Mr. PARK. They considered it in the Bureau. Mr. TABER. Why can you not use the equipment that the Navy had up there, without providing new equipment? Mr. PARK. That will still be used for communication purposes, but the radio beacon transmitters are quite necessary. Mr. TABER. Did they not have a beacon there before? Mr. PARK. They have a radio compass station, but the method of operation is quite different. In the case of the radio compass station, the ship transmits a signal or a call to the shore station, asking for bearings from the shore station. That is the reason they needed four or five men there. In the case of a radio beacon station as now proposed, the signal is sent out from St. Paul Island to the ship, and the ship determines her bearings by a radio direction finder with which she is equipped. Mr. LUDLOW. What is the urgency of this estimate that makes it a deficiency? Mr. PARK. It is urgent for the Navy because of the concentration of their facilities at Dutch Harbor. They are anxious to have it as soon as possible. Mr. CANNON. What is the difference in operating distance? Mr. PARK. My estimate of that would be about 300 miles. St. Paul Island is one of the Pribilof group in the Bering Sea, while Dutch Island is at the beginning of the Aleutian Islands. ESTABLISHMENT OF AIDS TO NAVIGATION FOR CHESAPEAKE AND DELAWARE CANAL Mr. WOODRUM. The next is project no. 2, where you estimate $200,000 for the establishment of aids to navigation for the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, Md. and Del. Mr. PARK. This item is an illustration of what I spoke of at the beginning. It is a need that arises from the completion by the engineer department of the dredging of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. This work has been progressing for some time, and at the time of the submission of the lighthouse estimates last fall, it was not anticipated that it would reach a stage where these complete aids to navigation would be required until possibly the following fiscal year; but it became evident about September, or a little later in the year, that this need would materialize in the fiscal year 1938. Mr. CANNON. Was the matter submitted to the Bureau of the Budget? Mr. PARK. Yes, sir. Mr. CANNON. Was it rejected? Mr. PARK. Not formally, but no action was taken by the Budget. Their attention was invited to it. Mr. LUDLOW. What reason did they give for their nonaction on it, or did they give any? Mr. PARK. No, sir; it was mentioned at the time of the budget hearings, and was again submitted about December 1. Mr. WOODRUM. In your justifications you set out what is to be done. You may set that out in your statement. Mr. PARK. I will do so. The justification is as follows: Work on these channels has been accelerated recently with supplemental allotments by the War Department, at a total estimated cost of $4,000,000. Dredging contracts call for completion of the Delaware Canal on December 1, 1937, and for completion of the Chesapeake channels by the end of December 1937. Four dredges are now at work, and the new channel from Courthouse Point to Chesapeake City bridge has been completed. A detailed survey of the requirements for aids to navigation in these channels has just been completed, and it will be necessary to provide these aids before the close of the fiscal year 1938. There will be required in the Delaware Canal: 1 set of range lights, 9 channel lights, and 2 pier lights; in the Chesapeake channels: 8 sets of range lights (5 of them on submarine sites), 9 channel lights, 1 day beacon, also 21 lighted buoys, 21 unlighted iron buoys, and 14 ice buoys, all complete with moorings. The total estimated cost of structures and equipment is $221,500. To provide the necessary aids in the completed section of the canal $21,500 has been allotted from funds appropriated by the last Congress. There will be required $200,000 to establish the necessary aids to navigation on completion of all channels in 1937. This item was included as project no. 1 in the supplemental estimate for 1938 submitted to the Bureau of the Budget on December 2, 1936, in the total amount of $360,000. DISTRIBUTION OF ESTIMATE Mr. WOODRUM. You will also furnish a break-down of the cost of the various items. Mr. PARK. We will supply it for the record. (Said break-down of cost is as follows:) Chesapeake and Delaware Canal Project II.... $200, 000 1. Upper Chesapeake Channel range lights.. 