ipents, amounting to the sum of 82,300
The following statement will show the boafd what progress
J)as been made towards the accomplishment of the object for
which tHe public funds have been appropriated, and by compar-
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HOUSE DOCUMENTS. 817
f
10^ the tmoofH of labor dene with what remuQS to be dofie, ao
opnkm niay be formed as to whether the appropriations made by
the Iqpslature will cover the total cost of making the contempUu
ted improvements, according to my former plan of improvement.
Twenty-two miles has been thoroughly cleared out from flood-
wood, snags and sunken Iocs ; six miles more has been partially
Improvec^ by sawi^ and chopping in small pieces the floodwood
and jambe, a great portion of which, if not all, will move off with
the flnt fireah, leaving a distance of ten' miles out of the tbirty-
dght, the distance from the mouth to Allegan, on which, also,
something has been done in the way of trimmmg banks, &c. The
balance of labor still to be performed, in order to fulfil their obli-
gations. Is estimated to be equal to one third of the whole contem-
plated amount of labor, and when done, they will be entitled to
the tbrtber sum of 92,300, being the last instalment — from which
it would appear that even though they should abandon the further
prosecc^'on of the work, and the acting commissioner should be
compelled to relet the balance of the job, that the appropriation
made by the legislature will be sufficient to meet all contingent
cies on this portion of the river.
Grand Rivbr.
In regard to the progress of the public improvements on Grand
river, 1 have to say, that measures were adopted at as early a
date as possible to prepare some portion of the river for letting by
contract. With this view I caused re-examinations and surveys
to be made of that part of the river above the rapids, extending to
the mouth of the Maple» and divided the same into sections or di«
visions of from seven to five miles each. The acting Commis-
sioner proceeded in pursuance to notice, to let out jobs in the ear-
ly part of August, and did let to Messrs. Hantz and Baldwin, di-
visions No» 4, 5 and 6, to improve, embracing a distance of about
20 miles, extending from the mouth of the Maple to Hoag's land-
ing, so called ; at the same time a contract was let to Henry Daine
for divisions No. 2 and 3, extending from the termination of
Messrs. Hantz & Baldwin's job, to the mouth of the Thornapple
river, a distance of about 15 miles. .
The labor agreed to be performed by Messrs. Hantz and Bald«
win, consisted of the reduction of several bars of sand and gravel,
removing the snags and driftwood from the bed of the riven and
leaning trees from the banks, &c. One of the most formidable
obstructions, and one on which a large amount of labor has been
done in a most satisfactory manner, is a bar at the mouth of Prai-
rie creek. This bar has heretofore formed a serious and at cer-
tain stages of the water, an insurmountable obstacle to the pavi^a-
tioQ of me river. This has been so far improved by ^xqavatmg
a cbwnel seventy-five feet in width through its wbolp length, that
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818 HOUSE DOCUMENTS^
except at ah unoommon lour state of ibe water, boalt ef the ordi-
nary draft employed on this riTer ia traotportation can paaa over
the 'same without difficulty. The contractors have operated with
more or less success on the other portions of the river where
similar labor was required. The past season in one respect has
been uncommonly favorable for such operations, owing to the
low state of the waters, but on the other hand, the contiactora
have been prevented from progressing with their labors aa fast
as was anticipated, by the prevailing sickness in the country ; yet
notwithstanding, such progress has been made, as to leave no
doubt of their ability to complete their respective joLs in a iiutb-
ful and satis&ctory manner ; provided » reasonable time is al*
lowed for that purpose.
The amount of work done by the afoiesakl cootracton tip to
the first ilay of December inst, will not vary much from the kl'^
lowing statement, to wit; 3,293 yards of material excavated fram
the bed of the river ; 42 snags and sunken logs taken bom tho
same ; 46 leaning trees removed from its banks, besides a large
amount of extra work in building wings, &c. which is in all pro*
bability full two-thirds of all the labor agreed to be done by mm*
The next obstruction, being one uo{ much inferior to the Prairie
creek bar, which has also been successfully operated upon by the
contractor, is the bar at the mouth of Flat river, and is embraced
in the divisions let to Henry Daine. TWs bar is composed of
coarse gravel and sand, mingled with some large stone, and ex-
tends a distance of about 700 feet from the mouth of Flat river up
Grand river. A channel has been formed through the whole
length of this bar, averaging 75 feet wide, and a sufficient depth
of water, eaual to what was deemed necessary, as the water was
when I made the examination and reported thereon to your hon-
orable board on a former occasion. Few seasons within the r^
collection of those who have been the longest familiar with this
river, has the water been so low as during the summer past ; and
it is probable that more labor will have to be expended on this
bar, as well as other similar obstructions, in order to meet sneh a
contingency.
