that all the lots on the said section of land, not entered by pre-emption according to the provisions of the said act of Congress and of the said Assembly, prior to the day of sale, would be sold at public auction to the highest bidder, for cash, on the 15th day of September, 1845; and that all lots upon said section, not purchased by pre-emption previous to the said day of sale, were sold in pursuance of the said notice and of the said act of the said Assembly, on the 15th and 16th days of September, 1845, at the town of Potosi, in said Territory. The aggregate amount of all which sales is the sum of four thousand one hundred and thirty dollars and sixty-four cents.

Your Commissioners further report, that they have kept a record of all their proceedings, and have made accurate returns to the Governor of the Territory of Wisconsin, of all lots sold by pre-emption or otherwise, according to any of the provisions of the said act of the said Assembly.

་

That after the sale of the said lots, we caused an estimate and survey to be made of the improvement contemplated by the said act of Congress, which was made by and under the direction of Capt. Joshua Barney, U. S. civil engineer, superintending the improvement of the Dubuque harbor, in Iowa Territory; which estimate and survey, and all other information connected with the proposed improvement collected by us, are embodied in the report of Capt. Barney, herewith submitted as a part of this our report.

The views of Capt. Barney in relation to the proposed improvement, as set forth in his report, we fully concur in, having examined the ground with him.

Your Commissioners would further report, that the aggregate amount of expenses allowed and audited by them for all expenses in surveying the said section into lots, making the maps, adjusting claims to pre-emption rights to lots on said section, selling said lots, printing, and for making the survey and estimate of the said improvement, and all other expenses. incurred by them in the discharge of their duties as such Commissioners, is the sum of thirteen hundred and fifty dollars and forty cents, for which amount drafts were drawn on the Receiver, as provided by law, the items of which expen

diture will be found in the annual report of the Receiver, to which reference is made.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

NELSON DEWEY,

HENRY L. MASSY,

Commissioners, &c.

November 18, 1845.

Document B.)

ENGINEER'S REPORT.

DUBUQUE, November 15, 1845. GENTLEMEN-I have agreeably to your request, made the reconnoisance and examinations necessary for directing a survey of the harbor of Potosi and its environs, for the purpose of ascertaining the best mode of improving it, and making it accessible for steamboats at all stages of water. These surveys having been executed by Mr. Samuel C. Wiltse, and the result communicated to me, after a careful examination of the subject, I have the honor to submit the following report and estimates, accompanied with maps illustrative of the same.

The harbor at present, situated as it is on one of the collateral branches, or channels, of the Mississippi, appears to be approachable only by the tortuous sinuosities of Grant River Slough, or, by the shorter and little less objectionable meanderings of Swift Slough. The channel of the former is ob structed at numerous points by shoals or bars formed by deposits of tilt. The removal of this would require a great amount of dredging to make it navigable at low water, and the annual operations of a dredge boat would, in all probability, be indispensable to keep it at a proper depth. In a channel so long and crooked, it is difficult to form a correct idea of what the result might be in case it should be so improved. The removal of the bars as they now stand might cause the accumulation of deposits in other places; and the work of one season might be counteracted and rendered useless by the result of the succeeding one. It is highly important too, that boats in ascending the river should have an easy egress from the harbor, and that there should be the same facilities for the ingress of boats descending. And as the improvement of this channel only, cannot afford these, the project of making it navigable should be abandoned.

The channel of Swift Slough is navigable for boats of light draft at nearly all stages of water, and the approach to the landing after leaving it is only liable to be obstructed at the point A, in Grant River Slough, where the water, as indicated by the soundings, was only four feet deep at the time the examinations were made. It therefore appears that but little is required to be done to make the water of sufficient depth for the present. The objections to this improvement, however, are the same, though in a less degree, as those offered to the improvement of Grant River Slough.

It appears too that the sand bar situated above the island B, and extending nearly to the mouth of Ferry Slough, is rapidly approaching the island. The soundings show that there is merely sufficient water at present for boats to pass at G, when the river is very low, and the deposit of a few more years may effectually close the ingress.

The existence of this bar, located as it is, will render the duration of any improvement which can be made in connection with the Swift Slough very uncertain. It would therefore be advisable to adopt some less precarious means of attaining the desired result; and the most feasible plan which presents itself, would be a direct cut from the Mississippi river to Grant River Slough, as represented on the accompanying maps. The surface of the water in the Mississippi at the point D, was nine inches above the surface of the water in Grant River Slough at the point E, when the surveys were made by Mr. Wiltse; and the distance from D to E, being but three thousand two hundred feet, there would consequently be a current of sufficient velocity to prevent the accumulation of any deposit in the bed of the canal. The course from the outlet, or point E, to the landing place being very direct, the force of the additional quantity of water from the canal into Grant River Slough, flowing as it would with its accelerated velocity, would have a tendency not only to keep the channel of the slough clear, but would probably deepen it at the point F, where it is at present most shallow. A beneficial result might also be anticipated throughout the entire length of the slough.

The canal from the Mississippi will be approachable at any

stage of water, for boats ascending or descending the river. The current of the river impinges against the bank with its full force, and the water being deep, little apprehension may be entertained of the formation of any bars contiguous to the entrance of the canal.

The following estimate is predicated on the supposition that the canal will be fifty feet wide at the bottom, and of sufficient depth to be navigable at all times for boats of the largest class which ascend the Rapids. The slopes on each side to be one and a half feet base to one of perpendicular height, which will make the extreme width at the point where the cutting will be deepest, about 100 feet. All earth removed from the bed of the canal must be deposited on the lower or eastern side, and none of it left within 20 feet of the bank, as the inundations of the river may otherwise wash part of it back again into the canal.

ESTIMATE.

Clearing and grubbing one hundred feet in width, 160 rods, at $4 50,

$720 00

12,675 cubic yards of excavation, at 15 cents,

1,901 25

9,575 20

Dredging to deepen harbor near landing,

Superintendence and contingencies,

Total cost,

1,000 00

2,000 00

$20,041 45

I

am, very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

JOSHUA BARNEY,

Civil Engineer.

To Nelson Dewey, Henry L. Massey and James E. Freeman,

Commissioners, &c.