→ Brush wing-dam, 100 feet long, to throw the water into the main channel. Excavating and deepening the channel on the shoals would be of great benefit to the navigation; but it is not absolutely necessary to do this. The greatest and most dangerous obstructions to navigation consist of leaning timber and the great number of logs and snags lying in the channel. The aggregate number of trees in this is 12,475, two-thirds of which belong to the species of willow and birch, and are less than one foot in diameter. The snags and logs are 1,053 in number. Character of the adjoining country.-The river follows, between the two ports, a very winding course, and flows almost entirely through the bottom lands. The high uplands touching the river at Arkadelphia recede from the stream, and strike the same again, for the first time, 32 miles below the city, at Little Hill, a bluff about half a mile long. Tate's Bluff, 43 miles below, is the next high ground. These bluffs are 200 feet high, and strike southeast for 2 miles, where they touch the river again at a single point; turning thence southwest, and after meeting with the river shore once more, at Boiling Pot Rock, recede from the river entirely, and are not in sight again until 2 miles above Camden. The air line from Tate's Bluff to Boiling Pot is 4 miles, while the distance by the river is not quite 10 miles. On the left shore only one place is above overflow, viz, Manchester Landing, 11 miles below Arkadelphia. The bluff, which runs alongside the shore for a mile, is about 40 feet high. Although the bottom lands are submerged during the high-water season, yet there are a great many farms, on both banks of the river, situated mainly on places where the lands are a few feet above the overflow of the regular high-water season. These farms are only inundated at extreme high water, which generally recedes into the proper river-bed within two or three weeks. They are cultivated mostly in cotton and partly in corn, and produce over one bale of cotton and from 70 to 80 bushels of corn to the acre. The rest of the bottom lands is covered with dense cane-brakes and valuable timber. The extreme low places are cypress swamps, intersected by lagoons and bayous. The banks are from 20 to 25 feet above low water. The lowest strata are generally clay, and not subject to caving. The bottom of the river bed is gravel on the shoals and mud in the pools. The high-water season sets in generally about the 1st of December. Frequent rains in this latitude serve to maintain a fair stage of water during the winter season until the spring freshets make their appearance and overflow the bottom lands. Low-water stage takes place by the middle of June, gradually getting down to the lowest stage in August and September, at which stage it remains until the rainy season sets in again, with the exception of a temporary rise of a few feet, caused by rain-storms, which, however, disappear very quickly. Hence navigation can be carried on only during the winter season. From the nature and peculiar character of the stream, it is evident that the manner of improvement will be different from what it is in the large western rivers; but as it will be similar to that of the lower river, I will submit a plan for doing the work at the end of this report. SECTION 3.-Camden to the State line, distance 130 miles. From Camden to the State line between Arkansas and Louisiana the river flows alnost entirely through bottom lands which are subject to overflow. The course of H. Ex. 60, pt. 4—2 the river is very crooked. The width between banks changes frequently. From Camden to Marie Saline Landing it varies from 300 to 500 feet, and in many places narrows to 250 feet between banks, so that the larger boats find it difficult to turn round Thence to the State line the average width between the banks is 600 feet. At a me dium stage of water there is plenty of room in the pools for boats to run. At low water the channel width varies between 100 and 200 feet. There are comparatively few shoals in this section of the river. They are as follows: Character of banks and adjacent lands.