APPENDIX.

EXTRACT FROM REPORT OF MAJOR WILLIAM R. LIVERMORE TO CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A., FOR 1888.

IMPROVEMENT OF WARREN RIVER, RHODE ISLAND.

Warren River is an arm of Narragansett Bay north of the harbor of Bristol. This is a new work, and no appropriation had been made for it until by act approved August 5, 1886, Congress appropriated $5,000 for the improvement of the river. In his report, January 12, 1885, of the survey made in accordance with the act of July 5, 1884, Colonel Elliott stated that the obstructions to navigation were a rocky reef below Little Island and a submerged bowlder known as Bushworth Rock near mid-channel, opposite the lower wharf of the town of Warren, and recommended that this bowlder and the reef referred to be removed as far as it could be done with an expenditure of $5,000 for both purposes.

PLANS OF IMPROVEMENT.

The work of improvement is one that can not be well carried on by contractand the approved project is first to remove Bushworth Rock, and afterwards to remove the bowlders which lie submerged on the western side of the narrowest portion of the channel at Little Island, and also the projecting portions of the ledge beneath the bowlders, widening the channel as much as the funds available will allow; it also includes the hiring in open market of a vessel with working crew, sub-marine diver, firing battery, and steam-hoisting apparatus, and purchase of the explosives also in open market.

A plat of the river showing the proposed improvement near Little Island, was published in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1885, page 630.

OPERATIONS DURING THE LAST FISCAL YEAR.

The work of the removal of bowlders and ledge rock, under the approved project, was commenced August 1, and continued until November 23, when the During this time 811 tons of bowlders,

limit of the appropriation was reached.

ledge rock, and gravel, were removed and placed on the shore.

Mr. Theo. Topham was the local inspector of the work.

AMOUNT EXPENDED DURING THE LAST FISCAL YEAR AND RESULTS TO
JUNE 30, 1888.

The amount expended during the last fiscal year, including liabilities outstanding June 30, 1888, was $4,699.39. The result was the removal of Bushworth Rock to the depth of the surrounding water, and the removal of the bowlders and points of ledge rock over an area of about 1.8 acres, in the vicinity of Little Island, extending 550 feet along the narrowest part of the channel.

WORK REQUIRED TO BE DONE TO COMPLETE THE EXISTING PROJECT.

The work carried on from August to November, 1887, finished the improvement as far as projected:

Warren River is in the Bristol Warren collection district, which is a port of entry. There was no revenue collected in the last fiscal year. The nearest lighthouse is the light-house on Conimicut Point, Providence River. The nearest fortifications are fort on Dutch Island, and Fort Adams, R. I.

MONEY STATEMENT.

July 1, 1887, amount available.....

$4,969.50

July 1, 1888, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1887....

4,699.39

July 1, 1888, balance available.......

$270.11

IMPROVEMENT OF PAWTUCKET RIVER, RHODE ISLAND.

The navigable part of the Pawtucket (or Seekonk) River, an arm of Providence River, extends from Providence to Pawtucket, a city which has a popula tion of about 23,000, and extensive manufactures, depending largely on water transportation. The object of the improvement is to widen and deepen the

channel leading to Pawtucket, so that vessels of 12 feet draught can reach that city at mean low water. The mean rise and fall of the tide is about 5 feet.

ORIGINAL CONDITION.

Before improvement the channel in the river had a ruling depth of about 5

feet at mean low water.

PLANS OF IMPROVEMENT.

The original project, as modified in 1883, provides for the excavation by dredging of a channel 100 feet wide and 12 feet deep at mean low water from the deep water above Red Bridge to the ledge opposite Grant & Company's Wharf at Pawtucket; thence the deepening by blasting of the channel through the ledge to Pawtucket Bridge to the same depth and 40 feet wide.

A plat of the river showing the lines of the proposed channel was published in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1884, page 608.

AMOUNT EXPENDED AND RESULTS TO JUNE 30, 1887.

The amount expended to June 30, 1887, was $110,969.70. The channel had been excavated under the original project to a width of 75 feet and a ruling depth of 7 feet at mean low water, and under the project as modified in 1883 a new channel 12 feet deep and 100 feet wide, with wide enlargements at the bends, had been carried from its mouth at the deep water just above Red Bridge, a distance of about 9,940 feet, or to a point about 2,200 feet above a line drawn from Bucklin Island to Swan Point Wharf.

OPERATIONS DURING THE LAST FISCAL YEAR.

At the beginning of the last fiscal year the work of dredging under the project for the expenditure of the appropriation of $30,000 of August 5, 1886, approved by the Chief of Engineers, was in progress and was continued until October 6, when the limit of the appropriation was reached. This project contemplated the continuation of the enlarged channel as far towards Pawtucket as the funds would allow, affording at the same time such relief as the commerce may require at the shoalest places above the main work.

The amount of material dredged was 72,248.58 cubic yards. Capt. M. S. Persons was the local inspector of the work,

AMOUNT EXPENDED DURING THE LAST FISCAL YEAR AND RESULTS TO

JUNE 30, 1888.

The amount expended during the last fiscal year, including liabilities outstanding June 30, 1888, was $20,160.29, and the result is the excavation of the channel about 2,800 feet up the river. There is now a channel 100 feet wide and 12 feet deep at mean low water from the deep water above Red Bridge to Bass Rock, or to within about 1 miles of the head of navigation.

This completed portion of the channel is already a great benefit to the commerce of the river. A ruling depth of about 6 feet can be carried from the upper end of our present work to Pawtucket.

WORK REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE EXISTING PROJECT.

The work yet to be done is to excavate, by dredging, the channel 12 feet deep and 100 feet wide, from Bass Rock to a point opposite Grant & Company's Wharf and thence to Pawtucket Bridge, to deepen the channel through the ledge to the same depth with a width of 40 feet.

OPERATIONS CONTEMPLATED FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1889.

Should an appropriation be made for this work it is proposed to extend the channel toward Pawtucket.

Pawtucket is in the collection district of Providence, and that port is the nearest port of entry. The amount of revenue collected at Providence in the last fiscal year was $240,197.75. The nearest light-house is Sassafras Point Light. The nearest fortifications are Fort Adams, Newport, R. I., and the fort on Dutch Island, Rhode Island.

MONEY STATEMENT.

July 1, 1887, amount available..

$21,036.26

July 1, 1888, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabil ities outstanding July 1, 1887 ..

20,160.29

July 1, 1888, balance available....

875.97

Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888..

35,000.00

Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1889....

35.875.97

Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project..... 367,478.00

Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1890......

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

50,000.00

Together with large quantities of brick, iron, gravel, cotton, and various kinds of other merchandise which are used by this community.

There passed through the draw of the Washington Bridge, Pawtucket River, during the year 1887:

Providence River is an estuary of Narragansett Bay. The object of its improvement is to furnish a wide and deep channel for European and coastwise commerce from the ocean to Providence, a city of about 125,000 inhabitants, largely engaged in manufactures, and a port of entry for an extensive region of country with which it is connected by railroads. The mean rise and fall of the tide is 4.7 feet.

ORIGINAL CONDITION.

Before the improvement of the river was commenced, in 1853, many shoals obstructed navigation, and at one point in the channel, a place called "The Crook," the available low-water depth was but 4 feet.