upon the part of the executive, as to the constitutionality of some clause embraced in it. At the present session, however, another bill, avoiding the constitutional objection urged by the governor, has been introduced, and the friends of the measure are very sanguine as to the result. Flint River, from Bainbridge to Apalachicola, Fla., is navigable for first-class steamboats, and makes a confluence with the Chattahoochee about thirty miles below this place by water.

"The Tongee cotton-factory, about one mile from Bainbridge and located on the Flint, yielded large profits when properly managed, but is now suspended because of Litigation, which we have reason to believe will soon be terminated. Our watercourses afford splendid facilities in water-power for the establishing and working of factories, mills, and wool-carding machinery, and saw-logs can be rafted for seventytive miles down Spring Creek, a tributary to the Flint. In cheap living, this region will compare with any other on the American continent.

"We think that the foregoing statements, which are entirely free from exaggeration, will afford ample evidence of the fact that the Flint should be rendered navigable above this point, and we trust that Congress will grant a liberal appropriation for that purpose.

Very respectfully,

HENRY K. HODGES, Esq.,

“Chief Engineer in charge of Flint River Survey."

THOS. F. HAMPTON,
B. F. BURTON,
“JNO. P. DICKENSON,
Committee.

On the 31st of January we reached Chattahoochee Landing, on the Apalachicola River, about half a mile below the junction of the Flint and Chattahoochee Rivers, which is thirty miles distant from Bainbridge, and one hundred and five from Albany. From Bainbridge the river continues its southwesterly course for about nine miles, when it takes a southerly direction for about three miles, passing Lambert's Island, an ugly rock-obstruction lying midway of the stream. The river is there suddenly turned to the westward by a range of lofty hills and continues on this course for about fifteen miles, when it makes an abrupt turn to the southward just beyond the mouth of Spring Creek, and continues in this course to its confluence with the Chattahoochee, forming a conjunction with that stream the Apalachicola River.

This portion of the river not requiring any special attention, and the banks being for the most part obstructed by dense hummocks, which were badly cut up with swamps and sloughs, we avoided them as much as possible, and when practicable traversed in the rear of them, keeping up the course of the stream by a series of triangulations. The average fall, from Bainbridge to the mouth, is about 7 inches per mile, and the average velocity about one and a half miles per hour. At Lambert's Island, the only swift water on this portion of the river, the velocity of the current is about four miles per hour.

Flint River traverses a bed of lime-rock pretty much all the way down, and is contantly fed by subterranean streams. The duration of floods in this river is short, dom lasting over seven or eight days, occurring after heavy rains, taking about seven days to reach the maximum height after the downfall. After reaching the maxmum height it fluctuates for a few days and then falls rapidly. It has been known to keep 10 or 12 feet above low water for two months at a time, but it is only kept at this stage by frequent rains. The stage of the river at the time we commenced the survey seemed to be its normal condition, to wit, about 2 feet above the extreme low-water elevation of 155, a well known low-water year all over the southern

country.

The highest water known occurred in 1841, lasting from the 11th of March to the 19th, and is called the Harrison freshet. It reached an elevation of 12 feet higher than any previous freshet within the recollection of the present generation. In 1852 it reached a greater height than it had reached since 1841, and in 1862-72 it was again very high, being within two feet of the height of the Harrison freshet.

The character of the obstructions are very similar, and I might almost say a repetion of the other, being composed almost entirely of small loose rock, a soft, friable fossil limestone, which hardens on exposure to the air, easy of access from the shore, bat in some instances will require the assistance of a snag-boat to remove the larger rocks.

My estimates are made upon a basis of a 3-foot channel at the extreme low stage, which will give, at the ordinary low-water season, at least 4 feet, a depth quite suffivent for the class of boats now plying the river.

On reaching Chattahoochee the party was all discharged, with the exception of Mr. Pattison and myself, who remained a few days to attend to the storing of such of the property as we did not wish to take back with us; after accomplishing which we re

turned to Mobile, and were engaged in plotting our work, and have prepared the following maps:

Detail sheets of obstructions and prominent places in the river, on a scale of 100 feet to the inch, with the accompanying profile of the water-surface and bed of the river. including the rest of the river, on a scale of 200 feet to the inch, making one hundred and nine sheets in all.

