APPENDIX B. ANNUAL REPORT OF S. WATERS FOX, DIVISION ENGINEER, OMAHA DIVISION, 1894. OFFICE OF DIVISION ENGINEER, OFFICE BOAT MARGARET, COLONEL: I have the honor to submit herewith a report of the operations under my charge, on the Omaha division of the Missouri River, during the fiscal year ending June 20, 1894. A map of the river in the vicinity of Council Bluffs, Iowa, showing location of the work done, accompanies. In compliance with your instructions, a project was submitted, under date of August 29, 1893, for the expenditure of $15,000, allotted for the repair of revetment in the vicinity of Council Bluffs, Iowa. It provided for the repair of the break in the Council Bluffs bend revetment by entirely new upper bank work throughout its length, and with new mattress where necessary. An office was opened in Council Bluffs, Iowa, October 17, 1893, and measures taken at once for carrying on the work as approved. The necessary cable, strand, rock, and brush were purchased in open market, except 120 cords of the latter item, which was procured by hired labor. Under authority dated October 23, 1893, the following plant was chartered for use on the work, viz: One floating pile-driving apparatus, complete, with steam hoist, lines, and all accessories, at $20 per day. One floating hydraulic-grading apparatus, complete, with steam pump, 24-inch hose, lines, and all accessories, at $18 per day. One of the barges, 30 by 100 feet, Three barges at $100 per month for the three. was provided with ways for use as a mattress boat. The removal of rock ballast from the upper bank of the old work was begun November 1. The driving of piles for anchorage of mattress began the next day, and, owing to failure in delivery of piles, was not finished until the 24th of that month. One hundred and seventy-four piles were driven to an average penetration of 20.14 feet each. The grader was in service from November 8 to 26, during which time 1,265 linear feet of bank, containing 3,535 cubic yards of earth, were graded. In addition to this, 519 linear feet of bank, containing 1,422 cubic yards of earth, were graded by teams with scrapers. Weaving of mattress was begun November 10 on the upstream side of Gumbo Point, shown on the accompanying map at C. By November 22, a mattress had been woven in one piece 910 feet long and of average width of 122 feet. It was 155 feet wide at a point 350 feet below its head. This covered the break in the old work below the Gumbo Point, and shown on the map C to D, leaving a break of 1,674 feet in the old work above the Point and which was repaired as follows, viz: From A to B, a distance of 800 feet, the upper bank was faired out to grade where necessary with brush and then ballasted with a full quota of riprap stone; from B to C, a new mattress 874 feet in length and averaging 52 feet in width was put in, and the upper bank regraded and ballasted. On account of the severity of the winter weather and ice movements in the river, in one of the latter of which, on the night of November 23, the mattress boat was torn from its moorings and carried to a point below the interstate bridge, frequent and costly interruptions and suspensions of operations occurred, necessitating an additional allotment, by transfer, of $1,800 and prolonging the work until March 31, 1894, at which time it was finished. The Government property that had been used on the work was then shipped to Gasconade, Mo., and the office closed April 2, 1894. Cost exhibits in detail are given in the accompanying appendix. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Lieut. Col. CHARLES R. SUTER. |