Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-03-21
River and Bar Improvement.
WILMINGTON, n. c.,
18th March, 1873. /
President Of the

WILMINGTON, n. C.,i
18th March, 1873.
| President Of the
Chamber Of Con,D,rce :
SIR Our usual monthly visit to the
harbor improvements near New Inlet
was made on Thursday, the 9th OF
February, ON board the steam-tug Jas.
I. Easton, Capt. Leary. That after
noon was spent with Capt. Phillips,
assistant engineer in charge, in exami-
ming the works, also the beach and
shoals in the vicinity.
The next morning (after spending
the night at SmithYillc) in company
with Capt. Phillips and Mr.. Benton,
visited Bald Head and its surround
iDgs.
Thence, proceeding up Cape Greek,
we landed at the bluff and walked
across the island to the beach; thence
up to the works, which we reached a
little before sglndown, and to Smith
Vile, where we spent the night. return
ing to the city Saturday morning.
1t having been reported that Federal
Point was rapidly washing away. We
were anxious to make personal exam
ination to ascertain the facts, but had
not time to do so. 4 careful exanaina-
ton. however. was made of compare
tive maps Of surveys, and a subsequent
visit determined upon. but up to this
time no favorable opportunity OF do
ing so has been presented.
Since our last visit, en- the 9th Of
February, embracing only three weeks
of stormv. cold aud tiisacreea1Ia
weather. there has been about one
hundred and twenty (120) feet Of fov,l.-
dati IN cribs placed IN position and
filed with stone, shus making the ex-
treIne length OF the breakwater about
thirty-eieht hundred and seventy feet
1870. which tai.cs; it on. to the shoal
in front Of Ze:1c's Island. and leaving
abo1l. four hundred fee5 yet to
construct.
About four hundred feet OF the su-
perstructure wola is in course Of con-
struction, of which about three hun
dred feet are nearly ready f2r the
finishing plank, while none has been
CO implicitly finished.
The beach in front follows the work,
az heretofore, and the shoals around it
end Zeke's Island are making MP very
satisfactorily. Ic fact, contrary TO ex-
pectation, as the work progresses the
currents about tie inlet seem to bo di-
verted into the main channel, and is
carried down tbs main outlet os the
lower har!1or
We are informed that the eastern
side Of tho Horse Shoe Shoals is wear
ing Of rapidly also the two corners
which prodpce the s'arp angles of the
chaunel III that locality, thereby mate
rally Strengthening it.
From an examination of comparative
:napa and the statements OF Captain
Phillips. It does not appear that Fed
era1 Point Is veal ing of to tha extent
reported. 4 small portion only Of the
extreme sharn point has been taken
off, while the beach inside and out has
made mp and enlarged,
It appears from the recon. survey OF
the T. s. Coast Survey tha. the shoai
or reef extending from Federal Point
enthusiastically. is in continuous
straight line l., below Zcke's ISLAND.
with only four to six feet Of water
upon it at low tide, except sine OF
about two hundred feotin width. which
has ten feet. These ara very signifi-
cant facts.
The long line OF narrow beach be
tween the In'.,t and Smiths Island.
embracing s. distance of s4r.e eight or
ten miles. refaHiaa pretty much II It's
former condition Of great exposure to
the action Of both wind a1d high tides:
no catcl-ssnl fences having been con
3tructed Of late. and the cultivation of
grass or shrubberv for it's protection
and security has not been prosecuted
with the energy which its necessity
would seem so require.
At Bald Head the general current
seems to have taken position outside
of the old stone .ettee very little cur
rent inside and IN a straight line in
the direction %; The old eastern chan
mel.
Bald Head Point has wasted very
little of late, Bald Head Shoal seeming
disposed to form junction with the
mainland. ard is almost bare at low
tide which serves as a check upon the
shore current. which was apparent
sometime ago. Still another shoal
beyond. seems to be making ont to-
wards the tinGera. In tho meantime
the drau9ht of water upon the western
bar and its rip, is said TO he improving.
Capt Childs, of the steamship Re
becca Clyde, reports having passed in
over the rip at dead low tide, on Sun
day last, the 9th inst, without touch
ing bottom, his ship drawing ten feet
ten inches, and, moreover, canning in
cautiously he sounded carefully en-
tirely across, and nowhere found less
than tweive feet of water,
Since our last report the general ap-
preparation bill has passed both Ronses,
of Congress and become a law. This
bill appropriates one hundred thousand
dollars for the Cape Fear river, being
Just two thirds of the estimates az the
engineer as necessary for the next
fiscal year. and we very much fear his
operations may be obstructed in pro-
ducing the immediate available results
for the benefit OF our navigation which
we had hoped fo.. but we feel assured
of one thing: Col Cra;ghiI will make
the most of it.
The appropriation may seem. what Il
really is, small in proportion to the
magnitude of the work. but ,nder all
tl1ecirc;ps general iiul3hsll,
in Congress attending the close OF one
Presidential term and the beginning OF
another, the heavy demand upon this
fund and the division Of it--wo may
consider ourselves forsnnnte il getting
rs much as we did. And for which
arc we mainly indebted to our i1nrne-
diate Representative, the Hen. 4 u.
Wntiden, whoso active energy and III.
tiring Industry in tho Interest of his
constituents has procured this liberal
appropriation for us and carried it
safely through the House. And also
to our Senator, the Hon. Matt. w
Ransom, who ably defended i s;,ainst
being scaled - tae senate ant; giving
it safe escort through that body. 10
both these gentleiilsn VIC feel under
large obligations for their more than
ordinary efforts in the interest Of their
constituents, and We sl.biait 20 the
Charnher .ha nronriety ot making
favorable notice Of them,
We are informed that Col. Craighii',
engineer in charge of the works, made
visit of inspection on the 2sth ult.
AS we were not made aware of his visit
until after his departure, bad nat the
pleasure Of seeing him.
For the Committee,
II. NUT, Chairman.