An index-map of the entire river, from Albany to Chattahoochee, on a scale of 1,00 feet to the inch, in three sections: Section 1, extending from Albany to Newton; seetion 2, extending from Newton to Bainbridge; section 3, extending from Bainbridge to Chattahoochee.

A profile of the entire river, from Albany to Chattahoochee, on one continuous shoot, showing the high and low water slopes and the bottom of the channel.

One sheet showing cross-sections of the river taken at Albany, Newton, Cheevertown. Munnerlym's Ferry, and the mouth.

The first obstructions met with are immediately opposite the city of Albany. See sheet No. 1.

Here the channel approaches the left bank, after crossing the shoals immediately above and over which Tift's bridge is constructed, and continues parallel to that shore for about 200 yards, when it is turned to the opposite shore by an intervening rock island lying midway of the stream.

Immediately after the burning of Tift's bridge, several years ago, which has since been rebuilt on its old site, a temporary bridge was erected across the river, extending from the foot of State street, and the channel obstructed by the piers, the foundations of which, with but one exception, still remain in an imperfect condition. These consisted of caissons filled with loose rock, and further strengthened and protected from the action of the current, which is quite swift through here, by riprap laid against them on the outside. There were four originally constructed, but the scouring power of the earrent was sufficient to undermine and carry off the one next to the shore; the remaining three are about 30 feet apart, the first one being almost 40 feet from the shore; the third one is in the shallow water close to the island, and does not require removal. By removing the other two we will have a clear channel of about 100 feet in width. with 18 feet of water. The plan I would suggest for the removal of these obstruction would be to tear away the remaining timbers, scatter the loose rock over the bottom of the river in the immediate vicinity, and the current will very soon scatter and carry off what may be left. The cost of this removal I estimate at $200.

After passing these obstructions the current is abruptly thrown over against the lower end of the island by a small reef, and continuing down the middle of the strea for about 200 yards, when it is carried still farther over by another reef, hugging the left bank very close.

The river here takes a southeasterly direction down a straight reach of a mile and a half, to Viola Bend, with an average width of 250 feet, and 8 feet in the channel, the banks on either side being lined pretty much all the way down with overhanging ledges of rock. Some few dangerous snags are lodged in this portion of the river, the removal of which, during low water, would be attended with little expense.

A cross-section of the stream was taken at the foot of Broad street, the initial poin of the survey, and the same extended to the high-water limits on each side, giving for low water an area of 1,285 square feet, and for high water an area of 14,195 square feet. Observations for velocity were taken in the straight reach immediately below town. which resulted in giving a velocity of 34 feet per second.

On the left bank, at the head of Viola Bend, (see index-map, sheet 3,) a very large. jagged, and dangerous lime-rock overhangs the river, with 20 feet of water close in under it, which has already occasioned the sinking of two boats; one the Viola, which was afterward raised, and from which the bend has taken its name; the other the Florence, the wreek of which still lies in the river, a short distance below, close in te the right bank, out of harm's way. This rock should be broken off by blasting, and the fragments left to remain in the river, which is quite deep at this place. The cost of this removal I estimate at $100.

This bend extends for about three-fourths of a mile, the river having an average width of 200 feet, with a good channel, and no less than 12 feet of water at any part of it. Continuing in a southeasterly direction down another straight reach of a mil and a half, the river gradually increases its width to about 300 feet, which it maintains all the way down the reach. Two and a half miles below Albany we pass a small rock island, just above Keating's Ferry, (see index map.) lying midway of the stream, with a 10-foot channel between it and the left bank. Just above the island a small rock-reef appears, and just below the ferry is another, quite long and narrow, extending diagonally across the river, leaving only 5 feet in the channel over it. R quires no improvement.

Below this reef there is an unobstructed channel of feet to the foot of the reach, where the river is slightly deflected to the westward, and continues with same average width

and depth of channel down another straight reach, to the Blue Spring Shoals, four and three-fourths miles below Albany. (See sheet No. 7.)

