Annual water levels of the northern and northwestern lakes.—Tables and diagrams showing the monthly means of water levels from July 1, 1887, to June 30, 1892, at Charlotte, Lake Ontario; and Oswego (from June 30, 1890), Erie, and Cleveland, Lake Erie; Milwaukee, Lake Michigan; Escanaba, Green Bay; Sand Beach, Lake Huron; Marquette, Lake Superior; and Sault Ste. Marie, being in continuation of those published in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1887, will be found in Appendix C C C 6. CONSTRUCTION AND IMPROVEMENT OF ROADS AND BRIDGES IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. Officer in charge, Maj. William A. Jones, Corps of Engineers, with Lieut. Hiram M. Chittenden, Corps of Engineers, under his immediate orders; Division Engineer, Col. O. M. Poe, Corps of Engineers. The construction of roads and bridges in the Yellowstone National Park was commenced in a systematic manner in 1883, when the direction of the work was placed in the hands of an officer of the Corps of Engineers. A number of small appropriations had been expended in the endeavor to make it possible to reach the main objects of interest; access was rendered possible, but only after a tiresome trip attended with considerable danger. Since 1883 the work has remained in the charge of the Engineer Department. At the outset the engineers adopted a project which has since been followed. It embraces a belt-line road, commencing at Gardiner, on the north boundary line of the park; thence to Mammoth Hot Springs; thence to Upper Geyser Basin via Norris Geyser and Lower Geyser basins; thence to the outlet of Yellowstone Lake via Shoshone Lake and the west arm of Yellowstone Lake, crossing the Continental Divide of the Rocky Mountains twice; thence to Yancey via the Falls and Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River; thence to Mammoth Hot Springs, completing a circuit of about 145 miles. There are also included in the project a road from the west boundary line of the park to intersect the road along the Yellowstone River between the lake outlet and the falls, via Lower Geyser Basin; a road from Norris Geyser Basin to the falls of the Yellowstone; a road from Yancey to the east line of the park, and short branch roads to points of interest, comprising in all about 225 miles of new roads with necessary bridges and culverts. Estimated costs as revised in 1889, $444,779.42. The act of Congress approved March 3, 1891, changed the project of the part of the belt line between Lower Geyser Basin and Yellowstone Lake by requiring the road to be built "by the shortest practicable route" from Fountain Geyser to the thumb of Yellowstone Lake. This change did not materially affect the cost. At the beginning of the year 62.85 miles of new roads had been constructed, which, in connection with parts of old roads kept in condition, enabled tourists to visit Mammoth Hot Springs, Norris Geyser Basin, Lower Geyser Basin, and Upper Geyser Basin, and the Falls and upper end of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River. A commencement by contract work had been made toward opening up the Shoshone and Yellowstone lakes regions to travelers. Total amount expended upon the project since commencement of work in 1883, to June 30, 1891, including outstanding liabilities, $259,779.42. Contracts had been entered into May 16, 1891, with Wyatt & Scott, for 7.5 miles, and William Z. Partello for 20.3 miles, i. e., from the thumb of Yellowstone Lake to the Grand Canyon via the lake outlet. Messrs. Wyatt & Scott prosecuted their contract to completion. Mr. . Partello failed to enter upon his contract, but the officer in charge had anticipated such action and was prepared to carry on the work by day's labor, which he did. In addition, the construction of the road from Fountain Geyser to the thumb of Yellowstone Lake, "by the shortest practicable route," was carried on by day's labor. By the close of the season of 1891 all of the above roads were completed, except two short sections which were opened sufficiently for travel, thus opening to tourists the last 53 miles of that part of the belt line commencing at Norris Geyser Basin; thence to Upper Geyser Basin via Lower Geyser Basin; thence to the thumb of Yellowstone Lake, "by the shortest practicable route;" thence to the Grand Canyon via Yellowstone Lake outlet; thence to Norris Geyser Basin. The estimates of "amount required for existing projects," which are annually submitted, only apply to the construction of new roads. They do not cover current repairs and maintenance. It is proposed to apply the sum of $150,000 asked for towards graveling weak places in completed roads; graveling new roads; completing road between Grand Canyon, Yancey, and Mammoth Hot Springs; repairs and maintenance of completed roads and old wagon trails. Amount expended during fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, including outstanding liabilities, $75,000. July 1, 1891, balance unexpended.. June 30, 1892, amount expended during fiscal year. July 1, 1892, balance unexpended. July 1, 1892, outstanding liabilities Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal ending June 30, 1894.. (See Appendix D D D.) MILITARY AND OTHER MAPS. $132, 980. 