SAND BAR-HARBOR OF ST. LOUIS. MEMORIAL FROM THE Mayor and Board of Aldermen of the city of St. Louis, praying an appropriation sufficient to remove the sand-bar in the harbor of St. Louis. JANUARY 30, 1837. Referred to the Committee of Ways and Means. To the honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled: This memorial of the mayor and board of aldermen of the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, RESPECTFULLY REPRESENTS: That, at the last session of your honorable body, you were pleased to make an appropriation of fifteen thousand dollars for the construction of a pier, to give direction to the current of the Mississippi river, opposite to this place. It is almost needless to allude to the object intended to be effected by this change in the current of the river; its force was to be directed against a sand-bar which has been formed in front of the city, and which, from its rapid increase, creates a fear that it will soon not only close up our harbor, but also render it impracticable to gain access to the establishments of the United States below. All the facts in relation to this matter have been repeatedly laid before Congress, and are now, together with the draughts, plats, and other documents connected with the subject, in possession of the United States Engineer Department. Your memorialists will only add, that the peculiar direction which the river has taken has, in an alarming degree, swept away large portions of the light alluvial soil of the opposite shore, and induces the belief that the main body of the river will so far recede from our shore as to leave us, except in times of high water, without a harbor. The consequence of this encroachment of the Mississippi on the opposite shore is already sensibly perceived. The bar opposite the city has, during the present year, increased in length and breadth, and occupies a much more extensive portion of the harbor than it has done in any former year. The inconvenience resulting from this state of things is seriously felt. In those parts of our harbor which were heretofore considered the most safe on account of the depth of the water, several steamboats, even of light draught, have been grounded. Blair & Rives, printers. Your memorialists feel assured that, unless some measure is speedily adopted by your honorable body for the removal of this growing obstruction in the St. Louis harbor, great and permanent injury will result not only to private but public interest. The sum which, as before remarked, was appropriated to this object by Congress, is entirely inadequate to accomplish the proposed end; in support of which your memorialists refer to the annexed correspondence between Capt. H. M. Shreve and the chief of the Engineer Department, and the mayor of this city; by this correspondence it will at once be seen how far short the appropriation falls of the amount of expenditure required. This is a matter of deep solicitude with your memorialists and those whom they represent; a change in the direction of the river at this place is an object in which the United States have almost as deep an interest as the citizens of St. Louis, and this consideration induces your memorialists to trust that the liberality of Congress will be extended towards them, and that the appropriation which has been already made will be so increased as to enable the Engineer Department to effect an object so desirable. Adopted by the board of aldermen, December 23, 1836. Attest: J. A. WHERRY, Register. ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, November 19, 1836. SIR: In a communication which I had the honor to receive from Gen. C. Gratiot, of the 25th ultimo, I have been advised that the construction of a "pier to give direction to the current of the Mississippi river, near the city of St. Louis," and for which an appropriation has been made by an act of Congress, has been, by the department, committed to your direction. An offer of the application of the sum for this purpose had been made by the Engineer Department to the corporate authorities of this city, as you, perhaps, have been informed, and which we declined, under the belief that the work could be more efficiently and successfully prosecuted under the direct superintendence of the officers of the Government. You are, no doubt, aware of the deep interest which the citizens of this city generally take in the speedy execution of this work; having for its object the removal of the sand-bar at the lower end of the city, which has so long threatened, by its growth and filling up, to obstruct and destroy the barbor. The municipal authorities of this city are desirous to know whether it will be in your power to give to this work your personal superintendence, so far as to devise and project a plan for its execution; and whether your engagements will permit of your devoting your attention to the subject this winter; the present and increasing low stage of water in the river being most favorable for the purpose of commencing the prosecution of the work. have the honor to be, sir, Very respectfully, Your most obedient servant, Capt. H. M. SHREVE, Louisville, Kentucky. LOUISVILLE, KY., November 28, 1836. SIR: Your letter, dated 19th instant, (postmarked 23d,) relating to the proposed pier to be built in the Mississippi river, near the city of St. Louis, to give direction fo its current, &c., was this day received. In order to place the whole subject fully before the city authorities, I forward you herewith a copy of the Chief Engineer's letter on the subject of the proposed pier, dated 20th ult., accompanied with a copy of my reply to the department on the same. But, to give you my views more fully and direct, I beg leave to inform you that I deem the amount of available funds quite too limited to effect any thing beneficial. I am, therefore, not willing to undertake the work, or to assume any responsibility whatever, with a sum that I know cannot be expended to any advantage, and by which I must evidently lose reputation. But, if the appropriation