1 From Monthly Summary of Commerce and Finance, 1910, Bureau of Statistics, Department of Commerce and Labor. The following statistics of the canal commerce of Buffalo for the year 1910 are furnished by the superintendent of public works, State of New York: Canal clearances.... Freight received, Buffalo (649,471 short tons), valuation.. 2,062 $18, 512, 775 $16, 912. 769 Steamers and canal boats navigating from Buffalo on canal, about.......... 500 $0.04 Assuming that the number of arrivals of canal boats equaled the number of clearances, the grand total of the commerce of Buffalo by lake and canal for the calendar year 1910 is as follows: Total receipts and shipments, 16,290,423 short tons; total valuation, $431,784,982. 004. IMPROVEMENT OF BLACK ROCK HARBOR AND CHANNEL, N. Y. REPORT OF OPERATIONS. Work was continued during the fiscal year under contracts in force as follows: Empire Engineering Corporation.-Excavation of 6,300 linear feet, more or less, of the channel, beginning at the south end, station 0 to 63. Estimated amount of contract, $664,000. Excavation was continued from July 1 to December 10, 1910, when the plant was laid up for the winter, 2 dredges working through the season, 2 rock breakers to September 1 and 1 to October 4, 2 drill boats to September 30, and 1 to close of season. Operations were resumed April 15, 1911, with 1 drill boat and 2 dredges, working to the end of the fiscal year. During the fiscal year 13,970 cubic yards of material overlying bedrock and 114,051 cubic yards of bedrock, place measure, were excavated, and at its close the channel had been excavated for full width, except cleaning up, from stations 0 to 46 and stations 53 to 63, total 5,600 linear feet, and partly excavated for the remaining 700 linear feet. The canal wall had been removed for the length of 1,145 feet out of a total of about 1,200 linear feet required. The work was about 93 per cent completed. A survey of the excavation completed in 1910 was made JanuaryFebruary, 1911, and showed an excavation more than that previously estimated for in monthly payments, amounting to $43,301.55. This amount was paid to the contractors under paragraph 71 of the specifications. The contractors should have completed the work December 31, 1908, and earned approximately $664,000. The actual earnings to the close of the fiscal year were $623,269.79. Buffalo Dredging Co.-Excavation of 3,400 linear feet, more or less, of the channel to Ferry Street Bridge, stations 63 to 97. Estimated amount of contract, $675,000. At the beginning of the fiscal year the work was completed except the trunk sewer section, 200 linear feet, which could not be excavated until the sewer obstructing the channel was removed by the city of Buffalo, as required by order of the Secretary of War dated August 3, 1909. Under a supplemental contract the channel was to be completed within six months after removal of the sewer and written notice to the contractor under paragraph 39 of the specifications. This written notice was given March 24, 1911, and work was started with 1 drill boat and 1 dredge March 28, 1911. The drilling and blasting of rock was completed May 9 and the dredging of blasted rock June 14, 1911. The whole work under this contract was completed at a total cost of $688,467.43, including engineering and contingencies. MacArthur Bros. Co.-Construction of concrete walls for ship lock. Estimated amount of contract, $823,304.45. At the beginning of the fiscal year work was being done on section 6 of concrete walls, comprising the upper gate space walls and sill, 127 linear feet, the last to be built, and about half of the base had been completed. The cofferdam inclosure was maintained unwatered to bedrock and to the depth of the uncompleted excavation, 37 to 42 feet below mean river level, by practically continuous operation of the 15-inch pump and intermittent operation of the 12-inch and 20-inch pumps. The flow from leaks north of section 6 was directed to the 20-inch pump on the intermediate lock-gate sill, and the flow from two large leaks in section 6 was diverted by iron pipes to the 12-inch and 15-inch pumps. Placing concrete in section 6 was completed August 31 and forms removed and contractor's plant moved, so that pumping was finally stopped on October 8. During October, November, and part of December, 1910, the contractor was leveling clay and earth fill over rock in the lock chamber, removing plant, and cleaning up the work, which was completed December 7, 1910. Total cost of contract, including office and engineering expenses, $828,697.70. The contractor signed the final voucher under the following protest: Accepted under protest, without waiving or prejudicing the right of the payee to additional amounts claimed, as follows: Pumping, etc., under paragraph 52 of specifications.. $57, 180.32 3, 370. 73 60, 551.05 The amount for "moving riprap stone" was paid to the contractor December 27, 1910, under authority of the Chief of Engineers. The balance of the claim, corrected and reduced by the contractor to $44,536.94, is under investigation. D'Olier Engineering Co.-Contract dated August 15, 1910, for steel lock gates, valves, and machinery for Black Rock ship lock; amount, $146,984. Supplemental contract dated October 7, 1910, provides for alteration of pumping plant by adding a suction pipe direct-connected to the pumps; amount, $1,200. Contracts to be completed June 30, 1912. Work was commenced September 21, 1910, placing 30-inch valve and suction elbow on pump-well inlet pipe; completed October 7, |