Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-18
TO SAVE THE COAST.
Efforts to Be Made to Stay the Ravages Of
tho Tides-How Atlantic City's Beach
Was Protected BY the Building OF jet


pie of New Jersey, for he goes to study the
dikes of Holland and to secure other infor-
nation that may be utilized in solving the
problem as to how to save the New Jersey
seashore coast.
Prof. Smock has given considerable atten-
tfon to the inroads that are being made by
the Atlantic Ocean, and has succeeded in
getting the United States Geodetic and
Coast survey to take the matter up at the
expense OF the United States Government.
1nroads have been made at Long Branch
against which. there is now an organized
effort on the part of the property owners
They have become so serious that State and
national aid is to be secured to prevent fur
ther damage. Prot. Smock is of the opinion
that the work Of devastation can be best
checked by the use of terraces. the same as
used on parts of the Holland coast His OBJ
ject in going abroad at this time is fully to
equip himself with Information, SO that
when the United States Geodetic Survey
begins It's work in the fall lie will have some
to to IT,
detic Survey will be on the lookout for in
formation of local character.
The State commission expects to be able
to furnish considerable data to the United
States authorities. The matter is to receive
careful investigation, and the exact cause
of the inroads and savage currents is to be
ascertained and remedy provided.
Experim ents at Atlantic City.
The ocean drive on the bluff, which has
been for years the pride of Long Branch, is
each year becoming narrower, and in
short time will be impossible. There are
currents at work that have cut away,
within 100 years, at least three-quarters of
mile Of fringing beach and upland. The old
tide line was at least that distance from the
present tide line. The State Geologist has
the testimony of old residents of Long
Branch, who state that they farmed on land
which Is now half mile out in the water,
showing tremendous eating away OF the
beach in half O century.
The disposition of the tide is to cut away
| that shoulder of the coast which is made by
| the indentation of the Raritan Bay and Sandy
Hook. The bluff at Long Branch has a layer
of gravel and upper crust of good clay. The
| gives way. From the pier to the West End
| this work of destruction has been going on
persistently for ten years. The State has
| looked into the matter, and unless some
Long Branch Village will sooner or later
crumble away.
Atlantic, City had an experience of the
same kind Is years ago. The Absecom
ment, to save its property, hit upon the idea
| of extending jetties out into the ocean Tor
the purpose of changing the tide. which was
strong and treacherOuS at that point, being
near the inlet. The waves then dashed
about the bottom of the lighthouse, but now
the tidal wave is nearly half mile distant.
The current was changed at this point, but
| it began its destructive work few miles
further down the beach and no remedy has
yet been found.
The records Of the State Biologists office
show that the changes in the upper coast
from Sandy Hook to Asbury Park have been
numerous during the past century. In 1764
the Sandy Hook Lighthouse stood near the
end of the point, while now it is nearly
mile distant in a northwesterly direction.
This changing current has been the subject
of much study on the part OF the United
States Coast Survey.
Watching the Work OF the Tides.
They are again going to take up the work
OF marking an exact coast line SO that it
can be, in future years, compared with the
tidal line, SO as to see just where the change
along the beach is made. No matter what
is done, it must be considered only tempo
rary for ten OF more years, because the his
tory of the coast shows that the operation
of the tide changes about every decade. 1t
is probable that by the time this work is
completed the work of destruction will be-
gin elsewhere, probably above or below the
proposed buikhead.
The traveller along the Jersey coast who
carefully observes the tide changes, and asks
the meaning of many strange things, can
give an answer to his own query by this
modification: that the wild wave says:
"Move in" That the tide is coming in can
not be denied. There is much evidence to
sustain the general statement. The appear
ance Of trees in the mud, with their roots
embedded in hard bottom, many feet below
high water mark, is frequently noted. The
occurrence of Indian shell beds on this bot
tom, wholly submerged in the meadows to
some depth, and, better still, the finding of
old bridges and crossings of poles or cordu-
roy roads several feet below the surface,
show conclusively that the tide has been
coming in and that there is rise OF the
Along the Jersey coast there are some re-
markable evidences of this change. In Deal
Lake stumps have been found at the depth
of 10 to 20 feet in digging for peat. On the
north shore of the Metedeconk river old
meadow sod has been found at the depth of
to 10 feet below the surface. In the famous
Mosquito Cove, near Barnegat, dead logs
have been found on the upland border. At
the distance of three feet under the mud
huckleberry brush has been found. Forked
river, near the village, is full of stumps,
which are found at the depth OF three feet
The old inhabitants say that the cedar
swamp which surrounds the river grew
nearly a mile further east than it does now,
and has since been submerged.
There is some remarkable evidence of this
encroachment of the tide near Tuckertown,
are many knolls and islands of upland,
which were once wooded and are now level
with the surface of the meadows.
Tho Origin OF the Sand Beaches.
The timber has died off and the stumps
are now in the marsh. Samuel Headley, of
Tuckertown, is authority for the statement
that stumps have been found near Ballen-
gers creek, 1S inches below the surface.
Captain Joseph Gelder, of Beesley's Point,
states that the water level in some parts OF
Cape May county is over six inches higher
than it was 25 years ago.
The origin OF almost every beach is q sand
bar of considerable magnitude, which has
been formed at q greater or less depth by
currents depositing sediment under favor-
able conditions, subsequently brought
above water by the waves. The formation
once above the water, the wind blowing on
the shore catches up the dry sand and
carries it inland until, meeting some
obstacles, 1t is dropped out of the reach of
the tide. This process is repeated for years
until the sand hills and dunes are formed.
The changes about Sandy Hook have been
numerous. The monarch of the sea has kept
himself entertained in that locality, Near
the head of the Horseshoe the shore is wear.
ing away rapidly. Captain j. w. Edwards
makes the statement that the eastern shore
of the Spermaceti Cove Life Saving Station
has gone out 300 feet during the last so years,
being q greater gain mile south ward and q
less gain northward. The changes OF the
inlet have been many-too many, in fact to
enumerate. In the vicinity of the Sea bright
Life Saving Station No. the shore has worn
away upward OF 800 feet III 20 years, and Sea-
bright's shore is still being encroached
upon. At Monmouth Station the wear is
not so much, not being over 10 feet year.
Russell White thinks that the wear imme-
diately north of Deal Lake has been about
1000 feet in 20 years. From Elberon to Deal
Beach the banks down to the level of the
strand are covered with beach grass. There
has been very little change at Asbury Park
or Ocean Grove. From Shark river to Spring
Lake some trifing changes have been no
ticed. Wearing away is noticed at Spring
Lake. The wear at Sea Girt is mostly in
winter, and during the summer the beach
regains all it previous ly lost.