The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-04-12
GREAT KILLS IN DANGER.
sTITEN ISLAND THRELTENED WIN
MANN ny THE SEA.
signs that tho Ocean L. Advancing SLOWLY
The " SAND lsntchcr~' Helping the Sea
-OyEtrrnen nnd WouId-hc owners OF
EItr Int Arc GIonnN III the rrnrncct.

AA'h w wv ''ha'f'T ~ ~ Wv Nh'AN -
only one hnrbor, the trcat Kills, and that Is
threatened with dcstr seton. For years II has
suffered. like sandy llouk and other points,
from the gradual invasion of the sen. Local
geologists say that In old times high water
reached up to the foot of what Is now known ms
Todt HI, and all the land now under cultivn.
tlon between the Richmond road and the beach
was under water. Now. they say. the sea 10
coming lnch TO the places which II deserted
some hundreds OF years age. This sounds
like bad news for the real estate men. hut they
need not he afraid. for the cucrOaChment
OF old OCEAN Is @ .trcmcly slow, and no man.
unless he Is destined to live for n great many
years. Is likely to bc very much damaged by II.
But unfortunately In the case Of the Great
Kills the sea has allies who carry on the war
fare more vigorously than II docs itself, II the
oystermen are to I've believed. These allies are
the 'sand butchers. who lond their vessels
with sand and carry it away by Wholesale. TIL
result is that Crooks Point, or. ms It IA moro
generally known, Jimmy Asten's Point"
probably tho most southern portion Of the state
of New York. will soon become an island. This
point is the end OF that long strip OF sand
known as the South Beach. The constant re-
moval Of the sand helps the sea to get over the
bars every time that a storm comes in from
the east.
Great storms during tho past few years have
VNtNSl'lllHllN lllt ~ ittll h'EDbb JhG
dividing limo between the hay proper and the
Great Kills. at the low portion Of It known now
as 1.-THE Boys" This has had the effect of
washing the sand into the Kills, and conse-
qucntly has da mayed the only shelter that ex-
lists between the NarrOws and Tottenville.
Some OF the oystcrmen predict the speedy de-
%struction OF the Great Kills II the operations OF
tho sand men are continued. They say ii will
become n shoal or n creek. of no earthly use as
- -oF.-z o. -,ay, Ill.,. lN,..n lao ,-1A -
boats. The oystermcn are very much agitated
over this matter just now, and they are talking
about getting a bill through the Legislature
making II unlawful to carry away any more
sand from that beach. Not only the oyster
men. but also hosts Of anglers living in this
city. are interested In the preservation of the
Great Kills. because that little harbor is a IA
nous fishing ground. Last season there was
plenty Of sport there for all who could handle
rods and reels.
An idea may be formed Of the incursions of
the sea along this coast when it is remembered
that the strip OF sod bank called THE Bogs'
was some twenty odd years ago the inner bank
Of. Bass Greek. The outer bank Of the creek.
which lay a little outside of what Is now low
waasr innrR, ms peeh rnhtpietsay washea
past, For old anglers. IT affords plenty Of ma
enthusiastic knights OF the hook and line. Tho
remaining inner bank. which forms the last
resort of anglers. In itself 1t IS a lonely and
dreary-looking place, hut when the wind is off
is Just n spot where one might expect to find
a lone fisherman. The view all around It is
picturesque and beautiful. and no steamboats,
or sailing vessels can possibly come near
enough 10 it to bother the fisherman. But
place for men in small boats. The combers
roll in 4, th 1,,to SG 9I.strassnI tai! s emo nfho to 0%o Be not
ly 1nnyprDuS. Although fishing there Ia nv
no means as good as 1t used to be before TIE
outer bank was washed away, occasionally very
good sport at. catching bass and large weak
fish can rtlll be had.
About forty years ago. at the point outside
Peteler's Dock. there was a house and a garden
where corn and fruit, used to be raised. The
stone foundation of that house is now a fish
old ffeli"Ws on staten island, and II may servs
for it certainly cannot be attributed to the
work of the sand men. Twenty odd years ago
lined by beautiful cedar trees and groves. Very
few Of chem now remain; The sea came in.
roots. and left no trace Of them. Two miles in
land, from that high bank which forms the
il anvthins above the level Of high water; con-
sequently nothing remains for the protection
U work FH' of r rem : @ 0T the 's sand n by Wholesale oSM, II c aas
tinues, that bank will in time be completely
DESTROYED. and then there VIII be a chance for
All the lowlands will be converted into clam
beds or pools where philosophers NAV bob for
cells. This would he a grent disappointment
high hopes Of turning those lands into city
YoHrff " "mder the Greater New York hi'ib bill. and
at city gawks who pull daisies, get chased by
bulls. stare at crows run from ganders' stand
with bricks. grab blue crabs between the eyes.
and then g9 home talking about lockjaw;
being placed on a level with such foolish peo-
pie. they are delighted at the thought th8t
they will no longer have to go to the city; they
But i is not alone the harbor of the Grea.
Kills that Is Sndanse erda by ~ the r emo q o.
threatened with destruction by. the formation
Of new bars and erratic sand banks; so that
the outlook seems gloomy for the oyster skip
pers, and Just now they are a little excited.
About three years ago a violent storm came in
Boys, " rolled into the Kills. q rove most of the
oyster sloops ashore. and did great damage
same place several times, and tho oystermen
are talking about the necessity Of protecting
fering with the business Of the sand men. bus
IL their own business Is in danger they must
The land or rather the sand where the cause
q the trouble lies bel"nts t." a WEALTHY non,res,
to load their schooner provided they would pay
his hired man SO much a load, Ho probably
viii claim the right to 90 what ne p!easeS Win
other hand. denying that their operations
work mischief, will contend that they should
An impression exists In some quarters that
the sand men are u hard let. and chat their
honesty il not above suspicion. Nothing could
he more erroneous. They are a harmless,
hare. working. and honest set OF fellows. The
work they have TO do is trying In the extreme.
II requires skin, energy. and pluck. In fact.
IL is inst such work as ~loafeTs and thieves
would naturally steer clear Of, Certainly,
when "A member OF tho latter fraternity comes
among the Sand butchers" looking for some
body to fight, he generally fnds some accom-
lpntntinn citizen, ana Wltn the mil IL over he
il aot 10 become "A saddcr and a wiser man than
he wa before IL cOmmcnCed, for nobody but =
pluCky follow can b" "A sand butcher"
Hut tho thing that Is noteworthy TO persons
NOT Interested in the business either Of OYSTER
men or of sand men is the fact that the ATTAIN
Tic Ocean Is advancing slowly In this directoin.