AMOUNT EXPENDED DURING LAST FISCAL YEAR AND RESULTS TO JUNE 30, 1887. The amount expended during the last fiscal year was $660.29. Work under the present project had not been commenced. THE WHARF AT BLOCK ISLAND. In his last Annual Report Col. Elliot recommended that the Government wharf on the land side of the inner harbor of refuge at Block Island should be turned over to the town of New Shoreham, the corporate name of Block Island, and that the following provision be attached to the item for Block Island in the next river and harbor bill: Provided, That the wharf on the land side of the inner harbor may be turned over to the town of New Shoreham for the public use of said town, but no tolls or charges shall ever be exacted for the use of said wharf by public vessels of the United States, or freight carried in such vessels. And I would respectfully renew the recommendation. The location of this wharf may be seen in the plat published at page 613 of the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1885. WORK REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE EXISTING PROJECT. The work required to complete the existing project is the completion of the filling of the gap to its full height of 6 feet above mean high water and its full width at top of 25 feet, and the enlargement of the inner harbor of refuge. OPERATIONS CONTEMPLATED FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1888. It is proposed to devote the funds on hand July 1, 1887, to carrying on the filling of the gap in the main breakwater, as far as the funds provided for it will admit, and to the commencement of the enlargement of the inner harbor. Block Island is in the Newport collection district and Newport is the nearest port of entry. The revenue collected at Newport in the last fiscal year was $2,184 51. There is no duty collected at the island. The value of the harbor is mainly as a harbor of refuge. There are four lights at the island, the north and south lights, and the breakwater lights. The nearest fortification is Fort Adams, Newport, R. I. July 1, 1887, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project...... 50,189 00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1889..... Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. 50,189 00 Abstract of proposals for furnishing riprap granite for filling the gap in the main breakwater, and for the commencement of the enlargement of the inner harbor at Block Island, received at Engineer office, United States Army, Newport, R. I., in response to advertisement dated March 21, 1887, and opened at 12 o'clock, noon on Thursday, April 21, 1887. [Work to be commenced thirty days after signing of contract, except otherwise agreed in writing, and to be finished on or before July 1, 1888.] Contract awarded to William H. Molthrop & Co., with the approval of the Chief of Engineers, and dated May 11, 1887. Time of commencement extended to July 15, 1887. COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. [Furnished by Hon. Nicholas Ball, Block Island.] Report on the arrival and departure of steam and sail ressels, together with imports and exports to and from Block Island, for the year ending December 31, 1886. Lumber received (about).. General Merchandise, not included in the above, imported and exported. .feet.. tons... 225 12,000 4,000,000 15,000 Arrivals and Departures for the year. Number. Steamers from 50 to 1,000 tons, drawing from 3 to 10 feet of water 1,890 116,000 IMPROVEMENT OF PAWCATUCK RIVER, RHODE ISLAND AND CONNECTICUT. The navigable part of Pawcatuck River extends from the manufacturing town of Westerly to Little Narragansett Bay, into which it empties. The approach to the river is through Stonington Outer Harbor and Little Narragansett Bay, and the object of the improvement is to deepen and widen the river channel leading from this bay to Westerly. The mean rise and fall of the tide is 2.60 feet at the mouth of the river, and 2.30 feet at Westerly. ORIGINAL CONDITION. Before improvement the channel was crooked and obstructed by numerous shoals, on some of which there was but 14 feet at mean low water. PLANS OF IMPROVEMENT. By means of appropriations made in the years 1871-'75, the river was improved by the United States by the excavation of a channel 54 feet deep at mean low water and 75 feet wide below the wharves, and from 35 to 40 feet wide between the lower and upper wharves. Colonel Elliott's report of a resurvey of the river made in compliance with the river and harbor act of July 5, 1884, which was accompanied by a plat and an estimate of cost ($38,637.50) and was published in the Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1885, Vol. I, pages 623 625, recommended the further widening of the channel to 100 feet below the wharves and by an additional width of two cuts of an ordinary dredging. machine, or about 40 feet, between the lower and upper wharves; also the deepening of the entire channel to 8 feet at mean low water. AMOUNT EXPENDED AND RESULTS TO JUNE 30, 1886. The amount expended on the original project was $50,000, and it was completed. OPERATIONS DURING THE LAST FISCAL YEAR. An appropriation of $12,000 having been made by act of Congress of August 5, 1886, advertisements were issued October 4, 1886, inviting proposals for dredging under the approved project. The bids received and terms of contract will be found in appended table. The work of dredging was commenced in the lower reaches of the river April 21, 1887, and 19,721.33 cubic yards were excavated up to the end of the fiscal year, at which time the work was still in progress. Mr. A. H. Dickens was the local inspector of the work. AMOUNT EXPENDED DURING THE LAST FISCAL YEAR AND RESULTS TO JUNE 30, 1887. The amount expended during the last fiscal year, including liabilities outstanding June 30, 1887, was $3,535.12, and the result was the completion of the channel to its full width and depth from the deep water opposite the village of Lottery to Certain Draw Point, with the exception of a small amount of ledge rock which extends into the channel near the latter point. WORK REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE EXISTING PROJECT. The work required to complete the existing project is the dredging of the channel to a depth of 8 feet at mean low water, and width of 100 feet from Certain Draw Point to Westerly, and a width of 40 feet between the upper and lower wharves of that town. OPERATIONS CONTEMPLATED FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1888. It is proposed to continue the work of widening and deepening the channel according to the new project as far toward Westerly as the funds will admit, which will carry the work to about Major's Island, and also to afford such relief as the commerce of the river may require at the shoalest places in advance of the main work. Pawcatuck River is in the collection districts of Providence and Stonington, the dividing line passing through the river. Providence and Stonington are the nearest ports of entry. The revenue collected in the last fiscal year was Providence, $222,195.01; Stonington, $1,112.22. The nearest light-houses are the Stonington and Watch Hill lights. The nearest fortification is Fort Trumbull, New London, Conn. MONEY STATEMENT. Amount appropriated by act approved August 5, 1886.. .$12,000 00 July 1, 1887, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1889...... ..... 26,637 00 26,637 00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. Abstract of proposals for dredging in Pawcatuck River, Rhode Island and Connecticut, received at Engineer Office, U. S. Army, Newport, R. 1., in response to advertisement dated October 4, 1886, and opened at 12 o'clock, noon, on Wednesday the 27th day of October, 1886. Contract awarded to A. J. Beardsley & Son, with the approval of the Chief of Engineers, and dated November 17, 1886. Time of commencement extended to May 1, 1887, and time of completion to November 15, 1887. |