These shoals extend clear across the river, and form a very difficult as well as a very dangerous obstruction in low water; although the soundings indicate 33 feet of water at the lowest stage, the rocks are too jagged and too close together to navigate safely over them with any less depth than 6 feet. The fall over these shoals is about Gfeet to the hundred feet, the fall of the pool above extending to Keating's Ferry, being only .01 foot to the hundred feet. The rocks should be removed for a distance of about 200 feet in the direction of the current, giving a channel 100 feet wide, which would necessitate the removal of about 2,000 cubic yards of loose rock, which I estimate will cost $ per yard, making the total cost of improving these shoals $6,000. Below these shoals we have a clear channel of 6 feet through the bend, with the same width of river, until we get half a mile below, where it is contracted to a width of about 200 feet, which it retains for half a mile farther, again reaching a width of 30 feet, when it is soon after obstructed with loose, detached bowlders, extending out from the left bank, a portion of which it will be necessary to remove, (see index-map, sheet No. 9.) the expense accompanying which will not exceed $500.

Continuing in a southerly direction for about three-fourths of a mile, the river bends to the eastward, forming Horseshoe Bend, the rapids appearing in the abrupt turn to the westward, one mile below, and nine miles from Albany. (See sheet No. 12.) Just before reaching the rapids the current is thrown over toward the right bank by a mass of loose rock and bowlders extending out from the left bank more than a third of the distance across the stream, and passes close by an insolated pyramidal mass of loose rock, which is the only obstruction. This mass of rock in a straight reach would be no obstruction, but its present position in a very abrupt turn of the bend, with such a rapid current, renders it very dangerous, and it should be removed, the cost of which I estimate at $750. The fall over these rapids is .40 foot to the hundred feet, the fall of the pool above being .04 foot to the hundred feet. Leaving Horseshoe bend we immediately enter Murphy's Spring Bend, (see index-map, sheet No. 13,) around both of which we have a good channel; the left bank of the river on the lower end of the lastnamed bend is eaving very badly and filling the river with snags. Immediately after leaving Murphy's Spring Bend we pass Goat Island, ten and three-fourth miles from Albany. (See sheet No. 14.) This is a large mass of rock about 400 yards long and wide, lying about midway of the stream, with a rocky shoal extending out from the upper end toward the left bank, obstructing the main channel, which is thrown close over to that shore. The steamer Flint was wrecked on this point several years ago, and fragments of the wreck are still visible. The channel between the island and right bank has been artificially obstructed with loose rock thrown in to form a 6sh-weir. The fall of the water around the island is one-tenth of a foot to the hundred feet, with a very swift current. To give a clear channel past the head of the island it will be necessary to remove the rocks in this shoal for a distance of 300 feet in the direction of the current and 125 feet in width, which for a 3-foot depth will give us abont 4,000 cubic yards of rock to be removed, which, at a cost of $3 per yard, will amount to $12,000. In addition to the removal of the rock it will be necessary to cut away the trees which overhang the river some distance down, the expense accompanying which will reach $500.

Continuing in a southwesterly direction, with an average width of 250 feet, there is nelear, open channel of feet to the Nigger-Head Shoals, one-quarter of a mile below. See same sheet.)

These shoals consist of loose rock and bowlders extending clear across the river. leaving only 5 feet in the channel over them; one large bowlder, standing in the chansel, needs removal, which can be accomplished by blasting, at an expense of $100. After passing these shoals the river makes a bend to the southward and westward with 410-foot channel, its width varying between 200 and 300 feet. One-fourth of a mile below a rock-reef extends out from either shore, leaving a 5-foot channel between, the width of the river still varying until we reach Mingo Islands, (see sheet No. 16,) at the foot of the bend, eleven and three-fourths miles from Albany, at which point it spreads eat to a width of 600 feet. These islands, four or five in number, form a cluster of rock-reefs, most of which are exposed at low water, the channel passing next to the left bank with 5 feet of water, badly obstructed by trees overhanging the river, the expense of removing which would be about $500. Immediately below the river is Contracted to a width of 150 feet, with a rocky ledge on either shore, and 9 feet of water in the channel between. This narrow chute extends about 100 yards, and the river is again widened as it approaches Deadman's Island, (see same sheet,) immediately below. This is a large rock island extending from the middle of the river towards the left ank, the intervening space between it and that shore being badly obstructed with loose rock and growing cypress-trees. The channel here approaches the right bank and is badly obstructed by overhanging trees, the cost of removing which will be about 00. After passing the island the rivertakes a southwesterly direction down a straight ch, with an average width of 300 feet, and 74 feet in the channel to Red Bluff Bend,

thirteen and a half miles below Albany, at the head of which are the Red Bluff Rapids. (See sheet No. 18.) The river here is obstructed by a mass of detached bowlders, extending clear across, leaving only a narrow channel open. The fall here is about 64 foot to the hundred feet, that of the pool above being only .007 foot to the hundred feet. These rocks should be removed for a space of about 100 feet square right in the channel; they are not of sufficient size to require blasting, but can be handled easily and removed from their present positions with a derrick on a snag-boat. The cost of this removal I estimate at about $2,400.

