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During the present year it is proposed to apply available funds to deepening and widening the channel through Cherry Island Flats and to the continuation of dike construction for the improvement of Baker Shoal.

July 1, 1891, balance unexpended

June 30, 1892, amount expended during fiscal year.

July 1, 1892, balance unexpended..

$271, 640. 45

100, 362. 21

July 1, 1892, outstanding liabilities..

171, 278. 24

$4,629.67

July 1, 1892, amount covered by uncompleted contracts .

4, 122.23

8,751.90

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 G 1.)

162, 526. 34 50,000.00

212, 526. 34

1,675,000.00

2. Harbor between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Camden, New Jersey. The islands in the Delaware River between Philadelphia and Camden compel the flood and ebb currents to pursue different paths, narrow the existing channels, and prevent the extension of wharves necessary for the purposes of commerce. The plan of improvement. originally adopted by Congress provides for the removal of Smith and Windmill islands and a part of Petty Island, and the formation of a channel of ample depth and about 2,000 feet in width from Kaighn Point to Fishers Point. The project contemplates the advance of wharves and bulkheads on both the Philadelphia and Camden shores during the progress of the work. The excavation is to be done by the General Government. The advance of wharves and bulkheads is under the control of the local authorities and private owners, a portion of the material to be removed by the Government being considered available for the necessary filling. The estimated cost of the work to be done by the United States, exclusive of the cost of the islands, is $3,500,000.

The project was modified by Congress in the sundry civil act approved March 3, 1891, so as to require that all material removed under appropriations made to that date should be deposited and spread on League Island.

During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, a contract was entered into with James A. Mundy & Co., of Philadelphia, Pa., for all the work required for the improvement. Under this contract 10,318 cubic yards of material was dredged from Windmill Island and work was in progress upon the removal of 1,260 feet of revetment. A hydrographic survey was made before the commencement of the work. Harbor lines were established. The amount expended during the year was $9.848.17.

During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, under the contract with James A. Mundy & Co., 2,330 linear feet of piling and revetment inclosing Windmill Island have been wholly removed, and 923 linear feet have been removed to the level of low water; 312,111 cubic yards of material have been dredged from Windmill Island and the adjacent shoal; about 35,000 cubic yards have been removed by scour, and 287,736 cubic yards have been deposited on League Island. The amount expended during the year was $54,182.48.

The accepted work of excavation since the beginning of the improvement has cost $35,718.29. The filling at League Island has cost

$27,334.92.

Repeated surveys have been made to determine the changes in progress.

The contractors expect to excavate 250,000 cubic yards of material during July, 1892, and at least 300,000 cubic yards per month thereafter.

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Amount appropriated by act approved August 5, 1892.

[Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30,

1894

Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and . harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

(See Appendix G 2.)

41, 000. 00 2,759,000.00

500, 000. 00

3. Schuylkill River, Pennsylvania.-When the work of improvement was commenced in 1870 there was a channel of entrance into the mouth of the river carrying a depth of only 10 feet at mean low water.

The original project under which work was commenced in 1870 proposed the formation of a channel 100 feet wide, with a depth of 20 feet from the mouth of the river to Gibson Point, about 4 miles, and a depth of 18 feet from thence to Chestnut Street Bridge in Philadelphia, about 3 miles.

In 1875 and 1883 this project was amended so as to increase the lowwater channel between the mouth and Girard Point, a distance of about 1 mile, to 400 feet wide and 24 feet deep, and from Girard Point to Gibson Point, about 3 miles, to 250 feet wide and 20 feet deep.

The amount expended upon these projects to June 30, 1891, was $413,732.71. This work had resulted in the formation of a channel about 100 feet wide and from 18 to 20 feet deep at mean low water across the bar at the river's mouth; a channel about 250 feet wide and from 20 to 24 feet deep from inside the bar to Point Breeze, except at Yankee Point, where the width is 300 feet; and from Point Breeze to Gibson Point, a channel from 100 to 200 feet wide and from 18 to 20 feet deep; from thence to Chestnut Street Bridge a channel of navigable width and from 17 to 20 feet deep.

