families, who are spread out over a considerable territory. The farmers raise sugar cane, potatoes, and rice, and haul their produce by team 16 miles to Cleveland, from which point they also obtain their supplies.

9. It seems that the settlers in the vicinity of Bermont have hoped for some time that the State would construct a draining canal from Bermont to Shell Creek, of such size as would enable lightdraft barges to reach Bermont, and have intended, in case the State proved unwilling to do this, to try to induce the Federal Government to improve Shell Creek from its mouth to Hickmans Landing, or to some point above, if practicable, but it would appear from the statements of those interviewed that there has been no general demand up to the present time for the Federal Government to take up any such improvement.

10. There are no wharves or landings of any kind along the creek. 11. No water power could be developed in connection with the improvement of this creek. As to whether or not drainage could be accomplished in connection with an improvement in the interest of navigation could only be determined by a survey.

13. In view of the total absence of commerce on the creek, the very limited development along the banks, and the lack of any great demand for improvement, the creek is not considered worthy of improvement by the United States at the present time.

14. Notice of unfavorable report has been sent to the persons whose names are given in the accompanying lists. Copy of this notice is also herewith, J. R. SLATTERY, Major, Corps of Engineers.

[First indorsement.]

OFFICE DIVISION ENGINEER, SOUTHEAST DIVISION,

To the CHIEF OF ENGINEERS:

I

June 17, 1913.

agree with the district officer that Shell Creek, De Soto County, Fla., is not worthy of improvement by the United States at this time.

DAN C. KINGMAN, Colonel, Corps of Engineers.

[For report of the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors see page 2.]

1st Session.

No. 218.

WATERWAY BETWEEN TENNESSEE AND TOMBIGBEE RIVERS IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI.

LETTER

FROM

THE ACTING SECRETARY OF WAR

TRANSMITTING,

WITH A LETTER FROM THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, REPORT ON PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF WATERWAY TO CONNECT TENNESSEE RIVER WITH TOMBIGBEE RIVER, IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, BY WAY OF BIG BEAR CREEK OR OTHER PRACTICABLE ROUTE.

SEPTEMBER 5, 1913.-Referred to the Committee on Rivers and Harbors and ordered to be printed, with illustrations.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, September 3, 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 September 3d, instant, together with copy of a report, with maps, from a special board of Engineer officers, dated May 15, 1913, on preliminary examination of a waterway to connect Tennessee River with Tombigbee River, Miss., made by it in compliance with the provisions of the river and harbor act approved July 25, 1912.

Very respectfully,

HENRY BRECKINRIDGE,
Acting Secretary of War.

From: The Chief of Engineers, United States Army.

To: The Secretary of War.

Subject: Waterway between Tennessee and Tombigbee Rivers, Miss.

1. There is submitted herewith, for transmission to Congress, report dated May 15, 1913, with maps, by a special board of Engi

neer officers on preliminary examination of waterway to connect Tennessee River with Tombigbee River, in the State of Mississippi, by way of Big Bear Creek or other practicable route, called for by the river and harbor act approved July 25, 1912.

2. The Tennessee River is navigable the entire year from the mouth to Hamburg, Tenn., about 200 miles, with 4 to 5 feet draft, and to Riverton, Ala., 26 miles farther, with 3 feet draft. The existing project for improvement from the mouth to Riverton provides for a depth of 6 feet at ordinary low water or 5 feet at extreme low water. The Tombigbee is being improved from its mouth to Demopolis by the construction of locks and dams in connection. with similar work on the Warrior and Black Warrior Rivers, designed to secure a 6-foot navigation all the year round between Mobile and the Warrior coal fields. The present project for improvement of Tombigbee River from Demopolis to Columbus provides for securing a channel 6 feet deep by open channel work and the construction of locks and dams, though no provision has yet been made by Congress for commencing the work of lock and dam construction. From Columbus to Walkers Bridge the existing project provides for maintaining a high-water channel by removal of obstructions. The section from Columbus to Aberdeen, on which operations under this project have been confined, has a maximum depth at mean low water of about 2 feet in the shoalest part, while above the latter point the river is badly obstructed and is little used except for rafting during high water.

