The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-10-15
THE GULF AND SHIP ISLAND
RAILROAD.
It's Southern Terminus.

lIS 60ubuGE0 4CImAnUSs
Now that renewed interest is being
awakened in the project Of building a
railroad through the State to the sea.
board, the following description Of Ship
Island, the proposed terminus of the
Gulf and Ship Island Railroad, publish
ed in the correspondence of the Tines
Democrat, will doubtless prove interest
ing to our readers:
It ought not to be necessary to describe
the position. shape, or dimensions OF Ship
Island, but, from some cause or other, they
are very seldom accurately stated. One OF
the chain of long, low, narrow, sandy IS
lands that form breakXater TO Mississip-
pi Sound, it stretches for about eight miles,
at a distance Of from ten to twelve miles
from the main land, lying nearly parallel
with the coast line. It's western half is .
bare, naked, and narrow tongue, or spit,
OF sand, crowned at the extreme end with
the frowuing parapets Of Fort Massachu-
sets. About midway of the island il
bends to the northeast, and the trend in
that direction is emphasized by broaden
ing and bullying on the northern side,
which gives the shore for a mile or two 3
direction nearly north and south. The
eastern part of the island is, Of course,
thereby expanded into greater width
/ like the blade of paddle or a butcher
cleaver, and Is clad with light, sparse
growth of pines and brushwood. It's easy
to perceive, from this description, that the
contour of the northern shore forms cove.
or blight, protected from the sea on the
south and southeast the only quarters in
which protection is needed, unless In very
severe northers. Even in these the sweep
across the sound is too limited for the for
nation of any very formidable "sea."
The two parts of the island are still far
Their distinguish ed-indeed almost entirely
capitalization each other by a shallow
inlet, or lagoon, which penelrates from the
hollow of the bend already mentioned
nearly to the southern shore.
Coming in from the Gulf the deep water
channel for ships passes close under the
western point of the island and directly
under the guns Of the fort. Inside it forks
or divides into two branches. The larger
of these extends to the northwest, in the
direction of Mississippi City and Pass
Christian, slightly curving around the
shoals that spread out from Cat Island,
and ironing capacious pocket several
miles in extent, with general depth OF
from three to four fathoms. 1t would
afford an excellent anchorage but for being
too much exposed on the south. The
other branch is not liable to this objection.
1t turns sharply to the eastward at right
angle with the line of entrance, and forms
deep and narrow channel close to and
II h., Of Chi.
Island for nearly its whole extent. The
island, as has already been explained, and
as will readily be understood by the atten-
tive reader, furnishes a complete protection
from the sea- The most serious objection
to it as a karbor is the narrowness of the
deep-water channel, but what is lacking in
width is more than made mp in length.
Immediately north of the western extreme
of the island, where the fort and light
house are situated, there is depth Of
from five to six fathoms. At the quaran-
tine ground, four or five miles to the north
est, the depth is from three to four fathoms.
From this description, which seems to
be exceedingly accurate, it will be seen
that lying along the north shore of the
Island there is natura. harbor with a
depth of water ranging from Is to Sc feet,
the deepest part Of the harbor being
near the Islands western extremity
1t is true that the harbor or deep water
channel is narrow: but the Times Demo-
crafts correspondent reminds us that
some seventy years ago it served as a
rendezvous for a hostile fleet of sixty
or seventy men-of-war and transports,
while preparation for the movement on
New Orleans was being made.
We have always had faith that the
value of this harbor would
attract deserved attention, and that it
would ultimately force the completion
of the long hoped for railroad through
the rich timber fields of south Missis-
sippi. Just at this time this slumbering
enterprise is manifesting signs of new
life, and the indications point to its sue
cessful completion. The line of the
road is being located by Maj. Ben Green,
and we are assured that by November
a large force will be engaged in the
active work of construction. From |
that time the management believe
hat they can go steadily on with the
work until the road is completed.
-
Mr.. Beeeher Renlies