Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-01-22
The ST Inhn's Bar.


The following, from the Jacksonville
Duly Times, taken in connection with the
promise of a Northern company to dig a
canal from the st. Johns river across the
peninsula that shall permit the passage of
ships of the ''heaviest draft" will be apt
to put people to wondering how such YES
sells are to get into the st. Johns in order
to reach the canal. 1t is well known
through the coast surveys that there is no
harbor for such ships on the entire Attain
tic coast of Florida, nor is it believed pos
sible to maintain one at any cost, on ac-
count of the perpetually shifting sand
banks along the shallow inlets and har-
bOrs. such as indicated by the remarks of
the Times, at the mouth of the st. Johns.
That journal says:
We trust that every reader gave an at
tentive perusal to the article in yesterdays
issue of the Times on the st. Johns bar.
The facts disclosed in it are of vital i'm
pOrtance to every one interested in the
growth of jacksonville or the prosperity
of the State. We may multiply our rail-
road facilities, put new lines of fast boats
on the river, and cover the interior with a
network of roads and canals; but Jack
mercial centre, which her position relative
to the rest of the State entities her to be,
while the entrance to our river is block
AIDED by a bar which is qrOlciRg lrOrSe, and
which even now closes this port to the
class of vessels which do four-ffths of our
cOastwise trade.
The facts published in that article are
by no means all. Others are in our pos
session and are being collected, which
will no Ioi hofara no in I'M
All the facts that we have been able TO
gather point to the conclusion that the
present condition of the bar is due to
causes that are remediable, but the only
way to insure the application of the
remedy is to make the facts known as
widely as possible. While our merchants
and shippers are deluded with the notion
that there are twelve or fifteen feet of
water on the bar, and with frequently re-
peated statements about the progress of
the jetties, loss and veXatiOns will con-
tinue TO be inflicted upon them by just
such delays as are so bitterly complained
of by the Captains and others. The better
way is to ascertain and face the facts, in
the first place, and then to find out who,
if any one, is responsible for them.
So far as we have been able to gather
them, the facts point plainly to the con-
clusiOn that, whether or not a blunder was
made in their location, the effect Of the
jetties so far has been to injure and not to
improve the bar. If not speedily carried
forward to completion, there is danger
that they will literally close our port. And
at the present time substantially no work
is being done upon them. Not only is this
the case, but we are assured by those who
are in position to know, that the cOndi-
ton of the jetties, as well as of the bar. is
worse than it was six months ago. No
new work is being done, and the work al
ready done is being undermined, toppled
over and wrecked.
Before we are through we shall endeav-
or to throw some lightOn the causes of
this state of things. When that is done,
it will be for the proper authorities to APP
ply the remedy.