bank to the first pier, a 120-foot span to the second, and a 150-foot span to the third; under this span is the channel, with good river above and below. Another 150-foot span connects with the fourth pier, which is on the left bank of the river. The mouth of Walnut Creek is crossed by a 180-foot span to the fifth and last pier, and from this pier to the abutment on the left bank, a distance of 300 feet, there are twenty-one bents of trestle. The four spans are of Whipple truss with 22, 244, 244, and 27 depth of truss, the lower chord being 30 feet above low water. The piers consist of two 10-foot steel tubes, filled with concrete. No arrangement has been made for the passage of steamboats. OCONEE RIVER, GEORGIA. A tramway and wagon bridge crosses the Oconee River at Dublin, Ga. The distance from abutment to abutment is 265 feet, and is crossed by four 60-foot and one 25-foot spans. Arrangement has been made for draw on the right bank, both of the 60-foot openings being available at all stages of water for the passage of steamboats. The crossing is in the bight of a bend, but the approach is good in both directions; the draw is a Howe truss, the lower chord of which is 27 feet above low water. Piers are of trestle anchored with rock. FLINT RIVER, GEORGIA. * The A., P. & L. R. R. contemplate building a bridge across the Flint River between Albany and Montezuma at a point known as Gum Creek, 40 miles below Montezuma. No definite information has been received from the parties interested. ALABAMA RIVER, ALABAMA. A wagon-bridge crosses this river at the town of Selma, Ala.; it is provided with a draw-span having an available opening for navigation. The location of the bridge and of the draw-span are badly chosen, and the draw requires supplementary works to assist the passage of boats through it. By direction of the Secretary of War the owners of the bridge were notified April 19, 1886, * "to prepare a channel for the passage of boats between the pivot-pier and the north bank for all stages of water exceeding a 24-foot stage; the width of channel to be 75 feet, and the depth 4 feet when the river is at a 24-foot stage. At the same time, 5 cast-iron snubbing-posts to be planted securely in the bank, and all as indicated in the accompanying sketch. This, with the understand. ing that if at any time in the future it should be necessary to provide further facilities for navigation, the bridge company shall then be required to alter and change the said bridge at its own expense in such manner as may be proper to secure free and safe navigation without impediment." No information has been received that this work has been done. NOTE.-Reference to such bridges as were reported by Captain Hoxie to comply with river and harbor act of 1884, are omitted in the above. For which see Senate Ex. Doc. No. 12, Forty-ninth Congress, first session. REPORT OF MAJOR A. N. DAMRELL, CORPS OF ENGINEERS. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Mobile, Ala., February 3, 1887. SIR: In compliance with General Orders No. 7, November 30, 1886, I have the honor to report the railroad bridge (Alabama and Great Southern) crossing the Tombigbee River at Jones's Bluff, Alabama, now erected, interferes with free and safe navigation. A railroad bridge (West Alabama) is in process of erection across the Tombigbee River at Jackson, Ala., but in the absence of any information as to the set of the current at different stages of water it is impossible to state at present whether it will or will not interfere with free and safe navigation. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, A. N. DAMRELL, The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A. REPORT OF MAJOR W. H. HEUER, CORPS OF ENGINEERS. OFFICE UNITED STATES ENGINEER, New Orleans, La., December 16, 1886. GENERAL: Referring to General Orders No. 7, dated Headquarters Corps of Engineers, United States Army, Washington, D. C., November 30, 1886, directing reports to be made as to whether any bridges, causeways, or structures now erected or in process of erection do or will intefere with free and safe navigation, I have the honor to report as follows with reference to my district: On the Bayou Teche, Louisiana, about 10 miles below Port Barré, La., is a pile-bridge without a draw which, if not remedied, will interfere with the free navigation of this stream. The president of the police jury in Saint Landry Parish promises to have the bridge so modified that it will not interfere with navigation. On the following streams recently examined under act of Congress of August 5, 1886, there are bridges which, if the streams should ever be improved, would be obstacles to navigation, but at present, as the streams are not navigable, the structures are not obstacles: Bayou Plaquemine, Louisiana.