Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1853-04-08
Public Meeting ossthe sahjeet OF the cspe Fsar
River and Bars. - &S

Public Meeting on the sunJeeN OF tne = sRS 80
RIVER aud Bars. Il
Tn pursuance of pubic notice meeting of the
citizens of Wilmington Interested in the prcserva-
ton and Improvement of the entrance tothe port.
was convened at the Methodist Episcopal Church on
Wednesday evening, the 9th inst. for the purpose
of taking into consideration the proper means to be
adopted to secure these desirable ends e. .es..-
On motion of Dr. A. j. DeRosset, Jr., the meeting
was organized by calling John Dawson, Esq, NJ p
to the Chair. and appointing James Fulton and l.
Burr, Jr., Secretaries.
The meeting having been organized, Geo. Davis,
ESQ in feG eloquent remarks, introduced to the
audience Professor A. d. Bache the distinguished
head of the U. S. Coast Survey, who had Kindly
consented be present and expl in the conclusions
to which the Commission had come, with regard to
the present state of the Harbor-the causes viii oh
had produced such state, and the means proper to
be adopted for the prevention of further evil effects
from the operation of these causes we'll as 70 re-
store the former state Of things and with it the for
mer depth being equal to 20 feet at high water
Profess Bache commenced his lecture by express
Ing the interest which he felt in the harbor OF VIII
mngto and paid high compliment to the Secretary
of the Navy to whose kind Offices he was indebted
| for the contamination of measures necessary to he
arran ged in order to enable him to be with US He
next alluded to the peculiar conformation oft coast
of North Carolina and demonstrated the jmpor' ance
of Cape Fear Inlet, which, protected as 1t was by
the FRYING Pan Shoals one of the most impor-
tant harbors of refuge the coas-if not tho most
so from Charleston to the Capes Of the Chesapeake :
and was thus highly important in national point
of view being essential to the safety of the coas-
ing trade of the whole country, and as afording
favoraby situated coal depot for national VESSELS at
Smthville. Ifhighly important to the country at
large, il was vitality so to the town OF Wilmington,
and scarcely less to the whole State, and moro
especially to those % counties connected with us by
navigation or Railroad and whose produce must find
an outlet our Bar.
Natural causes were operating, slowly it might
appear to be- but still surely and inevitably to cose
up or seriously lessen the depth of water in our
channels, unless devised and perfect
ed to bling about different state of things, and it
would not do for US to fold and trust tC
the chapter Of accidents for relief. The time fol
exertion has arrived, and an effort must be made
upon the of which must depend much OF the
. future destinies of the town.
Prof Bache illustrated his inject by reference tc
/ Maps, from which it appeared that we had, at ont
: late as 1877, as shown by Potts Map, We had l;
feet at low wafer equivalent to very nearly 20 fee
J. ut high He pointed to the gradual changes in thu
shore line, caused by the breaking out of New lnle
u and the washing away at other places which, b.
widening the outlets lessened the depth and velncit
e of the water In 1888, appears from Mosely
II Map the Main Entrance little half
u mile in width, and the New Inlet had not yet mad
j" is appearance. J he Main Entrance is now /
s. miles in width, and the New Inlet of a mile, tn
= shoaling is thus accounted for
Il The Professor demonstrated how, by the restora
ton of the former state of things, the former dept
&c of water could be restored. This it proposed t
do:
1st By the construction of Jettees for the protec
lie ton of Bald Head, at estimated cost of $4,000
Df Cd By filling up two smaller openings near New
IS Inlet which it is believed DO done with Pling
e. for at farthest $4,000.
IN 3D. By the construction Of Jetee for the protec
t. ton of Zekes Island and to prevent New Inlet tror
e. working farther Southwark.
G. These are the works which it is deemed essentif
lc to commence at once, being necessary to ARE
o. the progress of evil and leave time for consuato
r and improvement. No doubt is entertained by til
tie Commissions appointed to investigate the suhjec
h but that these ends will be fully answered by then
IN 4th. The last and greatest work is the closing
on New Inlet, which will complete, in all its essenti
ng points the restoration of the former state Of thing
and as consequence. of the former depth OF 20 te
to water The estimated cost is $319,QOO
he After the conclusion of Prof Bache's Lecture ar
ID, the subsistence of the applause which followed
a George Davis, Esq called upon and forcib
re- urged the necessity and proprety of e1crtion.
r. 0. G. Parsley Esq, introduced the following re
re- ouion, which he prefaced by few pertinent r
DIV marks:
,c Rcsorcd That we the citizens of Wilmington, convnc
the necessity immediate action towards aresting
shoang the bar of the Cape Fear River, and
ak ing the aid of the General Government hereafter for
same. pledge ourselves to advance the
re- carry the recommended by the commission
as this evening explained by Prof Bache
This resolution unanimously adopted.
a. On motion of p. X. Dickinson, Esq, the Charm
We of the meeting was authorized to appoint Coz
to mtee of ter, to wait upon the citizens of Wilmn
Md ton and solicit subscription to the amount of Sc
to OOO the amount necessary with the $4,000 alrea
granted by Congress, for the completion of the VIC
. to be commenced at
, The following gentlemen were appointed s.
WI Committee Gilbert Potter, John A. Taylor, Mi
~. Costn, B. Flanner, James Cassidy, w. c. Bette
court, James Anderson, Jacob Vessel, C. D. Ell
~, Ben. Beery.
~, On motion of Dr. James Dickson, the thanks
and "0 i".o''"S 'o 'N''N
1890 his able and lucid exposition of the state and
quircments of cur harbor ard for the friendly