During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, the sum of $1,299.07 was expended in dredging in the channel above Penrose Ferry Bridge to remove a dangerous obstruction, in surveys at the mouth, and in the preparation of a project for the improvement of the channel across the bar by means of dikes. During the month of June, 1892, contracts were entered into for the construction of dikes at the mouth of the river.

All the work contemplated by the project under which the improvement has heretofore been carried on will be completed with the appropriation made by the river and harbor act approved July 13, 1832. project for additional work at the mouth of the river (given in full with ENG 92

the annual report of the officer in charge) was approved April 26, 1892; the cost of completing the work under this modified project is estimated at $44,959.

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July 1, 1892, amount covered by uncompleted contracts.

15, 657.00

15,795. 10

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 G 3.)

7,923. 12 46,250.00

54, 173. 12

44, 959.00

4. Ice harbor at Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania.—This work, in its present plan, was commenced in 1866, the object being to provide a harbor in the Delaware River to protect vessels against moving ice.

In 1785 the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania built, for the convenience of commerce, piers at Marcus Hook, extending from the shore line into the river. It is assumed that at some subsequent time these shore piers were turned over to the United States, since in 1829 an appropriation was made of $5,000 for repairing these piers, improving the harbor, and removing obstructions. No further appropriation was made until

1866.

At this latter date the project was adopted for the construction of detached piers in the harbor, consisting of stone superstructures upon crib foundations filled with stone, together with the deepening of the harbor by dredging.

In 1881 it was proposed to increase the area of the harbor by the construction of a bulkhead about 1,800 feet in length parallel to the shore line, and about 150 feet outside of high-water line and the deepening of this added area by dredging. Nothing was done towards the carrying into effect of the modification of 1881, on account of the objections of some of the abutting property owners, and in 1888 this hitherto proposed modification was abandoned and an increased depth proposed for the areas protected by the detached piers outside of the natural shore line of the river.

The amount expended from 1866 to June 30, 1891, was $208,963.64, and resulted in the construction of two shore or landing piers and seven detached ice piers, the deepening by dredging of the area protected by the piers, and the placing of mooring piles within the harbor. By this expenditure a harbor was formed with an area of about 10 acres, carrying a depth of from 12 to 25 feet at mean low water.

During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, $36.36 was expended in examining the harbor with a view to making necessary repairs and in office expenses. A contract was made for the repair of landing piers and the replacement of mooring piles. The funds remaining after the execution of this work will be held for such incidental repairs as may be required from time to time.

July 1, 1891, balance unexpended..

June 30, 1892, amount expended during fiscal year.

$5, 036. 36 36.36

July 1, 1892, balance unexpended..

5,000.00

July 1, 1892, outstanding liabilities..

$111.24

July 1, 1892, amount covered by uncompleted contracts..

1,014. 31

1, 125.58

July 1, 1892, balance available

(See Appendix G 4.)

3,874.42

5. Ice harbor at head of Delaware Bay, Delaware.-The act of August 2, 1882, appropriated $25,000 for the commencement of work on the ice harbor at the head of Delaware Bay, to include the removal of some sunken piers, the remains of an old ice harbor, in the channel east of Reedy Island, Delaware.

The desirability of an ice harbor at the head of Delaware Bay has been long recognized, but until the improvement of the main ship channel shall have been materially advanced it is believed that appropriations can be applied, with better results to commerce, to the improvement of the channel rather than to the formation of an ice harbor suited to the requirements of the case. As to location, the prevailing judgment would place the ice harbor at or very near Liston Point, but since the works already planned for the improvement of the channel in this part of the river involve the construction of about 11 miles of dikes, the changes which may result from such extensive constructions render the prior location of an ice harbor hazardous.

The amount expended to June 30, 1891, was $8,763.07, of which $3,700 was applied to the removal of the sunken piers back of Reedy Island, as provided in the act of August 2, 1882, making the appropriation of $25,000. The balance was expended in surveys, examinations, preliminary studies, and office expenses.

During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, no expenditures were made.

July 1, 1891, balance unexpended...
July 1, 1892, balance unexpended..

