(m) Letter from Maj. John A. Holbrook, former first selectman, town of Westbrook. (n) Certificate from town clerk's office concerning availability of town funds as requested by the Department of Engineers. (0) Letter from Mark L. Hagle interested in shore development. (p) Letter from Ernest Stannard, fisherman. (9) Letter from Russell Marston, boat builder. HOUSE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS, WESTBROOK, CONN., January 30, 1954. Washington, D. C. GENTLEMEN: We are very much interested in the completion of the dredging and incidental work in the Patchogue River in the town of Westbrook, Conn. We are marine contractors, owning a fleet of various types of floating equipment, doing business in this area and are very anxious to set up a base on land we own bordering on the above-mentioned river, as our home office is located in the town of Westbrook. We are constantly bothered to protect our equipment in case of bad weather as there is no suitable place to run for cover along this section of the coast. It is our intention, provided sufficient depth of water is made available, to improve our waterfront to take care of our needs for the berthing and handling of our equipment. We sincerely hope that you will approve of this improvement. Very truly yours, JOHN G. HOLBROOK & SON, INC., TOWN OF WESTBROOK, SELECTMEN'S OFFICE, Middlesex County, Conn., February 1, 1954. HOUSE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS, Washington, D. C. GENTLEMEN: In regard to the area for the placement of the spoil when dredging the Patchogue River, the selectmen's office has written permission from each of the property owners that they will permit the town to use their land along the river at no charge to the town or the United States Government. DEAR MR. SEELY-BROWN: Reference is made to your letter of April 23, 1947, and its accompanying enclosure from Mr. John A. Heissler, first selectman of the town of Westbrook, Conn., in which he suggests that the proposed improvement of Patchogue River, Conn., be accomplished concurrently with any maintenance work contemplated at Duck Island Harbor, Conn., at this time. You ask to be advised thereon. The existing Federal project for Duck Island Harbor provides for the construction of a riprap breakwater extending north from Duck Island, one extending west from Duck Island, and one extending south from Stone Island, and for dredging to a depth of 16 feet at mean low water a portion of the protected area hack of the breakwaters at Duck Island. The existing project was completed in 1917 and has been maintained as required to meet the reasonable needs of navigation. The need for some maintenance work in Duck Island Harbor is recognized and I am pleased to advise you that the Corps of Engineers is contemplating maintenance work at this locality during the next fiscal year provided the normal amount of maintenance funds for rivers and harbors is appropriated by Congress for that fiscal year. The improvement of Patchogue River is receiving consideration in response to an item contained in section 7 of the River and Harbor Act approved July 24, 1946, which authorized a preliminary examination and survey of Patchogue River. In connection with the field studies a public hearing was held on November 6, 1946, at Westbrook, Conn., to accord all interested parties full opportunity to present their views and desires regarding the improvements advocated. The preliminary examination of the reporting officers is favorable to a detailed investigation of the improvements desired and on March 24, 1947, Brig. Gen. Raymond G. Moses, division engineer of the North Atlantic Division, was assigned the preparation of a survey report. After careful consideration of the proposed project and the views of local interest the report of the division engineer will be submitted to this office at the earliest practicable date. Upon its receipt the report will be referred to the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors as required by law prior to its submission to Congress with recommendations. As you know, all improvements as well as investigations in the interest of navigation and related purposes are carried out in accordance with the specific authority of Congress. In this connection it may be stated that any improvement of Patchogue River that might be recommended as a result of the investigation of that waterway now underway could not be undertaken until the work is authorized by Congress and the necessary construction funds therefor are subsequently appropriated. Sincerely yours, DEAR MR. HEISSLER: This is in reply to your letter of May 21. The State board of mosquito control approves of any project that will fill salt marshes. Such filling, if properly done, not only controls mosquito breeding, but eliminates forever the cost of maintaining ditches and other mosquitocontrol operations. The filling in of salt marshes should increase the assets of a town for several reasons: 1. It would provide land on which summer cottages could be built. 2. It would provide landing places for small airplanes. 3. Playing fields are easily developed on such level areas. 