The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-16
improvement of Galveston Harbor.

port OIL COl. >. NJ. DldnSnelQ, engineer
in char of the river and harbor i'm
provementS of the Galveston district.
was received at the war department
to-day. The following is a synopsis
of the reports on the several works
under his direction: Improvement to
the entrance of Galveston harbCr dur
ing the past year-work was confined
to extending the foundation course
of the south jetty to the full width of
100 feet aid raising it to a higher
level, when thought necessar' by the
addition of second, third or fourth
course of mattresses along its length;
to the closing gap near the short
line; to rip-rapping the work
by extra ballasting, secure it
at points where such protection
was required, and to building sand
fences at Fort Point to protect the
channel over the inner bar from
drifting sand. The condition of the
work at the close of the year was as
follows:
North jetty, (the experimental piece
trial section, seven mattresses.)-
Work on this line extending out
ninety feet from the outer end.
Bolivar gabionade seemed to have
undergone no change during the year
and apperred to be in the same condi-
tlon as when first put down.
South jetty.-This work as extended
covers the construction of brush mat
tresses we'll ballasted with stonework.
The past year completed this jetty,
SO an to give its dimensions as
follows: A foundation course 22,-
oo1 feet long, varying in width
from 90 to 12O feet, and upon which
is carried to the second course IL to 30
feet wide for nearly the same length.
Over all are the third and fourth sta
tions, the third course approXimating
1850 feet and the fourth to the sixth
course 1000 feet deep in length. The
engineer reports that as far
us further progress on the i'm
provement with government aid is
concerned, the work is at Il standstill;
but that the city of Galveston has
voted 100000 to carry on the work on
the south jetty the present year. The
enclosed correspondence between him
self and the city authorities, in rela-
ton to the failure of congress to pro-
vide funds for the continuance
of the work and the possibilities of
local aid to carry on the improve
lllCuO- 1h1o correspondence Op0llS
with letter from the mayor-elect of
Galveston, stating the deep interest
which the city feels in the active pros
ecution of the work of improvement,
and asking for information as to how
long work could be continued and in
what condition it would be left upon
exhaustion of the government funds.
A reply from Col. Mansfield follows,
N NUhinh tnn nfN
that Col n, thinks no Injury could
happen to this work by reason of its
being left in an unfinished condition,
but that he apprehended that the eX-
pensive plant which has been used in
the work would deteriorate in two
years of idlenesS while waiting for an
appropriation by the general govern
ment and become unserviceable. The
engineer in this reply also states that in
response to inquiries in the mayors
letter, that 100000 would keep the
work going during the present sum-
mer, and would effect the entire COM
pletion of the south jetty. Other let
ters to the engineer from steamship
companies and from the chairman
of the Galveston Cotton Exchange
in relation to the benefit to
commerce to be derived from
Il continuance of the work of
improvement are endorsed. There is
also enclosed copy of communica-
ton from Mansfield to the chief engi-
neer, forwarding a copy of the ordi-
nance of the city of Galveston appro-
priating 100000 and placing it at the
disposal of the engineer for continu-
ing improvements in the harbor, and
N e lyincr for n ru mt ifx-4 70
cept the money and use it in further
dOrSement OF this communication
by the chief engineer to the secretary
OF war is with a recommendation that
the officer in charge of the improve
ment be authorized to receive and
disburse funds to be provided by the
city of Galveston for continuing i'm
provements in the harbor at that
place, in accordance with the
existing project, it being understood
that the United States is not
to be in any way responsible
for the return of funds so provided
and assumes no obligations in relation
thereto. Further endorsement of the
secretary of war is that the recon-
;Iendation of the chief engineer is ap-
proved and the authority requested is
granted upon the conditions indicated,
in the endorsement thereto, and
letter to Col. Mansfield from the mayor
in reply to the notification that the
desired authority to use the fu IDS has
been granted, in which the mayor
saws: Il am gratified to find you are
authorized, with the conditions
named, to receive the 100000 appro-
nriatad Inv the citV of Galveston for
continuance of your work. With re-
gard to operations during the pres
ent year, the engineer reports
work will be continued until ex-
haustion of this fund in building up
the south jetty. The estimated cost
of this improvement in accordance
with the improved plan of 1880, was
81 1,825,813. There has been appropri-
ated since then $825,OOO, and amount
available July 1, 1883. was $32,241.