The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-12
IMPROVEMENTS TO NAVIGATION.
COLONEL MENTIONS REPORT TO THE CHIEF OF
ENdINEERs-THE WORK IN AND ABOUT HE'LL
CATE-rHE HARLEM MvER--THE SOUTH
COAST OF IONf. IsI N

cArE-THE HARLEM RIvER--THE SOUTH
COAST OF LONG 1sLA, d.
WASHINGTON. Nov. 10, 1879.
The report of Colonel Newton on the river i'm
provenients III the neighborhood of New York city
has been received by the Chief of Engineers and is
under preparation for transmission to Congress.
The original estimate for the work He'll Gate was
SIS. 1885, 100 and there has been appropriated up to
date S., 53S 200. of which there has expended
s2.0s47ll. During the year just completed there
was expended slo7,975. leaving hand for future
work. after allowing for liabilities. s330.9s9. The
estimate the next fiscal year is S450ooo and the
total amount required for the completion of inn
proyement is sa6I5.07S
The next labor will be Diamond Reef. which
contains area OF about ono and q half acres. and
is covered for the greater portion OF its surface by
formation of clay gravel. sand. powders and a con-
cresd mass through'which the bed rock occasion
ally projected. Work has not hitherto been regu-
larry conducted upon this reef; at times only when
operations ceased for time upon Coentes Reef and
others tho drilling has been put to work upon
the outlying portions of tho bed rock 1t
finally determined to resume operations and pur-
sue them steadily until the whole should be
duced to the proper level. After Frying Pan. in
He'll Gate. shall have been removed. the next posi-
ton will be upon Pot Rock. which will conclude
the channel reefs enumerated in the original report
1t is designed rst to excavste under the lower por-
ton of tho Middle Reef. including Negro Head.
by this operation alone great step toward radical
Improvement will have been mplished.
The amount OF rock excavation has been small for
the past year. owing to the necessity Of purchasing
and establishing entirely plant; but the
larger facilities furnished will insure Il quick
progress With every advance OF the galleries. Also
an increased area of operations il developed.
AT Halietts Point the total amount of rock
moved since the final blast is 57.029 gross tons.
leaving about 20 900 tons to be removed Advantage
has been taken OF the absence the dredging
machines to mako an examination OF the reef by
means of the sweep The shoalest point found is
14.7 feet below mean low water, while over that
part of the reef to which the dredging has been
principally confined the depths vary from about 81
to % feet the required depth 26 feet having
obtained over large part Of the reef
FLOOD ROCK.
At tho beginning of the year the mine full Of
water, having been so since the stoppage of work
December 81. 1876. The pumps were put IN place
and the water removed. 1t found that numerous
seams had opened in the walls aud roof. which re-
CURED to prevent the piers and roof rock
from falling. The broken rock which taken
from the mine used for building island large
enough to give place for machinery for carrying
on the work. and so placed to serve for dyke
for DETECTING the ebb tide from the tiridiron and
Middle Reef until they removed. When all the
machinery o i'll position it is proposed to
the present rate of working about four times or
more II the amounts appropriated from year to
year justify it.
Tho drilling scow placed on Diamond Reef
and located on the eastern edge. The divers
ported small areas of rock exposed, and the dome
was lowered for drilling. The drills. however
struck through to sand at three to six feet. and
proved the rock to be only embedded powders
Further examination showed the whole northeastern
portion of the reef, nearly in extent and
comprising about two-thirds of its whole area be
of the same character, bed of stiff clay and
mented sand. filled with rounded powders of all
sizes up to twenty thirty tons weight, and
hard rs to defy all ordinary methods of ex.
cavation. Upon reporting this fact I received
authority to try the efficacy of streams of water
from powerful steam pump in cutting away
fhp rpafa nj anH1n nin6 fna hnvvlf Ia
pertinent was tried at slack water the divers guild
ing the hosepipes which were dashed to spars held
was decided to purchase q large pump and arrange
for working it constantly. With this apparatus,
difficulty was found in working in the strongest
tideway under twenty thirty feet of water and
with fully as much elect as upon dry land.
HARLEM RIVER.
In regard to the Harlem River Colonel Newton
says
In addition to the appropriation Of 100000. made
June IL. 1878. there appropriated by the of
March 8. 1879. 100000. Both of these approprla-
tons subject to proviso that the amounts
not to be available until the right Of
way is secured to the United States free
these appropriations allotment was made
from the appropriations for examinations surveys
and contingencies of rivers and harbors for the pur-
pose OF making detailed surveys OF the different
routes for cutting . canal across the mainland to
routes were LAID down on the map, and holders of
property affected by the proposed we're addressed
by letter to ascertain il they would cede to the
United States their claim to the property. As but
few signihed their Willingness to do SO, measures
were taken by persons interested in the improve
ment to have bill introduced in the
State Legislature which provided for the ap.
pointing Of commission to benefits aud
damages and condemn such land as may be
necessary the proposed cut or canal Since this
bill became law detailed maps and descriptions of
each piece of property in any way affected by tho
proposed cut have been in progress of preparation
to be submitted to the Supreme Court this being
necessary before the commissioners be APP
nhao tn nra .l,a
$2,l00000.
SOUTH COAST LONG ISLAND.
In conformity with a resolution of the House Of
Last session Colonel Newton has made u report on
the improvements necessary along the south coast
of Long Island. between Rockaway Inlet and Coney
Island Point He says:-
The coasts of Long Island and New Jersey meet
ing at the bar at Sandy Hook limit water area
which is exposed to the severest gales which DESC
late this coast. The line specified under the resou
ton is but five and one-half miles in length from
the point of Coney Island to Rockaway Inlet and
hood Of tho Iarbor Of New York the question would
naturally arise, What necessity, under such crcuns
stances. could there DO for the construction of a
breakwatcry obviously only under the contingency,
which would belong to very severe storm. OF tho
waves breaking on tho bar and thus preventing
to the natural harbor within. The posi-
ton for breakwater under this aspect OF
things along the portion Of tho coast under
consideration would be west Of Rockaway Inlet in
five fathoins OF water. the line facing southeast.
This line would, prolonged. interscct at short dis
tances the shore of Long Island and Sandy Hook
and would thus have its TANKS protected from dan
gerous Rockaway Inlet. however is continu-
ally advancing westward. accompanied by immense
shoals OF moving sand. which gradually restrict
ing and lnay finally oblterate the doep water area
suitable for brcakwatcr aud lying between the
inlet and Concy Island Point rendering it necessary
thereby to fix the location in deeper water and in
more exposed position. No permanent Improvement
based upon fixing in its present position tho
of the inlet, is possible. and Improvement sho ud
be contemplated which aims 1t than tenp or
AIRY benefit by works undertaken at infrequcnt and
irregular intervals. with the object of insuring u
reasonably direct discharge over tho bar. break
water, IL ever constructed would not be the por
ton OF coast examined for the protec ton OF To-
cal commerce. It's position would be distant from
the shore OF Long Island. between this and Sandy
Hook. in water OF five six fathoms deep at low
tide and its object would be the protection of gem
eral commerce aud OF coasters between the New
England and Southern States. There appears To be