New-York tribune., 1873-09-06
LONG BRANCH IMPROVEMENTS.

MEASURES FOR PROTECTION AGAINST THE RAvAGEs
or sTORMs-A SEA WALL DECLARED TO BE THE
ONLY MEANS OF SAVING THE sHORR-AN ACT TO
BIZ INTRODUCED INTO rHR NEw-JERsEY Leg
IsLATURE-THR NRFD or DRAINAGE
IFRoM THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE !
Lone BRANCH, Aug. 29.-It has been a sub
ect OF very careful deberation and investigation for
many years among engineers how the shores or
banks Of the ocean could be best protected from
the washing of the tide and surf, and 1t
does appear that any plan has yet been de-
cided upon by anybody competent 70 establish the re-
suit Ever since the great along the NewJersey
short time ago. which rageC at this place with
Unprecedented violence, carrying away sand to the
depth of from six to twelve feet and extending for
miles, demoshng lighthouses and carrying terror TO
the residents the bank the people have been asking
themselves what must be done to protect the shore The
of the storm has TO show that all the ord
nary precautions such terraces piles buBheads, &C.
are little use in cOntendng against the most power
fu and irresistible OF the elements, and IT
also shows that something must be done ana
done speedily, else OF the most valuable prop
erty the Branch viii be sacrificed. It If said there
are those here who remember when the turf-covered
bluff extended many hundreds OF yards into the sea,
and that the washing been constant so regular
and so slow that has been almost mperceptbie. The
late storm swept away OF the summer houses stand
ing well back the bluff in front OF Iauchs Hotel and
made such heavy crevasse IN front OF the west Ehd
Hotel that the street danger OF being carried into
the sea- was the whole OF the promenade and
a small portion OF the road In one place were swept
away. 1t has become very serious question: and one
which cannot long be kept OPEN Something must
speedily be done OF within short time all the fine cot
taees along Oceanave viii become of little value as
residences and this the property are getting TO
understand.
There is no question that any plan devised by
which the coast from Seabrght 70 Deal conld be pro-
tected without uhieetng the project TO any possibility
of failure would adopted and carried out In
the absence Of such pan and the reasonable hesitation
to make experiments hundred propositions are made
each man having his plan, and none being wiling
to attempt ANYTHING the result OF which might be doubt
fl so nothing has been done, ana the valuable lana
along the coast is being gradually carried away-so
gradually that few appreciate The necessity OF stopping
IT, One person owning property on the shore can
not improve 10 in this respect because u
would not only endaDger greater degree the
prorerv of his neighbOrs each side OF him, but would
shiect his own 10 increased washing at either end of
the line of his Improvement IL is therefore necessary
that either the the municipality should take
hold of the matter IL is clear that individuals owning
the coast can never unite any scheme Tor protect
inn +bair own prouertv. Everybody must see that II
ono man builds stone wall another shore dock, an
other bulkhead and fourth makes heading OF phes,
bt not one of them can rest assured that his property
is safe some OF the best engineers who have looked
iutO hp question especial reference 70 Long rahch
, tbat hCtbpg short OF sea wall OF masonry will pro-
ec the shore NJ this point where the storms IN the
Winter are said 10 he terrible. 10 provvlue SUN
rrotection. extending II must for seve,
"a, miles will require a large expenditure OF
monev The properly or course Nhioh - Ptvs
tcted is immeasurnDly increased value, and could
1frd 10 ne taxed for the payment Of the work 9ut u
G beneft 10 all the property OF the Branch. and not
~ !, Iy wbicb is washed by the There many
,I,icUites m tine way of accomplishing the work not
Geretofore alluded one il that most OF t1e cottageis
az Long Branch are not citizens OF Long bFanch anu
New Jersey and take part IN tne government oI
either and residents Of Long Branch VINO lve ttre tle
wear round do not Ike 10 be taxed Ior % tlle %
of the property Of New Workers who only stay mere Two
or three months during the year II the eOuagers nau
their way, they would DE Wiling 70 hnpose ! SaArs
sufi0ent 10 make every improvement which would aga
TO the attractions Of the place as a summer resort.
In view OF all the circumstances several OF tne
eathest and most conspicuous property holders here
have begun movement for the Improvement OF the sea
front which promises success III ~ pIopOseu 10 endcS
law in the state Legislature providing for ihe building
of a sea wall, any other protection that may Oe
deemed best, declaring how II shal De Dull Oh NnaI
material. including al the requirements, hlght ueptn
slope &c it shall be finished, ana prOVldhs Iof
tine payment There are two piOposU0hs fegArulhs lt
expenses of the work One that the Legislature siI
impose a tax adequate for the work on All properly
benefited the decision 10 ne leit 10 a commission 10 De
amounted for the purpose. The other II that he cor
poraron shall issue bonds running gwen nnmoeI 0i
wears and pay for the work Ia tins way, recevlns rom
the property owners, compensation, sIlp O land
extending the whole length Of the w1 TO be used a.
the state Of NewJersey is 70 be protected by the wall
the state ought 10 bear proportion OF the ex-
pepses OF the work In event me matter VII be
roprlv presented 20 the next gsature and an effort
made 10 the property which ID yearly being sacr-
feed. -,
What is almost as necessary FOR the protection OF the
bluff at this place - sea wallis system OF d1anage.
The carving away Of the SummerAOuse, the promenade
and "a pOrOn OF the road alluded TO above was due az
much 10 the OF drainage as 10 the absence
Of sea wall The fan Of rain had been very large, ana
the wind blew almost a hurricane The sandy soil got
saturated with the wafer when ran IN sheets rom an
inch 10 a foot deep ali along the roads and lawns, OF
stood an deep puddles places IL lost its cohesive
mower and gave way draining the water from the sur
fce and sending down the bank and into the surgng
ocean In rivers. A sea wall would prevent the bank
from caviug in would not OF course drain the
surface ana this ougnt be done before many other
irnpr0veIneuts already suggested made system
nf s,,roce drainage would make OceanGvc., narrow
In h one OF the finest drives In the world During wet
weather II il now merely disgusting mud hole from
one END 10 the other Instead OF the road ned being
convex the center the lowest and the water gathers
there instead " being carried down 70 the CUTTERS
FHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS