STATEMENT A.-Summary of work done, and amounts paid to contractors, for the improvement of the Illinois River, from 1869 to June 30, 1878. No. of bars going down stream. Designation of bar. Amount of dredging, 1869 to 1878. Amount paid for dredging. STATEMENT A.-Summary of work done, and amounts paid to contractors, for the improvement of the Illinois River, from 1869 to June 30, 1878-Continued. Feet. Feet. Feet. Feet. Devil's Elbow Feet. 42, 298. 5 $10, 468 88 Bath Chute, entrance to 30, 811.0 7,702 75 100 2.0 Sugar Creek 1, 200 60 4.0 1877 49, 399, 0 Bars Nos. 1 and 2, head of Grand Island. 12, 349 75 20 1.0 500 110 4.0 1875 1876 Restoration of channel. 500 150 4.5 1871 2.2 300 150 4.5 1871, '72, '73 800 60 4, 191. 0 1, 173 48 Forestoration of channel. 1876 36, 993 9,155 77 40 2.3 888 4, 000 150 1871 50 2.5 3, 100 120 1875 50 1.8 6, 000 150 1872 7,315 34 Gar Island or Naples Flats. 018 20 For restorati on of ch annel. 1876 53, 172 293 00 25 2.0 8, 600 105 1875 22, 596 5,592 51 50 2.3 2,250 1872 12, 183 3,495 24 50 2.5 1,500 1875 20, 456 5,727 68 3. 18,6 Date of improvement. Remarks. (a) Total dredging, 811, 434.9 cubic yards.. (b) Time-work by dredge, snagging, casting on dams, &c., 1,655h 23m. 5,370.7 cubic yards stone, cost. (e) Brush and stone dams: 3,976 cords brush, cost 26,393 linear feet piles, cost... Making about 6,000 linear feet (d) Foundations Copperas Creek lock, cost.. (e) Removing wreck near Peru, cost Aggregate of amounts paid to contractors, items (a), (b), (c), (d), and H. Ex. 87-2 STATEMENT B. Amounts allotted to, and appropriated for, the improvement of the Illinois River from 189 to 1878, inclusive. Act approved April 10, 1869, for repairs, preservation, &c., of river and harbor works, allotted.. Act approved July 11, 1870, appropriated. Total from 1869 to June 30, 1878..... $84.150.00 100,000 00 100,000.00 75,000.00 75,000 0 40,000 00 75.000.00 549.150.00 STATEMENT C. Statement derived from annual reports, showing total expenditures applied to improving the Illinois River, from the beginning of work in 1869 to June 30, 1878. Total amount expended from June 30, 1869, to June 30, 1872. Total expenditures to June 30, 1878....... This amount is arrived at by the following process: There was allotted from act of April 10, 1869. There was appropriated July 11, 1870 Total appropriated to June 30, 1872. $171,601 47 13.9 34 52,796 78 82.796 12 73,434 36 52,067 72 24.490 72 471, 016 61 $84, 150.00 100,000.00 The balance available June 30, 1872, per financial statement, Report Chief of Engineers for 1872, page 281.. Difference assumed as expended...... 184,150 00 12,548 53 171,601 47 LETTER OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, SIR: In the further prosecution of the improvement of Illinois River, by whatever plan that may hereafter be adopted, more or less dredging will always be necessary, and it would appear from the accompanying report of Capt. G. J. Lydecker, Corps of Engineers, the officer in charge, herewith submitted, that such works will be more economically done with machinery owned and operated by the government. I beg leave, therefore, to recommend that so much of the appropria tion of $75,000, of June 18, 1878, as may be necessary, be applied to the construction or purchase of requisite machinery, and that the balance be applied to operating expenses and the purchase of materials (brush and stone) for continuing the construction of dams and jetties. The work to be done by hired labor and the materials purchased in open market. The present time appearing opportune for the consideration of the various improvements on the Illinois River, having in view the preparation of a plan for its permanent and radical improvement, it was deemed advisable, before taking steps towards the application of the funds now available, to inquire particularly into the present condition of this work. With this view, and by instructions from this office, Captain Lydecker transmitted the report which I now submit, in which he gives a history of the improvements made to the present time, showing what general plan has been adopted and how far the expenditures have been applied to carrying out that plan, and what changes have been found necessary during the progress of the work, &c. Captain Lydecker's report leads to the conclusion that while a radical improvement might be effected by means of dredging and wing-dams, its cost would exceed the cost of a slack-water system, and the improvement would be less certain and would require considerable annual expenditure for maintenance. Captain Lydecker appears to be correct in his conclusions, but until the question of continuing the slack-water system below the locks already built by the State of Illinois is sanctioned by Congress, the expenditure of the present appropriation can only be applied, as heretofore, to the continuation of the plan of dredging and wing-dams. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, |