The amount of labor performed by Mr. Daine on bis divisioas
up to the first of December instant, when an estimate was made
for him, is as follows, to wit : 1,818 cubic vards of excavation at
Flat river bar, besides several items of lal>or in removing snags
and rock from the bed of the river, and leaning trees from £e
banks.
The progress made in the reduction of the above mentiooad
bars, together with what has been done by the several eontrao-
tors in removing snags, driftwood, &c. from the bed of the river,
has already made a great difference in diis stream as r^ardi ili
usefulness as a medium of transportation ; and if at any timo
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HDU8B D<X;UHBN1B. 310
doubts have existed in the mind of way one as to the practicability
of making this river navigable to the extent contemplated^ these
doubts, I think, must yield to a thorough conviction, not only of
thepracticability, butof the utility and value of the present im*'
provements from a view of what has been done.
A large amount of labor has also been done below and at the
foot of the rapids, in removing bars, driving piles and raising rock
out of the principal steamboat channel ; these improvements have
t)een made by day's labor, as it was found impossible to procure
the work to be done in the ordinary way of letting by contract
By this system of operation some very diiBcult and important ob-
structions have been abated, with as much economy as could
have been done by any other mode of operation. A considera-
ble portion of thaseason iiad ebpsed before the necessary conve-
aiences for facilitating the labor on the wprks could be procured.
It was found necessary to construct scows, some with and oth-
ers without cranes, a pile driver and other machines for the use
^ the public works, a sufficient number of which have been
constructed and are now on hand ; their usefubess has been test-
ed in sundry difficult operations.
The expensive mode of removing sand bars and alluvial depo-
sites in ordinary way, suggested the idea of using something in
the nature of a dredging machine, to be propelled by horse powers
plans and drafts of a machine for this purpose were submitted by
me to the acting Commissioner, and with his concurrence and ap-
probation, an engine of this description was finished in season to
test its usefulness for its object. Its operation more than answered
our sanguine expectations on the first trial, and unless a further
and more thorough trial of its ability should detect some radical
defect, its ability to perform this species of labor, will diminish to
a very great degree the expenses of making certain improve-
ments in this river, as well as others.
Having in a summary way given an outline of the progress
and condition of the public works on Grand river, a few remarks
may be deemed essential in the way of recapitulation. By the
foregoing it will appear that upwards of 30 miles of Grand river,
extending from the mouth of the Maple down to the mouth of the
Thornapple, has been put under contract ; that two of the most
^fficult bars have been excavated to nearly the proper depth, as
well as others of minor importance, and in addition thereto, a vast
amount of sunken logs, snags and floodwood, has been removed
from the bed of the river. The probable amount of money which
will be expended, (including what has already been expeuded) in
order to complete this portion of the river, will not exceed the
sum of seven thousand dollars.
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890 HOUSE DOCUMENTS.
MAPfiB Rivm.
Nothing has been done on the Maple river this season, And it
nnust be evident to the board that the improvements contemplaited
on this river did not demand immediate attention. Its useRjIness
or importance as a channel of communicationt depending upon
* I completion of other improvements, and when fur-
has been made in the construction of the northern
5 improvement of Bad river and the Grand river, so
10 doubt as to their utility, then it will follow as a
urse, that the Maple river should also receive that
to so important a connecting link of internal im-
Sauitt Stb. Mabib Sb^ Cabal.'
This portion of the public works was prepared for lettinje to
the month of August, and in pursuance to notice, the acting Com-
missioner did let all of the upper level of said canal on the sev-
enth of September last, at the city of Detroit, to Messrs. Smith
and Driggs, of the city of Buffalo. Owing to the advanced state
of the season suitable for such operations, the contractors defer-
red entering upon the execution of their work until the ensuing
spring. The construction of this portion of the canal will absorb
all the appropriation heretofore made by the legislature, and pfo-
bably more.
