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4. There is apparently no commerce on this bayou, present or prospective, except possibly a small amount of timber that can be floated out under present conditions. It is evident, therefore, that the locality is not worthy of improvement in the interests of commerce and navigation. With respect to a "harbor of safety" for small craft, it appears that suitable shelter is available elsewhere in the vicinity. Moreover, such an improvement would be of local rather than general public interest. The board, therefore, concurs in the opinion of the district and division engineers, that it is not advisable for the United States to undertake the improvement of Bayou Texar, Fla., at the present time.

5. In compliance with law, the board reports that there are no questions of terminal facilities, water power, or other related subjects which could be coordinated with the suggested improvement in such manner as to render the work advisable in the interests of commerce and navigation.

For the board:

PETER C. HAINS,

Major General, U. S. Army, Retired,
Senior Member of the Board.

PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF BAYOU TEXAR, FLA.

UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE,

From: The District Engineer.

Montgomery, Ala., May 24, 1919.

To: The Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army. (Through the Division Engineer.)

Subject: Preliminary examination of Bayou Texar, Fla.

1. The following report of preliminary examination is submitted pursuant to letter of March 14, 1919, and section 6 of the River and Harbor act approved March 2, 1919, which reads as follows:

The Secretary of War is hereby authorized and directed to cause preliminary examinations and surveys to be made at the following-named localities, and a sufficient sum to pay the cost thereof may be allotted from the amount provided in this section:

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Bayou Texar, including entrance from Pensacola Bay, Fla.

2. Bayou Texar, an arm of Pensacola Bay, has its entrance therefrom at the eastern edge of the city of Pensacola, Coast and Geodetic Survey Chart No. 186. Bayou Texar has an extreme length of 3 miles and an average width of 750 feet. At its mouth the width is 275 feet. The waters are tidal. The mean range of tide is 1.4 feet. The range of tide during winter northers is from 1.5 feet below mean low water to mean low water (minus 1.5 to 0.0). The range of ordinary spring tide is from plus 0.75 to plus 2.5 feet. The range of ordinary neap tide is from zero to plus 1.25 feet. During ordinary storms the tides rise to about 3.5 feet. During equinoctial storms the tide rises to from plus 4.0 to plus 7.5 feet. In September, 1906, the tide reached 10.8 feet above mean low water. During ordinary and equinoctial storms the tide never falls to mean low water. There are no previous surveys or House documents. This bayou is crossed by three bridges, viz: The Louisville & Nashville Railroad bridge

at the mouth of the bayou with span of 275 feet and overhead clearance of 14 feet at high tide; the Escambia County highway bridge, about mile from the mouth, with span of 750 feet and overhead clearance of 8 feet; an abandoned electric-railway bridge 300 feet north of the county bridge with the same span and clearance. None of these bridges have draw spans. At the mouth of the bayou there is an old timber jetty about 1,600 feet long projecting in a southerly direction into the bay. The water just south of the end of this jetty is 10 feet deep at high tide; alongside the jetty into the bayou depths from 3 feet to 6 feet at high tide (2.1 to 4.6 at low tide) may be obtained by following a tortuous course for a distance of about 6,700 feet. North of this the depth increases to 10 and 11 feet at high tide (8.6 to 9.6 at low water). The best straight line route which could be selected would average not better than 21 feet at high tide (1.1 feet at low water), and points along this line are now bared at low water.

3. So far as is known, the only improvement of Bayou Texar which has been attempted is the construction of the timber jetty referred to in the preceding paragraph, and some dredging alongside this jetty. This work was done by H. Baars & Co., timber merchants, of Pensacola, with a view to storing timber in the bayou. This scheme has been abandoned by H. Baars & Co.

4. There is now no commerce on Bayou Texar. Improvement of the bayou would develop no commerce except in facilitating the removal of timber, which can now be floated out in small rafts. This timber is owned by private parties. Improvement of the bayou would not develop a public utility for commerce. The Pensacola

Yacht Club advocates the improvement of Bayou Texar for use as a "harbor of safety," and offers to pay part of the cost. Inasmuch as Bayou Chico, 3 miles east of Bayou Texar, on Pensacola Bay, has recently been dredged by the Pensacola Shipbuilding Co., and now affords a good shelter from storms, the necessity for the development of an additional facility of this nature is not apparent.

5. There are no terminal or transfer facilities on Bayou Texar. There are no questions of water power involved, nor of land reclamation or control.

6. I am, therefore, of the opinion that Bayou Texar, including entrance from Pensacola Bay, is not at present worthy of any improvement by the United States and no survey is recommended. W. D. A. ANDERSON, Colonel of Engineers.

[Third indorsement.]

OFFICE DIVISION ENGINEER, NORTHEAST DIVISION,

Savannah, Ga., June 6, 1919.

To the Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army.

1. The opinion of the district engineer that Bayou Texar, including entrance from Pensacola Bay, is not worthy of improvement by the United States at the present time is concurred in.

THOS. H. REES,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers,
Division Engineer.

о

CONGRESS,

CRISFIELD HARBOR, MD.

LETTER

FROM

THE SECRETARY OF WAR,

TRANSMITTING,

WITH A LETTER FROM THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, REPORT ON PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF CRISFIELD HARBOR, MD.

OCTOBER 27, 1919.-Referred to the Committee on Rivers and Harbors and ordered to be printed, with illustration.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, October 25, 1919.

The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a letter from the Chief of Engineers, United States Army, of 23d instant, together with report of Col. J. J. Loving, Engineers, dated August 14, 1919, with map, on a preliminary examination of Crisfield Harbor, Md., authorized by the river and harbor act approved March 2, 1919.

