Nos. 1298. Petition of the board of County Commissioners of Hampden County for approval of plans for building a bridge across Connecticut River between the city of Holyoke and the town of Chicopee, as authorized by chapter 350 of the acts of 1889. Approved October 30, 1890. 1299. Petition of the board of County Commissioners of Essex County for approval of plans for building a bridge across Powow River in the town of Amesbury, as authorized by chapter 66 of the acts of 1890. Approved October 30, 1890. 1300. 1301. Petition of George A. Hall for license to build a wharf by filling solid on Merrimack River in the city of Haverhill. Granted November 6, 1890. Petition of Choate Burnham for license to widen and extend his wharf, on piles, in Old Harbor Bay in the city of Boston. Granted November 6, 1890. 1302. Petition of Albin M. Richards for license to extend his wharf by filling solid on Mystic River in the city of Boston. Granted November 25, 1890. 1303. Petition of the Riverside Boat Club for license to build a boat-house, on piles, on Charles River in the city of Cambridge. Granted November 25, 1890. 1304. Petition of the West End Street Railway Company for license to dump snow and ice from bridges and wharves into tide waters in the cities of Boston, Cambridge and Chelsea, and the town of Medford. Granted December 4, 1890. 1305. Petition of the city of Boston for license to build a pile pier at the north ferry in Boston harbor at East Boston. Granted December 4, 1890. 1306. Petition of the West End Street Railway Company for license to build a pile wharf in South Bay in the city of Boston. Granted December 4, 1890. RECEIPTS FROM GRANTS OF PUBLIC LANDS. The amount received during the past year for grants of rights and privileges in lands of the Commonwealth, under licenses of this board for filling and for the erection of wharves and other structures in and over tide waters and great ponds, is $14,330.24. Other like assessments for a considerable amount have been made during the year, for which the money has not yet been paid into the treasury. Payment for such grants was first required by chapter 284 of the acts of 1874, now chapter 19, section 16, of the Public Statutes. Since the passage of that act, the total amount so received and paid into the State treasury has been $274,894.60. HARBOR IMPROVEMENTS BY THE UNITED STATES. The works of the national government for the preservation and improvement of the rivers and harbors on the coast of Massachusetts, have remained under the supervision of the same able and efficient officers of the Corps of Engineers, U. S. A., who had charge of them at the date of the last report, those on the Eastern section of the coast in charge of Lieut. Col. Samuel M. Mansfield, who is stationed at Boston, and those on the Southern section in charge of Maj. William R. Livermore, whose headquarters are at Newport. To both of these gentlemen, as to their predecessors, this board is indebted for courteous coöperation, and the public for valuable service. Improvements on the Eastern Coast of Massachusetts. At the request of the board, Colonel Mansfield has kindly furnished the following condensed report of the work done in the rivers and harbors under his charge during the year 1890: UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, The Board of Harbor and Land Commissioners of Massachusetts. GENTLEMEN : In accordance with your request of this day, I have the honor to furnish the following summary of the work done by the general government, during the year, in those rivers and harbors of Massachusetts which are under my charge: 1. Newburyport Harbor. The general project for the improvement of this harbor has not been changed. No active operations have been in progress, and the condition of the several works of improvement remains essentially as stated in the report for last year. The entrance channel over the bar has straightened and deepened, as shown by the survey of June, 1890. The funds provided for this work by the act of September 19, 1890, $25,000, will be expended during the next working season in extending the full section of the north jetty. 2. Harbor of Refuge, Sandy Bay, Rockport. No change has been made in the project. During the year 40,039 tons of rubble-stone were deposited in the breakwater, and its sub-structure is now essentially completed between cross ranges 140 and 3,540. The present available funds will deposit, approximately, 185,000 tons of stone in the sub-structure, and will extend it about 750 feet. 3. Gloucester Harbor. The condition of the improvement remains as stated in the report for last year, no work having been done. The sum of $15,000 now available will be expended in widening the channels in Harbor Cove 100 feet, and in completing the proposed improvement of the main harbor from its entrance to the steamboat wharf. 