1st Session. No. 289. GREENWICH HARBOR, CONN. LETTER FROM THE ACTING SECRETARY OF WAR, TRANSMITTING, WITH A LETTER FROM THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, REPORTS ON EXAMINATION AND SURVEY OF GREENWICH HARBOR, CONN. NOVEMBER 29, 1913.-Referred to the Committee on Rivers and Harbors and ordered to be printed, with illustration. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, November 28, 1913. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a letter from the Acting Chief of Engineers, United States Army, dated 25th instant, together with copies of reports from Maj. G. B. Pillsbury, Corps of Engineers, dated November 11, 1912, and September 30, 1913, with map, on preliminary examination and survey, respectively, of Greenwich Harbor, Conn., made by him in compliance with the provisions of the river and harbor act approved July 25, 1912. Very respectfully, HENRY BRECKINRIDGE, Acting Secretary of War. The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. WAR DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, From: The Chief of Engineers, United States Army. To: The Secretary of War. Subject: Preliminary examination and survey of Greenwich Harbor, Conn. 1. There are submitted herewith, for transmission to Congress, reports dated November 11, 1912, and September 30, 1913, with map, by Maj. G. B. Pillsbury, Corps of Engineers, on preliminary examination and survey, respectively, of Greenwich Harbor, Conn., authorized by the river and harbor act approved July 25, 1912. 2. Greenwich Harbor is a shallow cove on the north shore of Long Island Sound, about 2 miles east of the New York State line. The present project for its improvement provides for dredging a channel 90 feet wide, 9 feet deep to the steamboat dock, and 6 feet deep thence to the causeway at the head of the harbor, the upper end to be enlarged to form a turning basin. Under authority of the river and harbor act approved March 3, 1909, a preliminary examination and survey were made of this harbor, as a result of which it was recommended that the 9-foot channel be widened to 100 feet and continued to the head of the harbor, with an extension of the turning basin 200 feet to the southward. This work has not been authorized by Congress. 3. The district officer states that experience has shown that the present dimensions of the channel are insufficient for the convenient and economical prosecution of the waterborne traffic of Greenwich . Harbor. The interest most seriously affected is the steamboat service between Greenwich and New York, but the commerce in bulk freight, which is shipped to the town in barges and schooners, and which forms the largest portion of the waterborne tonnage, is likewise affected. To afford the needed increase of facilities, the district officer submits a project providing for a channel 12 feet deep at mean low water to the upper wharves, the width to be 130 feet in the outer harbor and 100 feet along the water front, as shown on the accompanying map, at an estimated cost of $35,000. He is of opinion that the further improvement of Greenwich Harbor is justified to this extent, and the division engineer concurs in this opinion. 4. These reports have been referred, as required by law, to the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors, and attention is invited to the board's accompanying report dated October 28, 1913, concurring in the views expressed by the district officer and the division engineer. 5. After due consideration of the above-mentioned reports, I concur in general with the views of the district officer, the division engineer, and the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors, and therefore, in carrying out the instructions of Congress, I report as follows: That the improvement by the United States of Greenwich Harbor, Conn., is deemed advisable so far as to secure an available depth of 12 feet and width of 130 feet in the outer harbor and 100 feet along the water front, following in general the methods described in the report of the district officer, at an estimated cost of $35,000 for first construction and $2,250 annually for maintenance, these estimates being based on the supposition that the construction work will, as now seems desirable and advantageous, be prosecuted under a first ap propriation of the entire estimated cost of the improvement. EDW. BURR, Colonel, Corps of Engineers, REPORT OF THE BOARD OF ENGINEERS FOR RIVERS AND HARBORS ON SURVEY. [Third indorsement.] BOARD OF ENGINEERS FOR RIVERS AND HARBORS, To the CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, UNITED STATES ARMY: 1. Greenwich Harbor has been improved under a project adopted by the act of June 3, 1896, which provides for a channel 90 feet wide from deep water to the causeway at the head of the harbor, a distance of about 1 mile, 9 feet deep to the steamboat dock and 6 feet deep for the remainder of the distance, the upper end being enlarged to. form a turning basin. This project was completed in 1905, and has since been maintained. 2. The commerce of the locality has ranged from 76,000 to 146,000 tons, averaging about 100,000 tons. A regular freight steamer plies between Greenwich and New York and handles about 25,000 tons, the balance being carried in barges and schooners, which land their cargoes principally in the upper part of the harbor. The present depth is insufficient to meet the needs of these vessels, and the district officer presents a plan of improvement designed to afford more adequate facilities. He proposes a channel 12 feet deep to the upper wharves, to be 130 feet wide in the outer harbor and 100 feet wide along the water front, at an estimated first cost of $35,000, and $2,250 per annum for maintenance. As the extreme upper end of the harbor is used only for private purposes, it is proposed to carry the channel only to a point about 475 feet below the head of the existing project. The district officer believes the locality worthy of improvement to the extent outlined above, and in this view the division engineer concurs. 3. From the facts presented it appears that the existing project is inadequate to meet the reasonable demands of commerce and navigation. The total expenditures to June 30, 1912, have been $23,343.17, quite a moderate sum when compared with the commerce affected. It is believed that the additional improvement now desired is justified by the interests involved, and therefore the board concurs with the district officer and the division engineer in the opinion that it is advisable to modify or extend the existing project for Greenwich Harbor so as to provide a channel 12 feet deep to the upper wharves, 130 feet wide in the outer harbor and 100 feet wide along the wharf front, as shown on accompanying map, at an estimated first cost of $35,000, and $2,250 for annual maintenance. The whole amount of the estimated first cost should be made available in one appropriation. 4. In compliance with law, the board reports that there are no questions of terminal facilities, water power, or other subjects so related to the project proposed that they may be coordinated therewith to lessen the cost and compensate the Government for expenditures made in the interests of navigation. For the board: W. M. BLACK, Colonel, Corps of Engineers, |