The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-11-05
JERSEYS PROTECTION.
A Series of Sand-bars Guards the
Coast Against the Sea.

The history Of the formation and de-
struction OF the sanabsrs and beaches on
the coast Of New Jersey is an interesting
study and one which has utility In 1t. but
1t has. until recently, been neglected by
almost everybody except those employed
by the State or by the Government in
making surveys. Within a few years
several interesting documents ave been
published by the State Geological Survey
In regard TO Sandy Hook n other places
along the whole of our coast. and from
these aud from personal observation Mr..
Frederick j. II. Merrill has composed an
Interesting article. which vas published
in the Popular Science M0nthlu. Mr..
Merrilps observations are confined to our
State. but apply equally to all other sec
tions of sandy beach from Long Island to
Florida. and are ably supplemented by a
paper in the last Scrtbncr's by John r..
Spears entitled "The Sand Waves of
formation of the waves is infinitely de-
ner, and Mr.. Merrill writes writ "a Of
places with which familiarity carries
interest. The coast Of New Jersey is pro-
tected throughout the whole length by a
series OF low barriers of san which
shield the mainland from the fury of the
waves. These reefs Of sane thrown up by
action of the waves have existed longer
than our history furnishes any data OF.
They are sandy islands and peninsuias,
from two 10 twenty miles in length aud
from half n mile 10 a mile in width. sep
arated by inlets aud usually divided from
the mainland by an interval of several
miles, in which are broad expenses of
salt meadows, fringing aud separating a
series Of channels. bays aud sounds.
That they nave existed for ages is
proved alone by the vegetation upon them.
On Sandy Hook, the most northern OF
these barriers, there Is Il luxuriant growth
OF trees larger than any Of similar species
on the main a and often when winters
storms denude a part of the beach ut AS
bury Park or Long Branch huge stumps
are found under the sand at the waters
edge.
The trees found at Sandy Hook are
oaks, hoilies, red cedars, naples and
~sassafras. and many Of them are hung
with boards of gray moss. rivaling that
upon the live oaks in the South. Between
the trees aud the ocean are the sand
dunes covered with rank grass, beach
plums u wax myrtle. Between the
dunes are often stretches of salt meadow.
Beyond the dunes Is the wave washed
beach from which the hillocks are con-
stantly receiving material.
As The tide falls, the sane laid bare is
rapidly dried by the wind and carried
above high water mark. Then, safe be-
You'd the reach of the waves, the minute
particles are borne still further from the
water, and striking against some piece of
drift wood bush, or tuft of grass, quickly
build a hfllock, which grows larger and
larger as more sand falls upon iE, and q
dune is formed many feet Ia height. The
material of which these dunes are cOm-
posed is never at rest, but files hither and
thither with the wind. and q hillock ten
or fifteen feet high today nay noiselessly
be taken down tomorrow and rebuilt a
hundred yards away.
Thus have the beaches grown. First a
sand lat built by ocean waves and cur
rents; then a series of low, shifting
dunes; next sheltered hIllocks, on which
grasses and shrubs fasten their protect
ing roots; succeeding the latter a growth
of small cedars u pines: and, finally,
as centuries roll on, majestic forest trees
raise their spreading tops and shelter a
dense underground.
Sandy Hook has undergone many
changes since it was frat mapped out by
Keith in 1856 for the East Jersey proprie-
tors. 1t has since then increased four
times tie area found by Keith. and has
steadily built TO the north ward and west
ward. Mr.. Merrill tells the reason of
this growth. IL Is due to a current which
flows from Manasqun. carrying with it
| quantities of sand from the waterfront
OF Asbury Park, Long Branch, Sea-
bright and the other resorts along the
| shore. The ebb and flow of tides in New
lOIA DAJ NidW q tDbolduL cLIttfu Vi
water between Sandy HOOK and the False
Hook, which lies hale a mile from shore
and IS a submerged bar. This stream
flows north ward through False Hook
Channel fully seven hour out of twelve,
and carries with it a great deal of a
loosened by storms.
All along the coast the sand dunes are
travelling westward owing 20 the pre-
valence of The east winds through the
greater part of the year.. In many in
stances the dunes have travelled through
forests and oven broad meadows, destroy
ing all vegetation in their slow march.
Under the sand in many places turf has
been found, and in the turf foot prints of
cattle have been seen. Ia other places
guarded cedars dead or dying ara found
partially submerged in the dunes.
Near the northern end OF Seven Mile
Beach. in South Jersey. an immense sand
wave fully forty feet high is driving Its
way into the dense forest aud its
has been noted by men who live in the
neighborhood. The en-croachment OF the
pitiless sand in this case makes a most
des0late scene.
Long Branch and the coast for a few
miles below is wearing away greatly. AID
il is said that from 1871 10 1865 a strip
varying from 300to 500 feet was swallowed
up by the sea- OF late the wear has been
heads, but near Seabright the shore line
Is said 10 have receded nearly two hun
dred feet in the last twenty-five years.
The chief aim Of individual property
owners along the coast where shore font
is worth nearly as much as street front
age in q prosperous city. is to keep their
shiffy land from dribbing away and
building up the government property on
Sandy Hook. 1t is "A difficult task, how-
ever, as the best buikheads are poor pro-
lection against the violent winter storms.
Tho best protection is afforded by jetties
built at right angles with the beach.
Such structures intercept the coastwise
currents and the saud deposit ed between