The estimated cost of operating and care of the canal for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1888, is as follows: Salary of custodian Current repairs which can neither be foreseen nor estimated for in detail. $1,500 3,500 5,000 All of which is provided for by indefinite appropriation (section 4 of the river and harbor act of July 5, 1884.) July 1, 1887, amount expended during fiscal year.. (See Appendix K K 13.) $1,819.53 14. Clinton River, Michigan.-In 1870 the channel over the bar at the entrance to this river afforded a depth of only 34 feet, whilst the depth in the river some distance above the bar was 10 feet. The present project for improvement was adopted in 1870, and modified in 1880. It aims to obtain an eutrance channel of 8 feet. This was practically accomplished in 1882. In a report of January, 1885, of the results of a survey, made to comply with provisions of the river and harbor act of 1884, a modification of the existing project was proposed by the officer in charge, involving the straightening of the channel of the river at Shoemaker's Bend and minor improvements elsewhere, at a cost of $33,000. This report was transmitted to Congress February 11, 1885, and the river and harbor act of August 5, 1886, appropriated $6,000 for continuing the improvement. This amount being too small to accomplish anything at the mouth of the river and at Shoemaker's Bend, has not been expended and is held to await future action of Congress. To straighten the channel at Shoemaker's Bend involves dredging across a point of land and the purchase of the right of way over which requires the authority of Congress, if this improvement is to be undertaken. Amount appropriated by act approved August 5, 1886 July 1, 1887, amount available.. Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project. harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix K K 14.) $6,000.00 6,000.00 26, 926.00 15. Detroit River, Michigan.-Originally the channel at Lime Kilns Crossing, Detroit River, could not be depended upon for more than 13 feet of water, the ordinary depth being much affected by the direction of the wind. As originally projected in 1874, the improvement at this point was to consist of a curved channel 300 feet wide, with a uniform depth of 20 feet, and the original estimate was based upon this project. In 1883 it was determined to so modify the project as to secure a straight channel, the least width of which should be 300 feet, with a somewhat greater width at each end, utilizing the work already done. In 1886 this was further modified to the end that the width of the channel should be increased to 400 feet by removing an additional width of 100 feet from the western (American) side. During the fiscal year operations have been prosecuted, day and night, whenever the season admitted, the result being to entirely complete the original 300-foot channel, and to nearly remove an additional width of 50 feet from the western side. The available balance will be exhausted by September, 1887, when operations will cease. The estimated cost of completing the 400-foot channel is $130,500, and it is recommended that this amount be appropriated in one sum. The estimated cost of the 300-foot channel was.. The cost of the 400-foot channel, actual to date and remainder estimated. Amount appropriated by act approved August 5, 1886.. $1,206,500 703,000 $59, 345. 30 20.63 2.00 37,500,00 96, 867.93 July 1, 1887, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1886 July 1, 1887, outstanding liabilities $81,574. 16 87,876.66 July 1, 1887, amount available .... 8, 991.27 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project (See Appendix K K 15.) 130, 500,00 130, 500.00 EXAMINATIONS AND SURVEYS FOR IMPROVEMENT, TO COMPLY WITH · REQUIREMENTS OF THE RIVER AND HARBOR ACT OF AUGUST 5, 1886. The required preliminary examinations of the following localities were made by the local engineer in charge, Colonel Poe, and reported by him as not worthy of improvement: 1. Bar in St. Clair River, Michigan, opposite Saint Clair City.-(See Appendix K K 16.) 2. North River, Michigan, between Essex and North bridges.-(See Appendix K K 17.) 3. Biddle's Point at Mackinac Harbor, Michigan, with a view to a breakwater. (See Appendix K K 18.) 4. Harbor at Forestville, Lake Huron, Michigan.-(See Appendix K K 19.) 5. Pinepog River, Michigan.-(See Appendix K K 20.) And it appearing, after preliminary examination, that the localities were worthy of improvement he was charged with the survey of the following: 1. Rouge River, Michigan, at its junction with Detroit River, and up the river to the bridge of St. Louis and Wabash Railroad.—(See Appendix K K 21.) Of the following, the data at hand being sufficient for preparing a plan and estimate, no survey was necessary. 