Middletown transcript., 1870-08-13
LEwEs, DELAWARE.

A correspondent of the New York Tri-
bunc writes as follows, under date of July
80.
This, as you are aware, is the point at
which the new iron pier is to be built, for
which Congress has just appropriated
1925, 900. The location is that of the fa-
nous Delaware Breakwater, which con-
sists of two banks of stone, erected in 80
feet water, 50 feet wide at the base, 40
feet wide at the top, and 10 feet above
high water. The structure is yet incom-
pletc, requiring another portion to unite
the two in one sea- wall but it is of great
use, making the only harbor where vessels
can ride safely in storm between Sandy
Hook and Hampton Roads-a coast of
near 300 miles. Just now, the weather
being fine, there is not vessel in the har-
bor; but have frequently stood in the
porch of the hotel, when an easterly storm
was threatening, and seen first single
sail like speck on the horizon, then di-
rectly another, and another, until the view
was 'speckled with vessels of every
grade, from the war steamer down to the
lumber sloop and before the night closed
in, there might be 200 anchored behind
this protecting breakwater. After change
of wind from east to west, single hour
would see the whole feet spreading its
wings again for the open sea. The num-
Der of vessels taking refuge in this man
ner, in the port of Lewcs, has reached
nearly %, 900 year.
The immediate interest ccntering around
Lewes at the present time arises from the
late completion of the Junction and Break
water Railroad, which unites the transport
tuition of the interior roads of the Delaware
Peninsula with the sea-coast, and makes
this shipping port for the products of
three million acres of land heretofore shut
off from the New York market by the
high inland freights. The Junction and
Breakwatcr Railroad has just effected
contract with the Delaware and New York
Steamship line of New York, to run for
ten years, under which steamers are now
regularly plying between the two points.
They are already carrying peaches of the
crop now ripening, and will deliver them
in New York in much fresher condition
than they can possibly be carried by rail.
The land distance is 240 miles, and the
sea distance 40.
The present pier is Of wood, and is L.
800 feet long 1t is the third that has
been built within 33 years; the two for
mer having been broken down by the wa.
YES after the piles were honey-combed by
that pest of warm seas, the teredo. This
worm penetrates the wooden pile, or the
bottom of ships, in about nine days, then
no bigger than small needle, and in a
few years d" fills it with holes" attaining
the length of nine inches sometimes, and
bored, any severe shock will break down
the thickest pile. The piles of the new
pier are pine trees with the bark on, which
foils the worm as long as it lasts-several
years, unless rubbed off by the ice. The
new iron structure provided for by the
Government, insures here a permanency
of port accommodation.
This practically new agricultural region
is capable of producing in perfection all
the fruits and vegetables of semi-tropi-
cal climate. The soil is a sandy mold. on
bottom of yellow clay, and, with the
short Winter of the latitude, is open for
the plow ten months of the year. The
climate is healthy, and the Summer tenn
perature not higher than that of New
York or Boston. At Lewes, which is the
western cape (Henlopen) of Delaware
Bay, there is a bathing shore, not sur
passed by that of Long Branch or old
Rockaway.