4. The mosquito nuisance is automatically abated. Of course, there are some marshes which the fish and fame department has reasons for keeping flooded. However, there are many others in which they are not interested, and these we believe, should be considered for filing. Your very truly, WILLIAM L. SLATE, Chairman. STATISTICAL DATA, NEW ENGLAND DIVISION 1. Name of waterway and description Patchogue River, located near the western part of the town of Westbrook, enters into the Long Island Sound at Duck Island. 2. Interested officials Local officials: Board of selectmen, board of finance, and other town officials. 3. Commercial establishments (1) Names: (a) Westbrook Boat Works. (b) Stannards Fish Market and Boat Yard. (c) Saunders Fish Market. (d) Albert Jensen & Sons Dredging Co. (e) Mark L. Hagle, docks and warehouses. (f) Pilots Point Boat Basin. (g) John G. Holbrook & Son, marine contractors. (2) Presently doing business (Yes or No): All the above-mentioned, Yes. (3) Nature of business: (a) Westbrook Boat Works: Boat building, repairing, and storing. (b) Stannards Fish Market and Boat Yard: Commercial fisherman (wholesale and retail of fish); repairing and storing boats. (c) Saunders Fish Market: Commercial fisherman (wholesale and retail of fish); docking facilities. (d) Albert Jensen & Sons Dredging Co.: Hydraulic dredging. (e) Mark L. Hagle, docks and warehouses: Docking pleasure and commercial craft. (f) Pilots Point Boat Basin: Docking pleasure and commercial craft. (g) John G. Holbrook & Son, marine contractors: All kinds of dock work and bucket dredging. (4) Commodity received or shipped: Fish markets-lobster and fish. (5) Volume of commerce: Questionable. (6) Number of ships per month or year: Approximately 150 boats (commercial and pleasure). (7) Ship dimensions, particularly draft: Range from 20 feet to 30 feet long and draft is 3 feet to 42 feet. 4. Fishing industry (1) Number of boats in home fleet: About 8 boats. (2) Name of number, age and value: (a) Ernest Stannard, assessed value, $400. (b) Elbert Stevens, assessed value, $900. (c) Elliot A. Spencer, assessed value, $500. (d) William F. Kelsey, assessed value, $300. (e) Russell Marston, assessed value, $500. (1) Seth Wetmore, assessed value, $350. (g) Morris Saunders, assessed value, $400. (h) Alfred Saunders, assessed value, $400. (3) Name and location of dock receiving fish: (a) Westbrook town dock, 2,000 feet inland from mouth of Patchogue River. (b) Stannard dock, 2,025 feet inland from mouth of Patchogue. (c) Kelsey's dock, 3,400 feet from month of Patchogue River. (d) Hagle's dock, 2,100 feet from mouth of Patchogue River. (4) Number of outside fishing boats using harbor: About 20 boats. (5) Location of fishing grounds: Long Island Sound. (6) Operating cost to fishermen: Unknown. (7) Fishing season for various types from 1st of March to 1st of January: Bluefish, June to November. Lobster, 1st of March to 1st of November. Flounders, 1st of March to 1st of November. Blackfish, May to December. Oysters, February, March, April, September, October, November, and December. Shellfish, clams: All year round. (8) Annual catch of various types of fish or shellfish-tons and value: It is hard to estimate exactly the annual catches in the fishing industry. No doubt there are approximately 20,000 pounds of lobsters landed here and possibly half a million pounds of fish. 5. Recreational boating (1) Names of yacht clubs: We have letters from most of the yacht clubs on Long Island Sound and Connecticut River, who are in favor of the Patchogue River being dredged. A copy of the letters has been sent to the United States Engineers at Washington. (2) Number of boats in each fleet by class, pleasure boats owned by local people: Approximately 10 boats. (3) Dimensions, age, and value of each boat by class: Average length: 18 feet. Avarege assessed value, $700. (4) Number of nonlocal owners: About 20. (5) Boating season: April to November 1. (6) Storage of boats during offseason, number, class, and location: 30 boats stored during offseason at local boatyards. (7) Number of outside or transient boats using the waterway each season: About 150 boats (commercial and pleasure). 6. Harbor of refuge (1) Number and types of transient boats using the waterway as a shelter from storms (commercial, fishing, and pleasure): Approximately 150 boats. (2) Location and distance to nearest safe harbor of refuge: Duck Island, 1,600 feet from mouth of river to Duck Island. (3) Objectionable storms, direction and type: Southwest or southeast, high course of tide and southeast winds. 7 Boatyards (1) List of boatyards and indicate facilities for storage, repairs and servicing. Westbrook Boat Works: Stannards Boat Yard: Facilities for repairing and storage. (2) Number of boats handled by each per year and valuation and type of business. Westbrook Boat Works: About 30 boats. Stannard Boat Yard: About 10 boats. (3) Name and location of docks servicing local andtransient boats with fuel, water, and supplies: Kelseys dock, 3,400 feet from mouth of Patchogue River. 8. Existing channels, and basins. State whether natural or artificial Boat basin, 700 feet long, 220 feet wide (artificial). 