25, 740 Rear light: Ice-resisting structure in 18 feet with $11, 550 14, 190 4. Grove Neck Channel range lights. Rear light: Steel tower on bluff supporting range Front light: Ice-resisting structure in 12 feet with 2. Shad Battery range rear light: An ice-resisting structure in 12 feet with 60-foot steel-tower supporting powerful light.. 3. Howell Point Channel range lights.. 13, 860 14, 190 $11, 440 2, 750 Front light: An ice-resisting structure in 16 feet with structural-steel tower supporting range light. Rear light: On a 75-foot steel tower at foot of bluff _ 5. Arnold Point Channel range lights... 20, 845 $17, 325 Front light: A structure in 7 feet to withstand ice, 6, 380 Rear light: On a steel tower about 30 feet high on 6. Town Point Channel west range lights. Both lights on shore sites moderately low steel 7. Town Point Channel east ridge lights. These two lights are on shore and the structures will be inexpensive steel towers on concrete foundations, the front and rear estimated to cost $880 and $375 respectively. $4, 840 1, 540 2, 200 2,255 148745-37- -30 Chesapeake and Delaware Canal-Continued 8. Courthouse Point Channel range lights.. $3, 960 Front light: In shallow water on sand spit supported $1, 760 5 buoys 7-18 and 2 buoys 7-18 spare, total 7 at Rear light: On land using a 40-foot steel tower. Both 2, 200 9. Worton Point Light. An ice-resisting structure in 7 to 10 feet supporting light on skeleton tower and an automatically operated fog signal.. 10. Howell Point Light: Improve present light by raising focal height_ 11. Arnolds Point Bar Light: Raise present light. and improve day mark... 12. Courthouse Point Light: Provide new foundation and day mark... 13. Back Creek Light: An ice-resisting structure in shallow water to replace present pile structure which has been repeatedly destroyed 14. Sandy Point: Day mark. 15. Sandy Point to bridge: 4 lights.. 16. Lights in canal proper (19 miles) of improved channel requiring the establishment of 11 new lights and the moving of 4 lights to new localities____ 17. Buoyage in Chesapeake Bay channels.. 8 buoys 8-20 with bells, quick flashing; 2 buoys 8-20 16, 280 550 715 440 2,970 220 2, 860 23, 650 53, 394 $28, 980 6 tall-type nun buoys, second class at $360. 8, 400 Total 53, 394 18. Headquarters station at Chesapeake City (this contemplates erection on our depot property of a wharf and storage building equipped with boathouse and suitable boat to serve as a base for two men who will be engaged in servicing automatic aids in these channels). 19. Contingencies and incidentals_ 5,250 350 400 405 250 2, 345 4,854 20, 416 10, 575 Total__ 221, 500 Less previous allotment which is being applied to the purchase of buoys_. 21, 500 Net additional allotment required to complete this project---- 200, 000 The Mr. PARK. I have a map here which shows the situation. reason for the material cost of structures is that they must withstand the ice conditions at the north end of Chesapeake Bay in order to be effective in guiding year round navigation. Mr. WOODRUM. When did the engineers complete this work? Mr. PARK. Yes, sir; we will have some marking available. We have done everything we could up to this point. We have made preliminary soundings at the various sites, and have been doing everything we could, because we have been quite concerned about getting it ready in time. Mr. MCMILLAN. Mr. Chairman, I am thoroughly familiar with the conditions, and, as I see it, it is a question of policy. We have had this problem before our subcommittee time and time again, and, as I have said there is a matter of policy involved. It is impossible for the Bureau of Lighthouses to anticipate just what these estimates should be until the War Department has completed the projects. Then we may find ourselves confronted with the condition of a completed waterway with no navigation facilities provided for the commerce. That is the situation here, and it is a recurring problem. Our committee has been unable, in view of the uncertainty as to the time of the completion of projects, to provide for these navigational facilities. Unless there is a change of the policy, we will find ourselves confronted with these situations. Mr. BACON. We had rather extensive discussions with regard to coordination between the Engineers and the Lighthouse Bureau, with a view to determining in advance or anticipating what will be required. Mr. MCMILLAN. They generally find that they are required to come up here with a deficiency estimate. Mr. BACON. As a matter of fact, this deficiency was anticipated