It contains in the outer roadstead, the inner harbor, and in the channels connecting them, sufficient deep water for the most liberal demands of commerce, but the inner harbor and channel are obstructed by bowlders, ledges, and shoals, dangerous and inconvenient to shipping, and the outer harbor or roadstead is open to the action of all southerly winds. A plan of the harbor was published in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1887, page 506. The first project formed for improvement was submitted January 20, 1871, and was based on the survey ordered by act of July 11, 1870. (Report of the Chief of Engineers, 1871, page 869.) This project proposed the removal of certain bowlders from the inner harbor at a cost of $10,608.20, and the construction of a breakwater from Eastern Point over Dog Bar to Round Rock Shoal, at an estimated cost of $494,148.65. On November 10, 1884, Maj. C. W. Raymond, Corps of Engineers, by order of the special Board of Engineers that was considering the subject of the Sandy Bay Breakwater, submitted a project for two breakwaters at the entrance of Gloucester Harbor, one to cost $752,000 on essentially the same site as that proposed in 1871, and a supplementary one through Normans Woe Rock, to cost $607,000. This project and estimate are published in the Chief of Engineers' Report for 1885, page 534. On January 20, 1885, it was recommended, in accordance with act of July 5, 1884, that a survey of the inner harbor and of the reef of Muscle Point be made, and that Babsons Ledge be removed to 21 feet at mean low water. (Report of Chief of Engineers, 1885, page 541.) In the annual report for this harbor for 1887 a general project for its improvement was submitted, based on the survey provided for by act of Congress approved August 5, 1886. (Chief of Engineers' Report, 1887, page 500.) This project proposed to remove from the inner harbor 101 cubie yards of rock known to exist, and to dredge 216,000 cubic yards, scow measurement, at an estimated cost of $65,000; and to construct the breakwater, recommended in the project of 1884, that extends from Eastern Point to Round Rock Shoal, at an estimated cost of $752,000. The total appropriations for this harbor to date have been $40,000. The amount expended to June 30, 1891, was $24,648.60. The condition of the improvement June 30, 1891, was as follows: Clam Rock had been reduced from 1 foot to 9 feet at mean low water; Pinnacle Rock, from 8 to 163 feet, mean low water; rock off Pews Wharf, from 2 to 5 feet, mean low water; rocks off J. Friend's Wharf, from 13 to 17 feet, mean low water. All of the above rocks were reduced to the level of the surrounding bottom. Babsons Ledge had been reduced from 11 to 14 feet, mean low water; no work had been done on the breakwater. Two channels had been dredged in Harbor Cove, approximately parallel to the heads of the wharves; the east channel was 550 feet long; the west, 1,000 feet long; both were 40 feet wide and 10 feet deep at mean low water, except over a small ledge uncovered by the dredging off Parmenters Wharf. All the ledges obstructing the channel in the main harbor between Harbor Cove and Pews Wharf had been removed to the depth of the projected dredging in this part of the harbor, and a contract was in force with the Bay State Dredging Company to remove 40,000 cubic yards from Harbor Cove and the main harbor. Operations under this contract were commenced in July, 1891, and satisfactorily completed in November, 1891; 47,298 cubic yards were removed. At the date of this report the two channels in Harbor Cove are each 140 feet wide, 10 feet deep at mean low water, and the inner harbor has been improved from its entrance near Fort Point to the steamboat wharf, so that 15 feet depth at mean low water can be carried, except over four small ledges uncovered by the dredging near the Halibut Company's Wharf. To complete the improvement will require an appropriation of $40,000 for dredging and $732,000 for the breakwater at Eastern Point. Of this amount $305,000 could be expended to advantage during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1894, in completing the proposed dredging and in commencing the breakwater. The prospective advantages to commerce by the completion of the improvement are greater facilities and safety in the movement of vessels in the harbor, and a more safe anchorage for vessels seeking protection from southerly gales. Gloucester Harbor is in the collection district of Gloucester, Mass., of which Gloucester is the port of entry. The nearest light-houses are Ten Pound Island Light, in the harbor, and Eastern Point Light at its entrance. The accompanying commercial statistics for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, have been furnished by the collector of customs at Gloucester, Mass. The date and amount of appropriations for this work are as follows: Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.. 752, 000.00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1894 305, 000. 