Senator HOLLAND. When the statement is received it will be incorporated in the record at this point.

(The statement above referred to is as follows:)

Re appropriation of $119,000 for construction of flood-control project at Bayfield Harbor, Wis.

Hon. DENNIS CHAVEZ,

Chairman, Senate Public Works Committee,

Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.

MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: I am writing to you to submit a request for the inclusion within the flood control and harbor bill of the sum of $119,000 for construction of a flood-control project in Bayfield Harbor, Wis. It is expected according to the survey made by the district engineer of the Department of the Army that the modest sum of $1,000 will be required annually for maintenance.

I would have preferred to have been able to present this testimony in person, but a conflicting engagement makes it necessary that I present this in writing. As members of your subcommittee are aware, Bayfield Harbor is on the south shore of Lake Superior, 16 miles north of the deep-draft harbor at Ashland, Wis., and 77 miles by water east of the southern entrance to the Duluth-Superior Harbor. In 1942, Bayfield suffered from a flash flood resulting in $1,000,000 of property damage, and without any assistance from the Federal Government took care of the damage. However, the flood filled in parts of the harbor. The city of Bayfield has put $76,300 into the project itself, which is evidence that it is not asking the Federal Government to do everything.

Back on February 6, 1945, Congressman Alvin T. O'Konski's resolution requesting a survey of the need of Bayfield Harbor passed the House of Representatives. Thereafter a survey was made by the district engineer at Duluth which was subsequently approved by the Rivers and Harbors Board of the Corps of Engineers, by the Department of the Army, and just recently by the Bureau of the Budget, but not in time for inclusion in the House Bill already adopted by the other Chamber.

I will not presume to go into the technical aspects of the project which are covered in the report of Major General Crawford, Chairman of the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors to the Chief of Engineers under date of October 19, 1948. Suffice to say that the record will bear out that the State of Wisconsin has been most modest in making its requests for river and harbor and flood-control work. Neither Congressman O'Konski nor I would make this request to the committee if we did not feel that it was eminently justified by the needs of northern Wisconsin as well as the general interest and the public welfare.

I trust that favorable action will be taken by the committee on this request and would appreciate a member of the committee's staff advising me when the decision is reached.

Thanking you for your kind consideration, I am
Sincerely yours,

ALEXANDER WILEY.

CHEBOYGAN RIVER AND HARBOR, MICH.

Senator HOLLAND. Let us proceed to the Cheboygan River and Harbor, Mich.

Is Congressman Potter here?

Mr. POTTER. Yes.

Senator HOLLAND. Colonel Moore, will you take up next that project?

Colonel MOORE. Mr. Chairman, the report on Cheboygan River and Harbor, Mich., as published in House Document No. 269, Eightyfirst Congress, is in response to a resolution adopted on December 21, 1945, by the River and Harbor Committee of the House of Repre sentatives.

Cheboygan River has its source in Mullet Lake in the extreme northern part of the southern peninsula of Michigan, flows north

about 6 miles and discharges into the Straits of Mackinac at the city of Cheboygan, Mich. The lower portion of the river constitutes Cheboygan Harbor. Cheboygan River constitutes the most northerly link of the so-called inland route which extends from Lake Michigan across the northerly tip of the southern peninsula to Lake Huron via Crooked Lake, Crooked River, Burt Lake, Indian River, Mullett Lake, and Cheboygan River.

The tributary area includes the city of Cheboygan, population 5,600, located at the mouth of the river, and the agricultural and resort communities along the inland route. A paper mill, a foundry and machine shop, and a forest products factory are located in Cheboygan.

The existing project for Cheboygan Harbor provides for a channel 18.5 feet deep and 200 feet wide from the Straits of Mackinac to the outer end of the west pier and between lines parallel to and 25 feet from the docks from that point to the State road bridge, and thence 8.5 feet deep and 60 feet wide to the lock in the river; and for a turning basin 15 feet deep, 400 feet wide, and 420 to 670 feet long below First Street. The length of section included in the project is 11,720 feet of which 6,000 feet are in the Straits. The project was completed in 1939. Project costs to July 1, 1947, were $113,000 for new work and $91,000 for maintenance, a total of $204,000. The latest approved estimate of annual cost of maintenance is $11,500.

Commerce of Cheboygan Harbor consists largely of receipts of coal, coke, limestone, and gasoline. It averaged 53,200 tons annually during the 10-year period 1937 through 1946. Vessel traffic during the same period averaged 526 round trips annually of which 17 in-bound and 14 out-bound trips annually were by vessels having drafts ranging from 12 to 20 feet while the remainder had drafts less than 12 feet. In addition, the United States Coast Guard cutter "Mackinaw," now stationed at Cheboygan Harbor for rescue and ice-breaking operations, makes about 50 round trips annually. This vessel has a length of 300 feet, a normal draft of 19 feet and is equipped with a bow propeller. Considerable difficulty is experienced in turning and maneuvering this vessel in the harbor.