at the time of our hearings, as well as deficiencies on some other projects. ESTABLISHMENT OF BUCKWHEAT ISLAND LIGHT, NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY CHANNELS Mr. WOODRUM. The next is project no. 3, providing $8,500 for establishing Buckwheat Island Light, New York and New Jersey Channels. Mr. PARK. That is a single light structure to be located on Buckwheat Island, which is a point that will be reached in the course of the War Department's improvements of the channel between Staten Island and New Jersey during this fiscal year. Mr. CANNON. Are there no facilities there at this time? Mr. PARK. We have had up to this time an allotment of $13,500 for a project at the upper end of the improvement. Mr. CANNON. This is a new project. Mr. PARK. We have had an allotment for two structures in the section now nearing completion, in the sum of $13,500. This allotment we are asking for now is for a structure at this additional point. Mr. CANNON. How has the navigation of these waters been taken care of before? Mr. PARK. A degree of marking suited to the former conditions has been maintained. This is to accompany the widening and deepening the channel. The dredging project is an extensive and continuing one, and will cost many millions of dollars before it is completed. As far as we can determine at the present time, our total expenditures will be in the neighborhood of $100,000 all together. Mr. CANNON. Will this be a recurring item? Mr. WOODRUM. They build as they go on with the improvement. Mr. CANNON. This is for one unit. It is Mr. PARK. Yes, sir. This is at the lower end of the project. quite an extensive project, involving the alteration and alinement of the channel. The navigation aids down here will eventually be affected [indicating]. Mr. BACON. A very large tonnage of traffic passes through this waterway, which traverses an industrial area. Mr. PARK. Yes, sir. Project III BREAK-DOWN OF COST FOR PROJECT NO. 3 Buckwheat Island Light-New York and New Jersey channels 1. 1,600 tons riprap stone foundation at $4. 2. 21 cubic yards concrete in base of superstructures at $20.. 3. Steel tower and tankhouse__ 4. 200-millimeter acetylene lantern. 5. Pipe and fittings.. 6. 9 A-50 size acetylene tanks at $80. Total... $8,500 6, 400 420 600 285 75 720 8, 500 ESTABLISHMENT OF LIGHT AND FOG SIGNAL STATION AT CLEVELAND LEDGE LIGHT STATION, MASS. Mr. WOODRUM. The next is project No. 4, involving $100,000 for establishing a light and fog signal station at Cleveland Ledge Light Station, Mass. Mr. PARK. Project no. 4 is for a light station at Cleveland Ledge, which is located out near the entrance to the new Buzzard Bay Canal, which is a part of the Cape Cod Canal project. The War Department has been improving the Cape Cod Canal and its approaches for some years, the work representing a total expenditure of about $27,000,000. The complete marking of this channel will require this Cleveland Ledge Light Station, which is out in Buzzard Bay, practically at the entrance to this 32-foot channel now being dredged. The deeper channel, with the deeper draft vessels using it, will be seriously menaced by these shoals unless they are properly marked. Mr. WOODRUM. The total estimated cost of the project is $175,000. Mr. PARK. Yes, sir. Mr. WOODRUM. Will you need all of this $100,000 during the fiscal year 1938? Mr. PARK. Yes, sir. Mr. BACON. What is to be the nature of the aid to navigation? Is it to be a lighthouse? Mr. PARK. It will be a lighthouse, equipped with fog signal and a radio beacon. It will be somewhat similar to a station that was built in Lake Michigan. We are making borings at the site now. Mr. LUDLOW. Have there been any disasters there as a result of not having this improvement? Mr. PARK. No, sir; there have not been any. This widened canal was just opened about 2 months ago. Mr. LUDLOW. What is the urgency of this item? Mr. PARK. The channel is now being opened and the entire project is being rapidly completed. Mr. BACON. With the 32-foot channel, larger boats will go through there. Mr. TABER. Have you not had traffic of about just the same size, or in rather substantial volume, right along through this canal? Mr. PARK. Yes, sir; the traffic has been very material. It was about 6,227,000 tons at the last report. Mr. TABER. Are not the present facilities sufficient? Mr. PARK. No, sir; because it has been used by shallower draft vessels. The channel is being deepened to 32 feet, so that heavier draft traffic will use it. |