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year ending June 30, 1892, was $2,221.71, which was applied to payments

on contract, office expenses, etc.

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6. Appomattox River, Virginia. -This is one of the principal tributaries of the James River, into which it empties at City Point, Va.

It is navigable as far as the city of Petersburg, about 11 miles from its mouth.

Before improvement this river had a tortuous channel, obstructed by shoals, over which there was about 63 feet of water at high tide.

The plan of improvement, adopted in 1870, was to secure a channel 12 feet deep at high tide, with as much width as the river would bear.

The amount expended by the United States up to June 30, 1891, was $397,329.54, which resulted in maintaining a channel 10 to 12 feet deep in this river since 1874 and permanently securing this depth over most of the shoals.

The method of improvement consists in constructing regulating works, revetments, jetties, dikes, etc., resorting to the dredge to remove occasional shoals formed by freshets.

As this river is subject to annual freshets, which bring down and deposit larger quantities of sand than the current in the navigable portion can carry off, a small annual expenditure for dredging and repair work will be necessary after the regulating works have been completed. The amount expended on this improvement during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, was $7,258.09, which was applied to payments on contract, work by hired labor, office expenses, and care of property.

The contract work, comprising 18 jetties, with an aggregate length of about 2,200 feet, and 892 feet of pile and brush dike, was completed. By hired labor all dikes were refilled with brush; Rushmore dam was replaced by a gravel dam; the closure dike was strengthened by a brush and gravel dam in rear, and a dam of brush and gravel was placed across Steins Cut.

Complaint having been made of shoals having been formed by freshets at the lower end of Puddledock Cut and on Magazine Bend, authority was obtained and work commenced upon their removal by hired labor, the use of Government plant, and the hire of dredge belonging to the city of Petersburg, Va.

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7. Inland water route from Norfolk Harbor, Virginia, to Albemarle Sound, North Carolina, through Currituck Sound.-This is one of the

most important links in the chain of inland water communication along the Atlantic coast.

It connects Chesapeake Bay with Albemarle Sound and is composed of the following bodies of water: Elizabeth River, North Landing River, Currituck Sound, Coanjok Bay, North River, and the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal. With the exception of the canal, which was constructed and is maintained by private enterprise, all are natural waterways.

Before any improvement was undertaken by the Government there was over this route an indifferent channel 5 to 7 feet deep at low water, the navigation of which was obstructed by snags, overhanging growth, and sharp bends in all the rivers.

The project adopted was to secure a channel 80 feet wide and 9 feet deep at low water over the entire route, about 58 miles, by dredging, removing obstructions, and constructing a dike.

Steady progress has been made toward securing this result, and at present the regular steamboat lines running between North Carolina ports and Norfolk and Baltimore employ vessels whose maximum dimensions are: length, 190 feet; width, 25.2 feet; draft, 8 feet, and tonnage, 421.

In the river and harbor acts before that of September 19, 1890, three separate items were inserted for this improvement; in that of September 19, 1890, one item was made to cover the entire route.

The total expenditure up to June 30, 1891, was $235,089.89.

Work was commenced on the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River under contract in December, 1891, and completed in March, 1892, 32,308 cubic yards of material being removed. Nine shoals, having a total length of 7,950 feet, were dredged to not less than 9 feet deep for a channel not less than 50 feet wide. Another shoal 600 feet long was dredged 25 feet wide, and a width of 50 feet was removed from a point of shoal.

The amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, upon this improvement was $8,742.39, which was applied to payments on contract, office expenses, etc.

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Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

(See Appendix K 7.)

$9,480.96

8,742.39

738.57

9,000.00

9,738.57

49, 677.08

8. North Landing River, Virginia and North Carolina.-This river forms part of the "inland water route from Norfolk to Albemarle Sound" described above.

Before improvement the navigation of this river was obstructed by shoals, over which the depth was 6 feet at low water, by snags, and by sharp bends.

The plan of improvement adopted in 1879 was to secure a channel 80 feet wide and 9 feet deep at low water by dredging shoals and removing bends and obstructions.

This project was completed June 30, 1884, at a cost of $49,777.34, and the desired channel obtained for a distance of 17 miles. Since

that time $3,057.35 has been expended on this river in removing sunken logs which have become detached from passing rafts.

