built parallel to it for a length of 940 feet, at a cost of $58,666. The present direction of the piers is wrong, as is fully shown by experience. The natural direction of the current of the river, after leaving the end of the present south pier, under the various forces acting on it, is in the direction I would propose for any new improvements of this harbor. I am fully sustained in my views by Colonel Wheeler, my predecessor, in charge of the improvement of this harbor. The light-house is on the keeper's wooden dwelling. Statement of vessels entered and cleared St. Joseph Harbor, in the district of Michigan, during the year 1868, showing the number, tonnage, crews, and cargoes. GENERAL: I have the honor to inclose herewith a sketch of Black Lake Harbor improvements, showing work already done and proposed repairs. I would respectfully request authority to advertise and contract for and make the following repairs: 1. Repairing portion of old north brush pier (marked A on sketch) for a distance of 150 feet, from repairs made last year, inward. This is rendered necessary to prevent a breach between the repaired pier and shore line. This can be done at a cost of about $1,000. 2. Repairing similar portion of old south brush pier (marked B) for the same reason, at a cost of about $1,000. In making these repairs I propose to drive two rows of close piling, put on capping pieces, and build three feet of superstructure of ordinary timber work, and ballast with sand. 3. Building 500 feet of pier, (marked C,) to prevent the current from eating into the sand hill and carrying out the sand to form a sand bar between the piers, and also from getting behind and destroying the old north brush pier. I would propose to construct this by driving a row of close piles on channel side of pier, and on the shore side a row of piles eight feet apart, capping these rows and tying them together by timber ties every eight feet in length of pier. This would cost about $3,600. 4. That part of the south pier built last year is in a very bad condition owing to the very irregular settling of the cribs that form its foundation. Besides a very great irregularity along the axis of the pier, the whole pier inclines to the southward, in some places so badly that the top surface, formerly level, now dips to the south at an angle of 25°. The outer crib has moved from its place, and the ice and force of storms have destroyed it for three courses below the water surface. The cribs of this pier are founded on brush sink pieces similar to those used in building the dykes of Holland. However useful they may have been found there, they have been entirely useless in this case. To repair this and prevent any washing out from under the south edge of this pier, I would propose an enrockment, and to preserve this enrockment I would drive a close row of piles along the entire length of the pier and tie it to the crib work. The cost of this would be $5,000. If the work proposed meets your approval, I would respectfully request that the authority asked be sent me at once, so that the work may be commenced by the 1st of June. The amount of the appropriation for improving this harbor remaining unexpended is $24,488 59. The amount required for the proposed repairs is $10,600. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, F. U. FARQUHAR, Captain U. S. Engineers and Brevet Lieut. Col. U. S. Army. Brevet Maj. Gen. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Chief of Engineers U. S. Army, Washington, D. C. B 13. Proceedings of a board of engineers convened at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in obedience to the following order: [Special Orders No. 70.-Extract.] HEADQUARTERS CORPS OF ENGINEERS, 2. A board of engineers, to consist of Lieutenant Colonel I. C. Woodruff, brevet brigadier general United States Army; Major J. B. Wheeler, brevet colonel' United States Army; Captain F. U. Farquhar, brevet lieutenant colonel United States Army, will convene at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on the 23d instant, or as soon thereafter as practicable, for the consideration of the project for the improvement of Saugatuck Harbor, Michigan. By command of Brigadier General Humphreys. # THOMAS LINCOLN CASEY, Major of Engineers and Brevet Colonel United States Army. MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, July 23, 1869. The board met in pursuance of the above order. Present: Lieutenant Colonel I. C. Woodruff, brevet brigadier general United States Army; Major J. B. Wheeler, brevet colonel United States Army; Captain F. U. Farquhar, brevet lieutenant colonel United States Army. The board then proceeded to the consideration of the project for the improvement of Saugatuck Harbor, as given to the Chief of Engineers by Brevet Lieutenant Colonel F. Ú. Farquhar, captain United States engineers, in his letter dated "Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 5, 1869,” as follows: UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 5, 1869. GENERAL: I have the honor to inclose a tracing showing the mouth of Kalamazoo River and the proposed improvements. In the spring of 1868 occurred a freshet which carried away a large portion of the east end of the south pier. Since then those interested have lengthened the north pier to the westward, and built a wing to protect the present east end of the south pier. The width between the piers is only 200 feet. This width is too small by at least 100 feet. This becomes manifest by referring to the width of the river at the furthest point inland, shown on the inclosed tracing. The Kalamazoo River is navigable for small steamers for nearly sixty miles from its mouth, and at all times discharges a considerable amount of water. The point, however, that requires immediate work is the left bank of the river, at the bend above the mouth. A large shifting bank of sand on the right bank of the river just above this bend has been for years steadily moving southward, forcing the mouth of the stream in the same direction. By revetting the left bank at the bend, as shown in red from A to B on the tracing, this southerly progress of the river-bed can be arrested. This will require about 975 feet of revetting. The river, after leaving the point B, widens out, and in consequence is much shallower. By continuing the pile revetment from B to the east end of the south pier the stream will be confined, and very soon a good deep channel will result. This will require 1,725 feet of pier. This pile revetting is built on the plan approved by the board of engineers for revetting inside work at Black Lake Harbor. I inclose a tracing showing the work. The following is the estimate for the above 2,700 feet of work: 214,800 feet board measure, pine timber, at $10 per M. 7,200 feet board measure, oak timber, at $30 per M.. 2,498 piles, at $3. 