Very respectfully,

NEWTON D. BAKER,
Secretary of War.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington, October 23, 1919.

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS,

From: The Chief of Engineers, United States Army.
To: The Secretary of War.

Subject: Preliminary examination of Crisfield Harbor, Md.

1. There is submitted herewith, for transmission to Congress, report dated August 14, 1919, with map, by Col. J. J. Loving, Engineers, on preliminary examination of Crisfield Harbor, Md., authorized by the river and harbor act approved March 2, 1919.

2. Crisfield Harbor is situated on an estuary of Tangier Sound, which is part of Chesapeake Bay. The existing project provides for

dredging a channel 12 feet deep at mean low water and 425 feet wide from the 12-foot contour in Tangier Sound to opposite Somers Cove Light, thence with a width of 266 feet to above the railroad wharf, and for an anchorage basin with a depth of 10 feet at mean low water and width of 250 feet. This project was completed in 1914, and has been maintained in good condition. The total expenditures at this harbor to June 30, 1918, amounted to $90,079.50. The desires of interested parties regarding additional improvements have not been clearly indicated, but a main channel 25 feet deep at mean low water, and a branch channel into Somers Cove, have been suggested. This harbor is the center of the oyster and crab industry of Chesapeake Bay, and is visited by a large number of small vessels. In 1918 its commerce amounted to 289,274 tons, valued at $8,512,415. Considering the character of the commerce, however, it is not apparent that a depth of 25 feet is required at this locality. The district engineer states that the provision of such a channel would necessitate dredging for a distance of about 4 miles, and he is of opinion that the existing and prospective commerce will not justify the large expenditure of funds required to effect this portion of the desired improvement. The proposed channel into Somers Cove would provide better facilities for reaching a few wharves and packing houses, but these facilities are not shown to be really needed. The entrance to the cove has been contracted by the dumping of oyster shells, and the area inside has been used as a graveyard for discarded hulks, which interested parties now wish removed by the United States. The district engineer states that the benefit to be derived from the further improvement of Somers Cove Channel would be restricted, and he believes that it is not advisable for the United States to undertake the work. The division engineer concurs in the views of the district engineer.

3. This report has been referred, as required by law, to the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors, and attention is invited to its report herewith, dated September 23, 1919, concurring in the unfavorable views of the district and division engineers

4. After due consideration of the above-mentioned reports, I concur in the views of the district engineer, the division engineer, and the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors, and therefore report that the improvement by the United States of Crisfield Harbor, Md., is not deemed advisable to a greater extent than is authorized by the existing project.

W. M. BLACK,
Major General.

REPORT OF THE BOARD OF ENGINEERS FOR RIVERS AND HARBORS.

[Third indorsement.]

BOARD OF ENGINEERS FOR RIVERS AND HARBORS,
September 23, 1919.

To the CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, UNITED STATES ARMY:

1. The following is in review of the district engineer's report authorized by the river and harbor act of March 2, 1919, on preliminary examination of Crisfield Harbor, Md.

2. This harbor is situated on an estuary of Tangier Sound, a tributary of Chesapeake Bay. The existing project adopted by the river and harbor act of March 2, 1907, provides for dredging a channel 12 feet deep at mean low water and 425 feet wide from the 12-foot contour in Tangier Sound to opposite Somers Cove Light, thence with a width of 266 feet to above the railroad wharf, and to provide an anchorage basin with a depth of 10 feet at mean low water and width of 250 feet. The mean range of tide is 2.6 feet. The project was completed in 1914 and has been maintained. On this and previous projects there has been expended $90,079.50.

3. The town of Crisfield, with a population of about 5,400, is the center of the oyster and crab industry of Chesapeake Bay. A steam packet line operates regularly between Baltimore and Crisfield, and the port is the headquarters for a large number of small sailing and fishing boats. The commerce is of a miscellaneous character consisting chiefly of oysters, oyster shells, and potatoes, and amounting in the aggregate in 1918 to 289,274 tons, valued at $8,512,415.

4. The improvement desired appears to be somewhat indefinite. A channel 25 feet deep up to the railroad wharf has been suggested, and also an improved channel into Somers Cove, branching from the present 12-foot channel. The 25-foot channel is reported as unworthy of serious consideration, as it would require dredging to that depth for a distance of 4 miles, and it seems clear that existing and prospective commerce would not justify such an undertaking. The natural area available for the use of light-draft craft in Somers Cove has been encroached upon by local interests filling in with oyster shells, and by permitting its use as a graveyard for old hulks. Apparently it is now desired that the United States remove these obstructions. The district engineer states that this work would be a convenience to some of the local interests, but would not result in any increase of commerce and could not be justified by the benefits to general commerce and navigation. He therefore reports that the locality is not worthy of further improvement by the United States at this time. The division engineer concurs in this view.

5. Interested parties were informed of the tenor of the district engineer's report and given an opportunity of submitting their views, but no communications on the subject have been received.

6. The town of Crisfield is an important center for the oyster, fish, and crab industry and also a point of receipt by water and shipment inland by rail of a large quantity of potatoes and other farm or garden products. These commodities are handled on light and moderate draft vessels, for which existing facilities appear quite adequate. There is no direct foreign commerce and the amount that would come into existence through making this a deep-water port by the provision of a channel 25 feet deep would be very small and certainly insufficient to justify even a small part of the cost of such an improvement. The branch channel into Somers Cove and the removal of abandoned wrecks is a work apparently made desirable through misuse of the harbor by local interests. The improvement contemplated would not result in an increase in commerce and apparently is not necessary in the interests of general navigation. Encroachments upon the natural harbor areas should be rectified by those responsible therefor, or by the community concerned. The

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