The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-11-06

gineers to the secretary of war was made public tonight. The estimated amount required for completion of the existing project of improvment in the Black Warrior, Warrior and Tombigbee rivers Is sS41, 466. The amount that can be protitably expended in the fiscal year ending June 30, 19o7 for works of improve ment, in addition to the balance unexpend- ed July 1. 1905, is S6OS 466.
 On July l. 1905, the balance unexpended was $529S54. The chief of engineers re- ports on the progress of work as fol- lows:
 Works Above Tuscaloosa.
 Black Warrior River-This name refers to that portion of the Warrior river above Tuscaloosa. Originally this part of the river was practically closed to nav- gation on account of shoals at and above Tuscaloosa.
 The original project for the improve ment was adopted in 1887, the object being to obtain a channel for barges of six feet draft at low water all the year round be- tween Tuscaloosa and Daniels creek, four teen and one-half miles above, by means of five locks and dams, at an estimated cost of ,67O
 The river and harbor act of March 5. 1899, provided for the construction of Lock (now known as Lock 1S), at n cost not to exceed s190,5OO. As 1t was sub seuuently found that the lock could not be completed for the amount appropriated | the river and harbor act approved June l 13 1902 authorized the transfer of $14.0o0 from the unexpended balance of the War rior river appropriations for the comple- ton of this lock. The same act extends the upper limit of the improvement to the junction of the Mulberry and Locust forks of the river forty-six and one-half miles above Tuscaloosa, and provides for making a survey for the location of Locks 5 and now known as IA and b, next above Lock 4. This survey was com- 1 pleted in 1903 at cost of $2413.5O. Re port thereon is printed in the annual re- port of the chief of engineers for 1904. l Work so far done has been the comple- ton of Locks 10 il and 12 formerly known as 1. and 3. Six feet of naviga- ton can be carried nine miles above Tus- caloosa to Lock No. IS formerly known as Lock D. Lock No. 13 is now ready for navigation, though some minor parts of the work remain unfinished. This will give | site of Lock 14. Beyond this there has been no improvement.
 The total amount expended on the inn provement to June 30 1905, including the survey mentioned, was $79s .03, none of which was applied to maintenance.
 The improvement of the Black Warrior river between Tuscaloosa and Daniels creek is based upon the report of a board of engineers, dated April ?, 1887, and pub hshed in the annual report of the chief of engineers for 1SS7
 For commercial statistics see report on operating and care of locks and dams on Black Warrior river Alabama
 Improvements Below Tuscaloosa.
 (b) Warrior River-This name refers to that portion of the Warrior river below | Tuscaloosa. Originally logs ,snags and overhanging trees rendered navigation inn possible at low water and dangerous a boating stages The minimm depth of channel was about one foot and the mini mum width about sixty feet
 The original project for the improve ment, adopted by ths .iyer and harbor act approved March ', 1S7o. contemplated deepening the channel by jetty construc- tion and the removal of snags and over hanging trees. The amount expended on this project from 1880 until the adoption of the present project was $319,372. Prior to 1880 appropriations were made for the Warrior and Tombfgbee rivers jointly, and the amount expended on the Warrior river up to that time is not known An account of this work may be found in the l annual report of the chief of engineers for 1897.
 The present project. adopted by the river and harbor act of March 8, 1S99 is for the construction of six locks and dams, with total lift of sixty feet, and is to afford a channel for barges of six foot draft at low water all the year round Tho fit11a tod nf r1r {e 466. This work was commenced under continuing contract, but the completion of three of the locks by hired labor has been authorized.
 The act last mentioned provided for the construction of three of these locks ana dams at cost not exceeding $660 GOO. These three locks were completed at a cost of S640 800 and are now being oper- ated and cared for by the government as Locks Nos ', and 9. Black Warrior river. This improvement has resulted in opening up the river from Tuscaloosa to Lock T. a distance of seventy-nine 7niles, for navi- gation all tho year round, though some dredging will be necessa y to obtain a channel depth of six feet at the upper end of each pool. Towboats and barges of four feet draft were operated on this sec ton of the river during the past low | water season.
 From the emergency appropriation of June 6. 1900, an allotment of s3, 691zi was applied to maintaining the impr )vement of Warrior river by the removal of logs, trees and slip-ins left in the channel after the floods of the spring of 1900, since which time no such work has been done.
 The river and harbor act approved June 13, 1902, provided for the construction of | Locks and Dams 1, and oI this river, at a cost not to exceed SS400Q; also that $10,000 of this amount might be applied to the work of maintenance of the improve ment between Tuscaloosa and Demopolis. and up to the close of the past fiscal year $9, 05015 of this $10,0O0 had been applied. Work on these locks was commenced un- der contract in May. 1903. and continued until December 31, 1904, when contractors abandoned the work.
 During February. 1905, the completion of these locks by hired labor was author ized. Since that time a -arse amount oe plant and material has been delivered. Excavation and erection f plant are in progress at all three locks. About 30 per cent of the entire work had been com pleted on June 30, 1905.
 | The river and harbor act approved March 3. 19o5 provided for the completion of Locks 1, and at a cost of s9i,466. in addition to amounts previously appro- priated or authorized s40,0o0 for a dredge. and $30000 for building lock houses. The amount expended on improvement of Warrior river under the existing project to June 3O, 1905. $1,032. .6ss46 of which $11,94714 was applied to mainte- nance