Major Mackenzie's views are concurred in and no objection exists to the approval of the plans of the bridge within submitted by the Secretary of War. JAS. C. POST, Acting Chief of Engineers. JFourth indorsement. ] WAR DEPARTMENT, JUDGE-ADVOCATE-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Respectfully forwarded to the Secretary of War. The accompanying papers are complete, with the exception of the extracts of the company's minutes showing the names of the present officers of the company, and the acceptance by the company of the provisions of the act of Congress granting the privilege in question, which do not accompany these papers. The evidence of the acceptance by the company of the provisions of the act of Congress is essential under the rule of the War Department of July 31, 1886. G. NORMAN LIEBER, Acting Judge-Advocate-General. [Fifth indorsement.] WAR DEPARTMENT, Respectfully returned to the Chief of Engineers, inviting attention. Respectfully returned to the Secretary of War, through the Acting Judge-Advocate-General, U. S. Army, with the papers referred to in the fourth indorsement. J. C. DUANE, Brig. Gen., Chief of Engineers. [Seventh indorsement.] WAR DEPARTMENT, JUDGE-ADVOCATE-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Respectfully forwarded to the Secretary of War, with instrument (prepared in duplicate) for his approval of plan and location of the bridge constructed by the Dubuque Ponton Bridge Company over the Mississippi River between the city of East Dubuque, Ill., and the city of Dubuque, Iowa. G. NORMAN LIEBER, Respectfully returned to the Chief of Engineers to have the acceptance executed by the proper officer of the Dubuque Ponton Bridge Company. By order of the Acting Secretary of War. Respectfully returned to the Secretary of War with the acceptance duly executed in accordance with the requirements of the foregoing indorsement. J. C. DUANE, Brig. Gen., Chief of Engineers. REPORT OF MAJOR A. MACKENZIE, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, ACCOMPANYING SECOND INDORSEMENT ON THE FOREGOING COMMUNICATION. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, GENERAL: By an indorsement dated Office Chief of Engineers, September 26, 1887, I was requested to ascertain whether the high bridge across the Mississippi River at Dubuque, Iowa, was the one referred to in the act of Congress approved February 21, 1887, and whether the bridge is constructed upon the location and according to the plans presented by the "Dubuque Ponton Bridge Company" and forwarded to the Chief of Engineers with my letter of January 13, 1887; also whether in my opinion this high wagon bridge is a "substantial obstruction to the navigation of said river." Immediately upon receipt of the papers I addressed letters to the managers of the packet companies on the Upper Mississippi, requesting dimensions of their packets and their opinion as to possible dimensions of the boats of the future which might be considered most suitable to the upper river trade. The last reply to my inquiries has just been received. The high wagon bridge at Dubuque, Iowa, opened for travel November 29, 1887, was built by the Dubuque Ponton Bridge Company. Construction was commenced under authority supposed by the company to be granted by an act of Congress approved March 3, 1875, and amended by act approved May 29, 1884. These acts authorized the construction of a ponton bridge, and permission was granted to the "East Dubuque Bridge Company" to construct a ponton bridge. This com pany transferred all their rights and franchises to the "Dubuque Ponton Bridge Company," which changed the plans and built the existing high bridge. Attention being called to the fact that the act of Congress did not authorize such a structure as was being built, the matter was presented to Congress by the bridge company, and an act of Congress, approved February 21, 1887, authorized the "Dubuque Ponton Bridge Company," the company holding the franchise of the "East Dubuque Bridge Company," to construct in lieu of the pontoon bridge a high wagon bridge, and it is under this act that the existing high bridge at Dubuque was completed. By the act of February 21, 1887, the acts referring to a pontoon bridge were virtually repealed, and there now exists no authority for the further construction of bridges under the acts of Congress herein referred to. I would therefore reply that the high bridge across the Mississippi River at Dubuque, Iowa, is the one referred to in the act of Congress approved February 21, 1887, and the bridge is built on the location and according to the plans originally forwarded with my letter of January 13, 1887. This high bridge is located immediately below the existing railroad bridge, with piers in same line. So far as widths of spans are concerned, the bridge satisfies all demands of navigation. From measurements taken since the bridge was completed, it appears that the clear heights given are very slightly in excess of those indicated on the plans submitted. The clear headway above high water of 1880 given by the bridge are as follows: At a point 20 feet east of west channel pier At a point 50 feet west of draw protection of railroad bridge. Feet. 51.0 54.8 55.56 The available height may therefore be considered at 54.8 feet above the high water of 1880, the highest of which we have authentic record. The largest boats now navigating the Upper Mississippi River are the Saint Paul and War Eagle, of the Saint Louis and Saint Paul Packet Company, and the managers of the line report that they consider the Saint Paul a model boat for the upper-river trade, and would follow her dimensions in the construction of new boats. The chimneys and pilothouses of these boats are higher than those of any of the Diamond Jo Line steamers. The heights for the Saint Paul above water-line are: Top of chimneys, 61.6 feet; top of pilot-house, 48 feet; and these are the heights to be taken in connection with a consideration of the Dubuque High Bridge as a substantial obstruction to navigation. On the Ohio River, where high bridges are common, it is customary to consider the height of the pilot-house