2. Mouth of Black River, St. Clair County, Michigan.--(See Appendix K K 22.) IMPROVEMENT OF HARBORS ON LAKE ERIE, WEST OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA-IMPROVEMENT OF SANDUSKY RIVER. Officer in charge, Maj. L. Cooper Overman, Corps of Engineers. 1. Monroe Harbor, Michigan.-The original project for the improvement of this harbor was adopted in 1835, when Monroe was a town of considerable importance, and when the navigable waters of the River Raisin were separated from the waters of Lake Erie by extensive shoals. It provided for cutting a canal between the river and the lake 4,000 feet long and 10 feet wide, through River Raisin Point, and protecting the entrance into the lake by parallel piers, the object being to afford a channel of entrance of navigable width, with a depth of 10 feet. Work was commenced in 835 and has been continued from time to time since that date. At the close of the last fiscal year there was a fair channel with a least depth of 8 feet, up to a point below Monroe, where rock bottom exists which is deemed sufficient for the present commerce of the port. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887, the sum of $2,000 was expended in repairs in accordance with terms of the appropriation. The total amount appropriated for this harbor has been $215,515.27. If the harbor is to be kept up there is need of extensive repairs to piers and canal revetment, in order to prevent their ultimate destruction. These are estimated to cost $20,000. The present commerce of Monroe is not sufficient to justify such a large expenditure. Hence, a small annual appropriation for repairs will be sufficient until an increase of commerce demands more extensive work. As there has been but one appropriation for Monroe Harbor since 1882, and then only $2,000, extensive repairs are at present greatly needed. Amount appropriated by act approved August 5, 1886... July 1, 1887, outstanding liabilities. $2,000.00 $1,628.06 2,000.00 20,000.00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project. (See Appendix L L 1.) 5,000.00 2. Toledo Harbor, Ohio.-The original project provided for making the existing channel 200 feet wide and 12 feet deep through Maumee Bay, and this was amended from time to time, resulting in the adoption of the present project, which provides for a width of 200 feet at bottom and a depth of 16 feet at low water between the city of Toledo and deep water in Lake Erie. The total amount appropriated for this harbor for the several projects for improving the natural channel, from 1866 to close of fiscal year ending June 30, 1887, is $714,046.71, all of which has been expended, and has resulted in obtaining a 15-foot channel where before there was a narrow, intricate channel with but 11 feet depth. The act of August 5, 1886, appropriated for "continuing the improvement of Maumee River by a straight channel along such line as may be approved by the Secretary of War, $112,500; and the balance of $25,000 heretofore appropriated are hereby made available for clearing the old channel." The balance then available amounted to $9,632.61. A contract was made for dredging to the extent of available funds for clearing the bed channel. This has been completed and only 45,397 cubic yards were removed. This quantity did not restore the natural channel to its condition at close of 1885, as the annual fill exceeds 50,000 cubic yards. The estimated cost of the present project for the natural channel was $570,000, of which amount there has been appropriated $519,346.91. The balance of $50,000 yet required will not complete the project as originally estimated, owing to the time consumed in doing the work for want of adequate appropriation; the annual removal of the deposits of each winter and spring repeated for twelve years, and other necessary expenses having absorbed at least $100,000 of the original estimate. It will therefore require at least $100,000 to complete the deepening and widening of the natural channel between Toledo and 16 feet of water in Lake Erie, after which an annual expenditure of about $20,000 will be needed to maintain the dredged channel through the open bay, or until the straight-channel improvement is completed. The act of July 5, 1884, appropriated $25,000 to commence the work of making a straight channel for the Maumee River from its mouth to Lake Erie. The sum of $15,367.39 was expended in dredging along a line designated by this act of Congress, but subsequently abandoned. To comply with the requirements of the act of August 5, 1886, additional examinations became necessary to determine the line to be recommended for approval of the Secretary of War. These were made, and the report