6. Passaic River, New Jersey. This river is being improved under two separate projects, the first applying to the river below Center Street Bridge, Newark, to and beyond the shoals in Newark Bay, a distance of 75 miles, and the second to the upper course of the river from Center Street Bridge as far as Passaic, a distance of 8 miles.

a. Below Newark.—The lower portion of the river from Center Street Bridge to Newark Bay was first surveyed by the Engineer Department in 1879. The greatest depth in the channel at a point above the Elbow Beacon was only 7.1 feet, and in many places the greatest depth was 7.5 feet at mean low water.

A project was adopted, based on this survey, providing for obtaining by diking and dredging a channel 200 feet wide and 10 feet deep at mean low water from the Center Street Bridge to Newark Bay, at a cost of $232,875.

This project was modified in 1884, pursuant to the river and harbor act of that year, providing for extending the dike at the mouth of the river into the bay, a distance of 12,000 feet, and for dredging a channel across the shoal in Newark Bay 200 feet wide and 10 feet deep at mean low water, increasing the original estimate to $353,875.

The amount expended to June 30, 1891, was $200,186.85.

With this amount 6,205 feet of dike had been built and the channel through the shoal in the bay, and the channel up the river to and 1,423 feet beyond the Newark and New York Railroad Bridge, dredged to the full dimensions as required by the adopted project. Thence for a · distance of 1,150 feet upstream the channel had been redredged and given a width of 180 feet, and from this point to Lister Dock regulated to a width of 100 feet, with a uniform depth of 10 feet at mean low water throughout.

The expenditures during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, amount to $33,505.33. With this amount the channel between the Toll Bridge and Center Street Bridge, Newark, from Point-no-Point to Lister Dock was widened 100 feet, with a mean low-water depth of 10 to 11 feet for a distance of 4,000 feet, giving a total width of 200 feet throughout this distance, and, for an additional 3,000 feet, the existing 100-foot channel was increased in width by 125 to 150 feet, with the same depth, giving a total width of 225 to 250 feet; a bar below the Zinc Works Dock removed to the same mean low-water depth, with a width of 120 feet for a distance of 1,600 feet, and urgent necessary repairs made to the dike in Newark Bay.

The commerce of this river is reported for the year ending December 31, 1891, to be 1,528,565 tons against 1,484,045 tons for 1890, an increase of 44,520 tons.

July 1, 1891, balance unexpended...

June 30, 1892, amount expended during fiscal year

July 1, 1892, balance unexpended.....

$39, 313. 15 33,505.33

5, 807.82

b. Above Newark.-Before its improvement was undertaken the upper part of the river had a navigable 6-foot channel, except at Middle, Belleville, Rutherford Park, and Holzman bars, where the depths were 4.5 feet, 3.9 feet, 3 feet, and 3.5 feet, respectively.

The project of improvement was adopted in 1872 and provided for a channel across and above the shoals from 74 to 6 feet deep, mean low water, and from 200 to 50 feet wide, to be obtained by dredging and diking, at a cost of $123,924. It was modified in 1885 by extending the channel below Middle Bar 1,500 feet to the Erie Railroad Bridge, increasing the estimate to $129,000, which was further increased in

1886 to $133,762. A further modification, to include the removal of Third River Bar, the redredging of bars formed by freshets, and removal of bowlders at various points in the river, increasing the estimate to $193,822, was approved October 6, 1890. At the same time that portion of the project which contemplated dredging between Middle Bar and the Erie Railroad Bridge was annulled.

The amount expended to June 30, 1891, was $130,134.67 and channels of the requisite depth had been dredged from 60 to 75 feet wide, excepting through Third River Bar, which is of recent formation.

The expenditures during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, amount to $5,542.39, with which a channel has been dredged through Third River Bar 100 feet wide and 6 feet deep at mean low water for a distance of 800 feet; below the bar the channel was increased in width by 40 feet, with the same depth for a distance of 700 feet, and by 20 feet for a further distance of 245 feet, giving a continuous channel through this reach having a width of 100 feet and depth of 6 feet, mean low water.

The last complete return of the commerce of this river was for the calendar year 1889, 315,437 tons; for the calendar year 1891 it is reported at 322,211 tons.

July 1, 1891, balance unexpended.

June 30, 1892, amount expended during fiscal year...

July 1, 1892, balance unexpended

$8,715. 33 5,542.39

3, 172. 94

As the river and harbor act approved July 13, 1892, makes the appropriation for the two reaches of the river under one heading, the following consolidated money statement for Passaic River is presented: July 1, 1891, balance unexpended...

June 30, 1892, amount expended during fiscal year..