-Just inside the Bayou Plaquemine near its junction with the Mississippi River is a solid-earth dike or causeway built across the bayou by order of the police jury. This dike was built about twenty years ago. About a mile away from the Mississippi River there, is on the Bayou Plaquemine, a pile-bridge without a draw, on which the Texas and Pacific Railroad crosses this stream. Bayou Vermillion, Louisiana.-On this stream, about 2 miles below where the Morgan Railroad crosses the stream on its bridge, is a low wooden pile-bridge called "Pinhook Bridge" without a draw. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A. W. H. HEUER, REPORT OF CAPTAIN J. H. WILLARD, CORPS OF ENGINEERS.. Vicksburg, Miss., December 22, 1886. SIR: Referring to General Orders No. 7, current series, from your office, I have to invite attention to the annual reports of my predecessor for 1885 and 1886, and to special reports of December 9, 1884, and June 18, 1886, giving detailed information in regard to obstructions by bridges of South Forked Deer River, Tennessee, Big Black River, Mississippi, and Red River at Shreveport, La. Chapter 180, Laws of the United States, approved August 5, 1886, provided in the item of $5,000 for Big Black River, Mississippi, "that no part of this appropriation shall be used until the State of Mississippi shall have first caused the bridges over said stream south of the Vicksburg and Meridian Railroad to be so constructed as not to obstruct the navigation of said stream." I learned informally from the attorneygeneral of the State that no action had been taken by the State as yet, and accordingly made no recommendations in my project dated August 20, 1886. No appropriation was asked in the Annual Report for 1886, and no further estimates will be made for this stream until the bridges shall have been rebuilt to afford free navigation. As this is a matter between the United States and a State, it is submitted that the officer. in charge of this district cannot properly enter into correspondence with the governor on the subject. Nothing has been done about the obstructions in South Forked Deer kiver, and no complaints in regard to them have been received at this office since the letter (376, R. and H., 1886) forwarded with indorsement of your office of February 19, 1886. The examination and report on the shoal in the west draw-span at Shreveport was reported June 18, 1886, and a letter from the office of the Chief of Engineers (1, '86) was transmitted to the president of the railroad company July 17, 1886, requesting compliance with section 8, chapter 229, Laws of the United States, approved July 5, 1884. If any thing has been done by the company to improve the obstructed channel I have not heard of it. The east channel is sufficient for present needs of commerce, and no complaints have been received at this office from any person interested in the navigation of Red River. The same company is now replacing the wooden draw-bridge over Bayou Macon by an iron draw-span. This information has been received lately from the superintendent in charge of improving Tensas River and Bayou Macon, Louisiana. No plans or information in regard to the proposed construction have been submitted to this office. I learn to day that the Georgia Pacific Railroad Company (narrow gauge) has begun the construction of a bridge over Big Sunflower River above Johnsonville, Miss. It is presumed that a draw-bridge is contemplated; otherwise complaints would have been made by persons interested in the navigation of this stream, either to this office or in the public prints. No plan or other information have been furnished by the company. The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A. REPORT OF CAPTAIN HENRY S. TABER, CORPS OF ENGINEERS UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Little Rock, Ark., February 3, 1887. GENERAL: In accordance with the requirements of General Orders No. 7, dated Headquarters Corps of Engineers, United States Army, Washington, D. C., November 30, 1886, that there are no bridges, causeways, or structures now erected, or in process of erection, that do or will interfere with the free and safe navigation of any improved river, or improved reach of river, in this district. The following bridges over streams for which appropriations have been made and not yet expended do interfere with the free and safe navigation of such streams, viz: A wagon bridge at Rocky Crossing, upon the Petit Jean River. This bridge should be altered without delay, as improvements are to be begun as soon as the water reaches a proper stage. The following bridges over streams for which appropriations have been recommended will interfere with the free and safe navigation of these streams when improved, viz: One railroad bridge, owned and operated by the Memphis and Little Rock Railroad, over the Cache River, Arkansas. One railroad bridge, owned and operated by the