only, it being practicable to lower chimneys, and an excess of 3 feet above pilot-house is usually given. Considering the heights, it appears that all boats now used on the Upper Mississippi, even when light, would, so far as tops of pilot-houses are concerned, pass under the Dubuque High Bridge at extreme high water, and their chimneys would also pass under without lowering whenever stage was less than 7 feet below extreme high water. A higher stage than 7 feet below extreme high water is not common, and is of comparatively short duration. During high water it has happened that the larger class of steamers from the Ohio or the Lower Mississippi have been sent for an occasional trip through to Saint Paul. Such a class of boats could not in all cases pass under the Dubuque High Bridge; but as such class is not adapted to the Upper Mississippi River, and do not properly belong there, they they have not been considered. Some navigators think a height of 60 feet above high water should be given, and of course such height would be better than 55; but to call for a greater height than is absolutely necessary is somewhat unreasonable. Certain booms, connecting the piers of the high bridge with the corresponding piers of the railroad bridge, are required, and the owners of the high bridge express a willingness to put them in as soon as practicable. If this is not done, as promised, the booms can be called for under section 8 of the river and harbor act of July 5, 1884. As it appears that the height given the Dubuque High Bridge furnishes reasonable accommodation to the steam-boats now navigating the Upper Mississippi River, I am of the opinion that the bridge is "no substantial obstruction to navigation of said river." The height given is greater than is required by the rules laid down by General Warren in his report on "Bridging the Upper Mississippi River from Saint Paul to Saint Louis." One copy of plans of bridge as proposed accompanied the original papers. These plans show the bridge as built, and duplicate copies have been procured as requested. The construction of the Dubuque High Bridge will make necessary arrangements for lowering the chimneys of some of the steam-boats now navigating the Upper Mississippi River. It has been claimed that the expense of such work is a fair charge against the bridge company; but on this point I do not feel it my province to express any opinion. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, The Chief of ENGINEERS, U. S. A. A. MACKENZIE, W W 19. BRIDGE OF THE OHIO CONNECTING RAILWAY COMPANY ACROSS THE OHIO RIVER NEAR THE MOUTH OF CORK'S RUN, IN ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, AUTHORIZED BY ACT OF CONGRESS APPROVED MAY 14, 1888. PITTSBURGH, CINCINNATI AND ST. LOUIS RAILWAY CO., CHIEF ENGINEER'S OFFICE, Columbus, Ohio, May 24, 1887. DEAR SIR: I am directed by the Ohio Connecting Railway Company, a corporation chartered by the State of Pennsylvania, to present to you, in accordance with the law governing the construction of bridges over the Ohio River, plans for the erection of a bridge across the Ohio River about 1 mile below the junction of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers at Pittsburgh, Pa. The plans herewith submitted consist of (1) A map of the Ohio River on a scale of 200 feet per inch, showing high and low water marks and the shore topography and the river bottom contour lines. (2) A map of the Ohio River showing the current lines and velocities of the river above and below the proposed bridge site on a scale of 200 feet per inch. (3) A plan of the masonry piers Nos. 4 and 6, being the two shore. piers, on a scale of one-eighth of an inch per foot, ENG 88--157 (4) Plan of Pier No. 5, being the middle pier, on a scale of one-eighth of an inch per foot. (5) The profile and plan of bridge across the Ohio River on a scale of 40 feet per inch. Very respectfully, yours, M. J. BECKER, Chief Engineer Ohio Connecting Railway Company. Hon. WILIAM C. ENDICOTT, Secretary of War. Respectfully returned to the Secretary of War. The maps required by section 4 of "An act supplementary to an act approved December 17, 1872, entitled, An act to authorize the construction of the bridges across the Ohio River, and to prescribe the dimensions of the same,'" approved February 14, 1883 (copy herewith), submitted by the Ohio Connecting Railway Company, under the provisions of that section "shall be referred to a Board of Engineers for examination and report, which Board shall personally examine the site of the proposed bridge, and shall hold a public session at some convenient point to hear all objections thereto, of which public session due notice and invitation to be present shall be given to all interested parties," etc. It is accordingly recommended that a Board of Officers of the Corps of Engineers be constituted, to meet at Pittsburgh, Pa., upon the call of the senior member, and at such time as the other duties of the members will permit, to consider and report upon the plans in question. The Board to consist of Lieutenant-Colonels W. E. Merrill and J. W. Barlow, and Maj. Amos Stickney, with Lieut. E. J. Spencer as recorder. If approved by the Secretary of War, the Board will be convened by orders from this office. It is suggested that the attention of the railroad authorities be called to the requirements of the "rule to be observed when application is made, pursuant to an act of Congress, for the approval by the Secretary of War of plans for a bridge," etc., dated July 31, 1886, and also to the fact that there is no evidence contained in the paper submitted by them that the first part of section 4, before referred to, in regard to publication, has been complied with. J. C. DUANE, Brig. Gen., Chief of Engineers. [Second indorsement.] WAR DEPARTMENT, May 26, 1887. The recommendation of the Chief of Engineers in regard to the Board of Engineers is approved. Mr. Becker's attention was called to the rule of the Department dated July 31, 1886, and to the requirements of section 4 of the act approved December 17, 1872, on the 25th instant. By order of the Secretary of War. JOHN TWEEDALE, Chief Clerk, |