Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-10-30

o'oA eaAeiy, IeacuIuS tuo clty tWe
hours behind schedule time. Abou
800 cords of wood were burned and j
is thought that it was set on fire.
Sampson Court.
His Honor, Judge Kerr, has con.
sented to hold Sampson Court fo,
Judge McKoy. This is rendered ne
cessary from the fact that the latter
has been interested, as counsel, in sc
large number of the cases pending in
that Court. AS Judge Kerr's circuit
will be over there will be no exchange
between these gentlemen.
We are sure the good people OF
Sampson will be glad to see Judge
Kerr in their county, and we know be
will be well pleased with his visit.
HarbOr improvements.
WILMINGTON, N. c., Oct. 22d, 1874.
Col. VIM. l.. DeRosset, President o.
the Chamber of Commerce.:
Sm:-On the Sth instant we visited
the public works for improving the
Harbor, but owing to conflicting cir
cumstances the inspection was not so
thorough as was intended it should be.
We found the unfinished breakwater
at
FEDERAL POINT
somewhat damaged by the late storms
of August and September. Several of
the upper finishing cribs, not being
sufficiently weighted with stone, were
displaced and carried off by the vio-
lence of the winds and waves. No in
jury, however, appears to have been
sustained by the point, beach and
shoals; the breakwater proper. that is,
the foundation cribs which had been
placed in position and filled with
stone, remains intact, nor have any per-
ceptible encroachments been made
upon it.
zEKE's ISLAND,
on the opposite side CT the Inlet, sus-
tanned no damage, but has evidently
been enlarged by an accumulation of
sand, although it's shape has been
somewhat altered.
THE OLD BREAKWATER
extending south from Zeke's Island
and connecting with Smith Island
beaches sustained some damage.
At point in its line, commencing
some 500 feet from Zeke's Island, was
a section which, from some unknown
cause, contained leaks which admitted
IN irgress and egress current sufficient
to prevent the formation of beach
against it, thereby exposing the tim
Der of the cribs to depreciation by
navy worms which weakened and de-
stroyed its resisting power against the
violence of the storm; consequently
about 100 to $50 feet of the cribs were
swept away, leaving, however, the
foundation of stone to build upon in
this damage.
The balance of the breakwater sus-
tanned no damage whatever; on the
contrary, as q compensation for the
damage above alluded to, large guam
titles of sand were brought to form
and strengthen the beach, SO that the
breakwater itself was entirely covered
in many places, and now, the entire
distance from Zeke's to Smith Island,
may be passed dry-footed at half tide,
upon the beach, independent of the
breakwater.
THE BEACH SOUTH
Is evidently wasting from abrasion
Of the terrible in-and-out currents of
winds which prevail across this point
over the open bay, and over this long
line of bare, unprotected sand-beach.
The two small inlets or swashes,
some distance down the beach. alluded
to in former report, do not seem to
have increased in magnitude, but
rather, the indications are. that they
are disposed to close themselves.
BALD-HEAD POINT
Is undoubtedly doomed. Appearan-
ces indicate that the main current is
disposed to make straight shoot into
from the mouth of Bald
lead creek. If these indications should
result in fact, the day is not far dis
taut when Bald-head will be known in
history only, and as thing that was.
We are not prepared to hazard an
opinion on the subject of this apparent
freak of nature, but some observers
entertain the opinion, and not without
reason, that owing to the division, both
of the river and bay W ater by the opening
the volume of water pass
ing out. of the main outlet. de-
stroying its securing influence
duu buo power VI udlutaluluS lth
and natural channel, conse-
quently, the outlet adapted itself to
circumstances, permitting shoals and
reefs to be formed, partially closing
the mouth of the harbor. Those shoals
have now become packed and hard,
diverting the channel into crooks and
Irregularities. And now that the vol
ume of water is somewhat restored by
the partial closing of New Inlet, abra-
sion of the light sands of the beach is a
much easier task to perform than the
removal of the hard packed shoals.
Nor are we prepared to offer an opin-
ion as to what will be the result or
effect upon the Harbor Outlet by the
away of the point of Bald
Head; possibly it will not be prejudi-
cial, and it may be beneficial as matters
now stand, without the ability Of
the channel by artificial
means. which, perhaps, would better
and quicker secure valuable results.
We Can only hope that it will prove g
blessing.
The suction dredge Woodbury., hav-
ing returned from Baltimore, and un-
dergone some repairs, commenced
work upon Baldhead channel, where
she has continued operations ever
since Except occasional stops for re-
pairs) with good results.
On the 10th of August a contract for
dredging the river was concluded with
Messrs. Curtis & Fober, and on the
9th of September they commenced
work on the Snowy Marsh channel,
since which time the work has pro-
crossed irregularly with no percepti-
BILE results.
Capt. Phillips returned from Balti-
more on the 18th, and the steam tug
Easton on the Goth of September.
Our last report was made on the
23rd of July, of operations to that
date from the 22nd of May, when our
previous report was made.
At the date of our last report in
July, Baldhead channel had percepti-
bly, improved, and our pilots began 10
use it with II to 123 feet of water;sub-
sequently IA feet was carried out, and
on the oath of September the German
barque Frederick Scala, drawing 151
feet, was towed safely to sea. At
present it is reported that 16 or II feet
may pass safely out.
This being our first report for the