C 3.

IMPROVEMENT OF HARBOR OF WOOD'S HOLL, MASSACHUSETTS.

This harbor is on the north side of Vineyard Sound and is divided into Great Harbor and Little Harbor. The name Wood's Holl is also applied to the adjoining strait, which connects Vineyard Sound with Buzzard's Bay. The site of the works now under construction is Great Harbor, Wood's Holl. The rise and fall of the tide is about 2 feet.

ORIGINAL CONDITION.

Before improvement the site of the present works was a submerged point of land extending from the shore of the harbor.

PLANS OF IMPROVEMENT.

The adopted project for the improvement of Great Harbor, Wood's Holl, was for the construction of retaining-walls on the shore, a hollow pier and wharves for the use of the United States Fish Commission, and to serve also as a coaling station for vessels of the Revenue Marine and other branches of the public service, and as a harbor of refuge. A plan of the works may be found in the Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1884, Vol. I, page 598. Also, for the removal of a dangerous rock in the strait of Wood's Holl.

AMOUNT EXPENDED AND RESULTS TO JUNE 30, 1886.

The amount expended on these works to June 30, 1886, was $77,859.71. The retaining and pier walls and the dredging of the interior of the hollow pier and the berths for public vessels had been completed, and the coal, the west, and the cross wharves had been essentially completed.

OPERATIONS DURING THE LAST FISCAL YEAR.

At the beginning of the fiscal year no work was in progress.

In accordance with the approved project for the improvement of the harbor at Wood's Holl, advertisements inviting proposals for building the east and south wharves were issued September 3. The proposals received and the terms of the contract will be found in the appended table.

With the approval of the Secretary of War, the contract with William H. Molthrop & Co. for the construction of the east and south wharves was extended November 12, 1886, to include an extension of about 100 feet to the coal wharf already built. The work under the contracts for the construction of the east and south wharves and the coal-wharf extension was commenced November 22, 1886, and continued until the close of the fiscal year, with the exception of the months of February and part of March, when it was suspended on account of the severity of the weather.. In response to an advertisement for proposals to remove the rock in the strait of Wood's Holl, bids were received and opened November 3, 1886; an abstract of which, with terms of contract, will be found in table appended.

The work of the removal of this rock was commenced November 17, 1886, and completed November 30.

In the removal of this rock another was found offering a serious obstruction to navigation, which was removed under a contract with George W. Townsend, of Boston, Mass., after inviting proposals by public advertisement. The bids received and terms of contract will be found in table appended.

A supplemental project for dredging in the rear of the coal-wharf extension, to afford a berth for public vessels, was approved by the Chief of Engineers November 27, and proposals in response to an advertisement were received and opened at the Engineer office, U. S. Army, Newport, R. I., December 17, 1886. An abstract of the proposals and terms of contract will be found in table appended.

The dredging under this contract was commenced January 17 and completed January 25.

Mr. Frank I. Angell was the local inspector of the work at Wood's Holl.

AMOUNT EXPENDED DURING THE LAST FISCAL YEAR AND RESULTS TO JUNE 30, 1887.

The amount expended during the last fiscal year, including liabilities outstanding June 30, 1887, was $14,095.79. The pier and retaining walls have been constructed, the basin and berths for vessels have been dredged and all the wharves as projected have been completed, except a small amount of planking on the coal-wharf extension, the dangerous rocks in the strait have been removed, and the small amount of dredging in the rear of the coal-wharf extension has been completed.

WORK REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE EXISTING PROJECT.

The work required for the completion of the planking of the coal-wharf extension will finish the improvement for the use for which it was designed as far as projected.

OPERATIONS CONTEMPLATED FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE

30, 1888.

It is proposed to devote the small remainder on hand July 1, 1887, the completion of the unfinished portion of coal-wharf extension.

to

Wood's Holl is in the Barnstable collection district. New Bedford is the nearest port of entry. The amount of revenue collected in the last fiscal year was, at Barnstable, $964.77, and at New Bedford, $29,023.98. The nearest light-house is Nobska Light; the nearest fortification is the fort at Clark's Point, New Bedford, Mass.

July 1, 1886, amount available....

Money statement.

Amount appropriated by act approved August.5, 1886..

July 1, 1887, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of

$46.95 14,500.00

14,546.95

liabilities outstanding July 1, 1886.....

$10, 592. 53

July 1, 1887, outstanding liabilities

July 1, 1887, amount available.......

451.16

Abstract of proposals for constructing wharves in the Harbor of Refuge, Wood's Holl, Mass., received at Engineer Office, U. S. Army, Newport, R. I., in response to advertisement dated September 3, 1886, and opened at 12 o'clock noon, on Friday, September 17, 1886.

[Approximate quantities.-Work to be commenced within twenty days after signing of contract, and to be finished on or before June 1, 1887.]

$6,856.02

7,663.00 8, 161.00

9, 007.00

9,550.70

11, 537.00

11, 895.00

12, 320.00

*This bid was not received until three hours after time fixed for opening of bids. Contract awarded to William H. Molthrop & Co., with the approval of the Chief of Engineers, and dated September 27, 1886. Time of commencement extended to November 1, 1886, and time of completion to July 7, 1887.

