The bill (S. 595) entitled "An act to amend an act for the relief of Joseph B. Collins, approved March third, eighteen hundred and seventy-nine," with his objections.

JUNE 27, 1879.—Read, referred to the Committee on Military Affairs, and ordered to be printed.

To the Senate of the United States:

I return without approval Senate bill No. 595, with the following objection to its becoming a law:

Doubts have arisen, upon consideration of the bill, as to whether Major Collins will be required under it to refund to the United States the pay and allowances received by him at the time he was mustered out of the service. Believing that it was not the intention of Congress to require such repayment, the bill is returned, without my signature, to the House in which it originated.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, June 27, 1879.

R. B. HAYES.

Forty-sixth Congress of the United States of America, at the first ses sion, begun and held at the city of Washington on Tuesday, the 18th day of March, 1879.

AN ACT to amend an act for the relief of Joseph B. Collins, approved March third, eighteen hundred and seventy-nine.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That an act for the relief of Joseph B. Collins, approved March third, eighteen hundred and seventynine, be amended so as to strike out all after the words "mustered out” in said law, and insert the following: "Provided, That he shall receive no pay or allowance whatever for the time he has been out of the mili tary service of the United States."

SAM. J. RANDALL,

Speaker of the House of Representatives.
A. G. THURMAN,

President of the Senate pro tempore.

I certify that this act originated in the Senate.

JNO. C. BURCH,

Secretary.

In obedience to law a copy of the report of S. T. Abert, United States civil engineer, upon the survey of the Yadkin River, North Carolina, “between the bridge on the North Carolina Railroad and Wilkesborough."

JUNE 9, 1879.-Referred to the Committee on Commerce.
JUNE 28, 1879.-Ordered to be printed.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, June 5, 1879.

The Secretary of War has the honor to transmit to the United States Senate, in compliance with section 2 of the river and harbor act of June 18, 1878, copy of report from Mr. S. T. Abert, United States civil engineer, upon the survey of Yadkin River, North Carolina, "between the bridge on the North Carolina Railroad and Wilkesborough."

G. W. MCCRARY,
Secretary of War.

The PRESIDENT pro tempore United States Senate.

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS,.
Washington, D. C., June 5, 1879.

SIR: In compliance with the requirements of section 2 of the river and harbor act of June 18, 1878, I have the honor to submit herewith a copy of the report to this office of Mr. S. T. Abert, United States civil engineer, upon the results of a survey of Yadkin River, North Carolina, "between the bridge on the North Carolina Railroad and Wilkesborough," with estimates of cost of improvements suggested. Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Hon. GEO. W. MCCRARY,

H. G. WRIGHT, Acting Chief of Engineers.

Secretary of War.

SURVEY OF YADKIN RIVER, NORTH CAROLINA, BETWEEN THE BRIDGE ON THE NORTH CAROLINA RAILROAD AND WILKESBOROUGH.

UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE,

Washington, D. C., May 12, 1879.

GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report upon a survey of the Yadkin River, North Carolina, "below the bridge on the

North Carolina Railroad and Wilkesborough," provided for by the act of appropriation for rivers and harbors approved June 18, 1878, and assigned to me by your letter of July 8, 1878.

The Yadkin River rises in Caldwell County, North Carolina, at the foot of the Blue Ridge, between Watauga Gap and Blowing Rock. Its general course is southeast, flowing through fine alluvial bottom-lands, and through remarkably picturesque rapids called the Narrows; it empties into the Atlantic at Georgetown, S. C. In the last State it takes the name of the Great Pee Dee, and is navigable for steamers 120 miles from its mouth.

The part of the river to which the following report is limited extends from Wilkesborough, in Wilkes County, N. C., to within 5 miles of Salisbury, in Rowan County, N. C.

FLOODS.

The stage of the river at the time of commencing the survey was 4 inches above low-water, and no floods occurred until November 26, when the survey had proceeded as far as Clouse's Shoal, 84 miles from Wilkesborough. At this point, November 27, the river rose 10.1 feet above low-water. The next flood, December 2, rose at Bailey's Ferry 12.4 feet above low-water.

The third flood occurred December 11, when the river at Motley's plantation, 3 miles above the mouth of the South Yadkin, was 9.7 feet above low-water. The flood of September, 1878, was the highest ever experienced at Wilkesborough, rising 23 feet above low-water.

The high-water mark at Langenhone & Neason's mill is 22.9 feet above low-water. Ordinary floods subside in from 36 to 48 hours. Twenty-five years ago high floods rarely occurred. Their frequent occurrence at the present day is probably due to the clearing of the hillsides and the removal of obstructions from the river and its numer ous tributaries.

AGRICULTURE.

From the slopes of the Blue Ridge on the north, the Brushy Mountains on the south, and the valley between, nearly everything compassed by the wants of man may be produced. The Blue Ridge country is especially adapted to grazing. In cereals, grasses, and garden vege tables the broad bottom-lands of the valley are exceedingly productive. Lands which have been cultivated for one hundred consecutive years, producing corn and wheat, are more productive to-day than ever, and that, too, with no fertilizers except the deposits of floods. The flood of September, 1878, covered the bottom-lands of Wilkes County with a rich sediment 2 to 10 inches in depth. The yield of bottom-land per acre is of corn, 40 to 70 bushels; of wheat, 15 to 30 bushels. Tobacco is grown quite extensively on the high ground adjoining the bottomlands above the flood limits. The quality is fine and the yield per acre is good. The Brushy Mountain region is especially noted for its fruits. Apples, pears, peaches, plums, quinces, grapes, berries, &c., are pro duced. Early fruits are raised here, and some varieties of apples produce two crops annually. Cotton is raised to some extent, and some good fields were noticed. Davidson County land is well adapted to cotton-culture.

The following, compiled from statistics furnished by the department of agriculture at Raleigh, and information obtained from prominent