Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1889 $6,000. 00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix U 20.) EXAMINATIONS AND SURVEYS FOR IMPROVEMENT TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF RIVER AND HARBOR ACT OF AUGUST 5, 1886. The required preliminary examinations of the following localities were made by the local engineer, Captain Willard, and not recommended for improvement: 1. Ouachita River, Louisiana, from Camden to mouth, with a slackwater navigation. (See Appendix U 21.) 2. Cornay River, Louisiana.-(See Appendix U 22.) 3. Dugdemona River, Louisiana.-(See Appendix U 23.) 4. The lakes connecting with Red River between Shreveport, Louisiana, and Fulton, Arkansas; also Clear Lake, Black Bayou, Red Bayou, Black Lake, and Kelly Bayou, to reopen navigable communication between those streams and Red River, Louisiana.-(See Appendix U 24.) 5. Cypress Bayou, Louisiana.-(See Appendix U 25.) The following streams were, after preliminary examinations, reported by the engineer in charge as worthy of improvement, but no additional surveys required: 1. North Fork of Forked Deer River below Dyersburgh, Tennessee.— (See Appendix U 26.) 2. Ouachita River above Camden, Arkansas.-(See Appendix U 27.) The following streams were, after preliminary examinations, reported by the engineer in charge as worthy of improvement to the extent of a single appropriation for stated amounts, and that no additional surveys were required: 1. Cassity Bayou, Mississippi.-(See Appendix U 28.) 2. Bayous Rondeway and Vidal, Louisiana.-(See Appendix U 29.) 3. Little River, Louisiana.-(See Appendix U 30.) IMPROVEMENT OF ARKANSAS RIVER, OF RIVERS IN THE STATE OF ARKANSAS, AND OF BLACK RIVER IN ARKANSAS AND MISSOURI. Officer in charge, Capt. H. S. Taber, Corps of Engineers. 1. Red River above Fulton, Arkansas.-The appropriation available is the first ever made for work above Fulton. The project contemplates high and medium stage navigation only, and proposes to attain this by operating a hand-propelled snag-boat of light draught between low and middle stages of water. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887, 83,154.46 were expended in the construction of the snag-boat. No attempt has been made to remove obstructions, as the time when this can be done to best advantage passed before the boat could be built. Early in the present fiscal year, when the best conditions will exist, the remainder of the amount available will be expended. Three thousand dollars will be required to finish the original project, in addition to the balance available. Amount appropriated by act approved August 5, 1886...... $7,000.00 liabilities outstanding July 1, 1886 July 1, 1887, outstanding liabilities... July 1, 1887, amount available..... $2,968.01 3, 171.66 3,828.34 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project. (See Appendix V 1.) $3,000.00 3,000.00 2. Little Red River, Arkansas.-The only improvements ever attempted upon this river were made in 1872. Prior to this work many overhanging trees and a large number of snags interfered with navigation in the lower reaches, and many bowlders obstructed flat-boat and raft naviga. tion in the reach above the present town of Judsonia. Most of the overhanging trees and snags were removed as high as Judsonia. A bad shoal, 3 miles below Judsonia, and the bowlders remained untouched to the end of June 30, 1886. The act approved August 5, 1886, appropriated $3,000. The amount estimated as actually necessary was $8,400; $400 for the bowlders, $8,000 for dredging a channel through the shoals. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887, $400 was expended upon these bowlders, successfully removing them. As the balance was entirely insufficient to build a light dredge-boat and operate it, this amount is held to wait further action of Congress. It is recommended that the balance, $5,400, of the original estimate be appropriated. Amount appropriated by act approved August 5, 1886. July 1, 1887, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1886................ July 1, 1887, amount available .... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project... (See Appendix V 2.) $3,000.00 412.90 2,587. 10 5,400.00 5,400.00 3. Saline River, Arkansas.-Before improvement this river was ob structed by snags, logs, drift piles, and overhanging trees, and by shoals. The original plan for improvement contemplated the rendering of its channel navigable as far up as practicable by the removal of these obstructions and further improvement of the shoals, if the commerce warranted. There was expended upon this river up to June 30, 1886, $21,356.26, practically clearing the river as far as the navigation demands. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887, $168.24 has been expended in the care of the property. Until the requirements of commerce are greater than they are now it is not recommended that further appropriation be made. From $5,000 to $6,000 per year would keep this river in a fair, navigable condition during medium stages of water for 250 miles from its mouth; that is, up to Big Island. July 1, 1887, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of July 1, 1886, amount available.... $168.24 $140.00 168.24 4. Removing obstructions in Arkansas River, Arkansas.-Prior to the first improvements in 1883, shifting sand-bars, numerous drift piles, and dangerous snags constituted the obstacles to navigation in the lower reaches, and gravel and rock shoals, with a few snags and many overhanging trees, constituted those of the upper. Except for a few special reaches, like the Fort Smith and Pine Bluff, the general plan of improvement has consisted in snagging operations, including the cutting of overhanging trees, in building wing-dams to improve the shoals, and in surveys looking to plans for its permanent improvement. The appropriations to June 30, 1887, amount to $439,126.87. Of this there had been expended to June 30, 1886, $346,535.46. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887, $18,764.15 were expended in the running expenses of two snag-boats and in the care of the same. Maps of the river from Little Rock, Ark., to Wichita, Kans., were carried to an advanced stage of completion." The removal of obstructions will be continued with the amount asked. July 1, 1886, amount available.... Received from sale of fuel to officers.. Amount appropriated by act approved August 5, 1886 July 1, 1887, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of July 1, 1887, amount available.... $1,310. 10 6.00 19,875.00 21, 191. 10 $18,534, 65 18, 764. 15 2, 426.95 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project annually (See Appendix V 4.) 35, 000, 00 35,000.00 5. Arkansas River, Arkansas.-By act of August 5, 1886, $75,000 was appropriated for continuing the improvement of Arkansas River. According to the plan and recommendations in Appendix V 13, Ex. Doc. 1, Forty-ninth Congress, of which there was to be expended $8,000 at Pine Bluff, $13,000 at Fort Smith, $10,000 at Dardanelle, or so much thereof as may be necessary at these points. The approved project for the expenditure of this sum is as follows: At Pine Bluff the $8,000 to be used in extending and repairing the dikes, and for protecting the town front. At Fort Smith the $13,000 to be expended in erecting permeable dike a little above the town to retain the channel along the city wharves. At Dardanelle the $10,000 to be expended in erecting a permeable dike above the town to remove the sand-bar now in front of the wharves. From Little Rock to the mouth the balance, and so much as may not be required at the three places above specified, to be expended in the erection of permeable dikes at the worst places looking towards the permanent improvement of the river to give a least depth of 5 feet at extreme low water. Before operations were begun at Fort Smith the old jetty at that place, built in 1877 and 1878, had so far disappeared as to render no service. At Dardanelle a bad bar had formed along the town front, cutting off all approach to either wharf at low water or medium stage. At Pine Bluff the condition before improvement was that at one point in the vicinity of the town a cut-off was threatened, at another a bar interfered with navigation at low water, and in the bend in front of the town the river was eroding the banks with a rapidity that threatened the town front. The works erected have, so far, produced the desired. effect of arresting this erosion. From Little Rock to the mouth of the river, the river consists of alternating bars and caving banks, with crossings more or less troublesome at low water, a few of the latter operating to effectually close the river to navigation at extreme low water for boats drawing 2 feet of water. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887, $4,410.15 were expended at Pine Bluff, $12,662.49 at Fort Smith, $6,189.17 at Dardanelle, and $6,655.15 from Little Rock to the mouth. At Pine Bluff, Dike No. 1 was extended with good results. A further sum of $8,000 will be required here to protect and extend the work already done. At Fort Smith 1,300 feet of dike was completed. A small balance of $337.51 will be held for a short time to watch the effects of a rise. It is not expected that any further funds will be required at this point. At Dardanelle 300 feet of the permeable dike was completed. No further funds will be needed here. A special examination of the river, between Little Rock and the mouth, was made in February, 1887, by a Board of Engineers. Waiting for the river to reach a suitable stage for work consumed the time until June 6, when active operations were begun, and at the close of the fiscal year the first dike was well under way, with material and plans for others. With reasonable success all the worst places between Little Rock and Pine Bluff and two below Pine Bluff should be so improved as to afford boats drawing 30 inches of water an all the year round channel. The amount appropriated was too small to do anything except make a beginning to the best advantage possible. With the amount asked for the improved project will be continued. Received from sale of fuel to officer.... Amount appropriated by act approved August 5, 1886 $13.50 75,000.00 75, 013, 50 July 1, 1887, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1886 July 1, 1887, outstanding liabilities July 1, 1887, amount available... Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.. 1889... Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix V 5.) 2,494, 544.00 250,000.00 6. Survey of Arkansas River, Arkansas, from Little Rock to its mouth.— There was expended upon this survey to June 30, 1886, $18,988.80, which had nearly completed the field work and the maps. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887, the balance, $308.20, has been expended in completing the survey and additional funds are required. July 1, 1886, amount available July 1, 1887, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1886.. (See Appendix V 6.) $308.20 308.20 7. Petit Jean River, Arkansas.-Before improvement this river was obstructed by snags, logs, drift-piles, overhanging trees, and shoals. The project for improvement contemplated rendering it navigable during high and medium stages of water as high as Danville, Ark., by cutting the overhanging trees, and cutting up the snags, logs, and drift. The only appropriation made for the river was that of August 5, 1886. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887, $3,306.51 has been expended, effectively carrying out the original project as high as Rocky Crossing, or about one-half the distance to Danville. To complete the original project will require $3,500 additional. Received by sale of fuel to officer..... Amount appropriated by act approved August 5, 1886. $6.00 3,500.00 3,506.00 July 1, 1887, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1886 3,306.51 July 1, 1887, amount available.. 199.49 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project ... 3,500.00 3,500.00 (See Appendix V 7.) 8. Fourche River, Arkansas.—The improvement of this stream was begun in 1879. Prior to any improvement its channel was choked with snags, logs, and drift, and heavy timber overhung its banks. Several bad shoals also impeded navigation. Up to June 30, 1886, $21,000 had been expended in removing the greater part of the obstructions, though the shoals, and now and then a suag washed in since work was suspended in December 1882, still offer serious obstacles to navigation at medium stages of water. With the appropriation of August 5, 1886, for removing Rock Shoals, situated about 4 miles below Perryville, blasting a channel 50 feet wide and 2 feet deep through the shoals was begun as early as possible, but not quite completed before the high-water season. It was accordingly suspended until some time in August or September, 1887, when low water will again occur. The work has been carried so far that there is every reason to believe it will be successfully completed with the present funds. Amount appropriated by act approved August 5, 1886... liabilities outstanding July 1, 1886.. July 1, 1887, outstanding liabilities $5,000.00 $4,081.00 4, 191.00 July 1, 1887, amount available .......... (See Appendix V 8.) 809.00 9. White River, Arkansas.-Prior to improvement this river was much choked with drift piles, logs, and snags in its lower portion, and from Batesville up gravel-bars, rocky shoals, channel-bowlders and overhanging trees impeded navigation. The originally adopted project consisted in snagging operations and blasting of ledges and bowlders, and dam-building to remove gravelbars or to close chutes, from time to time as appropriation warranted and commerce required. The first separate appropriation for this river was made by act approved July 5, 1884. At that time the river was in excellent navigable Condition for boats drawing not to exceed 3 feet of water, from its mouth to Newport, Ark. From Newport to Batesville |