Abstract of proposals for removing a rock in the Lone Rock Channel at Wood's Holl, Mass., received at Engineer Office, U. S. Army, Newport, R. I., in response to advertisement by circular dated October 19, 1886, and opened November 3, 1886.

Contract awarded to Charles E. Davis, with the approval of the Chief of Engineers, and dated November 18, 1886.

Abstract of proposals for dredging in Great Harbor, Wood's Holl, Mass., received in response to advertisement dated December 17, 1886, and opened at Engineer Office, U. S. Army, Newport, R. I., January 3, 1887, at 12 o'clock noon.

Contract awarded to the Frank Pidgeon Dredging Company, with the approval of the Chief of Engineers, and dated January 15, 1887.

Abstract of proposals for removing a rock in the Lone Rock Channel, Wood's Holl, Mass., received at Engineer Office, U. S. Army, Newport, R. I., in response to advertisement dated December 17, 1886, and opened at 12 o'clock noon, January 3, 1887.

Contract awarded to George W. Townsend, with the approval of the Chief of Engineers, and dated January 12, 1887. Time of commencement extended to March 1, 1887, and time of completion to March 15, 1887.

Nitrate of soda, fish scraps, and other materials used in the manufacture of fertilizers, aggregating about 46,000 tons.

The above materials were carried in sailing vessels of from 150 to 1,200 tons capacity and one steamer of 2,000 tons.

C 4.

IMPROVEMENT OF WAREHAM HARBOR, MASSACHUSETTS.

This harbor is an estuary at the head of Buzzard's Bay. The object of the improvement is to deepen and widen the channel leading from Buzzard's Bay to Wareham, the industries of which, and of several towns in the vicinity with which it is connected by rail, are chiefly the manufactures of iron, and depend largely on transportation by water of the material used therein. The commerce of Wareham is carried on in sailing vessels, and the channel is to be made a beating channel for such vessels.

Another object of the improvement is the raising of Long Beach, over which the sands from the bay were washed into the harbor. The mean rise and fall of the tide is 4 feet.

ORIGINAL CONDITION.

Before improvement the ruling depth in the harbor was about 7 feet at mean low water, in a narrow and very crooked channel. Long Beach, a narrow sand spit at the mouth of the harbor, was washed and abraded by the waves and currents at high water, and the material was carried into and shoaled the channel inside.

PLANS OF IMPROVEMENT.

The original approved project of 1871 for the improvement, and its subsequent modifications, provides for a channel 250 feet wide and 10 feet deep at mean low water from Barney's Point down to the entrance to the harbor. Above Barney's Point the width of the channel is to be 350 feet, with the same depth-10 feet-as below that point. The plan includes, also, the raising and strengthening of Long Beach, of which a large portion was submerged at low water, to carry it above the storm, waves and currents and to hold it there, in order to prevent the filling of the improved channel above by material abraded from the beach.

A plat of Wareham Harbor, showing the lines of the channel now being excavated, may be found in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1885, Vol. I, page 586.

AMOUNT EXPENDED AND RESULTS TO JUNE 30, 1886.

The total amount expended on the improvement up to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886, including liabilities outstanding at that date, was $64,952.64, and the result was that the channel in the upper part of the harbor in front of the wharves was carried to its full width and completed, and about one-half of the reach below the wharves was excavated to its full depth of 10 feet below mean low water. Long Beach had been raised above high-water storm tides, except in a few places, so that the major part of the wash of sand into the improved channel inside the beach had been stopped.

The ruling depth of the approaches to Wareham had been increased from 7 to 9 feet, and the channel greatly widened in all the reaches. Vessels of larger draught can be carried to Wareham than formerly. The increase in width of channel was a great help to all vessels in beating in and out of the harbor.

OPERATIONS DURING THE LAST FISCAL YEAR.

At the beginning of the last fiscal year no work was in progress. The river and harbor act of August 5, 1886, having appropriated $15,000 for continuing the improvement, advertisements were issued September 18, 1886, asking proposals for dredging in accordance with the adopted project. The proposals received and the terms of the contract will be found in the table appended.

The work of dredging was commenced December 18, and was temporarily discontinued on account of ice December 31, 1886. It was resumed April 25, 1887, and continued until May 28, when it was again suspended, as the contractor, who is also the contractor for the dredg ing at Hyannis Harbor, Massachusetts, desired to remove the plant to the latter place, which is considerably exposed to the sea, and utilize the summer months in dredging there. The amount of material removed up to the end of the fiscal year was 25,447.75 cubic yards.

Mr. Thomas A. Churbuck was local inspector of the work.

AMOUNT EXPENDED DURING THE LAST FISCAL YEAR AND RESULTS TO JUNE 30, 1887.

The amount expended during the last fiscal year was $4,751.50. The eastern half of the second and third reaches below the wharves and onefourth of the fourth reach, which extends to Barney's Point, were deepened to 10 feet at mean low water. The channel for about onehalf its width from Barney's Point to Wareham has been deepened to 10 feet.