(See Appendix G 5.)

$16,236.93 16, 236.93

6. Construction of iron pier in Delaware Bay, near Lewes, Delaware.— The original project for this work proposed the construction of a landing pier about 1,700 feet in length, extending from the shore south of the breakwater into Delaware Bay to a depth of 22 feet at mean low water, the pier to consist of a substructure of wrought iron screw piles surmounted with a timber superstructure. The work was commenced in 1871, and completed, except as to superstructure, in 1880.

The amount expended to June 30, 1890, was $368,453.66, and resulted in the construction of 1,155 linear feet of pier 21 feet in width, and 546 linear feet 42 feet in width, or a total length of 1,701 feet. The depth of water at the outer end of the pier head was about 21 feet at mean low water.

During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, $7,033 was expended in' replacing about 200 linear feet of the pier destroyed by the collisions of wrecked vessels in 1889, and in placing fender piles along 1,200 linear feet of the shore arm of the pier. The total amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, including inspection and office expenses, was $9,623.89.

During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, $422.45 was expended in office expenses.

From the decayed condition of the timber superstructure of a large

part of the pier it is not available for use by the railroad, to which the right was given to use the pier under the provisions of the act of July 15, 1870.

If the pier is to be rendered available for the general purposes of railroad traffic, as contemplated in the act above referred to, it will be necessary to replace the present decayed wooden superstructure by an iron construction, which has been estimated at $93,000.

The sundry civil act of March 3, 1891, contained the following provision:

And the Secretary of War is hereby directed to assign to the Secretary of the Treasury so much space on the Lewes iron pier as may be necessary to enable the Marine-Hospital Service to establish and conduct thereon such disinfection machinery as may be required for the proper disinfection of the cargoes of vessels detained at the quarantine, and when the breakwater shall have been completed then the said pier shall be permanently assigned to the Treasury Department: Provided, That such occupation and use of the pier by the Marine-Hospital Service does not interfere with the engineering operations of the War Department in the completion of the breakwater improvement.

It is understood that the use of the pier as above provided will at times prohibit its use for any other purpose. The pier is of considerable value to vessels frequenting the breakwater harbor, being the only communication with the shore; it is necessary for the purpose of the Light-House Service, and its free use at all times will probably be indispensable for many years for the engineering operations of the War Department. It is not suitable for quarantine purposes, because the maximum depth at the end of the pier head is only about 21 feet at mean low water. The depth is still less on the sides. Since the pier is much exposed to storms, it could not be safely used in rough weather by vessels of a greater draft than about 15 feet. The great majority of vessels frequenting this harbor (including nearly all that arrive from foreign ports) could not generally be taken to this pier for the purpose of disinfection. It is therefore suggested that other arrangements be made for the requirements of the quarantine service. July 1, 1891, balance unexpended.....

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

(See Appendix G 6.)

$422.45 422.45

7. Delaware Breakwater, Delaware.-Under the act of Congress, May 7, 1822, $22,700 was appropriated for a survey of Delaware Bay, near Cape Henlopen, for the purpose of determining upon the site for a har bor of shelter. In 1828 an appropriation of $250,000 was made for commencing the work under a plan submitted by a board of commissioners appointed by Congress.

The project of the board contemplated the construction in the concavity of the bay, just inside Cape Henlopen, of two massive works on the pierres perdues or riprap system, separated by an interval or gap of 1,350 feet, the greater, called the breakwater, to afford safe anchorage during the gales from the north and east; the other, called the icebreaker, to protect shipping against northwesterly gales and the heavy drifting ice of the bay.

This project was completed in 1869, under aggregate appropriations, including the first for survey, of $2,192,103.70. The stone used in the work amounted to 892,528 gross tons, and varied from one-quarter of a ton to 7 tons in weight, the smaller constituting the bulk of the mass, the larger used to cover the exterior slopes.

As completed in 1869 the breakwater is 2,558 feet long, and the icebreaker 1,359 feet long on top. The average width on top is 22 feet, and at base 160 feet. The top is from 12 to 14 feet above mean low water.

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