00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. Amount of revenue collected, 1890, $50,161.23; 1891, $19,800; 1892, All classes of vessels frequent the harbor, from 5 tons to 1,500 tons; greatest draft, 24 feet. The business of shipping salt to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland has been established during the fiscal year. Total number of vessels boarded during the year was 3,900. B 7. IMPROVEMENT OF HARBOR AT MANCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS. Manchester Harbor is situated about 53 miles northeastward from the entrance of Salem Harbor, Massachusetts. A chart of the harbor was published in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1888, Part 1, page 466. The outer sheltered roadstead contains, approximately, 300 acres, with 5 fathoms of water. The entrance channel from the roadstead to Proctors Point is everywhere at least 100 feet wide, at least 62 feet deep at mean low water, and is unobstructed. At the "narrows," distant 1,400 feet inside of Proctors Point, the depth in the channel is reduced to 11⁄2 feet at mean low water; thence to the town wharves, a further distance of 2,500 feet, no low-water channel exists. Near the town wharves the channel is crossed by the Boston and Maine Railroad (eastern division), on a bridge which is provided with a draw opening 28 feet wide. The original project for the improvement of this harbor was submitted November 28, 1887. It was based on a survey provided for in the river and harbor act of August 5, 1886. It proposed to dredge a channel 60 feet wide, 4,000 feet long, and 4 feet deep at mean low water from Proctors Point to the town wharves, at an estimated cost of $14,300. The total appropriations for this improvement to date have been: By the act of August 11, 1888 Total .... The expenditures to June 30, 1891, were $321.67. $2,500 5,000 7,500 At that date operations were in progress under a contract with Messrs. Hamilton and Sawyer to dredge 22,000 cubic yards. Work under this contract was commenced in June and satisfactorily completed in July, 1891; 22,052 cubic yards were removed; and, at the date of this report, the improved channel is 35 feet wide, 4 feet deep at mean low water from Proctors Point to the railroad bridge, a distance of 2,900 feet. To complete the improvement will require an appropriation of $6,800, all of which could be expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1894. Manchester Harbor is in the collection district of Gloucester, Mass., of which Gloucester is the port of entry. The nearest light-house is situated upon Bakers Island, 2 miles from Proctors Point. The existing commerce is nominal and the commercial statistics are included in Gloucester Harbor. No increase in the tonnage of the harbor is apparent, and no new lines of water transportation have been established. Salem Harbor, Massachusetts, is 12 miles to the northward of Boston, Mass. Fort Pickering Light marks its entrance, between Winter Island on the west and Naugus Head on the east. The harbor is 1,750 feet wide at its entrance and 5,500 feet long between the 12-foot contours of opposite shores. It contains a well-sheltered, entirely unobstructed anchorage of about 110 acres, of a greater depth than 18 feet, mean low water. In front of the city are extensive flats, which make long wharves necessary to reach deep water. The principal wharves of the city are located on "South River," a small stream which formerly drained a tidal basin on the southwestern side of the city. This basin is now practically filled up by city improvements. The river is 3,000 feet long to the head of navigation at South or Lafayette Street Bridge. It is crossed by a highway bridge about one-fourth of a mile below the head of navigation, with a draw opening 314 feet wide. The width of the river varies from 300 feet at its mouth to 150 feet at the head of navigation. The greatest depth of continuous low-water channel is 0.8 feet. The original project for the improvement of the harbor was submitted December 16, 1872. It was proposed to dredge a channel 1,730 feet long, 300 feet wide, 8 feet deep at mean low water, at an estimated cost of $32,000. This project was essentially completed, 1873–275. The present project for the improvement of the harbor was submitted December 2, 1889. It was based on a survey provided for in the river and harbor act of August 11, 1888. It proposed as follows: To clean out the channel of approach to South River to the original dimensions as dredged in 1873-275, viz: 300 feet wide at the entrance, and 150 feet wide off Derby Wharf Light, 8 feet deep at mean low water; to extend this channel with same depth, gradually reducing its width to 100 feet, to near the inner end of Derby Wharf, and from this point to the head of navigation excavate a channel 50 feet wide and 6 feet deep at mean low water. 1 The total length of the channel to be improved will be, approximately, 5,100 feet, and its excavation will require the removal of 85,000 cubic yards of material, at an estimated cost of $28,000. To date the total appropriations for this harbor have been $39,000. The expenditures to June 30, 1891, were $25,073.65. At that date the project of 1872 had been completed and a contract was in force with Mr. Augustus R. Wright to dredge 50,000 cubic yards in accordance with the project of 1889. Operations under this contract were commenced in July and satisfactorily completed in November, 1891. Fifty thousand two hundred and thirteen cubic yards were removed. A small ledge near Derby Wharf Light was uncovered by the dredg ing, and was removed under an agreement with Mr. Hiram W. Phillips at a cost of $315. At the date of this report the improved channel is 50 feet wide, 8 feet deep at mean low water, to near the inner end of Derby Wharf, and thence to the head of navigation 6 feet deep at mean low water. To complete the present project would require an appropriation of $14,000, all of which could be expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1894. Salem Harbor, including South River, Massachusetts, is in the collection district of Salem, Mass., of which Salem is the port of entry. The nearest light-house is Derby Wharf Light, Salem Harbor, Massachusetts. The accompanying commercial statistics for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, have been furnished by the collector of customs at Salem, Mass. The dates and amounts of appropriations for this work are as follows: Act of Amount of revenue collected, 1868, $29,687.14; 1891, $6,416.80; 1892, $3,611.62. |