JJ 22. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF HARBOR AT PORT WASHINGTON, WISCONSIN. [Printed in House Doc. No. 227, Fifty-eighth Congress, second session.] WAR DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, Washington, December 4, 1903. SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith a report, dated January 13, 1903, by Maj. J. G. Warren, Corps of Engineers, on preliminary examination of harbor at Port Washington, Wis., ordered by the river and harbor act approved June 13, 1902. This harbor has heretofore been improved by the United States, and Major Warren is of opinion that the existing harbor facilities are adequate to the present and prospective demands of commerce, and that no further improvement is necessary at this time. This opinion is concurred in by the division engineer, Lieut. Col. O. H. Ernst, Corps of Engineers. A résumé of the operations for the improvement of this locality and a statement of the existing conditions there are given in the accompanying report of July 11, 1903, by the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors, which has reviewed this report in accordance with the provisions of sections 3 and 14 of the above-mentioned act. A public hearing has been held, at which interested parties were given an opportunity to express their views, and the Board concludes, for reasons stated, that the further improvement of Port Washington Harbor by the General Government is not advisable at the present time. I concur in the views of the Board. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, G. L. GILLESPIE, Brig. Gen., Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army. Hon. ELIHU ROOT, REPORT OF MAJ. J. G. WARREN, CORPS OF ENGINEERS. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Milwaukee, Wis., January 13, 1903. GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report upon a preliminary examination, made in compliance with instructions contained in letter dated Office of the Chief of Engineers, United States Army, June 23, 1902, to comply with item in section 14, river and harbor act of June 13, 1902, as follows: "Harbor at Port Washington,' Wis. Port Washington is situated on the west shore of Lake Michigan, about 25 miles north of Milwaukee and about 27 miles south of Sheboygan, Wis. Its population in 1900 was 3,010. The Ashland division of the Chicago and Northwestern Railway is its only railway line. The original project for the improvement of this harbor was adopted in 1869, and, as subsequently modified, provided for a small artificial harbor, consisting of two interior basins having a combined area of about 5 acres, and connected with Lake Michigan by a channel between parallel piers, about 150 feet apart, the depth in channel and basins to he 13 feet below the established datum plane, which is 3.06 feet below the plane of reference of United States Lake Survey, or high water of 1838, or 581.28 feet above mean tide at New York City. The present project was completed in 1896. Since then the expenditures at this harbor have been for maintenance. The total amount appropriated for the improvement of this harbor is $204,936.50. The Sauk River, so called, is only a small creek which empties into Lake Michigan at Port Washington. This stream offers no advantages for the construction and development of an interior harbor. On the contrary, it has been necessary to prevent its discharge into the harbor basin, which was rapidly filling up with the silt brought down in time of freshets. Bluffs from 50 to 100 feet high rise from the shore both north and south of the harbor, so that the area available for an artificial interior harbor is limited, and has been fully utilized in the construction of the present basins. The area of the harbor can only be increased by the construction of exterior works, thereby utilizing the lake front for harbor purposes. Such construction, it is my experience, can only be justified when a corresponding benefit to the general interests of commerce is reasonably certain. The principal industry of Port Washington is the manufacture of chairs, carried on by one concern, which occupies nearly all the frontage on the north basin. Other industries of lesser importance are two foundries, a malting company, two brickyards, a furniture factory, and a tannery. The present depth in the harbor is 13 feet below the aforesaid established datum plane. At the time of the adoption of the present project this depth was actual and ample for all needs of commerce on the Great Lakes. At the present time, however, owing to the great increase in the draft of vessels and the lowering of the level of Lake Michigan, only the smaller craft can enter the harbor, the actual depth being about 11 feet. The present harbor could be increased in depth by dredging, but, owing to the limited and restricted area of the basins, there is no doubt that were the depth increased so as to permit vessels of deeper draft to enter, the harbor could be used only in calm weather. Experience has shown, in the case of other harbors on the west shore of Lake Michigan, that an increase in depth produces a corresponding increase in disturbance in the harbor as a result of storms. At the present time and under existing conditions it is unsafe for any but small craft to enter the harbor of Port Washington or to remain there during heavy storms, the combined area of the two basins being insufficient to allow the inrushing water to spread out and thereby still itself; and, as has already been stated, the available area for interior basins is now fully utilized. If the depth were to be increased, it is believed that it would be unsafe for vessels to attempt to enter or to remain in the present harbor, except during calm weather, and that, so far as a "harbor" is concerned, it would be little better than the old "bridge piers" of thirty years ago, that extended directly from the shore into the lake. To make the harbor of Port Washington available for deeper draft vessels at all times, it would therefore be necessary to construct one or more breakwaters, thus forming a protected exterior harbor. There are no regular lines of steamers calling at Port Washington. The Goodrich Transportation Company, which maintains a regular line of steamers for both freight and passengers on the west shore of Lake Michigan, never call at Port Washington. During the season of 1902 the Barry Transportation Company attempted to maintain a regular line of steamers calling at this harbor. The service was, however, very irregular. The commerce of Port Washington is small and entirely local in its character. The principal imports by way of the harbor are coal and lumber for local consumption. The amount of coal thus imported does not exceed 9,000 tons per annum; the imports of lumber do not exceed 7,000,000 feet B. M. per annum. No coal is shipped from Port Washington into the interior of the State. The exports by way of the harbor are insignificant. A claim has been put forward by persons interested in the improvement of this harbor that it is often