Minneapolis, in general accordance with the plans described and approved by the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors and the Chief of Engineers in their reports of February 8, 1938, and February 26, 1938, respectively, as subsequently modified by the reports printed in Senate Document No. 54, Seventy-seventh Congress, first session, to provide for a vertical bridge clearance of 26 feet above the estimated 40,000 cubic feet per second stage, the privately owned bridge and utility structures to be modified by the Federal Government at an estimated first cost to the United States of $8,259,000, with $55,000 annually for maintenance and operation of the navigation works; subject to the conditions that local interests contribute $1,100,000 to the first cost of the improvement as a whole and provided that responsible local agencies furnish assurances satisfactory to the Secretary of War that they will: (a) make the necessary alterations to highway bridges and publicly owned utilities, (b) furnish free of cost to the United States all lands, easements, and rights-of-way necessary for the channel and lock and dam construction, and (c) furnish at their own expense suitable spoil-disposal areas for the new work and for subsequent maintenance when and as required. For the Board: JOHN J. KINGMAN, о 2d Session 1 No. 472 BOSTON HARBOR, MASS. 1 LETTER FROM THE ACTING SECRETARY OF WAR A LETTER FROM THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, UNITED STATES ARMY, DATED JANUARY 10, 1944, SUBMITTING A REPORT, TOGETHER WITH ACCOMPANYING PAPERS ON A REVIEW OF REPORTS ON BOSTON HARBOR, MASS., REQUESTED BY A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMITTEE ON RIVERS AND HARBORS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, ADOPTED ON APRIL 2, 1943 TRANSMITTING FEBRUARY 28, 1944.-Referred to the Committee on Rivers and Harbors and ordered to be printed WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, February 24, 1944. The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. DEAR MR. SPEAKER: I am transmitting herewith a report dated January 10, 1944, from the Chief of Engineers, United States Army, together with accompanying papers, on a review of reports on Boston Harbor, Mass., requested by a resolution of the Committee on Rivers and Harbors, House of Representatives, adopted on April 2, 1943. In view of the large amount of equipment, manpower, and critical materials which would be involved in the construction of the project, and since there is no presently indicated necessity for the project in the war effort, the Department is of the opinion that initiation of construction of the project, if authorized by Congress, should be deferred until after the end of the war. The Bureau of the Budget has been consulted and the Director advises as follows: The report recommends abandonment of the project for the seaplane channel and basin in Boston Harbor authorized in the River and Harbor Act, approved October 17, 1940, and substitution therefor of an authorization for the construction of a seaplane channel at an undetermined location in Boston Harbor to be ap-EPO proved by the Chief of Engineers, at a cost not exceeding $2,300,000, provided that construction shall not be undertaken until the need therefor shall have been established to the satisfaction of the Secretary of War. HE With respect to the recommendation for abandonment of the project authorized in the River and Harbor Act of October 17, 1940, there would be no objection to such a recommendation, since, as a matter of fact, the President was opposed to that authorization in the first place. As to the recommendation for an authorization of a substitute project, the The proposed report recommends unusual procedure in the following respects: First, that there be an authorization for a project with an indefinite location; and second, This that a determination of the time for beginning construction of the project would be 21 left with the Secretary of War, thus eliminating from that determination the effect of such fiscal considerations as the President, acting through this office, might otherwise wish to apply. of For these reasons, and in view of the fact that the President has not favored such a project, I do not think that an authorization of the improvement recommended d in the proposed report should be considered in accord with the President's [et] s program. Respectfully, sac es lon TESICO ide REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, UNITED STATES ARMY feet f ROBERT P. PATTERSON, The CHAIRMAN, COMMITTEE ON RIVERS AND HARBORS, MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: 1. The Committee on Rivers and Harbors of the House of Representatives, by resolution adopted April 2, 1943, requested the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors to review the reports on Boston Harbor, Mass., submitted in House Document No. 362, Seventy-sixth Congress, first session, with a view to determining if the recommendations therein submitted should be modified in any way at this time. I enclose the report of the Board in response thereto. 