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EXISTING CONTRACT.

Contract was entered into March 28, 1904, with Lake Superior Contracting and Dredging Company, of Duluth, Minn., and approved by Chief of Engineers, April 9, 1904, for dredging 40,000 cubic yards, more or less, in removing shoals between the piers, etc., at 17 cents per cubic yard, scow measurement, work to begin by June 1, 1904, and be completed by July 31, 1904.

Steam..

Sail or tow.

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C. MMERCIAL STATISTICS.

Arrivals and clearances of vessels at Grand Marais, Mich., 1903.

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REMOVING SUNKEN VESSELS OR CRAFT OBSTRUCTING OR ENDANGERING NAVIGATION.

On September 19, 1903, the steamer A. A. Parker foundered in Lake Superior off Grand Marais, Mich.

The location of the wreck, some 4 or 5 miles from the harbor, was swept without finding any obstruction, the wreck having probably sunk in a sandy bottom. It is improbable that the wreck forms any obstruction to navigation, and the expense of continuing the search

until it could be found would probably have been out of proportion to the benefits to be derived from the information to be received.

Captain Truedell, of the United States Life-Saving Service, kindly volunteered the services of himself and crew of five men and a surf boat, and rendered valuable assistance to the United States inspector on the Grand Marais pier work in the search for the wreck. In addition, a gasoline launch was used at an expense of $45.

On November 29, 1903, the steamer J. T. Hutchinson struck a reef about 6 miles west of Eagle River in Lake Superior and 1 mile from shore. The boat and a portion of its cargo were removed from the reef on December 7th, taken to Hancock, and the vessel temporarily patched for the rest of its journey.

An attempt was made on the 9th of December to make a survey at the location of the reef on which the steamer stranded, but this proved a failure on account of the depth of snow on land and the formation of ice on the water, causing the buoy at the location of the wreck to sink, and the work was given up. An expense of $72.24 was incurred on account of this work, and for several other minor items relating to wrecks.

An allotment of $200 from the indefinite appropriation for "Survey of Northern and Northwestern Lakes" was made in May, 1904, for locating the reef on which the steamer J. T. Hutchinson stranded, and this work is now being laid out, and will be completed during July, · 1904.

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RÉSUMÉ.

Cost of operations on each work, both for fiscal year ending June 30, 1904, and since the commencement of operations, with total vessel freight and estimated value of same.

fiscal

year ending June 30, 1904.

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h Includes logs.

49,790. 58 (10, 115, 990) 383, 119.68

8, 209, 553. 01 284, 397, 822 3, 241, 139, 028

a, b, c, d do not include logs, as follows: a 81,125,000 feet; b 250,000,000 feet; 2,400,000 feet; d 17,787,000 feet.

e Largely freight passing through the canals.

ƒ and g include Marquette Bay.

1891
1867
1897

136, 557.64

620, 954.56 ƒ 28, 169, 285 130, 717, 931

1880

1,073, 299

(25,005,316) 13, 915, 591

I I 12.

PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF HARBOR AT GRAND MARAIS, MINNESOTA, WITH A VIEW TO ASCERTAINING THE NECESSITY OF MAKING ANY CHANGE OR ADDITION TO THE EAST PIER.

[Printed in House Doc. No. 213, Fifty-eighth Congress, second session.]

WAR DEPARTMENT,

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS,
Washington, December 1, 1903.

SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith for transmission to Congress a report dated January 17, 1903, by Capt. David D. Gaillard, Corps of Engineers, giving the results of a preliminary examination authorized by the river and harbor act approved June 13, 1902, of the harbor at Grand Marais, Minn., "with a view to ascertaining the necessity of making any change in or addition to the east pier."

For reasons stated therein Captain Gaillard does not consider it advisable at the present time to recommend any such change or addition. The division engineer, Col. O. H. Ernst, Corps of Engineers, concurs in his opinion.

This report has been referred for consideration by the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors, as provided in sections 3 and 14 of said act, and a committee of the Board has visited the locality. Attention is respectfully invited to the Board's report of April 9, 1903, in third indorsement thereon.