sought as a harbor of refuge by weather-bound vessels." It is not known that any vessels, except fishing vessels and similar small craft, seek Port Washington as a harbor of refuge. Such vessels are of light draft and can readily enter the present harbor, and, for reasons already stated, any deepening of the harbor would prove harmful rather than beneficial to them. In my opinion, therefore, and for reasons already stated, the claim for a harbor of refuge is not well taken. On April 18, 1899, a report was made on a preliminary examination at Port Washington, and subsequently published in House Document No. 44, Fifty-sixth Congress, first session. As some of the people at Port Washington expressed dissatisfaction with that paper, every opportunity has, in the present case, been given to those interested to be heard and to present such facts and figures as might enable them to establish a claim for better harbor facilities. a As a result of several conferences with leading citizens, the petition " appended, marked "A," was received. As this was of a very general nature, and as nothing was furnished in support of the claims which it set forth, a set of questions was prepared and sent to the principal signers of the petition, with request for categorical answers. Those received are appended, marked "B," a "C," a 66 In view of all the information obtainable and of the facts as submitted herewith, I am of the opinion that the existing harbor facilities at Port Washington, Wis., are adequate to the present and prospective demands of commerce at that place and that no further improvement is necessary at this time; therefore no survey is recommended. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Brig. Gen. G. L. GILLESPIE, J. G. WARREN, Major, Corps of Engineers. Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. (Through the Division Engineer.) a Not printed. [First indorsement.] OFFICE DIVISION ENGINEER, NORTHWEST DIVISION, Respectfully forwarded to the Chief of Engineers. The local conditions at Port Washington being unfavorable to harbor improvement except at great cost, and the prospective trade of the port not being sufficient to justify a heavy expenditure, I concur in the opinion that no enlargement of the present project is desirable, and in the recommendation that no survey be made. O. H. ERNST, Lieut. Col., Corps of Engineers, Division Engineer, Northwest Division. [Second indorsement.] OFFICE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. ARMY, February 5, 1903. Respectfully referred to the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors constituted by Special Orders, No. 24, Headquarters, Corps of Engineers, series of 1902, for consideration and recommendation, as required by section 3 of the act of June 13, 1902. By command of Brig. Gen. Gillespie: A. MACKENZIE, Colonel, Corps of Engineers. [Third indorsement.] BOARD OF ENGINEERS FOR RIVERS AND HARBORS, Washington, D. C., July 11, 1903. Respectfully returned to the Chief of Engineers, United States Army. The Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors has considered the within report of the district officer on a preliminary examination of "Harbor at Port Washington," Wis., the indorsement of the division engineer thereon, and all other data available. On June 24, 1903, a committee of the Board inspected the locality and held a public hearing, at which interested parties were given opportunity to express their views. Port Washington is situated upon the west shore of Lake Michigan, about 25 miles north of Milwaukee, and about 27 miles south of Sheboygan. It is a manufacturing town, with a population in 1900 of 3,010. The only railroad passing through Port Washington is the Chicago and Northwestern, which here parallels the lake shore. The harbor is artificial, consisting of two interior basins or slips, connected with the lake by a channel between parallel piers 150 feet apart. The present depth in basins and channel is 13 feet, measured from the established datum plane, or about 11 feet measured from the present lake surface, and this is the depth required under the existing project. The available wharf frontage upon the two basins is about 2,200 feet. Due to neighboring bluffs, this could not be increased, nor could the area of the basins, about 5 acres, at reasonable expense. The absence of any interior transportation route other than the railroad above mentioned forbids expectation that products to or from interior points would seek Port Washington Harbor. The com merce, originating in the town or comprising articles destined for consumption or manufacture there, is all that would be affected by any improvement. Local industries include a large chair factory, a furniture factory, 4 foundries, 1 flouring mill, 1 brewery, 1 tannery, and 2 brickyards, employing in all about 1,500 men. About 7,000,000 feet B. M. of lumber is received annually at Port Washington, of which about one-half now comes by water. The local coal consumption is about 9,000 tons annually, and nearly all is received by water. The annual production of bricks is reported at 5,000,000, of which 3,000,000 are barged to Milwaukee. There are no wholesale distributing houses at Port Washington, package freight received being for local consumption only. It is estimated by interested parties that the total freights in and out aggregate about 70,000 tons, about one-third by water. The wharf frontage and basin area are ample for all commerce, existing or prospective. Much of the interior harbor is exposed to wave action, and existing depths forbid the entrance of other than light-draft vessels. Due primarily to insufficient depths, no regular line of steamers now makes Port Washington a port of call. It is possible that the saving due to decreased freight rates might exceed the expense of maintenance and the interest on the original cost of the improvements necessary to obtain and protect an interior harbor of suitably increased depth. Nevertheless, the harbor is too near Milwaukee to give promise of becoming a general distributing point or of developing any trade of other than local importance. There are many such harbors, the improvement of which would be of undoubted local benefit, but can not be undertaken for financial reasons until places of more general importance have been suitably provided for. For this reason the Board records its opinion that the further improvement at Port Washington by the General Government is not advisable at the present time. For the Board: H. F. HODGES, JJ 23. SURVEY OF HARBOR AT SOUTH MILWAUKEE, WIS. [Printed in House Doc. No. 116, Fifty-eighth Congress, second session.] WAR DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith a report dated April 10, 1903, by Maj. J. G. Warren, Corps of Engineers, on resurvey of harbor at South Milwaukee, Wis., with a view to a modification of the present plan of said harbor and the construction of a harbor suitable for the needs of commerce at said port, with plans and estimates of the same, ordered by the river and harbor act of June 13, 1902. |