Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-09-08
4AKROK IMP PROVEMENTs.
WILMINGToN. n. c.. Aug. %. '76.

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SER:-Ou tn, IStn inst. wc visite
the harbOr aud Its surroundings in t.
vic, ,nitv of New Inlet, to ascertain il
present cDnditinn and the progress ,
the pubic works for Improving ii,
same. with the future prospects, an
have the honor to report that sine
onr report OF the Both of May Las
the contract for laying the apro
across the inlet has been fully exc
cnte1. The work was flushed abou
the middle Of June, since which tim
the bottom of the inlet, from side t,
side. nas rem lined covered by a
onron or ctrpet four feet thick an,
forty t. seventy fe wide, accordius
to dep h of water, and mp to this tim
there has been no settling, undermin
ing or other perceptible damage what
ever. On the other hand appearances
indicate most fattering success O
the work, the sand cooperating Will
tle carpet in the formation of an ap
parently permanent reef across the
inlet, The southern end of the CARPET
resting on Zeke's Island near high
water line at the time it was placed
extending northward into deep water
OF the inlet, served as a kind of grill
lage work which the beach has fol!
lowed for about 400 feet, 800 feet OF
which are now above high water,
vidrDing and extending seaward
from which project shoals in the
direction of the point of beach
south Of the old breaker
The beach south from the inlet at
Zeke's Island is now perfect and above
nigh water. Most OF the sea front of
the old break water Is covered above
high water, also a large portion of it's
rear or river front. and every part of
1t is covered above low water line,
thus securing the timber against any
further attack of wOrms.
Had the apron been started upon
the shore of Federal Point instead of
in deep water at the end of the defect
ing breakwater, it is reaso able to
suppose the same results would have
attended it as did the southern end
which rested on Zeke's Island Iu may
be proper here to express some ap
prehensiOn we entertain for the safety
of the apron, if left as it is for any
considerable length of time There
are tw) points in its line where the
depth of water ranges from IA to 1S
feet, upon which the currents, partic-
ularIy the ebb, press with considerable
severity, aud there is no telling what
effect such a volume of water under
such circumstances may have upon the
apron, if allowed to remain until the
channel becomes fixed, and concen-
trqe upon one or both of these points.
There is no apparent change in
Shows Marsh channel since our last
report, except, perhaps, some slight
I,f hn Of ~
no doubt, by the heavy tax upon it's
rent of the river, and also a cross
current in the direction Of the inlet,
which will involve the necessity of oc
c.sional dredging to keep it free until
the inlet is closed.
The navigation of the river above
the inlet and across the Log Shoals
above Big Island, remain as last re
ported, without perceptible change.
As far as we can learn there has been
some slight change IN the direction of
Bald Head channel, not affecting,
however, the draught of water last
reported, 153 to 16 feet.
During the fiscal year ending 30th
June last, the apron has been success
fully laid across the inlet A.; Shows
feet width and II feet depth the river
between Wilmington and Smithville
has been dredged and cleared out
where necessary, including the removal
of distractions above the upper ietty,
permitting the passage of vessels draw
lag IA to IA! feet between those points;
some dredging has been done on Bald
Head channel the two swashes across
tI, ah Of L
nng of the year, have been entirely
closed; large addition to the beaches,
on both sides of the inlet, has been ac-
cumulated, and the flow of water
through the inlet very much reduced.
The Coast Line Telegraph has also
been established for the purpose of
opening along the sea coast north
ward in the interest of commerce and
humanity; also to Smithville. We
regret the necessity of calling your at
tention to the apparent neglect of this
telegraph line, which was ordered by
Congress and put up by the War De-
partment, in good faith. for the pur-
pose set forth. The line to Smithville
Is in order and operation, but that
leading nDrthward was damaged by
storm in the early part of this year
communicat on passing ovor it, GER
tainly since May last. We presume
the apparent neglect to be more the
result of oversight, or inadvertance,
than design, and it is only necessary
to call the attention of the chief sig
nal officer to the fact.
The last Congress appropriated
$132,5 500 for continuing the work for
improving Cape Fear harbor, (aggre-
eating the sum of $9O7, 500 which has
thus far been appropriately. This
sum is much below the estimates of
the engineer for successfully prose-
cutting the work during the present
fiscal year, and will undoubtedly retard
its final completion, but we have every
confidence in its judicious disposal.
We further beg to call your atten-
tion to the fact that, in addition to the
tiattering prospect before us of an
early completion of our harbor i'm
provements and it's perfect restora-
ton to its primitive condition of a
first class harbor, the State of
North Carolina has recently be-
come owner of the Western North
Carolina Railroad, leading from
Salisbury via Swannsnoa Gap and
Asheville, a distance of about 100
miles, to Wolf Greek, and there con-
Meeting with the road leading to Nor
ristown, Tenn, and all western roads.
Operations for completing this road at
an early day have recently been re-
sumed, and are now being prosecuted
with energy. We understand that
about 100 miles of this road are now
complete and in snccessfui operation,
to
Which large portion of che work has
been accomplished. OF about 1000
feet of tunneling only about ], 200 to
l,4UG feet remains to be done; also, a
large portion of the grading in and be-
yond the mountains, culverts and
bridge abutments have been done,
and waikinor tho Eniohinnr s11norrtr11n