Saint Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway Company, over the same river. One railroad bridge, owned and operated by the Saint Louis, Arkansas and Texas Railroad Company, over the Saint Francis River at or near the town of Saint Francis, Ark. One railroad bridge, owned and operated by the Saint Louis and San Francisco Railroad Company, over the Arkansas River at or near Tulsa, in the Indian Territory. One railroad bridge, owned and operated by the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad Company, over the Arkansas River, about 2 miles above the mouth of Grand River, Indian Territory. A bridge over the Saline River, near Rison, Ark., owned and operated by the Saint Louis, Arkansas and Texas Railway Company, interferes with the free and safe navigation of that river from February 1 to June 1 each year. There is a bridge in process of erection over the Poteau River, Arkansas, that will be an obstruction to the free and safe navigation of that river. This is being built by the Saint Louis and San Francisco Railway Company. These two latter cases are instances of bridges over streams navigable by the laws of the United States, though the particular reach spanned by these bridges has never been improved by the General Government. I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Brig. Gen. JAMES C. DUANE, Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. H. S. TABER, Captain of Engineers. REPORT OF MAJOR A. MACKENZIE, CORPS OF ENGINEERS. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Rock Island, Ill., December 14, 1886. GENERAL: General Orders No. 7, Headquarters Corps of Engineers, United States Army, current series, requires a report upon certain pro visions contained in section 4, river and harbor act of August 5, 1886, which are as follows: report to Congress "The Secretary of War shall whether any bridges, causeways, or structures, now erected or in process of erection, do or will interfere with free and safe navigation." In obedience to this order I have the honor to report as follows: Within the limits of the district in my charge there are numerous bridges, causeways, piers, booms, and other structures, erected by private parties, which interfere to a greater or less extent with free and safe navigation. All bridges are obstructions to navigation in a certain degree, but most of them have been built on the Upper Mississippi River under authority of acts of Congress, and by the provisions of section 8 of the river and harber act of July 5, 1884, can be made in time reasonably safe and convenient for the passage of vessels and rafts. As regards Congressional authority, there are two notable exceptions, the one a railroad draw-bridge constructed by the Minnesota and Northwestern Railway Company at Saint Paul, Minn., the other a high bridge, now in course of construction, across the Mississippi at Dubuque, Iowa. In both these cases the principle of securing permission to construct bridges over navigable waters of the United States has been disregarded, but it cannot be said that these bridges are or will be greater obstructions to navigation than the authorized bridges. In the case of the Saint Paul bridge, the matter is fully discussed in Circular No. 15, Headquarters Corps of Engineers, July 1, 1885. As regards the high bridge at Dubuque, the circumstances have been fully reported, and the Dubuque Ponton Bridge Company, who are constructing this bridge under an assumed permission granted by an act of Congress which authorized the construction of a ponton bridge, are under instructions to present plans and details of their intended operations to the end that the matter may be reported to Congress. Certain plans have been received by me, but are not yet in proper shape for submission to the War Department. These plans will be forwarded as soon as practicable. It is most desirable that some law be enacted which will prohibit the construction of any bridge over navigable waters of the United States excepting under general or special authority of Congress and in accordance with plans approved by the War Department. There are on the Upper Mississippi numerous booms, piers, cribs, &c., which encroach on the channel and interfere somewhat with navigation. Section 5254, Revised Statutes, provides for the erection of piers, cribs, &c., under the authority and direction of the Secretary of War, but such authority is rarely requested. None of the cases of this kind on the Upper Mississippi is perhaps of sufficient importance to require special mention, but as nearly all result in unauthorized obstruction and delay to navigation, it is desirable that structures built without authority, which encroach on the channel and affect navigation injuriously, be declared public nuisances and ordered removed. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A. A. MACKENZIE, |