Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1888-11-16
THE UNSUITABLE WAVES.
Steadily Gnawlng Their Way Into Long
Islands Southern Coast,

Islands Southern Coast.
The shores of the southern Long
Island coast are constantly changing.
Nowhere is this more manifest than at
Coney Island. Henry Freyenhagen,
one OF the oldest residents on the island,
says that within his memory fully q
mile of the south and west shores of
the island have been eaten up by tho
inroads OF the sea.
The visitor to the low sandy beach of
Coney Island at tho present day can
form but little idea OF tho appearance
OF Coney Island of 1850 or 1900,
Said Mr.. Freyenhagon; I'm no place
along the south shore have such extra
ordinary changes been made by tho
ocean as hero. When was n boy. my
uncle, Court Lake, told me that In his
younger days he cut lot Of rod cedar
posts. six inches in diameter, at
the butt, on part OF Coney Island
which is now two miles at sea under
the Atlantic ocean. IIo said that tho
island had been cut away more than u
half in his time. Any OF tho old set
tiers hero will tell you, and the State
surveys will bear them out, that the
Coney Island beach in tho last century
was composed OF high and extensive
sand hills whero now all is fiat beach
or else under water. | have cut grass
on u part OF the island just west OF tho
point from which the Brighton Beach
Hotel was recently moved That
meadow is half milo from tho shore
under water now, and is also the site
Of u little wood of West Brighton,
where my father used to cut fuel. Be-
tween that wood and tho shore used
to stand dwelling house known
as the "0ld Suydam Place." which
was washed away shortly before | was
born. My father could rocollect when
there was long reef OF rocks in plain
sight off shore toward Roelsaway. Tho
reef disappeared years ago. s.sI
THE island is being blown away as
well. You may laugh at this notion.
but 1t is true, nevertheless. There is
more sand on Coney Island now than
there used to be. The sea has not been
pounding and grinding tho pebbles all
these years for nothing. 1t makes
sand as fine and light as dust. The
easterly gales blow this sand inland,
moving it along in little hillocks, ono
particle rolling over another us it does
so. Hills are cut down and built up
by the operation. Tho blizzard last
winter did much work OF this kind.
Ponds inland are filled up and
converted into meadows. Look at tho
little creek which barely separates
Coney Island from the Long Island |
shore. II used TO be a big arm of tho |
sea Now it is nearly filled up by |
these driving sand storms which block
the channels, causing tho sluggish
currents to make additional deposits
and SO create land,
"The sea tides, too, aro cutting tho
coast away terribly. Take, for In
stance, Hog Island Inlet. Many go
down there just TO SEQ the tide rush.
The inlet is working westward all the
time, and will ultimately carve Rock
away to pieces The surf is RESPONSE
bic for this. 1t piles sand and debris
into the channel Of the inlet
on the eastern border OF it.
This deposit tends to obstruct
the tide, which cuts away md washes
into the east cnd OF Rockaway Beach
to make room for itself. This cutting
goes on just as rapidly as the formation
from the surf is heaved upon the other
side of tho inlet. The inlet is thus
kept open. II has travelled to the
more than two miles since I
was born. in 1925.
consequently, Rockaway Beach Is
being eaten up and Coney Island is
toward New York, you see.
The outer shore OF the latter is disap-
under the water, and its inner
one is on the move before the wind.
In fifty years hence l predict that the
island will have been swallowed up in
the nav OF the OCEAN. With both
that and Rockaway gone, where will
the people go then for sport, | Won
derpn-N Y Commercial AdUerLiser.