Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-15
Annual Report Of Gen. Craighill,
Chief of Engineers.
RECOMMENDATION As TO LONG BRIDGE
It Should Be Rebuilt to Prevent
Future Damage.
THE DISTRICT. WATER SUPPLY

has been made public. Touching fortifica-
tions he has little to remark in general
way, that portion of his report being prin-
cipally made up of detailed statements of
the work accomplished at various points in
the execution of the plans Of the fortifica-
tons board. He says that since the date
of the last report the board has prepared
projects for the artillery defense of Phila-
delphia, Key West, San Diego, the mouth
of the Columbia river, Galveston and Puget
sound. In addition. projects for the subma-
rine mine defense of various places have
been prepared or revised, and nearly all have
received the approval of the Secretary of
War. AS illustrating the backwardness of
the work of coast defense Gen. Craighill
cites the case of Portland, Me-, where the
project calls for thirty-eight guns Of large
calloer and forty-eight morters, while en-
placements are being built for but three
guES; at New York, where the project calls
for forty-five guns and 176 mortars, while
emplacemerts are built or building for but
eleven guns and thirty-two mortars. He
saya 1t Is not necessary to refer to the pro-
Jects Tor the defense of other places enough
has been said to demonstrate that the work
Of fortifying our sea coasts has barely been
entered upon.
AlIOtments During the Year.
Allotments have been made during the
year for emplacements for fourteen twelve
inch. twenty-one ten-inch and seven eight
inch guns and eighty twelve-inch mortars
to be distributed among Portland, Boston,
New York, Philadelphia, Washington,
Hampton Roads, Charleston, Pensacola,
Mobile, New Orleans and San Francisco.
AllotmentS have also been made for plat
forms for fifteen ten-inch and five eight
inch guns and twenty mortars in addition
to those already made, while estimates are
preparing for platforms for five twelve-inch
NJ nm FlSn Dfi civ -irnh aud
two eight-inch guns on disappearing car
riages and sixteen twelve-inch mortars for
which an additional appropriation of S7O,-
OGO will be required.
Gen. Craighill attaches much Importance
to the defense of forts by submarine mines
supplementing the artillery defense. With
the small funds in hand he has completed
twenty-five easements for the defense Of
the Atlantic coast and San Francisco, and
is about to undertake the construction of
one al Galveston. He submits estimates Ct
$4,000 for additional easements and $5O,0oO
for the purchase of submarine mines and
appliances.
Gen. Craighill states that the appropria-
tion for the preservation and repair of
Notifications is entirely inadequate, aver
aging about 5000 for each work, so that the
department is unable to make the extra
ordinary repairs to meet damages occa-
stoned by the numerous storms of the last
two years. Therefore, he suggests an in
crease of appropriation from Si50O0 to STO,-
600. AS the appropriation of $l5O.OOO for
the acquisition of sites for sea-coaSt de-
fenses was entirely exhausted at Narrl-
gansett bay, Baltimore and Charleston, he
requests an additional appropriation of
$2J0,0O for the procurement of other sites.
Economy in River and HnrbOr Inn
prOvcments.
Under the head of river and harbor i'm
proyements Gen. Craighill says that eX
perience has demonstrated the great econ
omy in every respect in carrying on works
of Improvement under continuous contracts
for which appropriations have been made In
suldry civil acts, and it is judged that un-
der that system the works Will be conf
pleted in less than one-half the time which
would be required were they to depend on
biennial appropriations and consequent
succession of small contracts. There would
thus be not only much economy of money,
but the improvements would be very much
sooner available for their intended uses.
The financial statement shows that there
was expended on rivers and harbors dur
ing the past fiscal year exclusive of the
Mississippi and Missouri river commissions
expenditures the sum of S15,440,994, max
ing the total for the past two years $780,
9O4,0S4.
Estimates for Two Years.
The estimates submitted for the next two
years, which Gen. Craighill believes it will
be necessary to do in order to conform to
a bill during short session, is S21016. 1917.
Gen. Craighill emphasizes the fact that his
own estimates are only for works whose
plans have already been approved by Con-
gress, and for which appropriations have
been previously made, and the amount in
each case has been carefully considered
in the expectation that it would not be re-
duced or scaled down If any appropriation
be made.
of ha %
port is made up of summaries of the work
accomplished in each section of the country,
which have already been laid before the
public in the detailed reports of the various
engineer officers in charge of the projects.
OF the South Pass of the Mississippi 1t Is
said that during the past fiscal year the
legal channel was maintained at the head
of the pass and through the pass itself; but
during q period of forty-three days such
channel was not maintained through the
jetties
Estimates for continuing the work on the
more important river and harbor projects
are submitted the amount to be expended
in the next fiscal year. Among them Is the
following:
To Rebuild the Long Bridge.
For the Potomac river at Washington,
Si5O, 600 With this estimate comes a recon-
nendation that the Long bridge be rebuilt as
at present an ice gorge would overflow the
CITY and do great damage; also that the re-
claimed lands of the flats shall be reserved
for park purposes, and not given to COM
mercial uses.
While the estimated amount that can be
profitably expended on this project in the
fiscal year ending June 30, 1897, is $4,000
the amount estimated as required for it's
completion is $531 365.
The project for the improvement of the
Anacostia river provides for dredging a
channel twenty-four feet deep and 200 feet
wide from it's mouth TO the navy yard
bridge, the channel to be widened with
reduced depth, to 1000 feet, as the demands
OF commerce require. No work has been
done on this project during the past year
for want of funds. The amount estima led
required to complete existing project is $685.
600.
The Washington Aqueduct.
Gen. Craighill indorses the recommended
tions of the officer in charge for the i'm
provement of the Washington aqueduct and
increasing the water supply of the District.
An estimate of $3.50 is made for the ex-
lenses of the Washington aqueduct. The
report of the officer detailed to test the
tunnel conduit is under study by the chief
Of .rfy,lo nj fnr.