THOROUGHFARE RUNNING BACK OF THE OCEAN BETWEEN CAPE MAY AND GREAT BAY NORTH OF ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY. The river and harbor act of August 5, 1886, provided for the exami nation of this water route. No appropriation has ever been made for its improvement. Between Cape May City and Great Bay, a distance of about 63 miles, the Thoroughfare is crossed by nine bridges, as follows: Highway bridge near Holly Beach; railroad bridge near Anglesea; highway bridge near Sea Isle City; railroad bridge near Sea Isle City; highway bridge near Ocean City; highway bridge near Atlantic City, and three railroad bridges near Atlantic City. All of these bridges are provided with draws with from 20 to 50 feet openings. It is not known that any of the foregoing bridges were constructed under any provisions or limitations imposed by Congress or the Secre tary of War, but they have probably been erected under State or local authority. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A. HENRY M. ROBERT, REPORT OF MR. WILLIAM F. SMITH, UNITED STATES AGENT. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Wilmington, Del., January 10, 1887. GENERAL: In compliance with instructions contained in General Order No. 7, Headquarters Corps of Engineers, United States Army, Washington, D. C., November 30, 1886, inviting attention to section 4 of the river and harbor act approved August 5, 1886, I have the honor to submit a copy of a report, made under my direction by. Mr. Charles Humphreys, assistant engineer, containing all the information which could be obtained at this time relating to bridges that do or will interfere with free and safe navigation of the rivers and harbors in my dis trict. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. F. SMITH, The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A. United States Agent. REPORT OF MR. CHARLES HUMPHREYS, ASSISTANT ENGINEER. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Wilmington, Del., January 6, 1887. GENERAL: In compliance with your verbal instructions I have the honor to make the following report on bridges crossing navigable streams in your district: MAURICE RIVER, NEW JERSEY. At Millville there is a pivot draw-bridge of two spans of 41 feet each in the clear, only one span available for navigation; this span can be widened to 45 feet by removing one sidewalk of the draw. In case side-wheel boats should be put on this river they would not come above this bridge. This bridge is not therefore considered an obstruction at present. The structure is iron, in good working order belongs to Cumberland County, New Jersey. At Mauricetown there is a rolling draw-bridge of one span of 58 feet 4 inches in the clear; this is a wooden structure. Vessels and steamers pass this bridge at flood tide without special difficulty, but going down stream at ebb tide are carried against the right-hand channel-pier. To avoid this danger a line of fender-piling 250 feet long should be built, as shown by red line on sketch transmitted herewith. This bridge belongs to Cumberland County. There is about 5 feet on the bar at mean low water; the tide rises from 5.5 to 6 feet. HARBOR AT WILMINGTON, DELAWARE. At Third street there is a draw-bridge opened and shut by hand. The commerce of this harbor demands that this bridge should be maneuvered by steam as is done at Market street, the next bridge above. This bridge belongs to New Castle County, Delaware. BROADKILN RIVER, DELAWARE. At "Drawbridge," Del., there is a draw-bridge of two spans of 38.5 feet and 37.9 feet in the clear. The present project calls for 40 feet width of channel. This bridge is not considered a serious obstacle at present. BROAD CREEK, DELAWARE. The Delaware Division of Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad crosses this stream 2,000 feet below the turning-basin, the head of navigation, on a wooden bridge without a draw. The channel-span of this structure is 32 feet wide in the clear, with 20 feet headway above mean low water. The present project calls for 50 feet width of channel. This bridge is a serious obstruction. It should have a draw-span of 56 feet in the clear to permit the passage of side-wheel boats. About three-fourths of the commerce of this stream will pass this bridge when the present project is completed. The present 200-ton propeller-boat has to lower her pilot-house and smoke-stack, and all vessels have to lower their masts, before passing. About 200 feet below the turning-basin there is a county bridge with two draw. spans of 30 feet and 29.3 feet. This bridge answers the needs of present commerce, but it will probably have to be widened to 56 feet when the present project is completed. It is not considered a serious obstruction at present. SAINT JONES RIVER, DELAWARE. There is a draw-bridge at Barker's Landing with 34 feet clear width of span. This is a wooden structure, and is so much decayed that it will probably be necessary to build a new bridge in a year or two. There is no tender employed, and the steamers and vessels have to make landings above and below this bridge to open and shut the draw. This bridge is a serious obstruction. The bar at the mouth of this