Immediately below the river is very much contracted by two rock-ledges, extending out from either shore, and continuing down the river about 100 yards; after leaving which it again widens, but for a short distance only, and is again contracted to a width of 150 feet as it turns to the southwest, widening again to 300 feet, which width is reduced to 200 feet before reaching Squirrel Island, sixteen miles below Albany, (sce index-map, sheet 21,) at which point it is 400 feet wide.

Squirrel Island is a small rock island lying a little to the right of the middle of the stream, with the main channel passing between it and the left bank.

It was formerly an island of some considerable extent, but has been nearly all washed away, leaving only a shallow and narrow reef to show its former location. The old head of the island, which is about 300 yards above the island as now seen, is plainly visible above the surface of the water, an isolated mass of solid flint rock. There is 19 improvement required here.

Just below the island a rock-reef extends out from the left bank, forcing the channe over to the opposite shore, and the river sweeps around to the westward through a long and tortuous bend, with a clear, open channel, and an average width of 250 feet, to TeaCup Shoals, nineteen and one-half miles below Albany. (See sheet No. 23.)

These shoals embrace three different and distinct reefs of loose rock, which extend clear across the river, within 200 yards of each other, with a channel of 34 feet over them, very narrow, the river having an average width of 350 feet. The improvement required at Ferguson's Shoals, three miles below here, will lower the water-slope over these shoals to such an extent as to render them wholly impassable in low water, and it will be necessary to get an additional depth of at least 2 feet, either by excavation or by constructing a wing-dam, the latter of which methods will be preferable and less expensive.

If the former method is used, the upper reef will require to be excavated for a distance of about 400 feet in the direction of the current, the middle reef a distance of about 250 feet, and the lower one a distance of about 750 feet, making in the aggregate about 10,000 cubic yards of loose rock to be removed, at a cost of about $30,000. The cost of the wing-dam, which should be constructed on the lower reef, would not be over $2,500. It would require a length of about 250 feet, which would leave an opening of 150 feet, the river, at this particular point, being 400 feet wide. The height of the dam at the deepest place would not be over 7 feet. The fall over these shoals is about .03 foot to the hundred feet, increasing at the rapids, just below, to about .15 foot per hundred. At the rapids a reef extends out from either shore, leaving a clear channel of 100 feet in width, with 8 feet of water, which continues uninterrupted in a southerly direction, passing to the right of Tea-Cup Island, for something over a mile, to the Lucky Island Shoals, twenty-one miles below Albany. (See indexmap, sheet No. 21.) The river at this point has a width of about 400 feet, the shoals extending out from the right bank for more than half the width of the river, and continuing down for about a quarter of a mile, throwing the channel close over to the left bank, with only 5 feet of water. At this point the river makes an abrupt bend to the westward, and a quarter of a mile below we reach Lucky Island, (see sheet No. 26, a small rock island, lying midway of the stream, with another still smaller imme diately below it, the main channel passing between the two, after making a very abrupt turn from the left bank. A large bowlder stands directly in the channel just before it reaches the islands, and in conjunction with the smaller island should be removed, when the channel would take an easy curve through the bend. The total amour of rock to be removed is about 2,500 cubic yards, which will cost about $7,500. Just below these islands a long reef projects diagonally across the river from the left bark, throwing the channel close in to the right bank, after passing which the river turns to the westward, and is immediately contracted to a width of about 250 feet, the channel being diverted to the middle of the river by a projecting reef of rocks extending out from the right bank; after passing which the river makes another turn, sweeping around a short and easy bend, at the lower end of which the channel is turned very abruptly over to the left bank by a projecting point of rocks, (see sheet No. 27.) extending out from the right bank a distance of 50 yards, forming an eddy which is washing away the shore opposite and forming a point above. Here the river again bends to the westward, and immediately below we reach the head of Ferguson's Shoals, twentytwo and a half miles from Albany. (See same sheet.) These shoals I regard as the mos serious on the whole river. They are wholly impassable at low water, and very dangerous as well as difficult in any ordinary stage of water. The obstructions consist of