-The valley of Ouachita has two terraces of levels. The upper terrace, being secure against overflow, is generally cultivated, ber on account of the sandy soil not very productive. The lower, or true bottoms, border ing the river shore, are exposed to inundation during high-water season from 3 to ľ feet, but when they can be cultivated, are immensely rich, producing annually 1, pounds of cotton in the seed, or from 20 to 80 bushels of corn per acre. The vegetat in the bottom is very rich and luxuriant, and among the timber is found the red an pine oak, swamp chestnut oak, swamp white oak, and even the beech, all of which attain a large size. On the upland the beech flourishes, attaining remarkable dimen sions. When sandy soil is prevalent, it is characterized by a luxuriant growth of pine, which grows also upon the alluvial sandy deposits of the river, even to the swampy banks. On the dry uplands there are also seen white and black oak in abundance, aad of fine growth. On the left bank, there is not a place in the immediate neighborhood of the river secure against overflow. On the right bank the uplands strike the river at the following points, forming bluffs generally covered by a rich growth of pine timber. The places are: French Port, 14 miles below Camden, 15 feet above overflow. These hills incline towards the shore at an angle of from 25 to 35 degrees, are remark able for fine growth of beech trees, and recede at Newport Landing, which is built on the lower end of this portion of the line of bluffs, into the interior of the country. Miller's Bluff, 34 miles below Camden, 50 feet above overflow, running along the river shore 2,000 feet, and covered with pine timber. Eldorado Landing.-The hills are half a mile back from the shore, and bear the same character as above. Champagnole Landing, 50 miles below Camden; bluff 125 feet high. Pigeon Hill, 71 miles below Cauden, 80 feet above high-water mark. Pigeon Hill is the last place where the high uplands touch the river shore, thence to the State line low marshy bottom lands constitute the main features of the country. There are several landings between the last-named point and the State line, for the convenience of the trade with the uplands in the interior of the country. They consist only of warehouses built on stilts, the floors of which are from 15 to 20 feet above the ground. From Marie Saline Landing to the State line, a distance of 20 miles, the country o either side of the river is exposed to inundation, from both the high water of Ouachita River and by that of the Mississippi during the regular overflow season. At Roland's Raft, a landing 5 miles above the State line, the floor of the warehouse is 16 feet above the ground, and in 1867 the water stood 3 inches deep on the floor, as I was informed by the one man tending the warehouse. As the banks here are about 20 feet above low-water mark, the rise would be about 36 feet. With the exception of the few land ings, there is no sign of habitation on the river banks. Dense cane-brakes, cypress swamps, old river arms, and lagoons, are the principal features of the low marshy bottom. The obstructions to navigation in this section of the river consist mainly of leaning timber and snags. The leaning timber, to the number of 32,690 trees, grows all along the shore, chiefly large willows and birch, with some sycamore and gum trees. Oa account of the narrowness of the river, and of its short turns, the leaning timber is a great impediment to navigation for such large boats as are used to ply during the highwater season between Camden and New Orleans. The high-water channel runs very close to the "points" in the short bends, and as the boat has to "pivot" around the point, her chimneys, rigging and upper wood-work, are always liable to come into collision with this leaning timber. The number of snags seen at the time of the examination is 365, which number, I have no doubt, would be three times as high, had the stage of the water permitted me to count all those lying in the river. Therefore, I do not consider my estimate too high when I place the number of snags at 1,000. General remarks.-The most prominent shipping points on the river in the State of Arkansas are Camden and Arkadelphia. Arkadelphia commands the trade of a part of Pike, Clark, Hot Springs, and Dallas counties, which depend altogether on the navigation of the river for shipping off the produce and procuring supplies. As the time for navigating the river sets in, when cotton, the main staple product of the country, is getting ready for shipment, it is evident that the unobstructed navigation of the river is of immense importance to the inhabitants. The amount of cotton shipped from Arkadelphia annually is from 6,000 to 8,000 bales, which are carried to Caniden by lightdraught boats, and reshipped at that place for New Orleans. Hempstead, Sevier, and the southwestern part of Pike County, which in former years shipped off their produce through Red River, are now dependent on the navigation of Ouachita River, since the raft in Red River has closed again and is impassable for boats. Thus every bale of cotton from those counties has to be hauled in wagons to the nearest shipping point, viz, Camden; and by the same method all the supplies are carried back into the interior. Camden thus commands the whole trade with all the counties lying west of it, as also