There still remains of this work to be put under contract, the
two locks ♦, but before this portion of the work is let, I think k
will be necessary that some action of the board should be had as
regards the magnitude and dimensions of the same. When the
estimate was made by me on a former occasion, it was based on
such dimensions as were believed to be sufficient to accommo-
date the largest class of sail vessels on the lakes. It has beeh
suggested, however, by some, that such dimensions should be
given as to admit the passage of steamboats also. This is a sub-
ject that should receive attention from the board or the legislature,
as an increase of the magnitude of the locks for the latter pur-
pose must necessarily increase the expense of their constructioni.
The engineer does not hesitate to assume all the responsibility,
when he is not required to depart from th6 plans heretofore pre-
sented, but when it becomes a question whether the locks shall
be increased to the magnitude necessary to embrace the largest
steamboats on our lakes, and thereby swell the amount necessary
for their construction, he feels authorized to leave that decision ia
those who have all such works under their supervision.
All of which is respectfully submitted, by your ob*t serv't,
(Signed) Jf. ALMY, Engineer^
Grand Rapids, Dec. 17, 1838.
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(NaT)
Report of Wm. A. Burt^ Acting drnimissianer.
7b the Hon. E. H. Loffavp, President of the Board cf Internal
tmprovemenJL
8m : In pursuance of the several resolution's of the board of
uMeraal improFement, instructing the acting Commissioner on the
Bonhero raibroeci and Satfkiaw canal to make expenditures on
the Mid works respectivefyt I proceeded at as early a period as
praelieftl>le,iQ the discharge of the duties entrusted to roe bv said re-^
soiutioDSt aod of my d<n^ in the premises, respectfuiJy report
as follows:
That I prepared^ advertised and let to contract as soon as con-
sistent with tne giving of proper public notice^ the cleariqg and
grttU>isg of all that part ol ttie northern railroad lying between
the village of Port Huron, on the River St. Clair, and the villagef
of hfow^ on Grand river^ a distance of about one hundred and
rtlirty. miles, and the grading of ten miles of said road extending
east finom the village of Lyons, and four miles extending west^
ibe village of Fliit, the proposals and contracts of which are on
file in this office. All of which contracts are now in progress of'
oompfetkMk
It is due to the importance of this part of the public works to
state, that a large portion of it west of Belle river passes tlirou^
aiar more rich and productive district of countnr than has gene>
rally been anticipated, and it is believed the efforts now making
to settle and improve this' oomparatively new and unsettled part
of our state, will be crowned with speedy success, and when
dbne, the northern railroad will rank among the most imrportaoC
trnprovements of the state. And it should not be forgotten thai
IIms road connects the head of the navigable waters of Grand
rmr with Port Huron, the distance between the two points beinfl^
about one hundred and thirty miles, making this the shortest raiH
road projected by the state, and which need not be extended at
the present
Gratuitous releases for the right of way have been obtained to
a large extent on the ncnthern railroad, mostly by J. R. White;
special agent, whose statement of that service accompanies this
leport. In consequence of the advanced state of the season when
the present Board of Commissioners were organized, the great
length of road surveyed and prepared for contract, and the unim-
proved slate of the country through which it passes, much ex-
ertion has been required on the part of the acting Commissioner
and engineer to bring this road into its present favorable condition^
llie anioMt of each contract and the work done upon the same
40
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an H0US6 DOCUMfiNTa
will fully appear by the statement of Tracy McCracken, chief
eocineer in charge of said work, herewith submitted.
