Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-05-04

General GiTImore's Report ON the Work
Done Last Year.

.Sdraanah HarbOr and Rirer, Ge0rgid.-
During the last fiscal year operations
were carried on in conformity to the pro-
iect submitted August Is, 1873, and the
supplementary projects of March Is, 1871.
and January 16, 1882.
The plan of improvement now in pro-
gress of execution cOntemplates the es-
tablishment of a channel from Tybee
Roads to the city OF Savannah, navigable
for vessels of - feet draught, and the
widening of the river opposite the city to
600 feet, of uniform depth with the balance
Of the channel.
This is to be accomplished by imprOv-
ing the north channel, in preference TO
the south. from the head of Elba Island to
the head Of Long Island: closing with
dams all the lateral channels connecting
/ the north and south channels from Elba
/ Island to Tybee Roads; constructing a
/ low dam across the south channel above
+ st. Augustine creek, in order to increase
/ the volume of ebb-tiow down the north
channel: raising the dam at the cross
tides miles above the city of Savannah,
/ to a higher level. possibly TO the level of
I high water; narrowing the river between
I Savannah and Tybee Roads by wing dams
/ where the widths are excessive and the
navigation poor; constructing a low jetty
or training wall from some point on either
I Jones or Turtle Island in sOutheasterly
I direction to the red light beacon. and pro-
/ tecting st. MichaeFs channel below that
/ beacon by a similar wall. Works of shore
protection will be built and dredging done
wherever deemed necessary.
The estimated cost Of the improvement.
according to the plan submitted January
10. 1882. is $I30.00O.
Prior to July l. 1881. the Cross Tides dam
was constructed nearly up to the level of
( low water, although at places the top was
! 8 TO 5 feet below that level; a low dam was
partially constructed across the upper
I end of the south channel; portion Of the
old Kings Island jetty was removed and
dredging had been done at various places
between the cross tides dam and Tybee
Roads TO the amount Of 1,241,jO0 cubic
yards. A number Of wrecks and portions
/ of wrecks, as well as piles, cribs and
I other distractions, were removed from the
/ channel.
During the last fiscal year the Cross
Tides dam was raised higher by deposit
/ ing thereon 1888 cubic yards Of broken
stone and $50 square yards of brush mats
I II inches thick. The adjacent shore was
I protected with 333 square yards Of log mats
ballasted with stone.
The crest ofGhe dam is now at the level
Of feet above mean low water, the rise
and fall of the tide at that point being 5.41
feet.
Opposite the city OF savannah two
wing dams were constructed on the Hutch
insOn's Island side. to contract the
/ waterway in that locality. One is 300
+ feet and the other $50 feet in length. they
/ are substantially constructed with five
( courses of log-rafts or mattresses, bal
I lasted with riprap stone, with a number
/ Of piles driven alongside to keep them
/ securely i'm place. The bottom mattress
/ is 80 feet wide. the others 10 feet. They
were completed to the level of highwater
in March last. These dams contract the
waterway to width of $50 feet. The
width of the river at Fig Island was in
I creased to 66O feet by cutting away the
point on the left bank. There
were excavated. by dredging, from the
Garden Bank shOal "a. 80 cubic yards Of
materials. A jetty or training wall was
} constructed. starting from near the lower
end of Fig Island and extending down
stream a length of about 1000 feet. This
ietty is composed Of log and brush mat
tresses, ballasted with riprap stone, and
is three courses high in some places, its
crest being about feet above the level of
/ mean low water. At its upper end it con-
tracts the waterway to a width Of about
100 feet. and at its lower end to about so
/ feet.
The work of closing the cross channels
/ between the islands, from Elba to Long
Island was accomplished in March, April
4 and Nav, 1852. by means of dams COM
( posed of log and brush mattresses, loaded
/ with rip-rap stone. carried up 10 mean
high water level. There are three of these
dams. and their aggregate length is 3,249
feet All the dams and wing dams, in
Guiding the dam at the Cross Tides are in
good condition and stable. Some dredging
was done in the new Wrecks" channel
at Oyster Bed beacon, north OF Fort Pu-
laski, and at the Tybee knoll, and in Saint
Michaers channel, the total quantity re-
moved from the several localities being
50, 412 cubic yards.
The channel from the city of savannah
to Tybee Roads, taken as whole, was
never in better condition than at the pres
ent time. Vessels drawing 10 feet and
upwards have gone to sea from the
wharves Of the city.
During the present fiscal year 1t IS pro
posed to carry on the work in conformity
10 the project submitted January 16, 1882.
The total expenditures on account Of
this improvement to June 30, 1882, includ-
ing outstanding liabilities. have been
1856. 94S 0S.
July I. 1881. amount available. SI7o.47l -
july !, lsS2, amount eX-
pended during fiscal
year, exclusive Of out
standing liabilities
July /, 1851 .Sl5l,97 p
liabilities l4,l22 50 -lj5,4l9 80
July /. lss2, amount available l5,O5l %
Amount appropriated by act
passed August ,, 1852, 100000 90
Amount available for fiscal year
ending June 30, 1853 2l5,Ojl "
Completion Of existing project $4,000 90
Amount that can be probably eX-
Id
June 80. 1884 $4,000 90
Sdudnpdh Rtcer, Ge0rqid.-By act
approved March 8, 1881, the sum OF $15, 900
was appropriated for this improvement,
referring to that portion of the river be-
tween the city of Augusta and the head
of HutchinsOn's Island, miles above the
city of Savannah. This was the first APP
preparation ever made by Congress for
this improvement. The principal obstruc-
tiOns are sandbars, snags, and Overhang-
ing and floating trees. The plan of i'm
provement cOntemplates narrowing the
river by wing-dams where the widths are
excessive; aiding the deposit of silt by
light hurdle dikes, revetting caYing banks
wherever necessary; cutting away pro-
jecting points, removing snags and piles,
and dredging wherever necessary to aid
the development of a lOw-water channel.
For the greater portion Of the year boats
of 4 to feet draught can pass from Sa-
vannah to Augusta, distance by river
Of 24s miles, but during the low river sea-
son the worst shoals have only ? to 3 feet
Of water upon them. The object of the
improvement is TO secure low river
channel feet deep, and its estimated cost
is $9l 900.
During the last fiscal year an efficient
snagbOat was constructed, her cost being
charged in part TO the appropriation for
this work, and in part to the apprOpria-
tiOns for Savannah river and harbOr and
the Altamaha river. The snagboat went
to work on the river during the latter
part of February, 1882, and continued
until the It'll Of the following April. She
operated on a reach of about so miles in
length between Hacks bar, about 70mlles
below Augusta, and Brier's creek, about
100 miles below that city. A number of
piles, snags and overhanging trees were
removed.
The total amount expended on this i'm
prOVement to June so, 1882, was 1924 -.
During the present fiscal year it is pro-
posed, under the appropriation Of August
,. 1882. TO continue the work of removing
snags, drift-legs, OTerhanging trees, etc,
and building wing-dams to contract the
river where excessive widths produce and
maintain shoals.
july !. 1881. amount available $4,000 90
July ]. 1852, amount expended during
fiscal year, exclusive Of Outstand-
ing liabilities July l. 1881 4,924 -
.Julv /. 1852. amount available - Is
Amount appropriated by act passed