APPENDIX T T. IMPROVEMENT OF THE MOUTH OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER, OREGON AND WASHINGTON TERRITORY; OF THE ENTRANCES TO COOS AND YAQUINA BAYS; OF MOUTH OF COQUILLE RIVER AND OF UMPQUA RIVER, OREGON; AND OF CERTAIN RIVERS EMPTYING INTO PUGET SOUND AND GRAY'S HARBOR, WASHINGTON TERRITORY; CONSTRUCTION OF CASCADES CANAL, COLUMBIA RIVER; WATER-GAUGES ON COLUMBIA RIVER. REPORT OF CAPTAIN CHARLES F. POWELL, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, OFFICER IN CHARGE, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, ́1887, WITH OTHER DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE WORKS. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, SIR: I have the honor to send herewith annual reports upon river and harbor improvements under my charge for the year ending June 30, 1887. On the 9th of October, 1886, the charge of improving the Columbia River at the Cascades was transferred to me by Maj. W. A. Jones, Corps of Engineers. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, CHAS. F. POWELL, The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A. TTI. IMPROVEMENT OF THE MOUTH OF THE COQUILLE RIVER, OREGON. The plan is to build a half tide jetty or deflecting dike, about 3,400 feet long, from the left bank, inside of the old mouth, directed about magnetic west and passing 800 feet south of Rackliff Rock, for affording a channel to the sea through the former north cape and 10 feet deep at mean lower low water. The mean rise of tide above the reference plane is 4 feet. The original estimate of cost is $164,200. The amount expended on the project is $37,989.35. Jetty extension, under the appropriation of 1884, was closed in April, 1885. The structure built to that time is 1,523 feet long. The old channel was long, tortuous, shoal, and rendered extremely dangerous by numerous rocks. Captain Floyd, of the bar tug, states that he used 23 buoys to mark submerged rocks inside of the old entrance; exposed rocks existed both inside and outside of the entrance. The channel projected by the improvement was opened four years ago, or two years after the jetty was begun, and has since been maintained with but little variation in position and depth. This channel is short, direct, free from dangerous rocks, and 6 feet deep at low tide, or about double the former depth. From September to December, 1886, under the appropriation for that year, eleven compartments of outer close piling, previously left incomplete, were strengthened by framing and screw-bolting 8 by 8 inch timbers to the walls; 1,040 feet of tramway on bents were built to a quarry rock, and about 5,000 cubic yards of stone quarried and placed in the compartments to compensate for settlement, or placed at the foot of the bents of the quarry tramway. The drilling of the rock awash near the new channel and abreast of the middle part of the jetty was continued, twelve holes now having been sunk of an aggregate length of 120 feet. A high deposit formed around the rock, so its blasting was deferred until it might be again uncovered. Operations were resumed in May. The quarry was cleared; a boom for piles built at the outlet of the lagoon near the jetty, and an elevated track therefrom, 605 feet, over the old jetty, to the shore end of the close-piled work; also a storage platform, 16 feet by 45 feet, and an incline pile-way 40 feet at the boom; the pile-driving car was set up with new trucks, gins, and engine, and a jetty advance of 103 feet, well ballasted with stone, secured by the end of June. This makes the work to that time 1,626 feet long. The close-piled walls of the new structure are 7.5 feet apart between their middle lines, instead of 6 feet, and the cross-walls 50 feet, instead of 20 feet as in the former piled jetty, whose construction is described in the report for 1885. The work is being pushed out as far as practicable and some perishable material used, on account of an urgency for channel improvement, to the temporary prejudice of the profile of full strength. There is need of the full depth intended by the plan. The jetty should be extended to the projected length and then made permanent by heavy ballast and riprap; a short jetty on the north side is also required. The amount estimated for next year is for applica tion to these ends. The satisfactory improvement effected at the mouth of the Coquille River has been of benefit to the traffic of the valley and tributary coast by materially reducing vessel insurance rates and freight charges. Superintendent R. S. Littlefield has continued on this work, and given his good services to its successful prosecution. July 1, 1887, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1886... July 1, 1887, outstanding liabilities... $10, 119.94 13, 517.47 6,680.40 July 1, 1887, amount available Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.. 