It should be mentioned that an error was inadvertently com-
mitted .in the contract entered into with Thomas J, Drake, for
grading ten miles on the line of the northern railroad, extending
east from the village of Lyons. In that contract it was stipula-
ted that said Drake should receive thirteen per cent for each cubic
yard of embankments where the earth was not taken from the
road way excavations. It was, however, understood between
the parties to this contract, that he should receive two'centft per
cubic yard in addition thereto, for moving earth into embaok*-
ments for each one hundred feet after the first one htmdred feet,
which error was not discovered at the time of executing said
contract
The amounts of expenditures on the northern railromd fixnn
December 31st> 1887, to December 31st, 1838, are as follows^
and as entered on the books in this office :
Clearing and grubbing, 93,006 00
Engineering, 8,856 18
Contingent expenses, 511 26
•12,T72 44
In reference to the Saginaw canal, I would state that I have
let to contract so much of that work as the appropriation thereon
would warrant, as heretofore reported to this board. Thit work
is now progressing with much spirit, and will probably be com-
pleted on or before the expiration of the contract
The contract entered into with Afpheus Williams, by the late
acting Commissioner on the Saginaw canal, for excavating, clear-
ing and grubbing, &c., on said canal, has not been complied wittv
and the said Williams has refused to prosecute the said work, al-
leging certain errors in the stipulations r.f sard contract ; conae*
quentlythe contract entered into with Keeney & Farraiid to con-
struct a lock and dam on the aforesaid work, could not be com-
pleted, subjecting said Keeney & Farrand to much inconvenience
and loss, for which they claim damages of the state. This subject
IS respectfully submitted to the board for their action thereon*
â– By a resolution of the board, the acting Commissioner on the
Saginaw canal was authorized to change a portion of the hn-
;rovement of Bad river to an independent canal alone its banks.
!*he' change contemplated has been made, and it is believed with
much advantage to the state. By constructing one k)ok of nine
feet nft instead of three locks with three feet lift each, with danen
as contemplated by the river improvement, a valuable water p»w-
er has been gained X6 the state.
' ' By constructing the locks wHh three feet lift eadw with the
dams as first proposed, a large quantity of rich alluvial bottom
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HOUSE DOCUMENTS. KB
^i^ould be neiirly deititiyfed &t rety ftitK* hijured by thd Aoodmg
of the WHter, and the state suWected to heavy claims of damages
for the injury to the same. Trie change has avoided these claims.
The statement of the engineer in charge of the Saginaw canal,
herewith submitted, will show the state and condition of that
work.
The amounts of expenditures on the said canal, from Decemi*
ber 31st, 1837, to December Slsrt, 1838, as entered on the booKs
in ihifl office, are as follows :
Engineering, ' • • ' #5,027 92 •
Gh-ubbing and cleating, ^ 2,031 00
Excavating and embankment, 6m fSQ
Locks, 231 02
Contingent expenses, 250 89
'tf ' — — _
•8,165 95
In the fall of 1837, four thousand six hundred and eight dolfan
and twelve cents* worth of provisions were purchased by James
B. Hunt, late acting Commissioner on the Saginaw canal, sent to
Saginaw and placed in the charge of 6. D. Williams, one of the
late Commissioners, for 'the purpose of supplying the contractors
with provisions, and deducting the amount from their estimates. '
In accordanee with the arrangement, James Keeney, contract-
or, has received in provisions the sum of 8715 14, and the amount
has been deducted from the payment of his estimate. Alpheos
Williams, contractor, has received in provisions the sum of $641
78t two yoke of oxent at $135 00, and twenty-five blankets, to
be appraised, exceeding Ao amotrnt of his estimates by about
t349. Th^ said oxfen and Wankets were the property ^ the
state, aad furnished the said Williams by the late acting Commis-
sioner. »
The engineer corps has received in provisions the sum of
f 2W 26.
The above statements relative to the |)roviMons, &c., are as
reported to me by the late acting Commissioner and engineer on
said canal.
All of which is respectfully submitted,
WM. A. BURT, Acting Commissioner.
Detroit, Dec. 31s^ 1888.
To the Acting 'Commimoner of the Northern Bailroad —
Sir : — I would respeetfijiHy beg leave to subnoit to you, for the
information of the board of internal improvenient-^that I have,
in piHMaQce of aa 9et.appl?o?ed Maich 20tb, IdjSB, authorising
tba^TOveroor to ^pf^t ^pedal ageots to take tho aclm#wtodgw
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•M HOUSG DOCUMENTS.
ment ddeecb, oempos and gnmto of land«« to the poopl^ ef thif
•tate, for the purposes of iiHeioal improvemeot, proceeded to the
diflcbaiKe of the duty assigned me by the Governor.