73 132, 885.81 94.92. 94.92 197,000.00 150, 000. 00 The following maps and plans have been photolithographed and an edition printed: Map of pier head and bulkhead lines for the west shore of Upper New York Bay from Jersey City to Constables Point, N. J. Map of pier head and bulkhead lines for the south shores of Raritan and Sandy Hook bays from the mouth of Cheesequake Creek to Highland Bridge across Shrewsbury River, New Jersey. Map of pier head and bulkhead lines for Gravesend Bay, New York Harbor, from Fort Hamilton to western end of Coney Island, New York. Map of pier head and bulkhead lines for Great and Little Mill rocks and the Government dike connecting them, Hell Gate, New York. Map of Boston Harbor, Massachusetts. Charles River from Market Street bridge to the Watertown dam. Boston Harbor Line Board, sheet N. Map of Boston Harbor, Massachusetts. South Boston Flats. Boston Harbor Line Board, Sheet O. Davis Island lock and dam, Ohio River, in 12 sheets. Detail drawings of lock and dam, No. 7, Great Kanawha River, West Virginia, in 15 sheets. Detail drawings of Kampsville lock and dam, Illinois River, Illinois, in 14 sheets. Map of the Department of the Columbia, 4th edition, 1892. RECONNAISSANCES AND EXPLORATIONS. The following officers have been on duty at the headquarters of the military departments engaged in preparing such maps and making such surveys as were required by their respective commanding officers: Capt. William L. Marshall, Corps of Engineers, at headquarters Department of the Missouri until April 23, 1892, since which date Lieut. Cassius E. Gillette, Corps of Engineers. Capt. Charles H. Clark, Ordnance Department, at headquarters Department of the Columbia until September 4, 1892, since which date Maj. Tully McCrea, Fifth U. S. Artillery. Capt. Charles A. Worden, Seventh U. S. Infantry, at headquarters Department of the Platte. Lieut. James E. Runcie, First U. S. Artillery, at headquarters Department of California until April 3, 1892; Lieut. Leonard A. Lovering, Fourth U. S. Infantry, until May 16, 1892; since which date Lieut. Charles G. Lyman, Second U. S. Cavalry. Lieut. Cassius E. Gillette, Corps of Engineers, engineer officer Department of the Missouri, reports, that no fieldwork has been done during the year, and that the office work has consisted in the preparation of maps, tracings, reproductions, etc., for use of the department commander and other officers connected with department headquarters, the most important of the work having been in connection with the campaign against hostile Sioux of Dakota, 1890-'91. (See Appendix E E E 1.) Maj. Tully McCrea, Fifth U. S. Artillery, acting engineer officer Department of the Columbia, reports that operations included minor surveys on the Vancouver Barracks military reservation, having reference to the location of roads and fences, and the preparation of plans for the extension of the sewerage system. Maps, tracings, and solar prints have been prepared and issued as required for official purposes, and additions have been made to the military maps of the department as new information became available. (See Appendix E E E 2.) Capt. Charles A. Worden, Seventh U. S. Infantry, acting engineer officer Department of the Platte, reports that a survey was made in October, 1891, of the northern, eastern, and southern boundary lines of the Fort Omaha military reservation. Work has been continued on the compilation of the map of the department east of the 103d meridian, which will be completed for reproduction and publication in a few weeks. Instruments have been received from the engineer depot, Willets Point, N. Y., and instruments, note books, maps, tracings, and blue prints have been supplied to the various posts from time to time. Maps of the department west of the 103d meridian, and large-scale blue print maps of northwestern Wyoming have also been issued to troops in the field. (See Appendix E E E 3.) Lieut. Charles G. Lyman, Second U. S. Cavalry, in charge of engineer office Department of California, reports that the office work involved the preparation of original drawings, tracings, and blue prints, coloring, mounting, and distribution of