and is flat, the distance from high-water line being, by the chart, 200 to 500 feet to low-water line, 500 to 1,100 feet to the 6-foot, 700 to 1,400 feet to the 12-foot, and 900 to 1,900 feet to the 18-foot contours. From my observation of this shore annually since 1901, in my opinion, the erosion now in progress is not in its rate, probable extent, or in the amount of material discharged of appreciable effect upon the navigable channel; no extension of the sea wall is necessary in the interests of navigation, and the locality is not worthy of further improvement by the United States. In this connection, however, I respectfully refer to the recommendations regarding the extension of this sea wall in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1886, page 565, and in succeeding reports to 1900, inclusive. BOARD OF ENGINEERS FOR RIVERS AND HARBORS, Washington, D. C., June 14, 1905. Respectfully returned to the Chief of Engineers, United States Army. Section 9 of the act of March 3, 1905, contains the following item: "Winthrop Head and Allerton Point, with a view to the necessity of constructing a sea wall to protect navigation." These localities are about 6 miles apart, on opposite sides of Boston Harbor, Winthrop Head lying to the northeast, and Allerton Point to the southeast of the city of Boston. The question involved is the same at each place, being that of a sea wall. The within report relates to Allerton Point. In addition to the report of the district officer, and reports bearing upon the construction of a sea wall at this place by the United States, contained in the reports of the Chief of Engineers, the Board has had before it a number of communications from interested parties, all those known to be interested having been invited by the district officer to present to the Board such statement of facts regarding the necessity of the improvement as they desired. Between the years 1871 and 1874 the United States built a granite sea wall, 1,202 feet in length, around the extreme end of Allerton Point, with a view to prevent further recession of the point and consequent shoaling of the adjacent waters. This wall was designed to meet the needs of the case as then presented, and was completed to the full extent of the project. It appears to have answered the purpose for which it was intended. In recent years the State of Massachusetts has built a sea wall 1,430 feet in length for the protection of Stony Beach, leaving a stretch of bank 1,490 feet in length unprotected. It is the desire of those interested that the sea wall • Not printed. was invited by the district officer to submit to the Board any statements, facts, or arguments that it may desire in regard to the public necessity for the improvement. The Board has received no communication in reply to the invitation. In compliance with the act of July 13, 1892, a preliminary examination of this river was made, and a report unfavorable to its improve ment was submitted October 27, 1892. It appears from the within report that the conditions at present are similar to those existing at the time of the former examination. It is stated that the right bank is unimproved, and on the left bank are located the works of the General Electric Company. This company since 1892 has expended about $25,000 in dredging and maintaining a channel from its wharf to deeper water in the western channel in Lynn Harbor. The improvement desired is the enlargement of this channel to a depth of 12 feet and a width of 150 feet. It is clearly stated within, and the Board has no information to the contrary, that the desired improvement is solely in the interest of a single corporation. The arguments advanced in advocating the improvement by the United States appear to be the existence of a commerce of some importance, amounting in 1904 to about 35,914 tons, and which it is claimed will, in the event the contemplated work is carried out, increase to from 65,000 to 90,000 tons, and the magnitude, cost, and general importance of the interests concerned. In considering reports referred to it, the Board is required by law to have in mind not only the amount and character of the commerce that will be benefited, but also "the public commercial interests involved, and the public necessity for the work and propriety of its construction, continuance, or maintenance at the expense of the United States." The argument has often been advanced that the interests centered about a large corporation become those of the public by virtue of the large number directly or indirectly affected by the price at which the corporation can produce and supply its products. While it can not be doubted that the General Electric Company would reap benefits from the contemplated improvement, were it effected, the Board believes that these benefits would not be sufficiently far reaching or of a nature to warrant the United States in undertaking the work. The Board therefore concurs with the district officer in the opinion that Saugus River is not worthy of improvement by the General Government. ALLERTON POINT, BOSTON HARBOR, MASSACHUSETTS. LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY OF WAR, TRANSMITTING, WITH A LETTEA FROM THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, REPORT OF EXAMINATION OF ALLERTON POINT, BOSTON HARBOR, MASSACHUSETTS. DECEMBER 11, 1905.-Referred to the Committee on Rivers and Harbors and ordered to be printed. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, December 7, 1905. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a letter from the Chief of Engineers, United States Army, dated August 21, 1905, together with copy of a report from Col. W. S. Stanton, Corps of Engineers, dated May 8, 1905, of a preliminary examination of Allerton Point, Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, made by him in compliance with the provisions of the river and harbor act of March 3, 1905. Very respectfully, WM. H. TAFT, The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. WAR DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, SIR: Under authority conferred by section 9 of the river and harbor act of March 3, 1905, I have the honor to submit herewith for transmission to the Public Printer a report, dated May 8, 1905, by Col. W. S. Stanton, Corps of Engineers, on preliminary examination ordered by the said act of Allerton Point, Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, with a view to determining the necessity of constructing a sea wall to protect navigation. It is the opinion of Colonel Stanton, concurred in by the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors and by me, that the locality in question is not worthy of improvement by the General Government as proposed. Very respectfully, A. MACKENZIE, Brig. Gen., Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army. Hon. Wм. H. TAFT, PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF ALLERTON POINT, BOSTON HARBOR, MASSACHUSETTS. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, Boston, Mass., May 8, 1905. GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report of a preliminary examination of Allerton Point, Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, with a view to the necessity of constructing a sea wall to protect navigation, made in compliance with Engineer Department letter of March 16, 1905, and a provision in section 9 of the river and harbor act approved March 3, 1905. The point (Point Allerton, referring to Coast Survey chart 246) is a headland at the southerly entrance to Boston Harbor. In his letter of April 13, 1870, to the Chief of Engineers, it was stated by Gen. J. G. Foster, from a comparison of maps, that an area of 451 acres in the main channel extending about 2,000 feet outside and about 5,000 feet inside the entrance had shoaled since 1769 to the amount of about 5,000,000 cubic yards, from the erosion of Point Allerton. In 1871 to 1874 a sea wall was built, 1,202 feet in length. extending from A to B, tracing herewith, protecting all that part of the headland which is most directly and severely exposed to the open sea and arresting the recession of the headland and extensive shoaling in the channel. a From the end of this sea wall at B, a distance of 1,490 feet, to the end at D of the sea wall, 1,430 feet long, with groins, that has been built by the State, the shore is without protection. Along the crest of the beach there is a bank, about 16 feet in height at B, diminishing gradually with the slope of the land for a distance of 1,100 feet to C, where its crest subsides into the crest of the beach. This bank throughout its length is being eroded by the sea, and its crest has now receded to the fronts of fourteen small and for the most part inexpensive summer cottages. It is understood to be the purpose of those at whose instance the provision for this examination was inserted in the act, to have the sea wall extended by the United States, from B 1,490 feet to the sea wall built by the State to protect the shore from further erosion. Between the two sea walls the shore is not exposed to the open sea, but faces directly across the channel toward Great Brewster Spit, which is only one and a quarter to one and a half miles distant. The beach is well covered with beach shingle, gravel, and bowlders, • Not printed. and is flat, the distance from high-water line being, by the chart, 200 to 500 feet to low-water line, 500 to 1,100 feet to the 6-foot, 700 to 1,400 feet to the 12-foot, and 900 to 1,900 feet to the 18-foot contours. From my observation of this shore annually since 1901, in my opinion, the erosion now in progress is not in its rate, probable extent, or in the amount of material discharged of appreciable effect upon the navigable channel; no extension of the sea wall is necessary in the interests of navigation, and the locality is not worthy of further improvement by the United States. In this connection, however, I respectfully refer to the recommendations regarding the extension of this sea wall in the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1886, page 565, and in succeeding reports to 1900, inclusive. * Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Brig. Gen. A. MACKENZIE, W. S. STANTON, Colonel, Corps of Engineers. [Second indorsement.] BOARD OF ENGINEERS FOR RIVERS AND HARBORS, Washington, D. C., June 14, 1905. Respectfully returned to the Chief of Engineers, United States Army. Section 9 of the act of March 3, 1905, contains the following item: "Winthrop Head and Allerton Point, with a view to the necessity of constructing a sea wall to protect navigation." These localities are about 6 miles apart, on opposite sides of Boston Harbor, Winthrop Head lying to the northeast, and Allerton Point to the southeast of the city of Boston. The question involved is the same at each place, being that of a sea wall. The within report relates to Allerton Point. In addition to the report of the district officer, and reports bearing upon the construction of a sea wall at this place by the United States, contained in the reports of the Chief of Engineers, the Board has had before it a number of communications from interested parties, all those known to be interested having been invited by the district officer to present to the Board such statement of facts regarding the necessity of the improvement as they desired. Between the years 1871 and 1874 the United States built a granite sea wall, 1,202 feet in length, around the extreme end of Allerton Point, with a view to prevent further recession of the point and consequent shoaling of the adjacent waters. This wall was designed to meet the needs of the case as then presented, and was completed to the full extent of the project. It appears to have answered the purpose for which it was intended. In recent years the State of Massachusetts has built a sea wall 1,430 feet in length for the protection of Stony Beach, leaving a stretch of bank 1,490 feet in length unprotected. It is the desire of those interested that the sea wall • Not printed. |