3. Since the need for and any alternate location of the seaplane channel should receive the approval of the Civil Aeronautics Admin istration, such approval would be secured prior to initiation of work After due consideration of these reports, I concur in the views and recommendations of the Board. Very truly yours, E. REYBOLD, Bost als of subsid rang aprove Curt, at 2. After full consideration of the reports secured from the district and division engineers, the Board recommends that the project for a seaplane channel and basin authorized in the River and Harbor Act approved October 17, 1940, be abandoned and that in lieu thereof authority be granted for the construction of a seaplane channel at such alternate location as may be approved by the Chief of Engineers and at a cost not exceeding $2,300,000, the estimated cost of the project now authorized, provided that construction of the channel shall not be undertaken until the need therefor shall have been estab lished to the satisfaction of the Secretary of War. LeW WO Clate fo rous t pro $1,500 feet rated cal co been p Bosto radia arts of Scres sonel be of Bo ed bull inistra The resenta plane c Detober projec Chief of Engineers. sport as REPORT OF THE BOARD OF ENGINEERS FOR RIVERS AND WAR DEPARTMENT, THE BOARD OF ENGINEERS FOR RIVERS AND HARBORS, OLD Gear JE Subject: Boston Harbor, Mass. 1. This report is in response to the following resolution adopted April 2, 1943: 2. Boston Harbor is on the Atlantic Coast in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It has an improved main entrance channel about 2 miles long with a minimum width of 900 feet and a minimum depth of 40 feet from the sea to a deep-water area in the outer harbor known as President Roads and a main ship channel 6 miles long and 1,200 Efeet wide and 35 feet deep from President Roads to the principal IN terminals in Boston; this channel has been deepened to 40 feet for a width of 600 feet from President Roads to East Boston, a distance of 4% miles. Two additional channels of lesser dimensions have been provided from the sea to President Roads, and anchorages and branch and subsidiary channels have been provided in the harbor. The mean range of tide in the inner harbor is 9.6 feet. Total Federal cost of improvement of Boston Harbor to June 30, 1942, was $17,100,289 for new work and $1,443,179 for maintenance. The latest approved estimate for annual cost of maintenance is $174,000. In addition to numerous improvements for the benefit of navigation, the existing project provides for a seaplane channel 12 feet deep at mean low water and 1,500 feet wide, extending northwesterly from President Roads 17,500 feet to the easterly margin of Boston Airport, and deposit of excavated material in such places as will permit enlargement of the airport, at an estimated first cost to the United States of $2,300,000 and $60,000 annually for maintenance, subject to certain conditions of local cooperation. No work on this part of the existing project has been performed. for Resolved by the Committee on Rivers and Harbors of the House of Representatives, United States, That the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors created under section 3 of the River and Harbor Act, approved June 13, 1902, be, and is hereby, requested to review the reports on Boston Harbor, Mass., submitted in House Document No. 362, Seventy-sixth Congress, first session, with a view to deterinining if the recommendations therein submitted should be modified in any way at this time. ted are 3. Boston is the metropolis of New England, with railways and highways radiating therefrom, and a water-borne commerce extending to all parts of the world. The Boston Airport occupies an area of about 300 acres of reclaimed land on the northerly side of the main ship channel between East Boston, Winthrop, and Governors Island. The city of Boston and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have provided bulkheads, paved runways, and the necessary buildings for administration facilities and for servicing of planes. of th neu ttataeglo 4. The Massachusetts Department of Public Works, through its representatives, and other local interests request abandonment of the seaplane channel authorized by Congress in the River and Harbor Act of October 17, 1940, for the reason that as long as it remains an authorized project it presents an obstacle to the enlargement of the Boston Airport as now planned. The Maritime Association of the Boston |