maps, the care and preservation of surveying and other instruments in store and issuing the same for use at the different posts and to the quartermaster's department. No fieldwork of any importance has been entered into during the year. (See Appendix E E E 4.) ESTIMATES FOR AMOUNTS REQUIRED FOR SURVEYS AND RECONNAISSANCES IN MILITARY DEPARTMENTS, AND FOR MAPS, INCLUSIVE OF WAR MAPS. For military surveys and reconnaissances and surveys of military reservations by the engineer officers attached to the several headquarters of military departments, being an average of $2,142.86 for each of seven military departments west of the Mississippi River, $15,000; for publication of maps for use of the War Department, inclusive of war maps, $10,000; total, $25,000. Attention is specially invited to this estimate for appropriation and to the important uses for which it is intended. At the headquarters of the military departments west of the Mississippi River there are stationed officers of the Corps of Engineers, or other officers detailed to act, whose duty it is to make reconnaissances for military purposes, to make such surveys and prepare such maps as may be required by their respective commanding officers. In recent. years no appropriations have been made for these purposes, and, consequently these officers have been very much cramped from lack of the necessary means, and the usefulness of their offices has been very much reduced in consequence. The maps of these departments are constantly in need of revision and additions, which the officers make so far as possible, but with no means even for the purchase of paper their efforts are limited in results. Paragraph 383 of the Army Regulations requires that the commanding officer of each post where there are fixed batteries bearing upon a channel will call upon the Engineer Department for accurate charts showing the soundings to the extent of the ranges of the guns. Calls upon this department to perform its duty under this regulation can not be honored from lack of means. Maps of certain military departments are now being prepared and should be published. Of the 1,100 copies of each map printed under the act alluded to, all those not printed in this office (47 sheets) have been exhausted for some time, and the calls for them can only be honored with sets deficient in that number of sheets. Besides all this, there is much information in this office relative to military geography which could with little expense be made available for the information of officers of the Army; for instance, there are on the office files detailed maps of regions of Europe which may become at an early day the theaters of war, and it would be of great advantage to the service if such information as these maps give could be made available for the study of officers, especially on the outbreak of hostilities. Were the means provided, this office would be glad to compile and to disseminate the information on its files. It is the policy of this country to keep a standing army small in numbers, but it is its expectation that it should be a highly instructed one, and a small outlay as here referred to will be conducive to that end. Applications from officers of the Army have been received for maps of certain regions of Europe, and it was with great regret that this office could not render this assistance to officers desirous of improving themselves professionally, especially when the material was on its filles. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, the following-named officers were in charge of the several divisions of the office of the Chief of Engineers: FIRST DIVISION.-Fortifications and Surveys relating thereto—Arma ment of Fortifications-Sites for Engineer Defenses-Boards of Engineers for Defenses-Military Reservations-Land files-Public Buildings and Grounds-Washington Aqueduct-Roads and Bridges in Yellowstone National Park. SECOND DIVISION.-Battalion of Engineers-United States Engineer School and Engineer Depot and Post-Professional Papers and Informa tion-Personnel-Orders. Capt. John G. D. Knight. THIRD DIVISION.-Improvement of Rivers and Harbors and Surveys relating thereto-Bridging Navigable Waters of the United States-The removal of Wrecks Obstructing Navigation. Maj. Henry M. Adams. FOURTH DIVISION.-Accounts for Disbursements-Contracts—Returns of Engineer Property and Instruments—Application for Remittances— Appropriations and Estimates-Blank Forms. FIFTH DIVISION.-Survey of the Lakes-Explorations and SurveysReconnaissances-Maps-Instruments-Claims. Capt. Thomas Turtle. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. S. B. ELKINS, Secretary of War. THOS. LINCOLN CASEY, Brig. Gen., Chief of Engineers. |