2,538 cords of brush, at $1 50. 378 cords of stone, at $11 26,174 pounds of drift bolts, at 4 cents. 9,281 pounds of screw bolts and washers, at 5 cents. Driving 2,498 piles, at $2... Framing 20,932 lineal feet of timber, at 13 cents. Amount of allotment.. Deduct amount authorized for price of dredge... $2,148 00 216 00 7,494 00 The improvements on the north side of the mouth of the river will be much more expensive, and if done will have to be paid for from some future appropriations. The following is an estimate of the cost of constructing this work: 1,660 feet of revetment on north side of river to lake-shore line $16,045 18 770 feet of close piling, from shore line to inner end of proposed crib-work 20,032 44 6 cribs, 32 by 20 by 17 feet on outer end of pier. 60,740 cubic yards of dredging, at 25 cents.. Total... 8,038 36 15,185 00 59,300 98 * * * * * All I propose to do this season is to improve by revetting the left bank, as before described, leaving the north side improvements for some future period. Hoping this may meet with your approval, I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, F. U. FARQUHAR, Captain U. S. Engineers and Brevet Lieut. Col. U. S. Army. Brevet Maj. Gen. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Chief of Engineers U. S. Army, Washington, D. C. . The board having carefully examined the maps of surveys of this harbor made during the years of 1867, 1868, and 1869, find that the right bank of the river, at the bend near the entrance, has encroached upon the channel, and that the left bank has been worn away. This action is still going on, and threatens to entirely change the entrance to the harbor and materially affect the present improvements, unless stopped. They also find that the system of improvement devised and built by the local authorities of Saugatuck contracts too much the width of the water-way, and, in consequence, a large amount of the piering has been carried away by the water during freshets. The board are therefore of the opinion that the left bank of the river, from A to B, as shown on the attached sketch, should be defended from the abrasion of the current which impinges against it, and that the current should be forced to flow out on the north side of the present south pier. They therefore approve and recommend the plan proposed by Brevet Lieutenant Colonel F. U. Farquhar, captain United States engineers, as the best that can be done with the amount of money in his hands allotted to this harbor to effect these purposes and preserve the entrance to the harbor. All of which is respectfully submitted. I. C. WOODRUFF, Lieut. Col. and Brevet Brigadier General U. S. Army. Major and Brevet Colonel U. S. Army. Captain and Brevet Lieutenant Colonel U. S. Ármy. There being no other business before it, the board adjourned sine die. I. C. WOODRUFF, Lieut. Col. and Brevet Brigadier General U. S. Army. F. U. FARQUHAR, Captain and Brevet Lieut. Col. U. S. Army, Recorder. B 14. MILWAUKEE, April 28, 1869. GENERAL: I have the honor to inclose herewith a drawing, on which are shown a plan elevation and sections of a portion of a pile pier. Should an allotment be made for the purpose, there will be built four new piers at the harbors under my charge, viz: a north pier at Aux Becs Scies, a north pier at Pentwater, and two piers (north and south) at the mouth of White River. Should it meet with your approval, I would like to build these piers from the shore line to the 9-feet curve in accordance with the inclosed plan. At White River the clay is found from 2 to 6 feet below the bottom of the water. At Pentwater a bridge pier, built on piles, has stood well for many years; while the south pier, built last season, and which is founded on cribs, has settled so irregularly as in some places to break the superstructure. At Aux Becs Scies, clay is reported at 10 feet below the bottom. The best works on the east shore of Lake Michigan, as far as piers are concerned, are founded on piles. In all cases I would propose a pier-head, founded on a crib, very carefully constructed, and properly placed in position. Taking the lowest prices on which to base an estimate, a crib, properly bedded at 12 feet below the surface of the water, 32 by 20 feet in plan, and with a superstructure 5 feet in height, will cost not less than $1,565. The same length of pier built in accordance with the inclosed plans will cost not more than $973. Neither of these estimates includes the cost of superintendence. The manner of building the pier is as follows: Two rows of close piling are driven 13 feet apart, and at intervals of 32 feet in length of pier; these two rows are connected by a cross row of close piling. On the outer faces of the side rows of piles a horizontal shoulder of not more than 6 inches deep is cut, above which the faces of the piles are hewn off to make flat surfaces for the water-sill to rest against, the inner faces of the piles being scored, so as to make a fair bearing for the binder. The water sill (8 inches by 12 inches) is then put in place with the binder on opposite face of piles, and screw-bolts 14 inch in diameter hold together the water sill, piles, and binder. The two rows of close piling are held together by ties (12 inches square) placed at intervals of 8 feet. On this foundation the ordinary superstructure is built, excepting that at intervals of 32 feet in length of pier a solid wall of ties is built, these ties being bolted to the cross rows of close piling. A ballasting of stone is used. Many of the details I have taken from work done by General Cram and Colonel Wheeler. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Captain U. S. Engineers and Brevet Lieut. Colonel U. S. Army. Brevet Maj. Gen. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Chief of Engineers United States Army, Washington, D. C. |