The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-14

" ahauC oL tAV ScO13 anu NAoboia@ rivers with view to determine the advisability of securing six foot navi- gation in said rivers, and the probable expense thereof; the said survey shall also contain report upon the advis- ability Of further prosecuting the present project for locks and dams in the Goosa river" =
 2. The survey ordered in the above quoted item has been made under the direction of Capt J. B. Cavanaugh, Corps of Engineers, and I have the honor to submit herewith for trans mission to Congress this report there- on. dated June 30. 1904. together with his subseduent report of November 22, 1904. and the report of the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors dated January 4. 1905.
 3. The present project for the inn provement of the Coosa river provided for a four foot navigation between Rome. Ca. and .1Wetumpka, by slack water improvement, involving the con- struction of one lock and dam between Rome. Ga. and Greensport. Ala, dis tance of 162 miles: eight locks and dams between Greensport, and the East Tennessee. Virginia and Georgia Rail- road bridge. a distance of seventy-four miles; and of twenty-three locks and dams from the bridge to Wetumpka, distance of sixty-eight miles. This project has been carried out to the ex. tent of the construction of locks and dams Nos. 1,s2. and 3, below Greens port; lock and dam No. 4. is under con- struction; and lock No. 31 near We tuumpka has been partially built, and some channel work has been done in addition. The amount estimated to complete the project is over $6.000, 900.
 4. Considering first, the second mat ter upon which a report is called for. It Is the opinion of the local officer and the division engineer that the fur ther prosecution of the present pro. Ject for locks and dams in the Coosa river should not be undertaken by the Government beyond the completion of LOCK and dam No. 4, and the construc- ton of fixed dam, without a lock at site No. ,. The Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors recommends that work under the present project should be restricted to completion of dam No. 4. without completing the lock. Ihe completion of the work at dam No. A. without lock Is estimated by the offlcer in local charge to costs s10S. . 500.
 f1tth-Considering the first question upon which report Is required. that Is' the securing of a six-foot navigation OO7e1 tain Cavanaugh draws the conclusion that six-foot navigation can be se- cured from Gadsden, Ala. on the Coosa to the mouth of the Alabama, at a total cost of $l0024,706 floor the river above Wetumpka, and $1,000,0 from We tumpka to the mouth provided the ap- propriations made for the improve
 ment are sufficiently liberal to permit
 the work to be carried on economically and advantageously so as to complete | 1t within ten years. The local officer however, indicates in q subsequent re- port of November 22, 1904, that the cost of the work below Wetumpka would | be materially greater than $1,0O0 0OO | if indeed improvement for the open river navigation would be practically over the entire portion of this stretch. The annual maintenance charge he es- | inmates, would be $100. 900 above We tumpka, and $55,00O below. From a discussion of tho estimated cost of car rying freight by the waterway. and | the present actual cost of the same | transportation by rail Captain Cav anaugh estimates that the saving would be sufficient to warrant under | taking the improvement which he pro- poses.
 Sixth-The division engineer. Lieu tenant Colonel H. Adams. Corps of En- gineers. in his indorsement upon Cap tain Cavanaugh's report, concludes as follows:
 "The facts presented do not justify the expenditure of anything like the sums mentioned, and I do not conside. the improvement Of the Alabama and Coosa Rivers to secure six-foot navi- gation as one worthy of being under taken by the General Government al the present time
 q concur in the opinion of Captain Cavanaugh that it is not advisable to further prosecute the present project l for locks and dams in the Coosa River | further than to complete lock No. and to construct a dam at lock No. D, short distance below Riverside. Ala"
 The Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors also expresses the opinion | that the project of securing 6-foot na' vigation on the Coosa and Alabama
 Rivers is not worthy of being under,
 taken by the General Government al | this time.
 Seventh-In a supplemental report
 submitted by Captain Cavanaugh No
 vember 22, 1904, he submits the facts that subsequent to the presentation oi
 his former report, discharge measure
 ments taken during the past season | show a low water discharge much less than has heretofore been considered l ana mat the LOW water
 oof the Alabama River which would re
 suit from the work covered by his es-
 inmates would fall short of that stated | in his former report. and that without
 further data. it is impracticable to pre-
 dict the extent to which the Alabama River can be improved without resort
 to slack water navigation. He recom'
 mends in lieu of his former recommen-
 dation an improvement of the Alabama
 River from Montgomery to the mouth
 of the river, according to the methods | previously considered and along tht
 lines of those which will be required
 for the maximum possible improve
 ment of the river for open water navi'
 gation, with a view to extending tc
 Montgomery and the territory between
 Montgomery and the mouth of the rivel
 such benefits as he believes the local
 commerce will justify. He presents an
 estimate of $65O0O0 for such work, tho
 expenditure of which he thinks will give a 6-foot navigation for at least l nine months In the year and afford am 1 pie facilities for the local' commerce. | of the Alabama all the year round. He
 estimates that If such plans were car
 ried out. an appropriation of $125.00C