July 1, 1892, balance unexpended....

Amount appropriated by act approved July 13, 1892.

Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1893

Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project...... Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

(See Appendix F 6.)

$48,028.48 39, 047.72

8,980.76 45,000.00

53, 980. 76

124, 347.00

7. Elizabeth River, New Jersey. This stream, which is 23 miles in length from its mouth to the head of navigation at Broad street, Elizabeth, has a width of from 50 to 90 feet, and before its improvement the wharves in the city could only be reached at high water by vessels drawing less than 4 feet; its commerce was estimated at 45,000 tons annually. The range of the tide was about 4.7 feet at its mouth and 3.4 feet at Bridge street.

The project for the improvement was adopted in 1878 and provides for obtaining, by dredging, a channel 60 feet wide and 7 feet deep at high water from the mouth of the river to the head of navigation, at an estimated cost of $25,530; this was increased in 1882 to $43,160, the increase being due to advanced prices.

The amount expended under this project to June 30, 1891, was $27,265.

With this amount the channel had been dredged to the required depth to within 1,000 feet of Broad Street Bridge. The condition of the river has deteriorated since work was suspended in 1883.

Work under contract, dated March 23, 1891, was begun July 1, 1891,

and completed October 3, 1891, the amount of material removed being 6,917 cubic yards. Under this contract shoals were removed from the river at the bend above South street, at South Street Bridge, at John street, at the bend in the river below John street, and at the New York and Long Branch Railroad Bridge, to a depth of 7 feet at mean high water, with widths of 30 to 50 feet, giving a 7-foot mean high-water channel with widths varying from 30 to 50 feet, from the mouth of the river to within 900 feet of Bridge Street Bridge, in the town of Elizabeth. The expenditures during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, amount to $4,621.20 for dredging under contract, and administration.

July 1, 1891, balance unexpended..

June 30, 1892, amount expended during fiscal year.

July 1, 1892, balance unexpended..

Amount appropriated by act approved July 13, 1892

Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1893.

Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project................ Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

(See Appendix F 7.)

$4,735.00 4,621. 20

113.80 5,000.00

5, 113. 80

6, 160.00

8. Rahway River, New Jersey.-In its original condition the Rahway River had a depth of 8 feet and more at mean high water from its mouth to Bricktown, 32 miles; 7 feet to Edgar Dock, 44 miles; 4.4 feet to Milton Avenue Bridge, 43 miles; and 4 feet to Main Street Bridge, 5 miles, in the town of Rahway. Its commerce was estimated at 120,000 tons, and three attempts had been made to establish a line of steamboats on the river, but had failed on account of the bad condition of the stream.

The original project for its improvement was adopted in 1878 and provided for dredging a channel 125 feet wide and 8 feet deep at high water from Bricktown to Milton Avenue Bridge and 100 feet wide from that point to Main Street Bridge. The tide rises about 5 feet at the mouth and 4 feet at the head of navigation.

The amount expended on this improvement to June 30, 1891, was $37,000.

With the above amount the channel had been given a depth of 7 feet at mean high water and width of from 100 to 50 feet to within 550 feet of the head of navigation. It has, however, not proved permanent. The commerce of the river had not increased, though freight rates to Rahway had been materially reduced as a result of the improvement of the stream.

There has been no appropriation for this work since 1882 and there have been no funds for expenditure since the fiscal year ending June 30, 1890.

Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project....... $29, 250.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and

harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

(See Appendix F 8.)

9. Raritan River, New Jersey.-Before its improvement by the United States the Raritan River had a depth of 8.5 feet at "The Stakes," 3 miles; of 6.5 feet at the "Middle Grounds," 43 miles; of 7.5 feet at Whitehead Sand Dock, 84 miles, and between this point and New Brunswick, 124 miles above the mouth, the channel was obstructed by a number of rocky shoals, with depths of from 8.4 to 6.9 feet at mean low water. The

city of New Brunswick and the Delaware and Raritan Canal, which terminates here, together with extensive brickyards on the South River, did a large commerce on the stream, estimated in 1871 at 3,053,857 tons per annum.

The present project was adopted in 1874 and provides for obtaining, by diking and dredging, and, where necessary, by drilling and blasting rock, a channel 200 feet wide and 10 feet deep, mean low water, from the mouth to New Brunswick, at a cost of $2,093,662.05. It was modified in 1881, pursuant to the river and harbor act of that year, by adding to it the dredging of the South Channel, about 13,000 feet long, 100 feet wide and 5 feet deep at mean low water, from Kearney's Dock to Crab Island.

The amount expended to June 30, 1891, under this project was $534,206.58.

