The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1877-10-08
REPORTS OF U. 8. ARMY ENGINEERS >.
luIand Navigation-P0ints Of Interest to
River Nru.

WASHINGTON Oct. THE reports of the
officers of engineers of the United States
Army in charge of river and harbor improve
mentR, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877,
have been received by Gen. Humphreys, Chief
of Engineers, who is now engaged in col
lecting them for submission to Congress.
The following extracts are from the annual
VIM. T.. MERIT reports for the fiscal year
ending June 80 as to the improvement of the
Ohio river:
The only work of construction carried on
during the fiscal year just ended has been the
repair of the old dyke at the trap few miles
below Pittsburg and the extension of thedyk
just below Evansville, Ind, and In removing
Jackson rock in the grand chain some
twenty miles above Cairo. y
The last appropriation for the Ohio did not
become available until September Is, 1876, a
date too late to admit of making formal con-
tracts for work to be done before cola weather.
Major Merrill says: We are greatly ham
pered in endeavoring to keep the Ohio clear
for navigation, by owners of wrecked barges
claiming possession of them, until every
Mound OF coal has been removed. regardless
Of the great injury which the presence of
these wrecks in narrow channels may cause
passing vessels.
This year gave public notice in the news
napers that all wrecks would be considered
abandoned unless notices We're sent me to
the contrary, and the result has been very
beneficial. In order to keep great navigable
rivers from Instructions / earnestly renew
III
report for 1873 to be enacted into law. The
amount available for the improvement OF the
Ohio river is STA, $40 SO.
The amount that can be probably expended
in the fiscal year ending June 3d. 1878, Is sop
600. In regard to the improvement of the
Monongahela river, in my last annual report
/ stated that an additional appropriation
would be necessary to complete the lock and
dam at Hardsrocks.
This appropriation was not made and,
therefore, | have to report all construction as
stopped and the work placed under the
charge of watchman until such time as a
new appropriation will permit its completion.
The amount available for this Improvement is
51,954, and the amount of the estimate for
the completion of existing project OF improve
ment $2i4,000 The amount that can be profit
ably expended in the fiscal year ending June
so, is7s, would be about $s5oooo. The amount
available for the improvement OF the Little
Kanawha rive is only S675o
The amount available for the Improvement
of the mouth of the Mississippi river at the
the Southwest Pass is $40, 760 rs, while the
amount asked for is $500 For the en-
trance to Galveston harbor the amount avail
able is S36,052 50; amount asked for is $780,
600.
For the continuation of work on the ship
channel in Galveston Bay, between Red Fish
Bar and Morgan's Point, the amount avail
able is $4,000; amount asked for $500
! For Sabine Pass, Texas, amount available,
$50 4s9 AZ; asked for, S147, ,O26:
For Pass Cavallo inlet to Matagorda Bay,
Texas, the amount available is $4,000; asked
for, sfs0,0OO
For the survey for ship channel through
Galveston Bay, Texas, the amount available
lis S14l0 36. No further appropriations asked.
For the improvements of the Ouachita
river, Louisiana and Arkansas, amount avail
able s6sS, ,o56;: asked for, $4,000:
For the 1azoo river, Mississippi avail
able. S13,950 81; asked for, $4,000.
For the removal of the raft in Red river and
closing, Tones Bayou, Louisiana. amount
available $2262 So; asked for, S60000.
For continuing the work of dredg ng and
removing distractions in Cypress Bayou,
Texas, available, $4,000 IS; asked for, S2o,
/ o00
For water gauges on the Mississippi river
and principal trlDutarleS, available, S166S "a,
asked for, $4,000.
In regard to this important business. Capt
b. F. Youard, engineer officer in charge,
says: Il would most earnestly call attention
to the fact that no appropriation was made
for guages at the last session of Congress.
The balance of the old appropriation now on
hand will only be sufficient to continue obser-
vations until October. Even if no repairs
will be required after that time, the readings
will have to be discontinued"
The object for which gauges We're estab
lished was for the purpose or having a col
lection OF continuous reports Tor series OF
years of the rise of the Mississippi river,
with view of obtaining information on the
question of reclaiming the alluvial basin of
the Mississippi from overftows, and also to
give reliable report OF the river at its various
stages, for the benefit of steamboatmen and
planting interests.
AS Congress has already taken initiatory
steps towards making provisions for works
Tor retaining overfoWed lands, by provld-
ing Iof survey OF the entire river, whlch IS
now In progress, it will be seen how import
ant IL Is to have observations at dlf1ereIt
gauges continued
NEW YORK GOSSIP.