The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1884-03-22
DOWN BY THE SEA.
BEACFORT, ITS SURROUNDINGS,
HARBOR, SIGHTS AND DREAMS.
An Interesting Letter about the ssBank-
ers,' about Transportation, about
Lighthouses, Politics in Carteret. etc.
Special Cbrrespondence Of The Chrontcte.

ers," about transportation, about
Lighthouses, Politics in Carteret, etc.
Special Cbarespondence Of the Chronicle.
BEAUFORT, n. c. March LIT was the
dream of Caldwell, of Morehead and of
others devoted to the States welfare to
span North Carolina from the coast to the
mountains, from Beaufort to Asheville,
with an unbroken railway system and the
dream has been realized. But unfortu-
nately for the town of Beaufort. with its
population of 1904 souls by the last cen
sus, through the influence Of GOV. More
head and others, Morehead City was made
the terminus of the a. ". n. c. Railroad,
and to this fact, perhaps, it is due that
Beaufort, possessing a magnificent harbor,
the finest probably on the coast, allowing
vessels drawing eighteen feet of water to
enter, has not yet walked from it's lethargy
and is not advancing with the gigantic
strides of her sister towns Of the noun
tainS.
President Caldwell, in advocating the
''NOrth Carolina SYSTEM" had, it seems
great expectations of the future of the
town of Beaufort, and speaks of it as des-
tined to be g ''gem in North Cardinals
diadem." And it might have been gem
indeed had it been the railroad terminus
and but for the reason that a large portion
of the freight of the eastern section, in
| stead of finding its natural outlet to
| Northern markets from Beaufort harbOr,
| is shipped at New Berne by the Old Do
| minion line or carried by the Richmond &
| Danville road across North Carolina to
| find a shipping point in Virginia at Nor
folk and elsewhere. Beaufort still has,
| however, some trade with inland counties
| by means of the recently organized Beau
| fort and Onslow Inland Coasting Compa-
! ny" of which Mr.. A. W. Styron, of Wash
| ingtOn, n. G. is President. This company
| expects soon to have on their line for the
| transportation of freights up Bogue Sound
| into Onslow and the adjoining counties a
| steamer, which is now building at Wash
ington.
The county of Carteret, like many other
counties on the coast, is largely cut up by
| inland waters. 1t has been said that there
is not voting precinct in the county that
cannot be reached by boat. Here is a
Sound and there a long rift of sand banks
on which live those hardy men popularly
| termed ''Bankers" :" Old Topsail Inlet
the entrance Of the harbOr is between two
! of these sand riffs, BOgue Banks and
Shackelford's Banks. AT the extreme
eastern end of Shackelford's Banks is
Cape Lookout and the light house 1856
feet high, with its stationary white light
| visible 1Sa miles out at sea. Hatteras
Light is about % marine leagues North
east Of Lookout Light in Dare county. It's
light; 191 feet high above the sea level is
! flashing white and thrown 20 miles off the
coast. The dangers Of Hatteras and Look
out are caused by the long shoals extend
| ing seaward for miles. Did you ever hear
| Senator Ransom's striking comparison of
the Cape to ''An ocean Blue Beard, evil
coming with Outstretched arms to the
chambers of death the white winged brides
of the sea-!
One word as to the ''Bankers." " They
are a hardy, daring set of men, living al
most entirely apart from the rest of man
kind on the solitary banks. 1t is said that
formerly they were intensely superstitious
and fancy even now when the wind hOwls
around their homes that they hear the
moan of the wandering spirit of some de
parted ancestor. They maintain them
selves by fishing.
The fishing industry of this county is
on the increase, and under the recent act
Of the General Assembly granting a Ii
cense to make oyster beds, the citizens OF
the county are becoming interested in the
cultivation of oysters to a large extent
We have in the way of other industries
the Fish Oil and GuanO factories of Malt
: by & Green and Dey Bros, which utilize
the fish unfit for food by making fish Oil
and from the refuse fish scraps a valuabl.
fertilizer containing a large per cent. o
phosphates.
The Atlantic Hotel at Morehead is to b.
the summer resort of the South Th
hotel presents an unrivalled scene o
! gaiety in the summer. 1t is too gay TO
many quiet people and these seek a quie
retreat and delightful home at Beaufor
! at Miss Sarah Davis's well known house
one of the very pleasantest places to spen'
: a weeks summer vacation in North Caro-
. lima.
The political talk in this section is 0
Coke for Governor. Carteret is a sterlin
Democratic county She rolled up a ma
:: jority of III for Skinner, and is ready t
S do it again for a sound Democrat. Sh
$ is the banner county of the First District
n and as goes the county of Carteret goe
t the First District and the State perhaps
g Her citizens are Democratic and the trues
h in the State to the welfare of the State
The people of the coast section will vi
with the people beyond the Blue Ridge i
anxiety for the prosperity Of North Care
! lima. G. r. T., JR.
e What Snap and Go will Do.
r. "Espee'' in NeaD Hduen Palladium.