Daily Republican., 1880-01-31
SOME "REMINISCENCES.

wilmingt0n's ExtensfOn Ai0ni
the Christfana Across the Bran
dywine - Tho Foot of Sixth
street - The Cave Mound snt
IndIaHKeiics-Bi Il boards Rur
led Treasure-
The prospect OF the North bank o
the Christians being lined will
wbarves and the industry OF our city
OK tending beyond the mouth OF thu
Brandywins converting the marsh land
into thriving sections, awakens the live
liest interest ana the imagination ofOul
oldest inhabitants Is carried back to the
primitive times when In boyhood days
he fished. .boated and swan. in spots now
occupieds by the forge, the furnace and
warehouse. A recurrence to incidents
or a mere mention Of the spot, fresh
recollections, dead to all else but the
evergreen memory, Of halcyon days, are
quickened ard a retrospective Of the
past resurrects memories long since bu.
ried.
The foot of Sixth and Seventh streets
in fact all the streets having a termi
nus on the creek included in that sec.
tion more liable to wharf improvement
are greatly changed and their present
appearance, in no particular whatever
resent bles the rocky steep and miasma
breeding lowiands Of two hundred OIL
even one hundred years ago. The frst
reference Of this location Is, Of the very
earliest. Every one knows that the
Mortimer made their first landing q,
the foot of Sixth street, but not 80 we'll
known Is the fact that this landing
place was chosen because Of the natur.
al wharfage, and because 1t offered a
narrow and natural crossing, between
low tide ridden bights, over rocky
pathway. On the lower side Of Sixth
street was a natural inlet, together with
a large cave the interior Of which ia
said by local chronicler to have been
large and even inspiring. 1t was for a
long while occupied as the home Of q
hermit. In one corner Of the largest
chamber Of this natural cavity was a
cool spring Of water which rising bab-
bled and fell musically over the floor
and found egress into the lake below.
There were other caves; but none SO
large as this. Some of the smaller
ones we're sinuous and apparently 80
never ending that the bravest test of
the inhabitants courage was to enter
their mouth to any depth.
II seems that the spot was also the
home Of the red aborignals. 1t was
here they fshed, and hunted and it was
here that they were buried. For q
long time the children Of the hamlet
which grew around the stockades Of
the fort were wont to gather darts and
Iudian implements from the soft yield
ing earth OF q burial mound which
stood upon the outside Of the village
and often times the less desirable and
more ghastly sight Of grinning skull
would be thrown up by the youthful
vandals only to be kicked around
the surface as a foot ball. These how
ever have all been swept away. The
mound, the cave, the fort and the lake
have all disappeared, gone like an
evening shadow leaving no trace, no
vestige.
The cave and in fact the whole rocky
surface was obIiteratsd by the govern
ment and the stone taken down the bay
and used in the erection of the break
water.
During the war 1912 there were con.
slant alarms and the navigation along
the Delaware being open, Wilmington
was defenceless. On one occasion there
was more than an unusual cause for
British frigatss had
been seen on the Delaware, and as it
appeared TO be the intention Of the in
yader to attack the town it became at
once an important matter to insugu-
rate some means for protection. There
was no armed organization in the place
nor was there any possible !means of
aid. 1t was proposed to flood
the marshes and obliterate all evi-
iences of a channel in the Christiana
II possible, but because Of the doubtful
result Of the proposition it was aban-
dOned.
A fort was hastily erected on the
rocky prominence where the Swedes had
landed nearly two centuries or go be-
fore, now Sixth street, and cannon
were mounted covering the entrance to
the town by water. Active in its con-
struction was Hon. James A. Bayard,
recognized as the foremost statesman
in the country. Novel indeed was the
sight. As a faithful local historian
says: He laid aside his robe of State
for q season, put on the garb of labor
er with ditcher's boots, and shovel on
hia shoulder, marched with the mass
to achieve their muddy work, and with
spirited men labored from the rising to
the setting sun.
When this earthwork was completed
they next proceeded to organize an ar
tillery company. This was soon done
and H0n. I85ar a. houney was electeu
There were drills of course
but no actual home service was done,
although threatened was
never attacked; but the hastily. con-
,tructed fort remained for considera-
Die length of time as memento of
hose stirring incidents. Up to this
lime traces Of the old Swt des fort were
perceptable; but they were confined
jolely to broken and displaced logs
thrown here and there by the action Of
he tide and in many places overgrown
With reeds and wild grass.
The principal spirit who worked aad
planned so assiduously for the defence
If the town-Jamss A. Bayard, singu-
ar to relate was one of those chosen by
he government as an ambassador TO
a..Son oe y1aooa Ruarr paaInv