REPORT OF ENGINEER IN CHARGE OF LITTLE FALLS BRIDGE. WASHINGTON, October 19, 1857. SIR: I have the honor to report to you that the work upon the bridge across the Potomac, at the Little Falls, is now progressing satisfactorily, and that, with the average working weather, the masonry will be completed during the present season. Piers Nos. 3 and 5, and the Maryland abutment, are finished. Pier No. 4 will be finished in about twelve, and pier No. 6 in about twentysix working days. No. 7, which is the nearest pier to the Maryland abutment, and stands immediately at the foot of the tow-path bank of the canal, is begun to-day, and in forty working days I expect to finish it. By reference to my report of 18th November last to your predecessor, it will be perceived that the progress of the work has been much slower than I had hoped and promised; that, "unless retarded by an unfavorable winter and a late spring freshet," the beginning of August was the time which I then fixed for the accomplishment of what I now expect to have done by the middle of December. The winter was far more unfavorable than the average winters of this latitude; and on the 8th of February occurred a freshet higher than any ever before known at the Little Falls, which destroyed the bridge across the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, and deposited over the whole extent of the low grounds between the canal and the river a mass of ice from twenty to thirty feet in depth. This ice field remained, covering the site of the bridge, and preventing any work on the masonry of the piers, until it was removed by a great freshet on the 6th of May. From the 6th of May to the 3d of July was a succession of heavy rains and freshets, causing interruptions of the work equal to one-half the whole time. After the freshet of July 3, the weather became more favorable, and the river gradually subsided to its usual summer size; by that time, however, owing to the near approach of the sickly season, the wellknown unhealthiness of our locality, and the great demand in Washington for masons and stone-cutters, I found it impossible, though I advertised repeatedly in the newspapers, to attract a sufficient force of mechanics to the work. To raise the rate of wages while the government was carrying on such extensive works in the immediate neighborhood, seemed to me to be impolitic with reference to the larger interest of those works, even if I could have been sure that the small interest under my charge would have derived permanent advantage from such a measure. Within the past few weeks the necessity of advertising for mechanics has ceased. Men are coming here from a distance; many from New York and Pennsylvania, and the applications for employment are so numerous now that we could have a larger force than in our confined space we can work to advantage. The work of the superstructure of the bridge is well advanced. The material is all delivered and paid for, and the framing of five of the six spans is completed and paid for. The contractors are bound to have the bridge erected "within thirty days after it shall have been notified to them by the engineer in charge of the work that the piers and abutment are ready to receive the superstructure of the bridge." I propose to give them such notice as shall set them at work upon the erection of the bridge by the 1st of November, enabling them to have three spans up by the 1st of January, and the three remaining spans (completing the bridge) by the 1st of March. To require them to erect six, or even three spans, in thirty days, might greatly damage them without effecting any public benefit. In my report of 18th November last, I remarked: "The appropriation may possibly hold out to complete the work. I fear, however, that there will be a small deficiency." With an additional appropriation of "ten thousand dollars I would be sure of my ability to complete and perfect the work. Whether it be made or not, every unnecessary expenditure shall be avoided." * * * * * * * Every unnecessary expenditure has been avoided; every true economy has been practiced. I have not deemed it any part of my duty to eke out a present appropriation by doing bad work in a locality so exposed, from which successive floods have swept away causeways and piers of previous structures, but, on the contrary, to build, if possible, what no force of flood and ice can ever remove, and in this I hope and believe I have succeeded. The appropriation holds out better than I expected. From a careful survey and remeasurement, made within the last week, I estimate that an additional appropriation of four thousand dollars will do all that was contemplated by Congress. The property of the government at the bridge may, at a very reasonable estimate, be expected to sell for two thousand dollars, which would leave an actual deficiency of but two thousand dollars, an amount not exceeding the positive damage which the work has suffered from the flood, by delays, by destruction of materials, and the carrying away of the canal bridge, which we were obliged to rebuild. The contractors for the superstructure receive for the materials of each span $2,666, for framing and workmanship of each span $2,333, and for the erection of each span $2,311. By the time they will be ready to begin the erection of the last two spans, we will have sold out our effects, and will know exactly the amount of deficiency. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, RANDOLPH COYLE, Hon. JACOB THOMPSON, Secretary of the Interior. |