with Calhoun County, and through Arkadelphia, with those counties adjoining the upper section of the river. Camden has large business houses, having an extensive trade. During the season of 1870 over 30,000 bales of cotton were shipped from that place to New Orleans, and the shipment during the present season is expected to exceed that of 1870. The Governor Allen, a large steamer engaged during the summer season in the Vicksburg and New Orleans trade, made, in 1870, twenty-one regular weekly trips between New Orleans and Camden, having had always a full cargo; exporting cotton, and returning with groceries, dry goods, and all other supplies for the coming year. As an example of the flourishing trade that is carried on with the interior of the country, it may be mentioned that one of the large business houses (and there are many in the place) has sold, during the last year, 20,000 barrels of flour. The way-landings below Camden, viz: Warren's Hills, Beech Hills, Eldorado Landing, Champagnole, Wilmington, Pigeon Hill, and Carysville, on the right bank, and Little Bay, More Landing, and Marie Saline Landing, on the left bank, export annually from one thousand to three thousand bales of cotton each. Plan of removing the obstructions to navigation.-The time for removing the obstructions to navigation, consisting principally of leaning timber and snags, is the low-water season, viz: from July to end of November. At this time of the year all the snags are visible. No snag-boat of the western river service is adapted to the work of clearing out the obstructions in this river, and I am satisfied that the best and cheapest way to perform it will be as follows: At the beginning of the low-water season a flat-boat can be built at the head of navigation, sufficiently large to carry the working tools and camp outfit, and constructed in such a way that the draught, when the boat is loaded, will not exceed twelve inches. The equipment of this boat should consist of pullies, hoisting-blocks, axes, saws, pick-axes, shovels, and the necessary rigging. An efficient mate, with a force of from fifteen to twenty men, good practical wood-choppers, start with this boat from the head of navigation, and work under the directions of a civil engineer, down the river. The leaning timber should be cut up into pieces ten to twelve feet long, so that when carried off by the high water these pieces cannot again form an obstruction. The snags on the shoals should be taken out entirely; those in deep water should be cut down below low-water mark. The dams, at the few places where they could be of benefit to throw the water into one channel, can be constructed of timber, brushwood, and gravel, the material for which is on the spot. In order to avoid the trouble and inconvenience of provisioning the crew, I propose to make a contract with a caterer to pay a certain amount per head per day, which, estimated at the highest price, will not exceed $1, or to increase the wages of the crew and let them pay their own fare to the caterer. Considering that the work has to be done during the unhealthy season, laborers command high wages, that is, from $2 to $3 per day without board. An efficient mate to work on the river is paid from $250 to $300 per month. The wages for the mate and a crew of twenty men, for one month, computed at the highest rates, will be, therefore: Wages of the mate, $10 per day, one month............... Total.. $300 1,800 2,100 Time and cost of work on the section between Arkadelphia and Camden.-In this section there are 12,475 trees. As the trees have to be cut into pieces from ten to twelve feet in length, the above crew can perform this work at the rate of two hundred per day, making sixty-three days. The snags can be cut down below low-water mark at the rate of twenty per day, and will require fifty-three working days of the whole force. Building a brush dam at Ram's-horn Shoals will require four days' work; the same on left chute of Bear-head Island, four days, and on Lower Wilhite Shoals five days, making thirteen days. This will give a total of one hundred and twenty-nine working days; allowing twenty-five working days per month, equal to five months and four days. Building of flat-boat.. Estimates of cost. Fifty per cent. for repair of tools. Rigging and working tools. Wages of mate and crew for 5 months and 4 days, at $2, 100 per month. Fifteen per cent. for contingencies.. Total. $1,000 1,000 500 10.780 12,300 25,580 3,837 29.417 Time and cost of improvements for the section from Camden to the State line.