Terminal and transfer facilities consist of one dock having a frontage of 2,500 feet with rail connections and a crane for handling freight, a coal dock and several small docks all privately owned, and one city-owned dock.

Local interests desire a channel 21 feet deep below low-water datum and 338 feet wide from deep water in the strait to the upper end of the existing turning basin; a depth of 21 feet in, and enlargement of, the existing turning basin and removal of old piling in the southwest corner thereof; enlargement of the channel from the State Street Bridge to the paper mill and provision of a turning basin above the bridge to permit navigation by deep-draft lake vessels.

They claim that provision of deep-draft water transportation to the paper mill would effect savings in the cost of transportation of coal and wood pulp used by that concern. Officers of the United States Coast Guard claim that enlargement of the channel lakeward of East First Street is essential for the safe and proper operation at all times of the cutter Mackinaw.

The district and division engineers recommend that the existing project be modified to provide for deepening to 21 feet the existing channel from the 21-foot depth contour in Lake Huron to East First.

94522 -49 pt. 1 8

Street, and for enlarging the turning basin by 100 feet on the southwest corner and tapering to the existing southeast corner, and deepening the basin to 21 feet, subject to certain conditions of local cooperation.

The Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors concurs in the views and recommendations of the reporting officers. Cheboygan Harbor is the logical base for the United States Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw while engaged in rescue and ice-breaking operations in that locality. The improvement proposed will provide safer and more satisfactory conditions for the operation of the cutter when lake stages recede from current high levels. The Board believes that prospective intangible benefits from this improvement are sufficient to warrant expenditure of the necessary Federal funds. The Board accordingly recommends that the existing project for Cheboygan Harbor and River, Mich., be modified to provide for deepening to 21 feet below low-water datum the existing channel from the 21-foot contour in Lake Huron to East First Street, and for enlarging the turning basin by 100 feet on the southwest corner and tapering to the existing southeast corner, and deepening the basin to 21 feet, generally in accordance with the plan of the district engineer and with such modifications thereof as in the discretion of the Chief of Engineers may be advisable.

In accordance with existing law a copy of the Chief of Engineer's proposed report was furnished the Governor of Michigan. The Michigan State Waterways Commission advised that it concurred in the recommendations.

In accordance with section 4 of Executive Order No. 9384 the report was submitted to the Bureau of the Budget for information as to the relationship of the proposed report to the program of the President. The Bureau of the Budget advised that there would be no objection to the submission of the report to Congress.

The Chief of Engineers after due consideration of these reports concurs in the views and recommendations of the Board.

The improvement is recommended provided that responsible local interests give assurances satisfactory to the Secretary of the Army that they will: (a) provide without cost to the United States all lands, easements, rights-of-way, and spoil-disposal areas necessary for the construction and subsequent maintenance of the project, when and as required; and (b) hold and save the United States free from damages due to the construction and subsequent maintenance of the works.

The cost to United States for construction is estimated in the report at $163,000. Cost to local interests for lands and easements is estimated at $1,000. The total estimated cost is $164,000.

The annual carrying charges are estimated at $6,870, which includes $500 for Federal maintenance.

Prospective benefits from increased safety and protection to navigation in general, resulting from a reduction of hazards to the cutter Mackinaw, are intangible and cannot be evaluated, but they are sufficient to warrant the improvement.

The Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw serves a very large area contiguous to its base. It is important that the navigation facilities at Cheboygan afford the cutter ample channel depth and a turning basin large enough for easy turning, so that the cutter can answer distress calls without the possibility of grounding and loss of important time.

Senator HOLLAND. Is that the only depth cutter that the Coast Guard has?

Colonel MOORE. I understand it is the only one available that fulfills the requirements for service on the lakes in that area.

Senator HOLLAND. Was this project considered by the House committee?

Colonel MOORE. No, sir.

Senator HOLLAND. It came in too late?

Colonel MOORE. That is correct, sir.

Senator HOLLAND. There is not any commercial traffic that would be served by this project?

Colonel MOORE. The benefits to commercial traffic would not be great. The vessels using that waterway in general draw 18 feet or less.

Senator HOLLAND. Any questions, Senator Martin?

Senator MARTIN. No questions.

Senator HOLLAND. Any questions from you, Congressman Potter?

STATEMENT OF HON. CHARLES E. POTTER, A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE ELEVENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN

Mr. POTTER. Mr. Chairman, if I might, I would like to make an observation along the lines of the question the colonel has answered concerning the commercial traffic.