In order to prosecute the work to advantage, I found it neces-
sazy to obtain from the several land offices, transcripts exhibiting
the original surveys, with the separate parcels of land sold by the
United States to individuals residing in and out of this state, that
were located upon the line of the northern railroad*
From the extent of the line of read, (one hundred aqd Uurfy
miles,) it has necessarily occupied much of my time in preparing
plats, and in obtaining the places of residence of the numerous
persons owning lands located upon the line. In passing over the
route, I have confined my labors, thus far, to those points where,
in mv opinion, there would be the greatest difficulties to encoun-
ter, from damage to private property, from local considerations,
and where the difficulty would naturally increase by delay.
So far as I have t)een able to see tHe resident owners of land
upon the line, I have been successful in obtaining from them gene-
rally, their relinquishment of lands through which the road must
pass. There are, however, some exceptions, but those persons
claiming damages, are comparatively few, and the damage they
sustain will be slight, if any.
Having been attacked by the disease so prevalent through this
State, the past summer, I was unable to enter upon my duty up^
til th^ last of October, but from the success attending my labors
for the last two months, I think I may venture to assure the board,
that the right of way can be obtained in due time, on the entire
line of the northern railroad, without the payment of damages to
persons owning lands thereon, otherwise than for the oonstruotioB
offenoes and. suitable passageways, at such points upon the
road as shall be deemed necessary to aocommodate individual in<>
lerest.
J. H. WHITE, Special Agen$, ic.
To^Wm. A,B!iw.Esj|.
(No. 80
TVocy McCrackeris report — Saginav) Canal,
To the Hon. W. A. Burt, Acting Commissioner —
Sir : — In compliance with your request that I should report
what has been oone upon the Saginaw canaf previous to, and
since I have acted as engineer of that ii^oriiL, the folkywii^ state-
ment is submitted.
' The preliminary surveys were made by or under the dtreetion
oCMr; C. F. Smith, who reported upon one en^ line, and upon
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HOUSB DOCUMENTS. - M5
two Vmm far a dbtanos of abont six milei. In cm of these lioee
it was in'opoeed to improve and ute Bad river above the fork of
that stream, by means of dams and locks, and excavating, when
Booessary, the bed of the river. The other line was for a canal
BOt dependent upon the river any further than as a feeder.
It appears that the improvement of the river was adopted, and
contracts let for that purpose on the east two sections, in the
month of December, 1837. One contract was for the eonstruo^
lion of a lock and dam* and was let to Messrs. Keeney & Far-
rand, to be completed on or before the first day of July, 1888*
Another is with Mr. Alpheus Williami^ in which it is stated that
lie should complete two sections of the canal, and subjects him to
such changes in the line as mi^t from time to time be made by
the engineer. This contract included the excavation necessary
for the look ond dam, which Messrs. Keeney Ac Farrand had
contracted to complete by the first of Julv ; but Mr. Williams
bad, according to his contract, till the first day of January to fin*
kh the excavati(»i required, before the lock and dam could be coat*
pbted.
Messrs. Keeney 6c Farrand daim damages in consequence of
the lock pit and excavation necessary for the foundation of the
iam not beioff done, which they assign as a reason for the non-
fulfilment of their contract Mr. Williams states (and it is admit-
ted by the then acting Commissioner) that it was not supposed at
the time these contracts were let that he was to clear, grub, ex-
cavate and complete these two sections as is stated in the con-
tract, but that it was understood by both parties that he was only
to do the clearing, grubbing, and excavate the lock pit and about
eighty rods of the canal. Estimates have been made of the
amount of work done upon these contracts, which estimates amount
to • , which has be^n paid.
Soon afler m^ appointment upon this work, and before I had
been upon the line of canal, a contract was let to Mr. Little to
complete about four miles of the river portion of the canal, or so
much as was not then under contract, and one section of the in«
dependent canal. Prior to the commencement of this contract,
and after passing over that pan of the route in which it was in*
tended to improve and use the river, I was induced by fkcts which
are hereinafter stated, to recommend a separate canal above the
ftnrk of Bad river, which has since been adopted. In this change
so loss wlU occur to the state by claims for damages from the
eontractoTBt nor for money expended, with the exception of the
amount paid Mr. WiUtams on contract per estimates, which does
not exceed ftve hundred dollars.
The cost of improving and maintaining the navigation of the
riv«r for ten years, it it tolieved, would much exceed the sum re-
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8S6 HOUSE DOCUMENTS.
qoWte for the eonatructioD and fOMitailHa^ ftr Che time iength «f