The New York herald., 1879-08-24
S IA 7E NJ
ISLAND

time and was again called up by collision in the
bay during fog between the steamer Spain and the
Staten Island ferryboat. 1t was asserted by
several seamen that the channel was too mar
row for the steamer to swerve from her
course. The accumulations have gone steadily
since. The map takes in the Upper Bay. from
the Battery to the Narrows The dotted enclosures
show shoalings of mud and ashes as they exist at
present in the bay. The figures represent the num-
Der of feet of mud accumulated by actual soundngs.
The current in the Lower Bay is made up of two
branches-those of the East and North
merly very strong. but at present extremely slug
gish. This is the result OF the filling up Of
the bay northeast of Bedloes and Ellis islands.
The shoang destroyed tho force of the current by
process known as docking up water. or rather the
shoals acted as a species of dam to lessen the de-
scent OF he water. The first dumpings made
on the Jersey side. inside of Caven's Point As
be the map the cove formed at the Point
utterly ruined tor all except fishing smacks or
light craft
FIRST sHoALING THE CHANNEL.
The first snosling crossed the main steamship
channel just opposite Governors Island. This
broke the straight line of the steamship and
a slight deviation was necessary for safety. The
other shoaings have all taken place since. On the
south side of Bedloe's Island large and dangerous
shoal is situated. This was formed by the dumping
OF mud of the Jersey shore The flood tide
washed it up in bank against the island.
which prevented the ebb tide from disturbing 1t.
This sloal is always given a wide berth. The orig
ina depth Of the bay at this spot five feet. The
one foot of water remaining. This portion of the
bay is practically unnavigable. The Jersey
where formerly it reached three feet. The
dumping spot was changed from here to
place sou thu west of Governors Island The strong
tide Of the River has drfted it right into the
main steamship channel shown by the dotted line
This is rapidly filled mp at the site of Oyster Island
but this point was nearly always regarded dan
gerous water. The additions OF dunpings choked
the channel up completely. Thon immense
shoa began to form dir ecty east OF it, This is the
largest in the bay. and covers distance II
mile square. This is in the bed OF the
deepest portion of the channel 1t had rapidly ac-
MAT frpn axhe mi Ai mn befu ueo
Governor Island and the Narrows. Where the figures
showian accumulated mud bank of twenty -four feet.
twenty years ago there hftyfour feet OF water.
This reduces the channel to almost one-half 1t is
some time this channel has been generally
gwen up as unnavigaole Right opposite Red Hook
Point the map shows an accumulation OF ten feet.
where the original depth was only thrty-six feet.
OPEN rHK nIvRR CURRENTS.
The great resistance OF this bank and its adjoining
mud fats forced the currents of both the
East aud North rivers to cut channel nearer the
Long Island shore. This new channel is marked on
the map 1t will be noticed that the elbow of tho
large shoa reaches southeast by south toward the
Long Island shore. just inside the Narrows The
mud now being dumped off Coney Island Point
Is constantly finding its way to a point oppo-
site this shoal, the south side of the
new channel. This Is explained by peculiar differ
in the properties of the deep sea water The
greater density OF salt ocean water gives II superior
force over the waters OF the East and North rivers.
the latter being almost entirely fresh This creates
ut the bottom of the Narrows constantly inhowing
current. which goes ON uninfuenced by the chang
ing tides overhead. The result IL that mud Is
constantly being carried to the Long Island shore.
and u bar is being formed across the chan
mel. The mud flats which now exist on
the northeast side OF the Narrows are well known to
every pilot who phys on the bay. The work of the
tides and the mudscows is slow but the channel is
certainly being closed up. These facts that
the Governor and Mayor can have verified by
the United States Coast Survey engineers
or by tho New York pilots. The northwest
side OF the Narrows Is kept clear only
by the strength OF the current coming from tho Kill
kull. West Of Robin 3 Reef where the map marks
shoal water, was navigable only ten years ago by
schooners ana barks at high tide. At present the
passenger any North Shore Staten Island. ferry
boat see the green grass growing from the half
foot-dcep water which now covers IT, This portion
of land. IT is said, is looked upon with
covetous eyes by the shore property owners
bay will yet be covered with Jersey iarms glance
at map will show that the existing currents Will
soon close up the slender thread which marks tho
only deep channel giving access To the IL the
State should ever require strong argument in
favor of its laws the map published to-day will fur
nish it, The ruin of harbor Is there set down In
figures that stand to be disputed.