The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-09-30
LATEST KILOGRAMS
Pacific River and HaEbOr Ina
prOVements.

Col. G.. H. Wendell, engineer in
charge of the river and harbOr i'm
movements on the Pacific Coast,
has been received at the war depart
ment. With regard to San Fran
cisco harbor, after speaking of the
Z obstruction of navigation caused by
1.-The laundering of the British
)steamer EScGmbiG, in the entrance
+ to the harbOr and the plan to re-
move the wreck, the engineer says
on February 1st, 1881: A report of
the causes which are tending to
diminish the commercial value of
the harbOr was submitted to the
department, IN obedience to
resolution of the House of Repre-
sentatives, dated June 18TH 50
This report discussed all the infor-
nation upon this subject available
at that time and pointed out the dis
ability Of additional examinations
for the purpose Of comparison with
surveys made in previous years.
The effect, if any, Of certain deposits
known to have accrued within the
bay upon the depth Of water Or the
bar at the entrance to the harbOr.
1t IS important to determine that
the last systematic survey was made
in 1863. Comparative surveys at
other points within the harbOr,
particularly in San Pablo Gar, at
this period, Will be valuable in Civ
ing continuous history of
the halbOr, and together with
an investigation Of the sources
which supply material to make the
shoals, may suggest the means Of
modifying the existing injurious ten
denotes. This harbor is peculiarly
OF national value, its position con-
trolling in an unusual degree the
commerce of the adjacent ocean,
from the fact that il is the only
eommOdi0uS harbOT in a thousand
miles of coast, invests it with a
gerer and peculiar Importance.
1t Is thought that the sum Of SIS. 900
can be prOftabIy employed in OBJ
tanning information which would
enable the enquiry Of the House of
Representatives to be satisfactorily
answered. With regard to the i'm
.prOYementS Of the inland harbOr,
the engineer says the project consists
IN the extension Of two stone iettieS
from Oakland Shore, to twelve feet
iOf water, to San Francisco Bay, in
the excavation Of the channel be-
tween the ietties and the increase
Of the tidal prism. According to
the report the jettieS are well adj
Yauced and the channel Is also in a
process of being enlM ged. The
next operation to be undertaken is
to provide an increase of the tidal
prism, to be accomplished by dredg-
ing the harbOr and by connecting it
by tidal canal with the adjoining
estuary OF San LeadrO. The amount
available of last years aPprOpria
ton is S63,3S9, which will be APP
piled to dredging the upper basin;
100000 was appropriated by the
act Of August 1882. The amount
required for the completion of the
work is estimated, and the engineer
estimates that 100000 can b profit
ably expended next year in the i'm
prOvement and enlargement of
Wilmington HarbOr. The engineer
says the first step ought to be the
excavation of the channel to give it
the dimensions Of 400 feet by 16, in
stead of 235 by u feet, as at present.
The material obtained by this ex-
cavation is to be deposited on the
lines of the jetties extending into
the Bay OF San Pedro. These jet
ties are then to be raised with stone
from Catilina Island, and as the
project develops the stone lefty
inside of Dead Mans Island
is to be raised to high water
mark; 100000 was appro priated at
the last session for The work, and it
is thought it cen be completed for
S19,761. which sum the engineer
thinks can-be proGtably expended
next year. Bids have been invited
according to the engineers report, for
the improvement of the channel in
the Sacramento River at six mile
bar above Sacramento. On this i'm
prOvement he reports, regarding the
impounding Of mining districts as
essential to the protection of these
navigable channels. 1t is proposed
to apply a portion of the last
dpp1O c11StIAOl1B AUGUST 1907 W
the construction and repair Of the
barriers in Yuba, Bear and Ameri-
can Rivers substantially as sketched
in the report of January, 1882, and
the remainder to the maintenance |
of Snag boat in the upper river,
and the continuation of a system of |
impoundiug mining detritus. The |
amount available for the work is
500, 1856, and it is estimated that
$4,000 can be expended next year.
Accompanying this report is one
from Assistant Engineer Smith in |
charge of the snag boat, in which |
he says, it is expected that more at
tentiOn viii be paid this year to i'm |
proving the depth of the water |
through the bars of the upper river,
and it is thought three feet can be |
maintained from San SOule bay
down and thirty inches above this |
point to Squaw Hill.
With regard to the improvement
of San Joaquin River. the report
speaks Of the necessity OF con-
tinuing the dceGge OF Stockton
Sloughs. owing to deposits OF silt
and mining datritGS. It is proposed,
in tho ,NrocaDf co9S,aU : n make I 6p