Grand Marais Harbor has been improved by the General Government by dredging and the construction of breakwaters to provide a harbor of refuge, and the object of the present investigation is to ascertain the necessity of additional work on the east pier. In the opinion of the Board present commerce is sufficiently provided for by existing works, and I concur in its conclusion that at this time it is not desirable for the United States to undertake the further improvement of this locality.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. L. GILLESPIE,

Brig. Gen., Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army.

Hon. ELIHU ROOT,
Secretary of War.

REPORT OF CAPT. D. D. GAILLARD, CORPS OF ENGINEERS.

UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE,

Duluth, Minn., January 17, 1903. GENERAL: In compliance with Department letters of June 23 and July 3, 1902, I have the honor to submit the following report upon the preliminary examination of "Grand Marais [Minn.], with a view

to ascertaining the necessity of making any change in or addition to the east pier.

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The harbor at Grand Marais, Minn., is an elliptical bay whose major axis is about one-half mile, and whose minor axis is about one-fourth of a mile in length. Protection is given by two breakwater piers, each 350 feet long, from the east and west points of the bay. These piers have been completed, and an aggregate area of 26 acres dredged to a depth of at least 16 feet, all as contemplated in the project and at a cost of $163,954.63.

This harbor is the only harbor of refuge on the north shore between Two Harbors (Agate Bay) and the international boundary line. Its improvement was commenced in 1880, and the project was completed in 1901. The harbor is a small one, its total capacity, after future dredging, being about 61 acres.

Owing to the fact that the west pier projects so much farther south than the east pier, and to the existence of a large shoal area within 450 feet of the entrance, vessels experience more difficulty in entering the harbor during northeast storms than they did previous to the construction of the west breakwater.

The

The remedy for this condition of affairs would be the construction of a new east pier about 350 feet in length in prolongation of the rocky reef, and at an angle of about 45° with the present east pier, in removing a part of the old east, pier, and in dredging away about 9* acres of the shoal area near the entrance, previously described. estimated cost of construction of the new east pier, and of removing a part of the old east pier, is about $40,000. That of the dredging, involving the removal of about 122,000 cubic yards, is about $28,000. No railroads lead to Grand Marais, and inhabitants of the vicinity are totally dependent upon water transportation for their receipts and shipments.

The commerce of the port has been steadily increasing during recent years, the receipts and shipments for the calendar year 1901 being as follows:

Freight received and shipped, 1901.

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The commerce of the port is well protected by present improvements, which are in fair condition, the only difficulty being the risk of entering during northeast storms, for the reasons previously stated. So far as I can learn, no vessels have suffered injury in making the entrance since the completion of the west breakwater in August, 1901. The progress of development of the north shore, however, has been very great in recent years, and any large increase in the commerce of the port or in the size of the vessels entering it would render a change in existing conditions desirable. The first and most important remedy would be the dredging previously described, but the act approved June 13, 1902 (Public, No. 154), limits this preliminary examination to any change in, or addition to, the east pier, and therefore eliminates any recommendation in reference to dredging. Without the dredging a change in the location of the east pier, while beneficial, would not attain the desired result, and as present conditions are fairly satisfactory I do not consider it advisable at the present time to recommend any change in or addition to the east pier.

Rich mineral deposits are alleged to exist in the back country. Should these be opened up and connected with the lake by railroad, the harbor would become of considerable importance as an ore-shipping point.

Respectfully submitted.

D. D. GAILLARD,
Captain of Engineers.

Brig. Gen. G. L. GILLESPIE,

Chief of Engineers, U. S. A.

(Through the Division Engineer.)

[First indorsement.]

OFFICE DIVISION ENGINEER, NORTHWEST DIVISION,

Chicago, Ill., January 19, 1903.

Respectfully forwarded to the Chief of Engineers.

I concur in the opinion that no change in or addition to the east pier is at present necessary.

O. H. ERNST,

Lieut. Col., Corps of Engineers,

Division Engineer, Northwest Division.

[Second indorsement.]

OFFICE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. ARMY,

February 11, 1903.

Respectfully referred to the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors, constituted by Special Orders No. 24, Headquarters, Corps

a Not including 7,000,000 feet of logs.

ENG 1904-175

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