The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-02
Is LONG ISLAND SINKING.
The Ocean Constantly EncrOachIng
Upon and DevOuring Portions of
Its shores
From the New York Herald.


Upon and DevOuring Portions of
Its shores.
From the New York Herald.
Long Island, the big insular fish that
looks on the map as II Il we're about to
swallow up New York city. is apparently
being slowly swallowed up itself by the
ocean. Already portions Of its shore front
have disappeared beneath the waves. and
now the northern fork OF its huge tail is
disappearing. About two miles Of Orient
point, which formed a sandy beach two
years ago, are now under fifteen feet OF
sea water. The lighthouse on the point
was rods from the sea a few years since.
1t is now toppled over by the sea. and
only small portion Of the surrounding
beach is visible.
The encroachments Of the sea. or more
correctly. the sound. have been going on
slowly for years. The BLUFFS on both the
sound and the bay shore OF Orient point
have been sinking at the rate Of about
ten or twelve feet year. The same state
of affairs is true also Of Montauk point
but there the BLUFFS jut up so abruptly
and so high above the sea that the rising
OF the water Is not so noticeable. A rise
OF foot or two on the low shores near
Peconic bay, however, submerges acres Of
land. Much of the threatened land on ORR
ent point is fertile farm land. and the
steady advance OF the shore line is caus-
Ing no small concern on the part OF the
owners.
The water has. In several places, found
its way across low sDot on the point
from the sound to the bay The result
Is TO divide the peninsula into a number OF
small Islands. similar 10 Plum, Little Gull
and Great Gull islands. all Of which were
doubtless once a part of the mainland
and were cut OF by the rise OF the sea.
The village OF Orient Is situated In par
ticularly narrow and low portion of the
peninsula, and the next consequential In
road OF the ocean will probably occur
there. In that case. 1900 acres OF land and
village of 1000 people will have to he
abandoned. The value of the property
that is threatened Is placed by the as
SCISSORS at $500 600. The narrowest point
in the peninsula IS a little to the west OF
Orient, between that village and East Ma
qoIqM w 'pIoVnoS 10 uMol suL .uOJI
both the villages are. has spent considera-
BILE money to protect the isthmus. During
the past year over $1,000 has been expend-
ed.
This has become too much OF burden
upon the taxpayers OF the town, and As
semblymap Higbie has had a bill passed By
the assembly appropriating $4,000 for a sea
wall.
A few years ago the government built a
huge breakwater between Shelter island
and Greenport. 20 protect Greenport har-
Dor and its bordering uplands When the
larger portion of GARDENERS Island became
submerged, however, the sea rushed in.
| and, Notwithstanding the existence of the
expensive breakwater, caused a powerful
| undertow that could. and can still be felt
far up into Little Peconic bay. This action
Of the sea IS gradually cutting away the
shores both OF Shelter Island and the
mainland.
owners OF property an the neighborhood
| intend TO ask the government to place thu
| breakwater further out from the shore.
At a recent meeting OF the Southold town
| board. Benjamin II. Reeve of Greenport
and Justice r. NJ. Racket of Orient were
appointed a committee to 20 TO Albany
and favor Assemblyman Higbies bill at a
| hearing of the finance committee OF the
: Senate. The hearing was held on April 26
! The necessity for the sea wall was clearly
shown and 1t Is probable that the Senate
will pass the bill.