers, Secretary of War, or the Interior Department. In answer to a letter of inquiry to Captain Kingman in relation to this matter he says that the Secretary of War directed "that I should make my report to him. I did so in those years, sending the reports through the Chief of Engineers. The reports going to the Chief of Engineers in this exceptional way were of course not regarded by him as proper subjects for his annual report. He furnished from his office a copy to the Interior Department, but somehow between them all the reports have never been printed." Captain Kingman was the first officer of the Corps of Engineers placed in charge of the improvement of the Yellowstone National Park. The project he adopted and the general rules laid down in regard to road work there have been closely followed by his successors. His reports cover nearly all subjects of engineering interest in connection with that work, and time has, in nearly every instance, shown the correctness of his views. The reports are, therefore, of especial value, not only for their intrinsic merit, but also by reason of their being the only source of information on the first three years of the work. The only place where they can now be found, so far as I am aware, is in manuscript form in this office. In concluding this report, I desire to express my thanks to the superintendent of the Park and the officers stationed there for their frequent material assistance in the prosecution of the season's work. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Maj. W. A. JONES, Corps of Engineers, St. Paul, Minn. HIRAM M. CHITTENDEN, First Lieut., Corps of Engineers. APPENDIX E EE. EXPLORATIONS AND SURVEYS IN MILITARY DEPARTMENTS. EEE 1. EXPLORATIONS AND SURVEYS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI. ANNUAL REPORT OF LIEUTENANT CASSIUS E. GILLETTE, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1892. ENGINEER OFFICE, HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI, Chicago, Ill., July 20, 1892. SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report as engineer officer of this department for the year ending June 30, 1892. Previous to April 21, 1892, the office was in charge of Capt. William L. Marshall, Corps of Engineers. No field work has been done during the year. The office force has consisted of one general service clerk, Frederick A. Petersen. The office work has consisted in the preparation of maps, tracings, reproductions, etc., for use of the department commander and other officers connected with department headquarters. During the year there have been prepared 11 maps and 9 other original drawings, 20 tracings, and 1,320 other reproductions. Nineteen maps have been mounted. The most important of the above have been in connection with the campaign against hostile Sioux of Dakota, 1890-'91. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, CASSIUS E. GILLETTE, EEE 2. EXPLORATIONS AND SURVEYS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF THE COLUMBIA. REPORT OF MAJOR TULLY M’CREA, FIFTH UNITED STATES ARTILLERY, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1892. ENGINEER OFFICE, HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE COLUMBIA, Vancouver Barracks, Wash., July 1, 1892. SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of this office for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892. I entered upon the duties of this office September 4, 1891, in compliance with General Orders, No. 17, Headquarters Department of the Columbia, August 18, 1891, relieving the acting engineer officer, Capt. Charles H. Clark, Ordnance Department. FIELD WORK. Lines of levels upon the Vancouver Military Reservation in connection with proposed extension of sewerage system. Surveys rendered necessary by changes and improvements at Vancouver Barracks. OFFICE WORK. The office work included the preparation of plans, profiles, and reports based upon the surveys referred to above; the revision of the progress sheets of the department map from the latest Land-Office maps and other data; the preparation of maps showing new roads, railroads, towns, post-offices, etc., to facilitate the publication of a new edition of the military map of this department; various reports in relation to matters referred to this office for information and action; map-drawing, tracing, solar printing, map-mounting, and other routine work pertaining to this office. General Service Clerk N. de G. Dion was on duty in this office from date of last report until July 10, 1891, when he was discharged under the authority of paragraph 158, Army Regulations. General Service Clerk Charles A. Homan was assigned to duty as topographical assistant and draftsman in this office August 7, 1891. There has been no other office force. Standard time has been furnished to the post by signal throughout the year. This office has been without funds during the entire year. Drawing and such other materials as were absolutely necessary to carry on the regular work of this office have been furnished from time to time by the Quartermaster's Department. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, TULLY MCCREA, Major, Fifth Artillery, Acting Engineer Officer. Brig. Gen. THOMAS L. CASEY, Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. |