3. This section of the St. Johns is being improved under a project adopted by the act of June 25, 1910, which provides for a channel 8 feet deep and 100 feet wide from Palatka to Sanford. The route under consideration leaves and enters the St. Johns between the points just named. From the description given within it is clear that the St. Johns River in this vicinity has natural physical advantages over the proposed new route, and its improvement for the class of vessels using the St. Johns River can be effected at less expense, both in original cost and in subsequent maintenance. Moreover, it seems to have equal if not better commercial advantages. There is not sufficient commerce, present and prospective, in this locality to warrant the improvement of two channels, and as the natural channel of the St. Johns is better than that of the suggested alternative route, the board concurs in the opinion of the district officer and the division engineer that the waterway under consideration is not worthy of improvement by the General Government. 4. No replies have been received by the board in response to the district officer's notification of his unfavorable report. The board has, however, given consideration to letters received by the district officer and forwarded by him. 1 5. In accordance with law, the board reports that there are no questions of terminal facilities, water power, or other related subjects that have any material bearing upon the improvement now under consideration. For the board: WM. T. ROSSELL, PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF CHANNEL FROM ST. JOHNS RIVER UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, SIR: In compliance with department letter dated August 4, 1910, I have the honor to submit the following report of a preliminary examination of the channel from St. Johns River through Lake Dexter, thence to Lake Woodruff, thence to St. Johns River below Hawkinsville, Fla., authorized by the river and harbor act approved June 25, 1910: 2. No improvement of this waterway has ever been undertaken by the Federal Government and no previous examination or survey has been made. 3. The waterway referred to enters the St. Johns River 136.3 miles above its mouth at a point where that stream flows through a wide expanse of shallow water known as Lake Dexter and continues along the larger axis of that lake in a due easterly direction for about 31 miles. It then enters a river connecting Lake Dexter with Lake Woodruff, a shallow lake about 2 miles long on the north and south axis and about 1 mile wide. The connecting stream is about 14 miles long. Leaving Lake Woodruff at its southeasterly extremity it continues through a succession of sloughs connected by narrow and tortuous channels and finally enters the St. Johns again at a point 14 miles below Hawkinsville. 4. In making the preliminary examination I entered the waterway at Lake Dexter and followed through it to a point about 2 miles from its upper or southern connection with the main river. Further progress was barred by a jam of drift and hyacinths. As no map of the waterway was in existence a hasty field sketch was made with the aid of a prismatic compass and log. This sketch was later platted and adjusted to the survey of the St. Johns River made in 1907 and 1908 by Col. L. H. Beach, Corps of Engineers, and a tracing and blue print are inclosed herewith. Although this sketch can not be considered accurate it gives a very good idea of the route. The total length of the waterway is about 12.8 miles, which is practically the same as the distance along the channel line of the main river. 5. Mr. W. G. McTimmons, of Jacksonville, Fla., who has been the only person sufficiently interested in the work to assist me in securing commercial statistics, etc., and who was, perhaps, most instrumental in securing recognition of the proposed project, believes, as may be seen from his letter attached hereto, that if this waterway were improved it would become the main line of travel for boats now operating on the St. Johns River. His reasons are that it is a shorter route, and also that the freight which would offer along the line would be greater than along the corresponding section of the main river. 6. I can not agree with Mr. McTimmons in this. Along the main river over this section there is everywhere a depth of 10 feet except for short reaches at two localities. Over one of these shoal sections there is 8 feet of water and the least depth over the other is 7 feet. No work has ever been done or required over this section of the St. Johns except that of cutting off Revolving Bend, which has just recently been completed under the project for the "Improvement of the St. Johns River from Palatka to Lake Harney." This work shortens the channel about three-quarters of a mile and has effectively removed the only obstruction to navigation. Along this reach of river there are two landings, neither of much importance, one at Mosquito Grove, at which there is a small orange grove, and the other at St. Francis, which is the shipping and receiving point for quite an area of sparsely settled country. 