stream will probably require two long jetties, in order to deepen it sufficiently to run a successful propeller-boat; but the river has been navigated by a double-engine side-wheel boat of light draught. In case the bar at the mouth is not improved, it will be necessary to resort to sidewheel boats; for this reason these draws should be 56 feet in the clear. The drawbridge at Lebanon has a clear span of 32 feet; this span should be widened to 50 feet in the clear and provided with a tender. All passing boats and vessels have to do their own maneuvering at present. Both of these bridges could be widened to 38 feet at small expense. The width of 38 feet is sufficient for sailing vessels and propellers. There is about one foot depth on the bar at mean low water. The tide rises about 5 feet. DUCK CREEK, DELAWARE. There is a pivot draw-bridge about 7 miles below Smyrna, clear span 38 feet. This bridge is in good order and provided with a tender. Although this bridge excludes side-wheel boats it is not considered a serions obstruction at present, for the reason that the commerce of the stream is carried in vessels and steamers not over 30 feet wide. These vessels and steamers have to wait for the tide to cross the bar at the mouth of Duck Creek. In case this bar is not deepened it may be necessary to use side-wheel boats. This would require a width of draw of 56 feet. This is a county bridge. There is about 3.5 to 4 feet on the bar at mean low water. The tide rises about 5.7 feet. SUSQUEHANNA RIVER, MARYLAND. McClenahan & Bro., Port Deposit, Md., write as follows: "The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad has a bridge for the use of its Philadelphia branch, crossing the Susquehanna at Watson's Island. This bridge is over a mile in length, without any draw, and has 7 piers in the river of heavy masonry, with the ends up the river rounded instead of pointed, and consequently offering considerable obstruction to the passage of ice. "It has two channel-spans each 90 feet above mean tide, but forms a serious obstruction to the free navigation of the river, inasmuch as schooners carrying 125 tons and upwards, in passing up and down the river to and from Port Deposit and Lapidum, are obliged to 'strike' their topmasts in order to pass under the bridge. "A large portion of the tonnage coming up the river to the above places is from Virginia and North Carolina, and requires the use of sea-going vessels; but now an increase in freight has become necessary to induce the captains to load, because of the trouble, expense, and detention in striking their topmasts at this bridge. "When the channel-spans of this bridge were being put up, temporary piling was driven in the channel of the river, on which cribs filled with stone were placed. It is now alleged that the stones from these cribs were allowed to drop into the channel. Only part of the piles were taken out. It is such an important matter that I would suggest an investigation of it. There is another matter to which I would invite your attention, and that is the present gorged condition of the ice in this river and the causes of it. No more opportune time than the present could be afforded for viewing it. There is no doubt but what the piers of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Bridge as constructed are one of the main causes." CHOPTANK RIVER, MARYLAND. There is a pivot draw-bridge at Denton belonging to the county. It has two spans. available for navigation of 41 and 42 feet each in the clear. These spans can be widened to 47 feet at small expense. The present project of improvement calls for 75 feet channel width above this bridge. This bridge is considered an obstruction and should be widened to 56 feet in the clear. At Dover there is a county bridge with draw-span of about 56 feet in the clear. This structure is not considered a serious obstruction at present, although I am informed that the present side-wheel boats have only 18 inches clearance. POCOMOKE RIVER, MARYLAND. Capt. Willard Thomson, superintendent Eastern Shore Steamboat Company, writes: "There are two bridges on said river, one just above and one just below Pocomoke City. The bridge just below the town is a railroad-bridge in good condition, with draw 56 feet wide. The bridge above the town is a foot and carriage bridge, and is in very bad condition, with draw 50 feet wide. The draw of this bridge should be made 56 feet wide, and the bridge thoroughly overhauled. As it is now the draw is troublesome and dangerous to pass through. The bridge is in a very dilapidated condition generally." CAMBRIDGE HARBOR, MARYLAND. [Under examination.] There is a draw-bridge with two spans of 28 feet each between the upper and lower harbor. This bridge is not a serious obstruction at present, but if the upper harbor is improved by the Government, as is desired by the citizens at present, the draw should be increased to 56 feet. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, General WM. F. SMITH, United States Agent. CHAS. HUMPHREYS, SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT OF MR. WILLIAM F. SMITH, UNITED STATES AGENT. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Wilmington, Del., January 11, 1887. GENERAL: In addition to the bridges reported on the 10th instant, in compliance with General Order No. 7, Headquarters Corps of En gineers, 1886, that do or will interfere with free and safe navigation, I have the honor to submit the following: INLAND WATER-WAY FROM CHINCOTEAGUE BAY, VIRGINIA, TO DELAWARE, AT OR NEAR LEWES, DELAWARE. At Ocean City the Wicomico and Pocomoke Railroad cross Chincoteague Bay on a draw-bridge about 26 feet clear span. At Fenwick's Island there is a bridge over "the Narrows" without a draw. When navigation is opened between Little Assawoman Bay and Indian River Bay, which is a part of the route of the "inland water-way from Chincoteague Bay, Virginia, to Delaware Bay, at or near Lewes, Delaware," these bridges will be obstructions to navigation until there is a draw of 56 feet clear span placed in each of them. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A. WM. F. SMITH, REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL PETER C. HAINS, CORPS OF EN GINEERS. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Washington, D. C., December 16, 1886. SIR: In reply to instructions contained in General Orders No. 7, current series, Headquarters Corps of Engineers, United States Army, I submit herewith copies of reports made by me under date of November 5, 1884, on the bridge known as the "Aqueduct," and under date of September 10, 1884, on the structure known as the "Long Bridge." The circumstances detailed in these reports have not altered since the dates thereof, and the structures "interfere with free and safe navigation" to the same extent to-day that they did then. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A. PETER C. HAINS, Lieut. Col. of Engineers. REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL WILLIAM P. CRAIGHILL, CORPS OF ENGINEERS. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Baltimore, Md., January 27, 1887. GENERAL: I had the honor January 6, 1887, to make a report in compliance with the instructions contained in General Order No. 7, from your headquarters, series of 1886, in which a special communication relative to Elk River, West Virginia, was promised. Since that date I have been to Charleston. These reports are omitted, having already been transmitted to Congress, to comply with the requirements of the river and harbor act of July 5, 1884, and printed as Senate Ex. Doc. No. 12, Forty-ninth Congress, first session. Reference is requested to the report of October 30, 1884, made in considerable detail, which was printed and may be found in Senate Ex. Doc. No. 12, Forty-ninth Congress, first session, and to the report of Mr. Scott. See page 1599, Appendix CC, Annual Report of Chief of Engineers, 1886. The situation is much the same as then explained, with the following additions: A new bridge has been built on the Elk River at Charleston, which has a height somewhat greater than the others. It was, like them, built under State law, and is too low in view of the possibilities of the future increase of navigation, especially as the importance of that portion of Elk River has been enhanced by the greater depth of water caused by the Dam No. 6, on the Great Kanawha below it. The bridges are not, however, obstructions to navigation at this time. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, To the CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A. WM. P. CRAIGHILL, REPORT OF MR. S. T. ABERT, UNITED STATES AGENT. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Washington, D. C., December 28, 1886. GENERAL: In compliance with the instructions contained in General Orders No. 7, Headquarters Corps of Engineers, United States Army, dated November 30, 1886, requiring me to report "whether any bridges, causeways, or structures now erected or in process of erection do or will interfere with free and safe navigation," I have the houor to submit the following statement: It is reported that the railroad bridge under the control of the Richmond and Danville Railway Company, built across the Pamunky River, Virginia, at White House, about 30 miles above West Point, interferes with free and safe navigation. The complaint made is that the channel through the draw is too narrow, and that the bridge is not perpendicular to the line of the current. The available width of opening is reported to be 45 feet. Vessels passing through the draw are swept against one or the other side of the opening, and are injured by the bolts and timbers of the fenders. A similar objection has been made to a bridge built by the Alexandria and Fredericksburg Railroad over the Neabsco Creek, Virginia. This creek enters the Potomac River about 28 miles below Washington, D. C. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, S. T. ABERT, United States Agent. Brig. Gen. JAMES C. DUANE, Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. REPORT OF CAPTAIN F. A. HINMAN, CORPS OF ENGINEERS. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, GENERAL: In accordance with General Order No. 7, Headquarters Corps of Engineers, United States Army, series 1886, relative to Section 4 of the river and harbor act of August 5, 1886, I have the houor |