Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-02-20
For the Journal.
FOR the Journal.
HAYWOOD, Feb. 18th, 1857.


HAYWOOD Feb 18th, 1857.
MessrS. Editors | communication in the
Fayetteville Observer over the signature of Cape
Fear" The writer is endorsed by the edi tor of tina
paper as being business man, and for the las
thirty years closely connected with the navigation
the above river Now, with due Difference to Mr.
Hale and his correspondent it strikes me that Cape
Fear must have advanced in knowledge with regard
to navigation about as fast as those old fog tail
ors who took their lessons in cutting when pigeon
skirt coats were the fashion, and continued to Gu,
by the same pattern all their lives.
"Cape Fears" experience in navigation com.
menced, presume, when there were nothing but
"pole " boats on the Cape Fear, carrying about 80
TONS and he therefore places the tonnage Of the Is
KOS feet flats of the present day, at the mark
as that OF those birch Canoes propelled by
two Africans, away back somewhere about the year
of our Lord 1870.
He places the tonnage of fats costing 81 900 at 80
tons, and says they might be made to carry l to
tons more" Now, in regard TO the cost of fats of
only 30 tons burthen-l would like to make con
tract with the gentleman to build 1000 such boats
at $500 each. In the absence of the Coal | am not
prepared to state precisely the number of tons of that
article that could be freighed the Cape Fear and
Deep Rivers, but having been connected with the
boating operations on the Upper Cape Fear, know
that flats 17xoo feet, which cost new $3.50, have
freighted through to Wilmington, several times dur
ing the last months, 500 TO 700 bbs of rosip, pass
could not reach their wharves. A flat that cost the
Company 5000, took from Summerville, on ordinary
water, 900 bills rosin to your place, the bbs aver
aging 300 lbs to the bbl making in all one hundred
and Ml'ty flee tons. At this time the same fiat could
freight 1 100 to 1900 bhls.
know also that the locks will admit boats 18x1O5
feet. Flats Of that size will freight IS to 100 TONS
and not draw more than "a inches water Now, let
US take Sc Cape Fears" own figures for outfit and
xpenses-beeving at the same time that the actual
result will show much less COST aad place the ton.
mage at so tons for each down trip, (Which is about
third of the capacities of such boats on winter
water) and the company would according to /" Cape
Fears" own calculations, realize nett profit annu-
ally, from coal alone, ting to $l3OOOO TO say
nothing about up trips. Ifnolhng else offered, each
fat could take up at least g 80 tons mari, which is
so abundant the lower river, and is very much
needed by our farmers Deep River This pre-
sumo, would pay 81 per ton. which, according to
"Cape Fears" figures would pay into the treasury of
the Cape Fear and Deep River Navigation Company
seventy thousand dollars more.
The same writer, in another article, says a rail-
road could freight twice much as the river J.
therefore, simply wish to know of hm-if they
make Fayetteville the eastern terminus of their road
what they will do with one-haf of their COAL as
they only freight off the other half by the river
according TO his own showing.
In conclusion Messts. Editors, | only wish we
may be enabled to pass boat from the coal fields
every thirty minutes, and my word for it, the tom
mage will be sufficient, at "Cape Fears" prices to
pay at least 20 per cent. one million dollars.
DEEP RIVER