Framing and placing timber in position.. Labor: Removing timber in old work Removing stone in old work. $222.13 Labor, unloading, transporting, and handling timber until it reaches the work 95.30 1,055.82 92.36 92.82 11.40 16.30 $1,787.02 6,670.75 Labor placing iron in work, this to include labor, boring holes for bolts, and spikes and driving them..... Labor handling stone Labor inspecting materials. Miscellaneous jobbing Total labor Total labor and materials ............... PROPOSED OPERATIONS. The funds now on hand will not be sufficient to carry on any work during the coming season. Should a new appropriation be made for the work it is proposed to expend it on such minor repairs as may be required and in deepening the channel between and inside of the piers. REMARKS. This harbor is at the mouth of Eighteen-mile Creek. It is of very small importance for commercial purposes and nearly valueless as a harbor of refuge. It is only 18 miles east of the Niagara River. The fact that, while there is a channel in the harbor 74 feet deep, the greatest draught of vessels entering during the past season was only 4 feet, shows of itself the important character of the place. To make the harbor available as a refuge would require the removal of many thousands of yards of materials that now obstruct the creek a little way inside of the piers. Name of harbor, Olcott, N. Y. Collection district, Niagara, N. Y. Nearest work of defense, Fort Niagara, N. Y. Nearest light-house, Olcott, N. Y. The Olcott Light is on the outer end of the west pier at the entrance to Olcott Harbor, mouth of Eighteen-mile Creek. It is a fixed white light of the sixth order, 32 feet above the level of the lake and visible from a distance of 11 miles. Its position is latitude 43° 20′ 27′′ N., and longitude 78° 43′ 18′′ W. Refunded by contractor on account of extra cost of timber purchased in open market July 1, 1888, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1887... July 1, 1888, balance available.. Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888.. Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1889...... $5,086.30 303.28 5,389.58 2,597, 24 2,792.34 5,000,00 7,792.34 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project...... 25,000 00 25,000.00 COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. Arrivals and departures of vessels for the year ending December 31, 1887: Arrivals from home ports, sailing vessel, 17 tons; from foreign ports, 17 sailing vessels, 205 tons. Departures to home ports, none; to foreign ports, 18 sailing vessels, 212 tons. Greatest draught of vessels, 4 feet. Amount of revenue collected during year ending December 31, 1887, $2.63. Value of of imports same year, $114.50; value of exports same year, $1,919. LL 7. IMPROVEMENT OF OAK ORCHARD HARBOR, NEW YORK. Object.-To furnish a protected channel 200 feet wide and 12 feet deep from deep water in Lake Ontario to deep water in Oak Orchard Creek. Project. The original project for this improvement, adopted in 1836, consisted in contracting the mouth of the creek to 200 feet by two breakwaters running from the shore, one on each side, and a channel between two parallel piers from the 12-foot curve in the creek to the same curve in the lake. This project, except as to the breakwaters, is still in force. Present works.-The table below shows the work done from time to time at this harbor. Beginning with 1868 the column "year" means the fiscal year ending with June 30 of the date given: Original survey of Oak Orchard Creek. Channel 120 Current failed to open channel. Effect not expected Harbor available for vessels drawing 7 feet. Gales filled channel 1 foot, leaving 4 feet depth. 11,000 cubic yards dredged from channel. Inhabitants Old piers in ruins before now. Some work had evidently been done on west pier; when or what does not appear. Piers are 20 feet wide. Cribs are 30 feet long; contain 6 compartments; have grillage bottoms. Dredging 40,650 cubic yards from channel, at 29 cents. 150 feet of superstructure renewed near middle of each pier. 7,656 cubic yards dredged. 8,319 cubic yards dredged; 90 feet of superstructure replaced; where or how lost not stated. 3,503 cubic yards of rock and 1,958 cubic yards of mud, sand, etc., taken from channel. Leveled up after settlement of 1 to 3 feet due to gales. Rock excavation, 5,970.47 cubic yards, at $1.36, measured in scows. Rock excavation 4,990.95 cubic yards. at $1.10, measured in scows. Stiff clay and cemented gravel, 1.995.37 cubic yards, at 70 cents, measured in SCOWS. Stiff clay and cemented gravel, 4,480.13 cubie yards, at 60 cents, measured in scows. Mud, sand. and gravel, 1,387.81 cubic yards, at 20 cents, measured in scows. Mud, sand, and gravel, 2,149.12 cubic yards, at 99 cents, measured in scows. 