Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-08-23
RIVER n HARBOR
Improvements During the Past Year
Reports Of Engineers Employed in
the Memphis District.
Facts Of Interest TO MercIIants-The
Commercial Resources of the Sur.
rounding Country in Detail.

A representative OF the APPEAL yesterday
obtained the report Of Chief Uuited States
Engineer Miller, who has his headquarters in
this city. The report covers all the work
done in this district for the fiscal year end
ing July let, and has Just been completed.
The reports OF the sub-engioeers who have
charge of work in the vicinity OF Memphis
are given below in substance:
MEMPHIS REACH AND HARBOR.
IMPROVEMENTS FRcM o OF ISLAND 40 TO
MOUTH OF WHITE RIvER
The work Of the improvement of the hsr-
Dor and Mississippi river at Memphis, Tenu.,
was turned over 10 me by Maj. w. H. H.
Esnysurd, CorTs of EngipeerF, United States
army, June 80, 1882. BY virtue of special
G. o, Washington, May 81, 1882. This
work was placed under the supervision Of
the Mississippi River Commission Augus:
80, 1882. A survey Of the Memphis reach
from The foot Of Island 40 TO Scsnlans Lsnd-
ing was completed in August, 1882, and a
plan for the improvement of the reach sub.
mltted 10 the Mississippi Rive Commission.
H PLAN
go far "a the reveimeut Of cavinZ banks 10
Hop, field bend and above and below Wolf
river was concerned, WIS approved by the
commission, and an allotment OF 100000
was made August II, 1882, for this purpose.
Ar additional allotment Of S25 900 for the
completion and rsp4ir Of the work for the
protection of the Memphis trout wa1 made
September 16, 1882. Work on the compile
ton and repair of the protection of the
Memphis foot, owing 10 the continuous
hign water, was not commenced until Octo-
Der IS, 1882. The work consisted in repair
inc the maffPeaa rsuafment alraa1y in mai
ton and in grading and revetting the bank
between high and low water. The revet-
ment below low-wster mark consisted Of mat
tresses quilt of brush and suuk into position
with 3 one; above low-Eater mark of brush
secured to the banks BY stakes and wire,
covered with a layer Of stone. Owing to the
constant use Of this portion Of the river back
as a
LANDING A
for steamboats,, aud tee occupation OF a por-
ton Of 1t as one of the two points where sill
the coal used in Memphis is landed, the con-
OF continuous or long mattresses
wac impossible. Consequently it was neces-
5ary 10 construct The mattresses in mall SEC
and above the mouth OF Wolf river
where the work would not interfere with the
river traffic. The mattresses were construct
ed Of brush aud poles, and we're 120 feet long,
sky feet wide and two feet thick. They
were built on inclined ways on the river
bank, and launched and TO we'd into position
by a tug hired for the purpose and sunk with
their longer dimensions, 120 feet, normal to
the direction Of the river bank. Twenty of
These mattresses were sunk and the
SHORE ~REvETMEN
from the elevator TO the cotton congresses
except for a short distance in 'front.' of Brown
& Jones's coa'-yard, which i. is propo ed to
complete during the next working season.
were Suspended in February,
1888, on sccount OF the high water. Imme-
diately after the suspension OF the operations
the river rose to a gusge reading OF 3475
feet and shortly afterward fell rapidly to a
residing on gauge OF Is 20 feet, a fall of 1855
feet. The bank revetment stood this test OF a
sudden fall admirably and showed quite an
accumulation of silt on its surface, in some
places to a depth of two or three feet. The
bank has shown no evidence OF further caving
and The work appears to be permanent. B.
fore The work was put in position the bank
here had teen constantly csving into the
river and seriously threatened the safety of
the large freight and grain elevator erected
lat summer, just below the work. Tue re-
port of MIR. Joseph Bower, assistant engineer,
is submitted herewith.
THE WORK IN HoPEFIELD BEND
consists in reVeiting the bank of the river
above and below low water, and IN grading
the bank ABOVE low water to a proper slops
TO receive the bank protection. The plant
for this work was received on January Is,
1885, and a party was Immediately organ
iz.d for the supply OF brush and the hydreu!-
ic grader was put TO work grading the upper
bank. Owing to the depth of water and We
locity OF current at this point, great trouble
was anticipated ia sinking the mattresses.
They were constructed on a msttress-bost or
floating ways by waiting the brush between
longitudinal poles placed at a distance of
eight feet apart. When a length equal 10
hat Of the ways was completed, the mat
tr.ss boat was then drawn from under the
mat, which was held in position by a NOV.
Jog barge above, and a new length begun.
The mattresses were J40 feet vide, their
length varying from 256 10 29S fee.
LARGER MATS
were not sunk, as on account OF the depth,
forty 10 seventy feet, and the velocity of the
current, buckling WAS apprehenjed. This
work was begun at Mound City Landing,
and 1127 ljnsa feet OF mattresses 140 f=et
wide were SUM in portions. At this point
1914 feet of upper bSnk protection thirty-one
feet wide was placed in position, when the
high water put . stop to further operation.
The grading Of the bank was accomplished
by mears Of the hydraulic grader. The av.
erage cost per cubic yard Of earth wss four
and thres-.entts cents. The work has been
don with hired labor entirely, the party
working or the Memphis front having been
subeisted By verbal agreement at the rate Of
Fifty cen's per diem, and the parties at work
on the Hopeield bend were subaisled at the
the work at an average cost of forty and
three-four;hs cents per diem. A good deal
Of d fficulty was experienced in getting
brush, the nearest point where a suitable
quantity and quality could BE- Obtained b.
log near Centennial cutoff, a defiance OF
about thirty five miles from the work, cor
sequently the expense Of lowsgs added much
to its cost delivered.
MONEY
ALI the contractors completed their work
on the levees before high water, aud f Isl
payment were made. Since The completion
Of the work, the levee has broker again at
McClouI's break and will require to be re-
paired.
- IT 81 81