I think you will find, Colonel, there is a certain amount of commercial traffic of larger vessels. There are 6 to 10 self-propelled vessels carrying coal of the type of the John Munson and the F. W. White, and the D. H. Taylor which, in, and the draft of ships of that type, I understand, is from 18 to 19 feet.

They have a capacity of about 9,500 tons.

I thought that I would make that observation at this time, Mr. Chairman.

Besides there are some other tankers that come in. I believe during the normal season you will find there are 18 to 20 commercial vessels that do enter the harbor under extreme hazardous conditions. Senator HOLLAND. Do you wish to make a further statement? Mr. POTTER. If you are through with the questions of the Colonel, Mr. Chairman.

Senator HOLLAND. You may proceed.

Mr. POTTER. There are two considerations for asking for this project. As the colonel stated, the project was sent from the Bureau of the Budget to the engineers too late to be included in the hearings held by the House. So that was the reason for it being here.

The first consideration, as has been mentioned, for the Cheboygan Harbor is the fact it is the home base of the Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw. This cutter was built for a specific purpose, the prime purpose being to keep the ice flow out of the strait area. And it is so stated in the law.

That necessitates the Mackinaw being in the vicinity of the strait. The Coast Guard reports that Cheboygan Harbor is the only harbor in the vicinity adequate to provide for that service.

As I mentioned before, we have the commercial interest which has been underplayed because of the consideration of the Coast Guard

cutter Mackinaw.

vessels that come in.

We have, as I mentioned, 18 to 20 commercial

Just as a sidelight, Mr. Chairman, when I was back in my district. about 2 weeks ago, there was a tanker in the harbor and it was churning up the dirt as it came in with a full load.

So it is desirable not only from the fact that the Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw finds it practically necessary to have this dredging done but also for the commercial interests of the community.

The channel now is narrow to begin with. And I am not certain as to what wind is unfavorable, but the vessels have to move so slowly to get out of the harbor that a little wind-they cannot use the wind as they would like to. In other words, it blows the vessels off the channel. So it is a hazardous operation.

Mr. Chairman, that concludes my oral statement. I do have a short prepared statement I would like to insert in the record if I may. Senator HOLLAND. Without objection, it will be inserted.

(The prepared statement of Charles E. Potter reads in full as follows:)

STATEMENT OF CHARLES E. POTTER, MEMBER OF CONGRESS, ON CHEBOYGAN, MICH., RIVER AND HARBOR PROJECT, BEFORE SENATE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS, JULY 13, 1949

Mr. Chairman, I wish to thank you for affording me the opportunity to appear before your committee to discuss the recommendations made by the United States Army Engineers, and approved by the Bureau of the Budget, on the Cheboygan (Mich.), river and harbor project.

The city of Cheboygan is located in the center of my congressional district. The Cheboygan River and Harbor project, as recommended by the engineers, would provide for the deepening of the Cheboygan River to 21 feet from the Strait of Mackinac to the State Street Bridge. It would also provide for the deepening and enlarging of the existing and inadequate turning basin. present depth of the channel is 181⁄2 feet, making it extremely hazardous for vessels entering and leaving the harbor.

The

During the navigation season on the Great Lakes 10 to 18 large ships enter Cheboygan Harbor with cargoes as follows:

(a) Six to ten self-unloaders carrying coal, vessels such as the W. F. White, B. H. Taylor, and John G. Munson, length 530 feet, 60-foot beam, and draft 18 to 19 feet loaded carrying 9,500 long tons.

(b) Two self-unloaders carrying sand, gravel, and stone for cement block plant, city streets and highways, being vessels similar to above.

(c) One D. & C. cruise ship, City of Greater Detroit.

(d) Two to three oil tankers.

(e) Two to six ships winter at Cheboygan and are completely overhauled during this period and made ready for the coming navigation season.

Besides these commercial vessels, Cheboygan is the home of the United States Coast Guard, cutter Mackinaw. The Mackinaw has had considerable difficulty in entering and leaving the harbor due to the lack of depth of the channel. Cheboygan is the ideal and only location for the Mackinaw. No other harbor in the strait area is of adequate depth for basing of the vessel, which by law was constructed in the interest of uninterrupted flow of interstate and foreign commerce through the Strait of Mackinac.

I regret that this project was not submitted to the Congress in time for inclusion in the rivers and harbors bill reported by our House Public Works Committee. I wish to restate that the project has the approval of the United States Engineers, the United States Coast Guard, and the Bureau of the Budget. The work recommended is required in the interest of navigation and should be accomplished at the earliest possible date.

Senator HOLLAND. Do you know whether the Coast Guard expects to appear?

Mr. POTTER. I do not know, Mr. Chairman.

Senator HOLLAND. Do you know, Colonel Moore?