Norwich bulletin., 1911-12-18

4 report has been received from the war department concerning the spiling l in Yantic cove by the city, which was referred to- the department recently as 1 the result of letter to Congressman Higgins by Henry F. Ulmer. There was an investigation of the matter by en engineer from the district officers office at New London, to which refer ence was made al the time.
 By the report it is stated that the complaint doesn't concern the nayiga- ton of the west channel of the fan- tic and that the city is proceeding un- ter rights given it by the legislature so that the government does not con slider 1t desirable to exercise any jur- isdietion there. It finds that the spill
 ing in the east channel is being prop
 eriy done and 2 proper width of chan
 nef maintained.
 Chief Engineers Statement.
 w. H. Bixby, chief of engineers of
 the u- S. army. makes the following
 reperL to Congres man Higgins:
 Sir: 1. Referring to previous cor
 respondence. particularly to your let
 ter dated November 9, 1911. inclosing
 one dated November 8, 1911, from Hen
 Of the Uimer Leather company of Nor
 wich. Conn. protesting against tte
 driving of piles in Yantic cove for the
 purpose of retaining :nateriaI to be
 deposited behind the same. have the honor to inclose for your information
 a copy of the report on the subject
 dated November 27, 1911. hy the dis
 trict officer, Capt IA B. Waldron.
 corps of engineers
 ?. It wifi be noted that the work
 being done by the city Is authorized by acts of the state legislature ap- proved July 24. 1872. and July Il. 1878. and is a continuation of similar work heretofore performed by the city under the said laws and that the west channel along which the piling is be- ing placed is an auxiliary channel on 1xr <sfC clio Ffaf t4vid ad fG all
 3. Reference is made also to the statement by the district officer that the protest is ocoasioned by the mar rowing of the west channel. not be- cause of its effect on the use of the same for navigation. but rather due to an apprehension that proper drainage facilities for the flow of the river above in times of freshet are not be- ing provided.
 recited by the district officer, and of the fact that no interest committed to the charge of this department appears to be involved in the operations in progress by the city authority, since such interests are limited to those fea- lures affecting navigation, 1t is nor believed thaz the matter is one which ment at this time, so far as the opera tions in the west channel are concern ed.
 5. It will he noted also that the bulkhead extension on the east side 1 of the fill IS so laid out as to pro- vide for the continuation of the east channel at a width averaging with that of the channel below, which will preserve for the use of navigation a channel which will probably be suf1- l cient for this purpose whenever the | same may be required.
 Captain Waidron's Report.
 Capt. A. E. Waldron. of the corps of i engineers of the L. S. army, made the | following report. following the ex- aminatio of the work here:
 General: 1. In compliance with | your indorseInent of the 19th instant, | I have the honor to submit the fol- | lowing report relative to the protest {, If the uImer Leather company against | the driving of piles in Yantic cove at | Norwich. Ccp.s
 2. Yantic cove is located at the | headwaters of the Thames river at | Norwich, Conn; and comprises the tidal portion of Yantic river. The | Yantic and Shetuelet rivers join at | Norwich and form the Thames river. Originally the cove extended from its | junction with the Thames in a north | 4, ,o0o feet and averaged about 500 feet | in width Sut seauent to 1929 the mid dle portion of the cove beginning at | q point abolt 500 below West Main street. has been filled, leaving mar row waterway .oPen on either side. these waterways having become known as the east and west channels. re- specti1ely. Both of these channels are crossed at West Main street by fixed span bridges built and maintained by the town of Norwich. They are nav izaSle up to these bridges and have been dredeed by the United States to a depth of 12 feet at mean low water.
 8. The east channel is crossed by a hxed span sing1e-track railroad bridge. AIove the town bridge the chanEel has E natural depth of from 3 to feet at mean low water for a distance of about 1,400 feet and varies in width from about 50 feet at the town bridge to about 200 feet in it's widest DOT lion.
 4. The west channel, short dis 1S nee above West Main street, is cross ed by low single-track railroad tres