290 cubic yards sandstone removed. Breach made at shore end of east pier; 800 to 1,000 cubie Small breach made by vessel in head of west pier re- Extension made at shore and perpendicular to line of pier; 69 feet of west pier rebuilt. Length rebuilt, distance measured from north end. Breach made at shore end of east pier by gale of April 6, Superstructure of east pier rebuilt. The piers are now in thoroughly good condition. CHANNEL. The channel has a depth of 12 feet for almost its full width. It is straight and easy of access. Before the improvement was begun the depth was only 2 to 4 feet. OPERATIONS. The operations of the past year were confined wholly to the reconstruction of the east pier, which was torn down throughout the entire length to the water surface and as much below as was necessary to remove all defective timber. The contractor for furnishing the timber fell so far behind in his work that authority was asked and granted to purchase this material in open market. The timber thus bought came and the work was completed early in November, 1887. All work was done by day's labor. The contractor made good the increased cost, $215.36, of the timber bought in open market. Removing stone in old work... 206.93 Labor unloading, transporting, and handling timber until it reaches the work.. 334.35 Framing and placing timber in position.... 1,600.35 Labor unloading, transporting, and handling iron until it reaches the work... 3.38 Labor placing iron in work, this to include labor boring The position of this harbor, about midway between Charlotte and the mouth of the Niagara River, although nearer the former than the latter, the depth of the safe anchorage afforded by Oak Orchard Creek, all combine to cause this spot to be considered as favorable for a har bor of refuge for vessels on Lake Ontario. Under existing circumstances the harbor can not be used as a refuge for the largest vessels which run on the lake. To do this would require the piers to be extended to the 15-foot curve in the lake and the channel between the piers to be deepened by 3 feet. The commerce of the port is small. PROPOSED OPERATIONS. The funds remaining on hand will not be sufficient to carry on any work during the coming season. Should there be any new appropriation for the work it is proposed to expend so much of it as may be necessary in building a crib to prevent the formation of a breach at the shore end of the east pier and to dredge out a large quantity of gravel that has been washed into the channel by different gales of the last ten years. RECOMMENDATION. If, after completing the work laid out in the proposed operations, there be sufficient money left to do any work, I would recommend its expenditure for the extension of the piers, with a view to their prolongation to the 15-foot curve. Name of harbor, Oak Orchard; collection district, Genesee, N. Y.; nearest work of defense, Fort Niagara, N. Y.; nearest Light-house, Oak Orchard, N. Y. The Oak Orchard Light is on the outer end of the west pier at the entrance to Oak Orchard. It is a fixed white light of the fourth order. It stands 31 feet above the level of the lake, and is visible at a distance of 11 miles. Its position is latitude 43° 22′ 29 north, and longitude 78° 11′ 40′′ west. July 1, 1887, amount available Money statement. July 1, 1888, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1887..... Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1889.... $3,213. 23 1,845, 63 1,367.60 6,000.00 7,367.60 86,000.00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project................ COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. Arrivals and departures of vessels for the year ending December 31, 1887: Arrivals from home ports, 1 sailing vessel, 39 tons; from foreign ports, 11 sailing vessels, tonnage, 914 tons. Departures, to home ports, 4 sailing vessels, 267 tons; to foreign ports, 9 sailing vessels, 756 tons. Greatest draught of vessels, 9 feet. Amount of revenue collected during year ending December 31, 1887, $1,555.16; value of imports, same year, $12,331; value of exports, same year, none. L L 8. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF TONAWANDA HARBOR AND NIAGARA UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, SIR Referring to your circular letter of September 27, 1886, and the river and harbor act of August 5, 1886, part of which is quoted in the letter, I have to report that at the request of the Hon. John Weber, M. C., I accompanied him to Tonawanda, and there met a number of |