63D CONGRESS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. (DOCUMENT 1st Session. BIG BLACK RIVER, MISS. LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY OF WAR, TRANSMITTING, WITH A LETTER FROM THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, REPORT ON EXAMINATION OF BIG BLACK RIVER, MISS., FROM ITS MOUTH TO THE TOWN OF WEST. SEPTEMBER 27, 1913.-Referred to the Committee on Rivers and Harbors and ordered to be printed. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, September 25, 1913. The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a letter from the Chief of Engineers, United States Army, dated 24th instant, together with copy of report from Capt. (now Maj.) J. A. Woodruff, Corps of Engineers, dated April 27, 1911, on preliminary examination of Big Black River, Miss., from its mouth to the town of West, made by him in compliance with the provisions of the river and harbor act approved June 25, 1910; also copy of supplemental report from Capt. Ernest Graves, Corps of Engineers, dated July 29, 1913, on the section from the mouth to the Alabama & Vicksburg railway bridge. Very respectfully, LINDLEY M. GARRISON, HD-63-1-vol 10-26 WAR DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, From: The Chief of Engineers, United States Army. To: The Secretary of War. Subject: Preliminary examination of Big Black River, Miss. 1. There are submitted herewith, for transmission to Congress, report dated April 27, 1911, by Capt. (now Maj.) J. A. Woodruff, Corps of Engineers, on preliminary examination of Big Black River, Miss., from its mouth to the town of West, authorized by the river and harbor act approved June 25, 1910, and supplemental report, dated July 29, 1913, by Capt. Ernest Graves, Corps of Engineers, on the section from the mouth to the Alabama & Vicksburg Railway bridge. 2. Big Black River rises in Webster County, Miss., flows in a general southwesterly direction and empties into the Mississippi at Grand Gulf, 37 miles below Vicksburg. The town of West is situated about 242 miles above the mouth, and the Alabama & Vicksburg Railway bridge crosses the stream about 78 miles above the mouth. The river is greatly obstructed by sunken logs, overhanging trees, and log jams. There is no commerce on the river at the present time, and the only traffic likely to develop as a result of the desired improvement is the movement of timber products on the lower portion. The district officer is of opinion that the river is not worthy of improvement by the General Government either from the mouth to the town of West or from the mouth to the Alabama & Vicksburg Railway bridge. In this view the division engineer concurs. 3. These reports have been referred, as required by law, to the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors, and attention is invited to its accompanying report, dated September 9, 1913, concurring in the views expressed by the district officer and the division engineer. 4. After due consideration of the above-mentioned reports, I concur with the views of the district officer, the division engineer, and the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors, that the improvement by the United States of Big Black River, Miss., from its mouth to the town of West, in the manner apparently desired by the interests concerned as described in the reports herewith, is not deemed advisable at the present time. Wм. T. ROSSELL, Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army. REPORT OF THE BOARD OF ENGINEERS FOR RIVERS AND HARBORS. Third indorsement.] THE BOARD OF ENGINEERS, To the CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, UNITED STATES ARMY: 1. This is a report on preliminary examination of Big Black River, Miss., from its mouth to the town of West, submitted in accordance with the provisions of the act of June 25, 1910. A supplemental report covering specifically that portion of the river from its mouth to the Alabama & Vicksburg Railway bridge was also submitted by the district officer at the request of Hon. B. G. Humphreys, M. C. 2. This river is a tributary of the Mississippi, which it enters 37 miles below Vicksburg. The distance from the mouth of the river to West is about 242 miles, and from the mouth to the Alabama & Vicksburg Railway bridge about 78 miles. 3. Between the years 1884 and 1894, the lower 70 miles of the river were cleared of the principal obstructions and placed in fair navigable condition, but no navigation resulted. The river is again very badly obstructed by logs and trees. 4. There is no commerce on the river at present, but it is estimated that over a million dollars' worth of timber would be taken out by river if its lower portion were again improved and the channel maintained for a sufficient term of years. The district officer states that if the stream were cleared to the railroad bridge it would be navigable for about seven months in the year, and undoubtedly it would be used for bringing out logs. It is hardly probable that it would be used for any other purpose. He does not believe that the United States should go to the expense of improving a stream which will probably be used only by a few logging interests, and he reports the river as unworthy of improvement by the Federal Government, and in this view the division engineer concurs. 5. Interested parties were duly advised of the unfavorable report of the district officer and given an opportunity of submitting their views to the board, but no communications on the subject have been received. 6. From the facts now available, it appears that this stream could be made navigable in its lower reaches for a part of the year by snagging and the removal of obstructions, but that such improvement would be unduly expensive as compared with the resulting benefits to commerce and navigation. The board therefore reports, in concurrence with the views of the district officer and the division engineer, that it is not advisable at this time for the Uuited States to undertake the improvement of Big Black River, Miss. 7. In compliance with law, the board reports that there are no questions of terminal facilities, water power, or other related subjects having any material bearing upon the improvement of navigation at this locality. For the board: W. M. BLACK, PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF BIG BLACK RIVER, MISS. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Vicksburg, Miss., April 27, 1911. SIR: 1. I have the honor to submit the following report on a preliminary examination of the Big Black River, Miss., from its mouth to the town of West, required by section 3 of the river and harbor act of June 25, 1910, and assigned to me by letter from the office of the Chief of Engineers dated August 4, 1910. |