The above amount was expended in the construction of certain dikes required by the project at "The Stakes" and "Middle Grounds" in dredging channels 200 feet wide and 12 feet deep at mean low water at these points, and in blasting and dredging a channel of the same dimensions across the rocky shoal at Whitehead Sand Dock, and thence up the river with a width of 100 feet and depth of 10 feet to within 2,800 feet of the canal lock at New Brunswick. Under two special allotments made for it in the acts of March 3, 1881, and August 2, 1882, the south channel was dredged to the required depth for a distance of 4,000 feet. These improvements have been of great benefit to navigation, permitting the large tows in use on the river to reach a point 2,800 feet below New Brunswick at all stages of the tide. The commerce of the river is reported for the calendar year 1891 to be 1,566,888 tons, against 1,661,425 tons for 1890.

The expenditures during the fiscal year amount to $21,282.60. With this amount the channel has been given a width of 100 feet and depth of about 10 feet, at mean low water, for a distance of 520 feet through a river bed of extremely hard shale rock, bringing the 100-foot channel to within 2,280 feet of the canal lock at New Brunswick. Repairs requisite to the proper maintenance of the dike at the "Middle Grounds" were also made.

July 1, 1891, balance unexpended.......

June 30, 1892, amount expended during fiscal year

July 1, 1892, balance unexpended..

July 1, 1892, outstanding liabilities.

July 1, 1892, balance available

Amount appropriated by act approved July 13, 1892.

Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1893

Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

(See Appendix F 9.)

$37, 043:42 21,282.60

15, 760.82 1,723.59

14,037.23 40,000.00

54, 037.23

1,482, 412.05

10. South River, New Jersey.-Before the improvement of this stream was undertaken by the United States the navigation of the lower 24 miles of its course had been abandoned and a canal dredged at private expense from a short distance below Washington to Sayreville, on the Raritan River. In 1880, when the present project for improving the river was adopted, the mouth of this canal, on account of its faulty location, had shoaled to a depth of 4.6 feet at mean low water, and the best depth in the canal, some distance above, had decreased to 3.3 feet.

Above Washington a depth of 2.7 feet existed to Bissetts, 32 miles, and of 2.5 feet to Old Bridge, the head of navigation, 64 miles above the mouth of the canal at Sayreville.

The present project, adopted in 1880, provides for closing the river below the head of the canal, correcting the direction of the mouth of the latter and obtaining by diking and dredging a depth of 8 feet, mean low water, to Washington, 6 feet to Bissetts, and 4 feet to Old Bridge, straightening the channel at two points by cutting across the meadow. It was estimated to cost $194,695.

The amount expended under this project to June 30, 1891, was $64,400.42.

With this amount the direction of the mouth of the canal had been changed, the dikes below Washington completed, and a small amount of dredging done on a shoal above Washington. A shoal at the mouth of Washington Canal has been removed and a channel dredged 60 feet wide through the canal and 50 feet wide across the shoal in the river below Washington.

The expenditures during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, amount to $5,152.45. With this amount the channel below the draw of the Raritan River Railroad Company's bridge was given a depth of 4 feet at mean low water, with additional width of 25 feet for a distance of 350 feet, and for a like distance above the bridge the width was increased to 70 feet. At Rourke Reach the channel was given a depth of 6 feet at mean low water and width of 60 feet for a distance of 860 feet; in addition a bar opposite Whitehead's brickyard was removed to a depth of 8 feet at mean low water and width of 60 feet for a distance of 450 feet, and at the junction of the canal and South River a channel was excavated 350 feet long, 60 feet wide, and 6 feet deep at mean low water. Vessels drawing 6 feet can now reach the Turnpike Bridge, about 2.4 miles from the mouth, at all stages of the tide.

The commerce of the river was reported for the calendar year 1890 to be 364,154 tons and for the calendar year 1891 it is given as 370,335 tons.

Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project....... 116, 695.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

(See Appendix F 10.)

11. Keyport Harbor, New Jersey.-Keyport Harbor was originally accessible at low water only to vessels drawing less than 4 feet. Before its improvement was undertaken by the United States a 6-foot channel had been dredged at private expense, which had shoaled in 1872 to 5 feet and in 1882 to 5 feet, the range of the tide being 4.7 feet. A large commerce was carried on, however, valued at $2,932,000.

The project for the improvement was adopted in 1873 and provided for dredging a channel 4,700 feet long, 8 feet deep at mean low water, and 200 feet wide from the steamboat dock to the 8-foot contour in Raritan Bay, at an estimated cost of $30,475. The revised estimate of 1884 was $40,475.

The amount expended on this improvement to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, is $30,475.