Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-01-27

| With tho blood of the vanquished people OF tns
| oot srstainad nv the bayonets of the Federal
Government. There is no item IN that lo.t t go
/ I take back. stand by it. believe 10 tn9 con
struction given to the CONSTITUTION OF Inc onlss
| States by the Supreme COURT, that this recon
struotion was unconstitutional. ;yI sbonld at
"My hope in going to Oongte at II nav aid in
| T;tbdrawinp the troocs from those southern
states. which are held there to saddle upon inc
backs Of thai people 9abcea % ienorept mass OF
| negroes II the people of the routh, VINO na Ave
shown a disposition to abide Id gooo hSan To tn
| arhitroroent of arms, renew their allegiance 10
| the Government, they will be allowed 10 resume
| eelf-government among themselves, IS We naSe Law
done in Missouri ana WIS troIo St Ionis.
| I believe that we can surely and certalhiy eounS
! upon the corporation OIL the large pouy VI
liberal men who assisted as IN renewing Gursenrs
| from a similar tyranny in the State OF missouri
| RIVER AND BAR IMPROVEMENTS MaJof
Walter Griswold, of the U. .. Engineer
| Corps. who is in charge of the Cape rear
River and Bar improvements, no" IN
progress, has just completed deCaliec
report of his operations, addressed TO Col.
IW, p Craighili. of the Engineer Corps
and through him to be forwarded In reply
to resolution of the q. S. Senate, recently
adopted, asking for information IN regard
to the progress of these works. Ihe report
| is elaborate and is very encouraging ana
we hope that the good which, beyond
doubt, has been already accomplished
NAV induce the Congress to vote continued
appropriations to the work.
Those of our readers who were ante BEL
linn residents of the city, may remember
that there was once little sand strip on
the south side of New Inlet bar, and oppo'
site Fort Fisher. called Zeke's Island. This
was separated on the south by shallow
inlet. from Smith q island, which is long,
low tract running down to Cape rear
widening as It goes. Aekes Island mas
i been gradually washed away by eastefly
winds and tides until but little of 1t now
remains, and it is here, from along the
| Zeke's Island sand bar across the shallow
inlet, and on the upper part of Smiths
| Island, that the great injury to the river
and bar has been done. A high easterIy
wind drives the water over these points. and
it carries with it, as it goes. large masses
of sand which fall into the sound and
marshes known as Buzzard's Bay. These
are affected by the tidal currents and are
gradually taken up and carried down the
channel, some of them being deposited IN
the river, and others stopping in what Is
known as the rip, on Main Bar, opposite
Fort Caswell.
Having carefully ascertained these facts
the officers in charge knew just how to pro
coed; like the physician, having made u care
/ fnl diagnosis of the disease, their skill and
experience at once suggested the remedy
The object OF their labors. thus far. ha:
been to build q line of distractions iron
a point on Zeke's Island to the north, tt
Smiths Island on the south. of suticen
strength and ability to successfully res1s
the action of the waves. They know that
this once accomplished, there would be les
washing of the sand from the bay into tn
river, because there could be no tide from
,, the ocean, at that point, to force 1t away
These distractions are not yet completed
! but already favorable change has beer
: noted the channel at New Inlet has beer
improved, and the pilots report gradua
increase of water on the rip at Main Bar
all of which can be directly traced to tn
Influence of the distractions. AS the wor
has proceeded new idea has been de
, veloped to General Simpson, the chief OIL
> Ger, which is that New Iniot itself may b
successfully obstructedj and the channe
of the river and the Main Bar thus becom
I washed out and improved. By obstructln
: New Inlet and by the use of a steam dredge
il is felt sure that our bar can be restore
T. to its original depth, and that the larges
ships can be foated over it safely. In til
meantime, it is supposed that the large e.
panse of water known as Bnzzard's Bay
, will be gradually filled up by sand washin
. down from the banks of Smiths Islant
:, and which cannot be carried into the char
= mel Of the river, or across TO the bar, {
$ we have heretofore explained, for the wal
: of tidal action.
?. We have written more than we intende
n which was, merely to give an outline
,r the facts stated, and the suggestions mad
s. in the report to be submitted by Maj
J. Griswold. The beneficial effects of tt
ID work, even thus far, are already plain on
te unequivocal, and if such is the case no.
st how much greater must be the improv
r, ment when the work of closing the gap b
a tween Zeke's and Smiths Island is con
il pleted; to say nothing OF the total regel
IN Grafton of our port should the improv
d. ments be extended to the entire closing
New Inlet? The advantages to DO deriv
ri from a continuation Of the work are pla
a and manifest, aud money is all that
n, needed to carry the enterprise safe
be through. On the contrary should Congr'
us grant no further all and the work
I'D therefore compelled to stop, all the mon
e thus far expended will lave proved, l
m- only unavailing, but an absolute wac
u- and Wilmington may at once. for at lie
tn q century or two to come, take back s.
al s.,,o,,c. tho th;rd and fourth. rata towns