There is still a small balance on hand for the continuation of this work, and no further appropriation is necessary.

July 1, 1891, balance unexpended

July 1, 1892, balance unexpended (See Appendix K 8.)

$2,665.31 2,665.31

IMPROVEMENT OF CERTAIN RIVERS AND HARBORS IN VIRGINIA,NORTH CAROLINA, AND SOUTH CAROLINA.

Officers in charge, Capt. W. H. Bixby, Corps of Engineers, to October 31, 1891, with Lieut. Mason M. Patrick, Corps of Engineers, under his immediate orders; Lieut. Mason M. Patrick, Corps of Engineers, in temporary charge from October 31, 1891, to January 1, 1892; and Maj. W. S. Stanton, Corps of Engineers, in charge since January 1, 1892, having under his immediate orders Lieut. Mason M. Patrick, Corps of Engineers, to April 21, 1892, and Lieut. E. W. Van C. Lucas, Corps of Engineers, since April 30, 1892; Division Engineer, Col. Wm. P. Craighill, Corps of Engineers.

1. Staunton River, Virginia.-The improvement has been restricted to two sections, aggregating 65 miles in length and separated by an interval of 20 miles.

When, in 1879, the United States commenced the improvement of the lower section, 31 miles long, from Randolph up to Brook Neal, the channel depth at about 18 rock ledges was only 1 to 2 feet, but elsewhere 4 to 5 feet at low water.

The project of 1879, not since modified, was to secure a boat channel way 35 feet wide and at least 2 feet deep at low water throughout the 31 miles.

When, in 1883, the United States commenced the improvement of the upper section, 23 miles long, from the Virginia Midland Railroad Bridge up to Pig River, the channel depth at about 20 rock shoals was only about .4 foot, and elsewhere about 2 feet at ordinary stages of water.

The project of 1883, as modified in 1884 and 1887, was to secure a bateau channel way 14 feet wide and 12 feet deep over the entire section.

To June 30, 1891, $44,500 was expended upon the improvement of the two sections.

At that date the proposed channel had been obtained for 29 miles of the middle part of the lower section, and for 18 miles of the upper section, giving for the 31 miles of the former a fairly cleared channel for steamers of 2 feet draft and of about 25 tons burden, and making navigation for pole boats fairly good over the entire upper section up to Pig River.

October 31 and November 9 the discontinuance of the improvement was recommended by the district engineer and division engineer, and approved November 10, 1891, by the Chief of Engineers.

No work has been done during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892. July 1, 1891, balance unexpended.......

June 30, 1892, amount expended during fiscal year

July 1, 1892, balance unexpended

July 1, 1892, outstanding liabilities

July 1, 1892, balance available

$7,981. 74

147.00

7,834.74

34.74

7,800.00

Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.. Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

(See Appendix L 1.)

155

$50, 200.00

2. Roanoke River, North Carolina.-When the United States commenced its improvement, in 1872, its navigation by vessels of 10 feet draft (as great as can be carried through Albemarle Sound), was embarrassed by the wreck of a gunboat 6 miles and by war obstructions at two points 9 and 13 miles above its mouth; also somewhat obstructed for that draft by snags in the channel and by leaning trees 67 miles to Indian Highland Bar; thence, 62 miles up to Weldon, its channel depth on the bars was about 5 feet during eight months annually, but reduced to 2 feet during the annual season of extreme low water, and its channel was badly obstructed by snags, logs, stumps, leaning and overhanging trees.

The original project of 1872 is to secure, at all seasons of the year, an unobstructed channel, with a least width of 50 feet, from the mouth 129 miles to Weldon, with a depth of at least 10 feet 67 miles to Indian Highland Bar, and of at least 5 feet 62 miles farther, to Weldon, by removing the war obstructions, snags, fallen and overhanging trees, sand bars, and ledges, by dredging, the construction of training dikes, and blasting, at an estimated cost of $269,000.

To June 30, 1891, $119,040.37 had been expended upon the improvement.

At that date the channel, for a width of 100 feet, from the mouth 103 miles to Looking Glass Bar, and the river to its full width thence 26 miles to Weldon, were well cleared of snags, logs, and stumps to the depth of 10 feet up 62 miles to Hamilton, of 5 feet thence 41 miles to Looking Glass Bar, and of 3 feet 26 miles farther to Weldon; but the river was badly obstructed by leaning and overhanging trees at all the bends from Jamesville 85 miles to Looking Glass Bar.

The natural depth at extreme low water to the river bottom was not less than 10 feet 67 miles to Indian Highland Bar, and 5 feet 51 miles farther to Halifax, excepting at Spring Gut Bar, 35 miles below Halifax, where it was only 24 feet, while at Looking Glass Bar, 15 miles below Halifax, the 5-foot channel was narrowed to from 30 to 70 feet in width.

At Halifax there was a bar, 2,450 feet in length, of rock and sand, with a depth of only 3.7 feet at extreme low water, and at the old railroad pier, 14 miles below Weldon, there was a sand bar 800 feet across with a depth of about 2 feet, while from the old Weldon Ferry there was a continuous ledge of rock 2,850 feet up to the old Weldon Landing, with only 1 foot of water upon it at extreme low stage; elsewhere from Halifax to Weldon the channel was 5 feet deep at extreme low water. With the amount applied during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, the full width of the river, from Edwards Ferry down 41 miles to Hamilton, has been entirely cleared of snags to the depth of 7 feet 24 miles down to Palmyra and of 9 feet the remaining 17 miles to Hamilton.

July 1, 1891, balance unexpended.

June 30, 1892, amount expended during fiscal year.

July 1, 1892, balance unexpended.

July 1, 1892, outstanding liabilities

July 1, 1892, balance available....

Amount appropriated by act approved July 13, 1892

Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1893..

$19, 983.99

12, 845.57

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Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project...... Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

(See Appendix L 2.)

$81,000.00

3. Pasquotank River, North Carolina.-When the United States began its improvement in 1891 it had a good channel, nowhere less than 7 feet deep from its mouth at Albemarle Sound, 36 miles, to the Moccasin Track, with little or no obstruction 31 miles to Turners Cut; but its channel thence, 5 miles to the Moccasin Track, and the channel of the Moccasin Track, which has a natural depth of not less than 5 feet for 1,100 feet to the original entrance to the Dismal Swamp Canal were badly choked with snags, logs, and stumps, and obstructed by overhanging trees. And Turners Cut, an extension of the canal dug to a point on the river just below the obstructions to turn them, had shoaled by the caving of its sandy banks.

The river above the Moccasin Track was obstructed like the 5 miles next below it.

The present project, adopted in 1889, is, first, to clear the 5 miles of channel up to and in the Moccasin Track to the canal for navigation by all vessels that can pass through the canal and enable them to avoid Turners Cut, especially at periods of extreme low water; second, to thoroughly clear out the river 6 miles farther to Lebanon Bridge for navigation by flatboats, at an estimated cost of $9,000.

The amount expended under the project to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, was $2,340.28.

At that date the Moccasin Track and a channel 60 feet wide, thence down 23 miles to Richardson's Mills were thoroughly cleared, and a channel of the same width fairly cleared through the other 2 miles of obstructions to the lower end of Turners Cut, permitting the passage of all vessels which can pass through the canal.

Since April 16, 1891, work has been suspended for want of funds. July 1, 1891, balance unexpended..

June 30, 1892, amount expended during fiscal year

July 1, 1892, balance unexpended.

July 1, 1892, outstanding liabilities.

July 1, 1892, balance available..

Amount appropriated by act approved July 13, 1892.

Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1893.

(See Appendix L 3.)

$722,30

132.45

589.85

6.00

583.85

3,000.00

3,583.85

4. Mackeys Creek, North Carolina.-When the United States began to improve it in February, 1892, its navigation was impeded by a bar at its mouth in Albemarle Sound. The depth upon the crest in a somewhat circuituous channel was 7 feet.

The project of 1889 is to dredge through the bar a straight channel about 2,100 feet long, 100 feet wide, and 9 feet deep at low water, modified in May, 1892, by increasing the width to 140 feet. The estimated cost was $15,000.

To June 30, 1891, $359.48 had been expended upon this work.

At that date the bar had been surveyed but dredging had not been commenced.

During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, a straight channel 9 feet deep has been dredged through the bar 140 feet wide for a length of 1,524 feet and 120 feet for the remaining 576 feet.

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