—The number of trees to be cut amounts to 32,000-three-fourths of which are willow and birch, ax below one foot in diameter. They can be cut at the rate of 200 per day, thus requirizz 160 working days; 1,000 snags at the rate of 15 per day, will make 66 days, in all → working days, equal to 9 months. To do the work on the whole river in one season, it will require the same outfit for this section, and the cost will be, therefore: Flat-boat Rigging and working tools... Fifty per cent. for repair of tools.. Wages of mate and crew for 9 months, at $2,100 per month.. Both parties to be under the supervision of a civil engineer, at $300 per month, will give for 9 months, $2,700. The following data concerning Ouachita River, below the State line, between Arkansas and Louisiana, I collected from the best pilots of that river while at Camden: The principal bars between the State line are: Rock Roe, 53 miles below the State line, has 20 inches of water upon it at low stages of the river. Monroe Ear, below the old piers of the bridge burnt during the war. The bar is a "flat," extending over the whole width of the river, 300 feet long, and during the dry season has 15 inches of water upon it. Taylor's Bar, 40 miles below Monroe, 400 feet long, and, at low water, 20 inches depth of water. Cataboola Shoals, at Harrisonburg, have, at low water, from 20 to 24 inches depth of water. From Pine Prairie Shoals, in Arkansas, to the State line, and farther on to Black River, thence to Red River, the stage of water depends materially upon that of the Mississippi River. A medium stage of water (10 feet) in the Msssissippi will give 3 feet depth at Monroe Bar, and a full stage of water (20 feet) will back the water up to the State line. For excavating the channel at the above-named bars to a depth of 3 feet, and 75 feet wide, I estimate that it will require the amount of $4,000 for each of these shallow places, making a total of $16,000 for the preliminary improvement of the river between the State line and Harrisonburg, Louisiana. The overflow of the Mississippi reaches Pine Prairie Shoals, 55 miles above the State line. Between Pine Bluff, 47 miles below Monroe, and the mouth of Boeuf River, the Ouachita has a great many snags and sunken logs, which during low-water season are dangerous. It is the universal opinion of prominent steamboat men, that Ouachita River could be made navigable all the year round by building four locks and dams between Catahoola Shoals and Camden, for the use of boats drawing 3 feet water. The following are the places where, according to their opinion, these locks and dams could be constructed, viz: At Catahoola Shoals, Taylor's Bar, (or Rock Roe,) in Louisiana, and Jack's Islands and Buffalo Flats, in Arkansas. To ascertain this fact, an accurate survey of the river from Camden, Arkansas, to Trinity, Louisiana, at the confluence of the Ouachita, Tensas, and Little Rivers, would be necessary, and is recommended, as the navigation of Ouachita River is of the greatest importance to the States of Arkansas and Louisiana. I am, very respectfully, colonel, your obedient servant, Lieutenant Colonel W. F. RAYNOLDS, JUSTIN STRASZER, Ciril Engineer. Survey of portion of the Sacramento River. SAN FRANCISCO, January 28, 1871. GENERAL: I have the honor to transmit herewith a report of the survey made, under my direction, by Lieutenant W. H. Heuer, United States Engineers, of portion of the Sacramento River. The one is of that portion between Rio Vista and the fort of Steamboat Slough, and the other between Sacramento City and Haycock Shoal. The two maps accompanying this report illustrate the character of the river in the parts surveyed. The intermediate portions of the river contain no obstacle to navigation worth mentioning. The surveys demonstrate that there is 7 feet of water, at the lowest stage of the river, over the most difficult bars, and as it is believed that the amount of freight received on board the boats does not reach the amount necessary to bring them to draw 7 feet of water, there is no real obstacle to the navigation of the river in its present condition, Nevertheless, it appears that there are three points on the river, viz, at Eagle's Nest, Heacock's Shoals, and near Sutterville, where, if the river could be deepened without forming shoals elsewhere, it would result that at least 8 feet of water can be carried from Sacramento City to the mouth of the river. It has been shown that the river cannot be improved by dredging. The effect of wing-damming is uncertain, for though in some cases the effect of them has been decidedly beneficial, in other cases bars have been formed which were detrimental 'to their navigation. I think, however, that the experiment is well worth trying, and I respectfully recommend an appropriation of $7,500 for the purpose. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, R. S. WILLIAMSON, Major United States Engineers. Brigadier General A. A. HUMPHREYS, |