The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1897-05-06

both now under contract. The eStl-
mate for this work is as follows: Max
ing the old piers sand tight, 800 feet
of sheet piling, at a total estimated
cost of $4,000; protecting the shore
line at the inner end of the north pier,
14O feet of sheet piling, at a total
estimated cost Of 81 .120; extending the
north pier 80 feet, at $3.50; extend
ing the south pier $50 feet, at $4,000;
dredging, So, COG; Office expenses, So, 600;
making total of sac, $50. There is on
hand January Is, 1897, for this work,
500, 800, and a contract has been made
for the south pier extension.
Besides keeping the piers in good
repair, annual dredging will oe re-
quired to maintain the projected depth
between them and in the basin, the
exact amount of which can not be
estimated, although, from 1887 to 1896,
Ill ,256 cubic yards I'll, l26 cubic yards
per annum) resulted in the maintenance
of fairly good channel.
X \ y Y 4 \
| 1t is easily seen that an open channel
through the bar from the river to the
| lake would soon be obliterated by the
waves and currents; that the next step
is to construct piers for it's protection,
and that inasmuch as the contours are
approximately parallel to the shore
line, the shortest piers will be at right
angles to the shore line and of equal
length. The custom has been fol-
lowed, however, of making additions to
the north pier first, so it has happened
for many years that the north pier was
considerably longer than the south
pier. In fact, at only few periods
have they been of equal length, and
only once has the south pier been tho
| longer one.
The adopted plan has never been en-
tirely successful, for the reasons pre-
viously given, and whether more
successful plan can be devised is a
question which can not be definitely
decided until our knowledge of the
forces at work is much more complete.
The average storm track as given in
the special notice to mariners, pub
lished monthly by the photographic
office for September. 1896, passes
across Lake Michigan just north of
Sturgeon Bay. Storms approaching
at Kenosha, or in fact any harbor on
the west shore, therefore, generally
begin with southwest wind, changing
to west and then to northwest. None
of these winds would produce much sea
on that shore. When a storm ap-
prOaches with its center nearer to the
middle part of the lake, the west shore
would feel the effect Of the southeast,
east, and then the northeast winds.
Now, the last wind adds itsintensity to
that of the current already in exist
ence, and has in addition greater
reach across the lake at the southern
most harbors, so that the greatest dis
turbance may be expected from that
direction. IN other words, the beach
around the harbor entrance will con-
form to the influence OF northeast
storms, and will show more or less
constant CONFORMATION. The compari-
son of surveys show this to be actually
the case. The only exception being at
Manitowoc and Two Rivers, where the
eddy previously mentioned eXerts q
contrary influence.
We may therefore expect sand to be
brought from the north by both waves
and currents, or rather by both COM
bined, for it can hardly be believed
that the general currents are sufficient
ly rapid to carry much material in
suspension.
There is another factor in this prob
lem which may be of greater import
ance than is now realized; that is, the
river current during or Immediately
after a storm. The river discharge is
small throughout the year, except for a
short period in the freshet season. 1t
has been noted that eastcrly storms
cause rapid rise in the river at some
distance from its mouth. The river
acts as a reservoir for water carried in
Dy the rise in the lake. Now, whether
an undercurrent is produced immedi
ately or upon the cessation Of the storm
is not known. 1t is certain that this
water is loaded with sand or bias
brought material with it which would
as readily be carried out with u slight
current, and it may be expected that
when the lake falls current arises in
the river which, in meeting the general
lake current, produces quieter water at
the harbor entrance and creates de-
post at that point, or, at least, modi-
fication of the form Of the bar.
The forces acting upon the entrance
to a lake harbor are, therefore, the
constant southerly current, and the
waves and currents produced by storms
and the river current. For harbor i'm
provement purposes observations should
be taken in the vicinity of each harbor
during calm and stormy weather, to
determine their direction, exact loca-