3. Several routes for the proposed waterway are considered by the special board. The route deemed most practicable is known as the Big Bear Creek route. A canal by this route would leave the Tennessee River at Riverton, Ala., and would join the Tombigbee River at Fulton Ferry near Walkers Bridge, rendering necessary the improvement of the Tombigbee River by locks and dams from Demopolis, Ala., to Fulton, Miss., a distance of 293 miles. The special board states that the whole improvement from Demopolis. Ala., to the Tennessee River would be about 362 miles long and would require 65 or more locks, with a large feeder canal, and would probably cost over $10,000,000. After consideration of the probable commercial value of the proposed waterway, the special board reaches the conclusion that the improvement is not worthy of being undertaken by the General Government at the present time.

4. This report has 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 of July 29, 1913, concurring with the views of the special board.

5. After due consideration of the above-mentioned reports, I concur in general with the views of the special board of Engineer officers and the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors, and therefore, in carrying out the instructions of Congress, I report that the improvement by the United States of waterway to connect Tennessee River with Tombigbee River, in the State of Mississippi, by way of Big Bear Creek or other practicable route, in the manner apparently desired by the interests concerned, as described in the reports herewith, is not deemed advisable at the present time. WM. T. ROSSELL,

Chief of Engineers. United States Army.

REPORT OF THE BOARD OF ENGINEERS FOR RIVERS AND HARBORS.

[Second indorsement.]

THE BOARD OF ENGINEERS FOR RIVERS AND HARBORS,

To the CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, UNITED STATES ARMY:

July 29, 1913.

1. This is a report submitted by a special board on preliminary examination of a waterway to connect the Tennessee and Tombigbee Rivers, authorized by the act of July 25, 1912.

2. The Tennessee River, formed by the junction of the French Broad and the Holston Rivers, is 652 miles long. Its only tributaries available for this connection are Yellow Creek and Big Bear Creek. Yellow Creek empties into the Tennessee River about 214 miles above its mouth. Big Bear Creek empties into the Tennessee about 224 miles above its mouth, at a point about 1 mile below Riverton, Ala. Big Crippled Deer Creek is an important tributary of Big Bear Creek.

3. The Tombigbee River, formed by the junction of Browns Creek and Mackeys Creek near Walkers Bridge, is about 503 miles long. The principal tributaries to be considered are Mackeys Creek and Browns Creek, the latter formed by the junction of Little Browns and Big Browns Creeks.

4. The ridge dividing the waters of the Tennessee from those of the Tombigbee appears to have four crossings worthy of consideration in connection with this subject. The lowest one, having an elevation of 509 feet above sea level, lies between the headwaters of Big Crippled Deer Creek and Mackeys Creek. The others range in elevation up to 569 feet.

5. The Tennessee River is under improvement by open-channel methods up to Riverton with a view to securing a depth of 6 feet at ordinary low water (5 feet at extreme low water). No work has been done on Big Bear Creek or on Yellow Creek.

6. The Tombigbee River has been improved under a project providing for a channel 6 feet deep at low water from Demopolis to Columbus, 149 miles, by snagging, tree cutting, bank revetment, bar improvement, and the construction of locks and dams. No provision, however, has yet been made by Congress for the slackwater improvement. A project is in existence for improvement between Columbus and Walkers Bridge, 169 miles, which provides for a high water channel by the removal of obstructions. Work on this project has been restricted to the section below Aberdeen.

7. A survey, with plan and estimate, for a waterway similar to that now under consideration was made in 1875, the route following Big Bear, Crippled Deer, and Mackeys Creeks. The plan involved a summit-level canal and the construction of 42 dams with 43 or 44 locks at an estimated cost of approximately $1,700,000, the dimensions of the locks to be 80 by 20 by 4 feet. It is stated herein that such a waterway would be entirely useless about eight months of the year, as navigation was and still is impossible on the Tombigbee below Fulton, except during flood stages.

8. A canal from the Tennessee River by way of Yellow Creek and Mackeys Creek to Fulton Ferry on the Tombigbee would be about 64 miles long, and by way of Big Bear Creek 69 miles long. The special board believes the Big Bear route would be the more prac