of the officer in charge thereon was referred to a Board of Engineer Officers for consideration. The Board adopted a line different from all others previously selected, which was approved by the Chief of Engineers and by the Secretary of War, April 27, 1887. A project for the expenditure of the appropriation of 1886, in accordance with this report of the Board of Engineers, was adopted and contracts have been made for dredging 780,000 cubic yards along the projected straight channel. There have been two appropriations for straight channel, amounting to $137,500, of which $18,688.74, including outstanding liabilities, has been expended to June 30, 1887 (on two lines), and $9,632.61 transferred to "old channel." The available balance being pledged to contractors, there will be no funds for additional work until another appropriation is made by Congress. Straight channel. Amount appropriated by act approved August 5, 1886.. of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1886 . July 1, 1887, outstanding liabilities July 1, 1887, amount available..... $112,500.00 $2,341.27 3, 321.35 109, 178.65 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project...... 1,762,500. 00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1889.. 250,000.00 Old channel. Amount made available (balance of $25,000) by act approved August 5, 1886. $9,632.61 July 1, 1887, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1886 .... 9, 632.61 Revised amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1889.. 100,000.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix L L 2.) 25,000.00 3. Port Clinton Harbor, Ohio.-In 1870 the channel at the entrance was narrow and intricate, with a depth of only 5 feet. The present project, adopted in 1875, provides for a pile revetment from the north shore of the Portage River, opposite the town, 967 feet into the lake, and two pile-piers 200 feet apart of an aggregate length of 4,100 feet, extending to the depth of 10 feet in the lake, with the view of maintaining a depth of 9 feet between them. The total amount appropriated for this harbor to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887, has been $48,000, of which $46,000 has been expended, and has resulted in obtaining a depth of 8 feet from the lake to the town. The act of August 5, 1886, appropriated $2,000 for "repairs of exist ing works," and at the close of the fiscal year materials had been delivered and preparations made for beginning the work by contract. It is expected that by the end of August repairs to the extent of the $2,000 will be made. Considerable repairs will still be required after the annual appropriation is exhausted. Amount appropriated by act approved August 5, 1886.... $2,000.00 July 1, 1887, outstanding liabilities $18.50 39.34 July 1, 1887, amount available...... 1,960.66 42,000.00 (Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project .... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30,1889 10,000.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and barbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix L L 3.) 4. Sandusky City Harbor, Ohio. The original depth in the channel through the outer bar was 10 feet, and greatest depth in the bay about 12 feet. The present project provides for a channel through the outer bar and the bay 200 feet wide, and parallel to the city docks 100 feet wide, the whole to be 15 feet deep. At the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887, the sum of $256,327.08, exclusive of outstanding liabilities, had been expended on this harbor, resulting in a channel through the outer bar about 150 feet wide, having a depth of about 15 feet, in which for a width of 50 feet there was a depth of 163 feet, and through the bay up to a point 50 feet from line of docks a width of 150 feet and depth of about 143 feet. Under the appropriation of August 5, 1886, a contract was made for dredging to the extent of the available funds. Work was commenced in November, 1886, and was being continued at the close of fiscal year with but little progress by the contractor. Ten thousand four hundred and twenty-five cubic yards of material were removed from the channel, which restored it to a similar condition as at the close of 1886. An annual removal of at least 10,000 cubic yards is necessary to maintain the unfinished channel, after which the additional dredging can be applied toward the completion of the channel to 200 feet in width and 15 feet in depth. The appropriation asked will complete the existing project. An increased depth of 16 feet at low water is recommended for this harbor by the officer in charge on account of the increased size of vessels navigating the lakes. The estimated cost of this extra depth is $61,000. |