The Republican journal., 1876-12-21
Block Island.
From the New York Post. |

| clear weather, and to reach it at this season OF
the year, one must cross by boat from Stoning
Ton or Newport, but in summer steamboat
| makes tr weekly trips, giving two or three
hours on the island.
Formerly an open boat was the only means
OF communication; this was the mail boat that
passed to and from Newport once a week. and
| when it reached the island, it had to land
through the surf, where it was met by men
and oxen to draw it up the moment it touched
the sands. Strange to say, during the two
hundred years and more that this was the only
| way OF getting on OF OIL the island. there was
| but one mishap, and that was i'll Il snow storm
| The model of these boats is peculiar, and Is 50
wonderfully well adapted to the end that Pro
| fess0r Baird, OF the Smithsonian Institute
| thought it Of sufficient interest to have small
one made and fully equipped for the Centen-
! nial Exhibition. The stern and bow are alike
| in form They are fitted with two masts.
| stepped through the thwarts (for there is no
! deck), and on each side there is a washboard
| which plays an important part in heavy wea-
| ther. Cobble stones - fragments Of granite
rounded by attriton and gathered on the shore
! are used for ballast. The ballast is moved
| from side to side in bad weather by the passen-
gers and crew, under the guidance OF the skip
per. In one OF these boats it is an easy matter
to bring oil pair of cattle, and large quantities
Of farm produce are brought to market in this
way. Boats of this class are still in use, but u
schooner now runs to and from the islanl., and
in summer Il steamboat takes cNcursionist>
over.
One greet drawback TO visit to Block Is
land has been found i'll Il want Oi facilities for
landing when one reaches there No wharf or
dock 0ud stand on that shore. The first
storm from the eastward would sweep AWAY
everything of the kind that the islanders might
build and it was thought that in the future, aS
in the past, they would have to rely on their
boats, which are so well fitted to their work.
But the government at length appropriated
funds to build Il breakwater-a step it WAS
maintained, that would benefit not only the
island, but also the many cOastlng vessels that
are frequently caught in the neighborh0Od
without a shelter short OF Newport or Stonng
ton. The work was At once begun, and was
pushed forward as fast as the funds would al
low. 1t is still incomplete. But it has already
been carried out far enough to gain III part the
object for which 1t was designed. Within It's
Surf-washed line there is bit Of still water-a
little harbor where Il vessel can tnd shelter
and land without much difficulty. In earlier
years AL attempt was made to build pier, but
in the great storm OF 1928, all that had been
complished WAS swept away.
Long before one reaches the landing he /,
struck with the bold outline o. the island ris-
ing apruptly from the water to the height of
two hundred feet, its Surt-beatcn rocks, and
the absence Of foliage. There is scarcely lev
ell spot on the whole island, which has been
said to resemble in its contour the running
high before Il northeast gale. Everywhere
there is an abundance of pasture land. The
soil, which is naturally fertile is kept in good
condition by the free use of fish and seaweed
ana little OF the surface has been lett a> waste
land Not tree Is 10 be seen. mat 1t WAS
once wooded Is well known, and there Is eNl-
deuce oI tins III the peat beds, winch are very
many, and fortunately for the inhabitants, ea~
Iy worked Feat tney depend upon Tor tue!.
1t makes good TIRE, gives out Il great heat anu
is easily managed; but 1t emlts peculiar odor
while burning which is not agreeable to every
person. Peat j. eat IN summer, and Is lS care
fully dried and stored is the crop OF hay and
oats. The islanders only use 1t to heat their
dwellings, but wears az" 1t was demonstrated
that Xa> could be made i'll small towns Iii al'eal
country At ohe-thlfd me cost OF roa gas, the
gas being equal to that from coal. It has also
been shown that 4 ton OF charcoal can he mad"
from tour tons OF peat. lhe use OF peat might
bc prohtahly eNtented. and particularly Tor
manufacturing purposes. FOR burning OfIck
il : extensively used IN parts OF Europe, ana
IN the potterles OF Dresden and other places 1t
has been found advantageous to employ IL.
Where strong bright heat is required, II may
be turn 10 good account, even IN blast FUR
naces II for pudding iron. Paper has been
made from the washed and dried llbre OF peat.
There IS cham OF ponds extending across
the Island, almost diNluln4 III INTO TWO. Dnt Ol