Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1859-02-04
COMMODORE WILKES, REPORT.
SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM THE GOVERNOR.

SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM THE GOVERNOR.
To the Honorable, the Genera! Assembly
herewith transmit acopy of report made by Charles
Wilkes Captain in the IT, S. Navy to the Honorable the
the region of country the neghbohood of Deep River
this State. 1 fsf z--t -.-. ' F'z -'.- " s.'-.-
1t will be remembered that Capt Wilkes was the chief of
commission constituted by authority of Congress of the Uni
ted States to make survey and take observations of the
section of country referred to- with the view OF
government workshops upon point Deep river This
report embodes the result of the abors of the commission
parment BY the Hon Warren Winsow with the request
that it be laid before the General Assembly.
1t will be observed that this report furnishes valuable
formation touching the mineral resources the section of
country examined by the commission and such will prove
useful IN the consideration OF two propositions before
your honorable bodYthe afordng State aid pr
vate company to enable them to complete railroad
course of construction from the town of Fayetteville to the
fields upon Deep and the other devng the
for completing the navigation works upon that river which
the State has heretofore embarked Both these enterp
designed to develop the rich minerals which
found to exist in that section of country by aordng the
means OF transportation to the markets of the world and
such as commend themselves to the attention of the Lessa
ture.
trust shall be pardoned avang myself of this op
portuny to make particular reference to subjects already
engaging the attention of your honorable body, but
mount Importance the enterprises refer
red TO- impes me to recommend them both earnestly to
your favorable consideration and they will both
full in their respective spheres. .E:.
In view Of the repeated reliable scientific investigations
made IN the country bordering upon Deep River establish
ing beyond controversy, both the quality and quantity of
the coal and iron there deposited and which receive
Recommendation
honorable body shall refrain from any expression of opn
ion the details of the respective propositions referred
ure which will the completion both and thereby
one of the Chief if not the first Of our of
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, Jan. goth, 1859. 49,
Report Of Commodore Wilkes upon the character and re-
sources Of lie region Of country in the meghborhood Of
Deep RiUe7 u. dlS State.
SIR IN obedience your order of the DIST of july ap-
pointing commission to consist of myself Chief Engineers
Henry hunt D. b. Martini and Naval Constructors NJ POok,
to make thorough examination of the Deep river country
in the State of North Carolina report upon the exped
ency OF establishing at some point in that State machine
and workshops Tor the construction of engines, boilers
&C., for naval vessels, embraced in resolution of Con-
report ' ~ ~ WV ~ ~ ~ ' 80 -
In this examination. engaged during the months Of
August and September and received every facility and aid
which could be desired Gov Bragg anthor
ties of the State by whom furnished it'll the most
recent ocla reports and OF Professor Emmons the
State Geoogs Ihave also acknowledge great assistance
and kind hospitaities from the inhabitants of the Deep
devotin their time exclusively and aordng much local
formation. Among these, our thanks due especially to
Mciver Capt Bryan Mr. Clggg Mr. L. Hauphton Major
Morel, and Mr. Cantwel of Raleigh.
All the positions and localities reported upon by others
were vi tied by and carefully examined.
lfee should be doing great injustice to Professor EN-
several reports have been my
have differed with him have done with much difdence
that his valuable abors will interrupted but con
nued TIL the whole OF the State has been examined There
which applied to the development the of thu
State and these examinations to be we'll and carefully done
require both time and the expenditure of money
Before entering into the details of examination of
Deep ytr district it may be proper to give the extent
which the coal measures lie.
Professor Omstead of Yale College the first
this extent i'll 1924 and recently has been
by Professor Emmons They both agree its norher
terminus is oxford in Granville county, where
to point 1t passes from thence in southwesterly deco
the State for 2O miles and has its
OF miles within the boundary of South Carolina Th
breadth of the formation varies Between Raleigh Chapt
tll it Is reported as being eighteen mills On the Cap
ear, found less than five, which continues for
miles to the southwark and westward then suddenly
arges to twelve miles, embracing the whole valley of tn
Deep River district and then continued gal
uH!y Til IL passes out OF the State Nadesborough
The rocks which bound this sandstone forn,aon are h
metamorhic states, gness and GRANTEES these the fol
NATION reposes; their Oucrops with great dip
the northwest, giving well defined outline of the sandston
deposit.
partcu description of the geographical position
the Deep river country deemed necessary from the fac
that bat little known of it, in the Capital of Mort
Carolina.
The Deep River district situated thirty miles southwes
from Eaegh fifteen miles south from Pitsborough and iii
ty miles north of Fayetteville 1t occupies the very
OF the state and comprises parts of the counties of Chatham
e and Mooe It forms extensive valley, bounded by tn
Peterborough hills the north and east the uckhorn hill
" on the south, and the Carthage hills on the west
ms area lies between the Cape Fear River on the east
ard the Hancock Mills OH the vest the h' ad waters of th
creeks flowing to the Deep River from the south and thos
which take their rise towards Pttsborough the the north
This direct about twenty five mics length by mile
width and embraces an area of some two hundred and fiji
ty to three hundred square miles To this examnao
confined and this extent comprised within the limit
II of the map which accompanies this Report.
The Deep River takes lis rise in the county of Guford
o"S 10 te sou east through the county OF Kandoph' Wit
d scent OF tive to SIX hundred feet in sixty miles
til it enters the county of Moore in the neghborlood of Han
general direction the north of thirty miles, puf
e suing very tortuous and sluggish with fall
coming the north form the Cape Fear River.
! The country which drains comprises of 100
/ miles ahor'ng an abundant supply of water for its lac
water gation and for milling purposes 1t is subject
csi"a to frtshcts in the lower part which overflow
It's bak to The depth OF ten or twelve feet hut owing to tn
sluggish How OF the current OIL without damage
the crops aud farms.
In examination of the coal and iron of this district
must refer to The geological nation and for the purpos
of more clearly illustrating and understanding the limits Wi
treat Independent formation Qor such it may be
garded being uncomfortable to the primitive rocks) unde
n It's three natural divisions, ..-
e lst The conglomerate and lower sand. stone
Ind The coal including the sand stones of
), drab color, bitumnous shaes and States
}. The Tertiary and drift.
These three occupy the depression basin in the prm
tive ormaton the outline of which be cognized shor
space beyond the out crops
In every part the coal field have evidence that tn
= congomeates rest upon the meamorphic sates gness
: granite The effects of upheava well deuva action
In order to define the extent Of the basn found
sary search only the outcrop the coa
the outcrops of me underlying as wei as the outyn
rocks and assisted by information derived from liable author
t succeeded in tracing from one locality to another
til had obtained what deemed sufficient evidence of th
margin o the basin trough The following is the
t. which il follows
The line of oucrop of this coal has been traced begnnn
h Dyes to the westward of the plantation of Eyande
al Mcyer; thence westward miles the house
al Mcver: turning thence to the N N West of his plantation
thence towards The N East for and half miles, and the
to the Westward rossng the Deep River at Mr. Wicker
at plantation from which place to the westward, passn
through the Farmereve plantation in nearly rag lint
touching the river near the bend opposite Egypt and
timing beyond through the Taylor, Haughton, Tyson
"a Palmer plantations, distance of seven miles.
From the latter to the Bingham plantations, its
" south west five miles, aud thence it passes
westerly through the Murchison aud FoushDee klal
tatons three miles again crossing the river and