114, 000, 00 75,000.00 COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. The mouth of the Coquille River is in the collection district of southern Oregon. Empire City, on Coos Bay, is the port of entry. The nearest light-house is on Cape Arago, 12 miles northward. The principal industry of the valley is lumbering; the timber is a good quality of fir, white cedar, spruce, ash, and myrtle. A fleet of schooners carries the product to San Francisco, and brings back supplies. There is some vessel-building on the river. The upper part of the valley is agricultural. The dairy and grazing region, half way south to Port Orford, finds an outlet at the mouth of the Coquille. Coasters ascend to Coquille City, 28 miles, and the river is navigated by light-draught vessels 12 miles further. Captain I. Parker, of the Coquille Mill and Tug Company, wrote January, 1887, that "before any improvements had been made by the Government, and up to that time, we paid from $9 to $11 per M on out cargoes of lumber, and from $7 to $10 per ton freight on merchandise brought in the river. "At that time the only vessels that could safely navigate the bar were of not over 100,000 capacity, and often would be bar-bound from fifteen to sixty days for want of depth of water on the bar. These vessels did not draw over 7 feet when loaded. "Since our bar has been improved we have vessels running successfully, carrying out from 180,000 to 215,000, drawing up to 8 feet 8 inches. "The present rates on lumber are $4.75 per thousand, and about an average of $3 on merchandise per ton. We have paid no insurance on anything since the channel over the bar has been straight out. I believe those that do insure pay about 60 per cent. of what was formerly paid. "The interest on money invested in vessels and through quicker dispatch has been reduced one-half by the improvements." Similar statements were made by R. H. Rosa, esq., Averill & Dyer, merchants, and others. The following, furnished by Mr. Zachry T. Siglin, deputy collector, refer to the Coquille River, and are for the year ending June 30, 1887: Value of domestic imports, $210,000; exports, $391,000; coast wise arrivals, 33; clearances, 34; registered tonnage, 6,734.55 tons; new vessel on ways, 1; estimated tonnage, 9 tons. IMPROVEMENT OF THE ENTRANCE TO COOS BAY, OREGON. The plan is to build a half tide jetty or deflecting dike about 2,400 feet long from near Fossil Point, inside of the entrance, on a slightly curved line towards Coos Head, exterior to the entrance, for affording a direct channel of 14 feet depth at mean low water, and one less exposed to heavy seas and of easier access under storm winds than the ordinary natural channel. The mean rise of tide is 5.6 feet. The total appropriation is $163,750. The amount expended on the present plan is $132,101.69. The original estimate of cost is $600,000. Jetty work was last closed, from want of sufficient funds, in December, 1884. This structure, built as described in the previous report, measures, from about high-tide line to the foot of the end slope, 1,825 feet. The approved project for applying the appropriation of 1886, $33,750, consisted principally in quarry operations, retaining $31,000 until its use might appear judicious. The appropriation recommended, $160,000, was for continuing the jetty by working from land and for expense of dump-scows, tug hire, and laying a foundation course in advance. The small amount appropriated did not warrant the application of both these methods of work. The quarry operations were conducted last winter; they consisted in considerable betterments to the water supply, in sluicing the material overlying the rock, and in clearing the quarry for advantageous use when adequate funds should be provided. Sufficient stone is now conveniently exposed for such use. Subsequently a proposition, not yet acted upon, was submitted for applying the remainder of the present appropriation. I insert an extract from this project, since it describes the condition of the jetty and gives its history: The sea end of the work, as shown on the chart accompanying the approved project of a Board of Engineers, 1879, for applying the first appropriation, is about 900 feet distant from the end of the present jetty. The statement of the projected length of 2,400 feet is derived from the Annual Report of Chief of Engineers, 1881, which says that it is expected a further extension of 1,000 feet will maintain a depth of 19 feet at high water, and that the appropriation asked for is to make part of that extension. Of this extension of 1,000 feet about 600 feet remain to be built. It is not probable that the balance proposed now to be applied will build a bottom course of the cross-section named of over 400 feet. |