a mass of loose rock and bowlders, covering the entire width of the river and extending down it a distance of about 200 yards; at low water they are entirely exposed, and so close together that a person might step from one to the other all the way across. At the time we passed there had been a rise, giving about 6 feet above low water, but the waters foamed like a seething caldron, and the roar could have been heard some distance off. Immediately below the shoals is a large rock island which takes up considerably more than half the width of the river, the channel passing between it and the right bank. It will be necessary to remove the rocks for a width of 100 feet through the entire length of the shoal, diverting the current as much as possible from the rocky shore of the island. The quantity to be removed is about 7,000 cubic yards, which would cost $21,000. It will also be necessary, in addition, to cut away the trees which overhang the river on the right bank, the expense of which will not be over $500. Immediately below the island a rocky point projects from the right bank, contracting the width of the river, after passing which it regains its usual width, continuing in a westerly direction for about half a mile to the foot of another island lying close in to the right bank, where it makes a short and abrupt turn to the southward, at the lower end of which the river is contracted to a width of about 150 feet, with rocky ledges on either shore.

A mile and a half below, the river enters a sharp bend to the westward, with a rocky ledge extending out from the left bank, the channel running close in under it with very deep water. After passing this ledge the river takes a general southwesterly direction through a series of short and sharp bends for a distance of eight miles, with rocky ledges projecting at intervals, and a deep channel close in under them, and the points badly obstructed by overhanging sycamores, which should be cut away. The cost of removing these through the whole eight miles, at the places requiring it, I estimate at $3,000. This locality has been aptly termed the Fifteen Points, the justification of which will be more readily discerned by an examination of the profile of the river. Passing the last of these points, the river continues its southwesterly direction down a straight reach of about a mile and a half, reaching the town of Newton about midway of the reach, thirty-three and a quarter miles below Albany. A cross-section of the river was taken at this place, and the same extended to the high-water limits on each side; the low-water area is 1,680 square feet, and the high-water area 16,504 square feet. The total fall from Albany to this point is 35.7 feet. The difference between extreme low and extreme high water at Albany was 29.41 feet, and at this point oaly 25.5 feet, which decrease is due to the increase of the high-water area.

At the foot of the reach, below Newton, the river makes a sharp bend to the eastward, and then takes a southwesterly direction for about a mile, passing a small island lying close in to the left bank; thence taking a southerly course for one-fourth of a mile, when it enters a long and easy bend to the westward, one mile in length, passing out of which it takes a southwesterly direction, and one-half mile below reaches the Sister Islands, three miles below Newton. (See sheet No. 42.) This portion of the river presents no bad features, having a clear, open channel, and an average width of 300 feet to the small island, below which, through the bend, the width varies, in some places being nearly 400 feet wide, while in others it is scarcely 200.

The Sister Islands are a group of rock islands, three in number, extending continuously down the river for a distance of about 600 yards, the main channel passing between them and the right bank; the channel on the opposite side is obstructed by a fish-weir extending from the upper one of the islands to the left bank, and by a rockreef extending from the extreme point of the lower of the islands to the shore. A quarter of a mile below are the Sister Islands Shoals, (see same sheet;) here a low, flat reef extends clear across the river, leaving only a narrow channel with 33 feet of water. It will be necessary to remove the rock at this place for a distance of 100 yards in the direction of the current, using the same for the purpose of obstructing the remaining portions of the reef on each side, through which flows a very swift current. The amount of rock to be removed will be about 3,000 cubic yards, which, at $3 per yard, will amount to $2,000.

The fall over this reef is .13 foot to the hundred feet, while that of the pool above, to the foot of the island, is .033 foot per hundred. After passing these shoals the river still continues its southwesterly direction, its width being contracted to 250 feet for a distance of 300 yards, when it again increases to 300 feet in width, which it maintains to Buck Shoals, four and one-half miles from Newton, with a clear, open channel and plenty of water.

Buck Shoals (see index-map, sheet No. 44) consist of a small rock island lying about midway of the stream, with a shallow reef projecting out from it, forcing the main channel close into the right bank, with about 6 feet of water; there is a channel on the other side of the island, but it is very dangerous in low water, being very narrow, and, further, obstructed by a large bowlder which has already occasioned the sinking of a boat.

After passing these shoals the river makes a gentle turn to the eastward for a short