The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1859-11-02
Southern Terminus of the Gulf and Ship
Island Railroad.
IDITOR OF THE NJ MISSISsIPpIAN-

! you puDllSn Il correspondence between LHe
Hon. j. F. II. Claiborne, and julius G. Monet,
Esq, on the SUI ject of the adaptation of the
Bay Of st. Louis for the Southern or Sea
Coast terminus of the Gulf and Ship Island
Railroad.
As the subject is one Of general importance
and YOU have given liberal aid, both editorial
ly and by free use of your columns, toits dis
cussion, [ take the liberty Of furnishing few
comments on the letter of SIR. Monet.
As an historical account of the storms which
have taken place on the Sea board, and the
numerous incidents connected Herewith for
the last fifty years,-the letter of Mr. Monet
is invaluable, and we'll worth preserving by
those even who have been on the Sea Coast
during the period referred to-although some
trhiIng corrections are necessary to render the
rec nd complete. For instance, his hurricane
number five, occurred in the early part of
October 1887, and the steamer Merchant"
which he refers to as being driven ashore in
that gale near st. Joseph's Island did not
take place till two years a(ter-and not then
on acc ount Of any hurricane, but by mstaking
her position, passing at the Northern end Of
the Island instead of the Southern, During
very high water caus d by strong ea>terlv
wnds) on her way TO New Orleans. There
were several small vessels anchored inside the
Island at the time, neither dragging their
anchors nor suffering otherwise. In other re-
spects the accounts given by Mr.. Monet are
mainly correct, at least so far as my expert
ence extends, and this covers a residence on
the Sea board of twenty-three years or since
1886.
But when Mr.. Monet departs from the his
toricad part of the subject, and assumes that
the Bay of st. Louis offers superior adyan-
tlsas, and facilities to nyother point spoken
Of for the Southern terminus of the Railroad
and bases those superior advantages, and
facilities, on the convenience, accessibility, and
adaptability, ofthat Bay as a Harbor of Refuge
from storms, for the numerous lighters to be
employed, he loses that character for candor
and impartiaIity, 50 eminently characteristic
Of the man, and so ably set forth in the letter
Of Col. Claiborne, and 50 fully accorded by all
who know him.
In referring to The Bay Of Biloxi, Mr. Mo-
net says: In stormy weather it is only ac-
cesSible to vessels lying near Pascagoula or
east of Deer Island, and even then requires a
pilot" Now from reading this extract, (and
50 far as pi!ot is concerned, freely admit its
truth) persons at distance, not acquainted
with the Sea Coast or its navigation, would
infer that the Bay of St Louis possessed an
fulalAaity from the use Of pilots, for vessels
coming from east Of Pass Christian, in any
weather, during dark and stormy nights, or
during hurricanes, blow from where they may.
SO can the supposed open Polar Sea- be en-
tered, the channels leading to it could be
found and followed.
1t is well known fact, and to none is it
better knCwn than to Mr.. Monet, and it is
parpll admitted hss his lettas, that .ia2ss>aco
between the west end Of Cat Island and Pass
Christian, is succession of 'tertsnsite oyste1-
btaks and otte, sjto4is,'' having in the whole
space of eight miles, but two channels-the
Pass Christian and Marion, and they are lin
first not over 80 yards, and the lat
ter not half 4 mile wide, requiring in the finest
weather even, the most judicious skillful and
dexterous plotting to pass them safely. 1t is
u, IL IL. O.t.
Mobile mail line steamers (on board of which
the best of pilots are always to be found) suf-
fer more, and are detained more, by accident OF
grounding on these shoals than on the whole
entire Sound from New Orleans to Mobile,
besides.
Now is it impartial or caadtd for Mr. Mo-
net to so convey his opinions, as to lead the
Directory or strangers at a distance to infer
that vessel could go from any point east Of
Pass Christian in Il storm to his "EIarbor of
Refuge" without pilot Whoever did so be-
lieve or so act, would most certainly be run
ming the gauntlet, and be as likely to founder
or turn bottom up on the square Handker-
chief as to ever reach the Bay of St Louis
in safety.
Mr.. Monet says ''thc Square Handkerchief
is a shoal or spit lying between the Mississippi
and Louisiana shores" He is unwilling, or
iorgets, to add that it is entirely within the
State Of Mississippi, Immediately in front OF
and almost entirely covering the Bay of st.
Louis, and is at its western extremity bat ttrO
miles distant from "J2hn Martins Wharf,"
and not quite two miles distant from "llud-
sons Point the eastern boundary Of ST. Louis
the navigation between Pass Christian and the
Bay He also claims that the Revenue Cut
ter Woodbury. and several other vessels draw
ing up to ten feet of water have found no diff
Guilty in entering and leaving the Bay. That
this may be true, | have but little doubt, but
this draft has to be found by passing entirely
South of Cat Island, and through 'seypentine.
naTT0,0. and intricate channel II requiring
bold and skilful pilots; and a channel that
would never be used by any description of
lighters that might be employed. SO much
for the piotng portion of his letter. And
now for accessibility. Hesays "the Bay of st.
Louis is during heaUy gate the only accesSi-
bic harbor for vessels that chance to be lying
east of Pearl River''-the mouth of which,
agreeable to Mr.. Monet's own statement is
eighteen miles west Of the Bay Of st. Louis.
And in reference to Biloxi and the harbor in
side of Deer Island, he says: The cast end of
Deer Island lies nearly north of the eastern
extremity of Ship Island Harbor, which is
about six miles distant from the east end, and
ten miles from the west end of Deer Island,
the Light House at Biloxi is some .fce miles
east of the Light House on Ship Island and
from its position with reference to Ship Island
Harbor or Roa lstead, it is demonstrable that
lighters or other vessels plying there cannot in
a gale of wind reach the Bay Of Biloxi
On reading the FOREGOING quotations from
Mr.. Monet's letter, it will appear strange,
singular and old to persons not even skilled
Ill ndullCdi UldtttlS, lLdG NCSSSI ~ Cl3h'
teen miles west of the Bay of st. Louis, could
beat dead to winlward or make so much east
inc in gale to reach Mr.. Monets Ha15or Of
Refaqe, while vessel lying exactly even on
the east and west line, could not reach the
east channel of Biloxi Bay. from point d.
rectly south fit; or that a vessel lying at Ship
Island Light-H House only .fUe miles west of
Biloxi Light House, could not beat to wind
ward those five miles, to save her bones from
e ,sterly hurricanes. | do not wish or desire
to be understood as detracting from the real
merits of the Bay of ST. Louis am free and
willing to admit that in heavy gales or hurri-
canes blowing from the eastward, it is a per-
feet paradise when once fairly inside; but to
reach there is like the road leading to that
good place, both narrow and crooked, and
none but iots could find it. Yet let the
wind, as Mr.. Monet amply testifies it does, in
,,,oL oo,o, chIn 10 A.