is increased fifty thousand dollars, I will give it my personal attention, and have no doubt but the project will be successful. But to attempt to control the current of the Mississippi with $15,000 would be perfect folly-a waste of time and money. As relates to the commencement of the work at the present low water, I beg leave to say to you, I should not he willing to take the responsibility of commencing the work at this season of the year, with any amount of money; but I would be in favor of building the necessary boats, pile-driver, &c., to execute the work with during the ensuing summer, if the appropriation were sufficiently large. But, under existing circumstances, I am not willing to assume the responsibility of making those preparations, which will consume the whole amount available, and leave nothing for the execution of the work. Under all these circumstances, I beg leave to suggest to you and the board of councilmen the propriety of immediately petitioning Congress for a further appropriation of at least $50,000. My duties on Red river require my attention during the winter and spring, where I shall proceed so soon as I can finish a new steamboat, now building for the same. I have a force of 200 men now on their way to the great raft; that work will probably be finished by April next. The whole of my time will, then, be applied on the rapids of the Des Moines and Rock rivers, and other objects on the Ohio river, below the falls, and on the Mississippi. It would give me great satisfaction to have it in my power to render a service to your city, by removing the bar from its harbor. I, therefore, hope you will petition Congress with success for sufficient funds to promise success in a work of so much importance. I am, sir, SIR: An appropriation was made, at the last session of Congress, of 5,000, “for a pier, to give direction to the current of the Mississippi river near the city of St. Louis;" and an offer of the application of the sum for the purpose contemplated was made to the corporate authorities of St. Louis. The board of aldermen have, by a resolution of their body, declined the proposition of the department; and, though unwilling to accumulate your responsibilities, (already sufficiently numerous,) I am obliged to have recourse to your assistance in carrying the law into execution. Should your duties therein enable you, you will draw up a project of the proposed pier, and appoint a suitable agent to take charge of the work, under your instruc tions, whose salary you will fix, subject to the approval of the department. It is not considered necessary to give any directions as to the manner of executing the work in question; your experience and judgment will enable you to adopt that course best calculated to fulfil the wishes of Congress. I have the honor to be, sir, Your obedient servant, Captain H. M. SHREVE, On engineer service, Louisville, Ky. C. GRATIOT. LOUISVILLE, KY., October 27, 1836. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, dated the 20th instant, placing at my disposal the appropriation made at the last session of Congress for constructing a pier to give direction to the current of the Mississippi river near St. Louis. I have to inform the department, that the season of the year when that river will be frozen is so near at hand, that nothing can be effected earlier than next summer. The months of June or July next will be as early as that work can be commenced to any advantage: I would, therefore, beg leave to suggest to the department, that the work in contemplation be deferred until that time, when I will do all in my power to have the views of Congress carried into effect; at the same time, I beg leave, also, to suggest the propriety of a further appropriation for that object, as the sum now available is quite too small to accomplish any work sufficient to remove the sand-bar from the harbor of St. Louis, or to stop its further encroachment on the landing. I am of the opinion that a less sum than $50,000 will not accomplish any work that will be calculated to answer the desired purpose. My views on the subject are in possession of the department. I have since examined the situation of the sand-bar, and the direction of the current, &c., and am still of the same opinion I advanced in 1834. I am, sir, Very respectfully, Your obedient servant, Brigadier General C. GRATIOT, Chief Engineer, Washington. HENRY M. SHREVE, 2d Session. Executive. JOHN AND PHINEAS R. HARFORD. MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, TRANSMITTING A copy of a letter from the Governor of the State of Maine, claiming the reimbursement of certain moneys paid to John and Phineas R. Harford out of the Treasury of that State. FEBRUARY 1, 1837. Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. To the House of Representatives of the United States: I herewith transmit to the House the copy of a letter addressed to me by the Governor of the State of Maine, on the 30th of June last, communicating sundry resolutions of the Legislature of that State, and claiming the reimbursement of certain moneys paid to John and Phineas R. Harford, for losses and expenses incurred by them under circumstances explained in the accompanying papers. WASHINGTON, 30th January, 1837. ANDREW JACKSON.' STATE OF MAINE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, Augusta, June 30, 1836. : SIR In compliance with a request of the Legislature of this State, I have the honor to transmit to your excellency the accompanying resolutions, It will be recollected, that in August, A. D. 1831, a meeting of the inhabitants of Madawaska was held for the purpose of organizing the government of said town by the election of town officers. A subsequent meeting of said inhabitants was held for the choice of a representative to represent them in the Legislature of this State. In consequence of these meetings a British military force arrested several of our citizens concerned in said proceedings, carried them to Frederickton, in the province of New Bruns Blair & Rives, printers. |