2 channels, 900 feet long and 80 feet wide (to be dredged). Small basin in front of Westbrook Boat Works. Channel not over 15 feet wide and 18 inches to 2 feet depth at low water. 9. Docking, anchorage, mooring (1) List of facilities open to public: Approximately 400 feet in length. (2) How many boats are handled at private docks and berths? 30 boats. (3) Dimensions of available anchorage or mooring areas: Approximately 400 feet in length. (4) Who furnishes moorings? Boat owners. (5) Who controls the areas? Town of Westbrook. (6) What are the fees and privileges? At present no fees. 10. Improvements accomplished (by whom and when) Mark L. Hagle has been working on pilots point and boat basin for the last 4 years and has them available for anchorage areas as soon as Patchogue River is dredged. 11. Adequacy of channels and anchorages for present use No water at low tide in Patchogue River. 12. Past trend in navigation (1) Increase or decrease in use: Increasing yearly. (2) Change in type of navigation. Why? Pleasure, fishing, and commercial enterprises. Larger boats desiring to come in but unable to due to depth of river. 13. Is the waterway limited to present use and why? The waterway is limited at present due to the fact that the channel is not deep enough. The entrance to the harbor is very shallow. At low tide even a rowboat cannot navigate across the sandbars. 14. Potential use of waterway in next 10 years Undoubtedly it would be the busiest harbor on the Long Island Sound because of its proximity to the sealanes 2,000 feet from Duck Island Rhodes. At present any craft can get into Duck Island Rhodes under almost any weather condition. If the Patchogue River is dredged and the fill from the outer reaches is placed on the Menunketesuck Island breakthrough, even the smallest of crafts could get into the Patchogue Sanctuary from Duck Island Anchorage. If the river were dredged there would be unlimited expansion. 15. Would the present use justify further improvement? If so, to what extent! Yes; the present use does justify further improvement. First of all, if the Patchogue River were dredged it would be a valuable refuge to the many boats that now use the harbor. There have been many times in the past when yachtsmen have been stranded at Duck Island without food and water. It is impossible to get into the 100-foot channel in Clinton and rough weather. Lives have been lost due to the fact that boats were unable to come into the Patchogue River for refuge. Secondly, the river at present is being developed by commercial, fishing, and pleasure enterprises. Boatyards have been built up and navigation (limited due to the depth of the river) has been increased. If the river were dredged to enable men to manipulate their boats into the Patchogue there would be unlimited expansion in every direction. Thirdly, fishermen who have depended on the waters of the Long Island Sound for their living are finding it more and more hazardous and difficult to bring their catches in with safety and must limit their hours of fishing in order to bring their boats to dock while the river is at floodtide. Towns in this entire area would benefit by the dredging and it would assist in the development of them both in a residential and industrial point of view. 16. What expansion of industry would accrue with improved navigation! There would be expansion in commercial and fishing industries. More buildings would be constructed, more help hired, more boats stored, and facilities enlarged. It would be one of the finest harbors on the Long Island Sound. Yacht clubs and buildings would be established for pleasure craft. It would enlarge the trade and business of our local merchants. It would undoubtedly be a tremendous asset to our community and surrounding communities. 17. Remarks This dredging project has been a need and a want in Westbrook for over 50 years. It would be an asset to the town and the entire area and make much needed employment. It would eliminate a health and mosquito nuisance. To dredge this harbor, making it accessible at all tides and times, would be a safe refuge for craft, also bring added business to the surrounding towns. If this river were dredged it would bring back a livelihood which this town has not enjoyed for many years. It would also offer an opportunity for boatyards, coalyards, bulk oil plants, and in general boom our town. CORPS OF ENGINEERS, UNITED STATES ARMY, OFFICE Mr. JOHN A. HEISSLER, First Selectman, Westbrook, Conn. STATE OF CONNECTICUT, DEAR HEISSLER: On March 28 we wrote you in regard to the dredging of the Patchogue River. As we advised, we took the matter up with Mr. Henry A. Whitcomb of Providence. This morning we are in receipt of a letter from him of which we are enclosing copy. This letter clearly states the progress that has been made and the necessary delays that are now entailed. Apparently this project will require a followup in order to get it into operation. If we can assist you, please be assured we will be only too happy to do so. Very truly yours, LEE L. HARDING, Field Engineer. |