7. In comparison with this above-described fine channel the proposed channel would extend for 3 miles through Lake Dexter, where the least depth is 3 feet and the greatest 6 feet. From Lake Dexter to Lake Woodruff the channel is stable, with a least depth of about 6 feet, and is sufficiently wide and straight for all practical purposes. Through Lake Woodruff for a distance of 2 miles the prevailing depth is 4 feet, the bottom being very soft mud, as is also the bottom of Lake Dexter, formed by vegetable deposits. From Lake Woodruff to the upper junction with the St. Johns the stream and sloughs are narrow and crooked, with depths varying from 10 to 3 feet, with numerous overhanging trees and some snags. To make this section 1 Not printed. available for such boats as utilize the St. Johns River it would be necessary to widen and straighten it for a distance of nearly 5 miles. There are along this proposed channel two landings: McTimmons Landing, on Tick Island, and Norris Landing. The first landing has access to the St. Johns either by way of Lake Dexter, over which a draft of 3 feet can be carried, or by a roadway, which it is entirely practicable to construct, not over 1 mile long, to the St. Johns. Traffic from the second landing can reach the St. Johns via Lakes Woodruff and Dexter by a route about 7 miles long. This landing is on the site of an old grove now abandoned. The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad is within 1 mile. 8. There is no certainty of any shipments from this section if the waterway is improved except a limited amount of farm produce from Tick Island, for which ample facilities now exist by small boat or road to the main river. The improvement is desired by contiguous landowners for obvious reasons. It is impossible to obtain accurate statistics of present and prospective trade. It is estimated that 1,000 boxes of oranges and vegetables and 20 tons of miscellaneous freight make use of the existing channel. There are numerous naval stores operators in the back territory of this improvement, and it is quite possible that if a better channel were constructed a much larger movement of naval stores would result. Unless the channel were continued up Leon Springs Run to Leon Springs the benefit of improving what is known as the cut-off channel would not be felt there, and Glenwood would have little better facilities than now. A little over one year ago the hyacinth jam in what is called Norris Cut, the artificial channel connecting the upper end of this waterway with the St. Johns, was cleared out by the hyacinth boat Maguire. As the opened channel was not used to any extent, it rapidly filled again. 9. Mr. McTimmons was requested in December last to get these people at Leon Springs, Glenwood, and De Land who might be interested in the proposed project to prepare a statement indicating its possible value to these communities, and on April 19 his attention was again invited to this request. No communications have been received. 10. Terminal facilities: There are no wharves or docks on the waterway except private landing docks which have no rail connections. No mechanical appliances for handling freight exist, and while there would perhaps be no objection raised to traffic being handled over the docks by others than the owners it can not be said that they are free to all on equal terms. The slope of the waterway is such that no water-power development enters, nor are any other subjects, such as drainage interests, which appear to the district officer as being properly connected with navigation interests. 11. I am of the opinion that the waterway is unworthy of improvement by the Federal Government. Very respectfully, GEO. R. SPALDING, The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, United States Army (Through the Division Engineer). [First indorsement.] OFFICE OF DIVISION ENGINEER, SOUTHEAST DIVISION, 1. Respectfully forwarded to the Chief of Engineers, United States Army. 2. I agree with the district officer that the proposed channel through Lakes Dexter and Woodruff is not worthy of being constructed by the United States. DAN C. KINGMAN, Colonel, Corps of Engineers, Division Engineer. [For report of the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors see 1st Session. ST. MARTINS RIVER, MD. LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY OF WAR, TRANSMITTING, WITH A LETTER FROM THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS REPORT ON EXAMINATION OF ST. MARTINS RIVER IN WORCESTER COUNTY, MD. OCTOBER 16, 1913.-Referred to the Committee on Rivers and Harbors and ordered to be printed. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, October 15, 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 October 14, instant, together with copy of a report from Maj. R. R. Raymond, Corps of Engineers, dated November 30, 1910, on a preliminary examination of St. Martins River, in Worcester County, Md., made by him in compliance with the provisions of the river and harbor act approved June 25, 1910. Very respectfully, LINDLEY M. GARRISON, WAR DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, Washington, October 14, 1913. From: The Chief of Engineers, United States Army. 1. There is submitted herewith, for transmission to Congress, report dated November 30, 1910, by Maj. R. R. Raymond, Corps of Engineers, on preliminary examination called for by the river and harbor act approved June 25, 1910, of St. Martins River in Worcester County Md. |