4. Manchester Harbor. No change has occurred in the condition of this improvement. During the next working season, a channel 40 feet wide, and 4 feet deep at mean low water, will be dredged from the entrance of the harbor to the railroad bridge. 5. Salem Harbor. The funds provided for this harbor by the act of September 19, 1890, will be expended in dredging a channel 50 feet wide from deep water off Derby wharf light to the head of navigation in South River. This channel will be 8 feet deep at mean low water to near the inner end of Derby wharf, and thence 6 feet deep. 6. Lynn Harbor. No change has taken place in the condition of this improvement since the date of the last report. The present available funds will be expended in completing the anchorage basin and in widening the inner channel. 7. Winthrop Harbor. The funds now available for this harbor will be expended in dredging a channel 3 feet deep at mean low water, and 35 feet wide, from the entrance to Rice's wharf. 8. Boston Harbor. No change has been made in the general project for the improvement of this harbor. During the year the ledges uncovered by dredging at the Upper Middle were removed, and repairs were made to the north head sea-wall at Deer Island. A detailed survey of the west end of Brewster spit showed that the main ship-channel had decreased in width, since it was dredged in 1874, to such an extent that the 23-foot curves, at mean low water, were but 475 feet apart. The funds now available for this harbor will be expended in widening the main ship-channel, at the west end of Brewster spit, to the full projected width, 625 feet; in extending the Gallop's Island sea-wall about 300 feet to the south-east; in repairing the sea-wall at Great Brewster; in extending the rip-rap shore protection at Long Island; in widening and deepening the channel between Nix's Mate and Long Island so that it will be 300 feet wide, 15 feet deep at mean low water; in widening the channel leading to Nantasket beach so that it will be 150 feet wide, 9 feet deep at mean low water; in extending the main ship-channel from Grand Junction wharf towards Jeffrey's Point, approximately 300 feet wide, 18 feet deep between Grand Junction wharf and the most eastern dry dock, thence gradually shoaling to a junction with 15 feet depth off Jeffrey's Point; in continuing the improvement of Charles River when the draws in the upper bridges shall have been altered; and for such other dredging, blasting, or repairs of sea-walls as may be found necessary. 9. Hingham Harbor. No change has occurred in the condition of this improvement. The funds now available will be expended in deepening the channel to 10 feet at mean low water. 10. Scituate Harbor. The project for the improvement of this harbor has not been changed. During the next working season the present available funds will be applied in widening and deepening the channel connecting the anchorage basin with the town wharves, so that it will be 100 feet wide, 3 feet deep at mean low water. 11. Plymouth Harbor. No change has occurred during the year. The funds provided by the act of September 19, 1890, will be expended in completing the basin, and in widening the channel of approach to 130 feet. The general project of improvement remains unaltered. No work has been done during the year, nor is any expected immediately, as the funds provided for this harbor by the last river and harbor act are not sufficient to effect any appreciable benefit to commerce. 13. Provincetown Harbor. No work was done during the year. A bulkhead about 2,000 feet long will be built, during the coming working season, on the inside of Long Point to cover its weakest section, about mile north-west of Wood End Light. 14. Merrimack River. No work has been done during the year, and the funds now available are specifically appropriated for the improvement of Mitchell's Falls. 15. Powow River. No action by the town authorities of Amesbury, in the matter of the drawbridge, has as yet been reported to this office, which will warrant the expenditure of the funds now available. 16. Ipswich River. No change in the condition of this improvement has occurred. The funds now available are not sufficient to complete the present project. 17. Weymouth Fore River. The general project for the improvement of this river is to widen and deepen the natural channel, so that six feet depth at mean low water can be carried to the head of navigation. The projected channel will be 100 feet wide to near the wharves at Weymouth Landing, thence to Braintree bridge 80 feet wide, and above the bridge 50 feet wide. The present available funds will be applied in dredging a channel of the full projected depth, 40 feet wide to Braintree bridge, and 25 feet wide above this bridge. |