The sun., 1897-03-21

land to the south. The force of the river cleared
out the channels on each side of Island Beach.
In 1880 an ialet broke through tho Hook about
opposite tho southern end of Island Beach, and
q bar of sand $50 feet wide soon connected the
Hook with the Highlands by way Of the island
and closed the channels to the bay. In 1895 the
residents cut o ditch through this bar and
gradually reopened the passage to tho bay, and
the inlet closed ITSELF but in a short time 1t re-
opened. and another and much larger and
deeper inlet broke through some distance to tho
south. The smaller inlet probably soon closed,
for there is no further account of 1t; but the
large ono was in use for navigation on the
Shrewsbury River for q traffic that assumed
great proportions. Tho inlet gradually moved
northward and grew less In width and depth
until those interested in navigation proposed
TO close the inlet forcibly and make the full
force Of tho water complete the reopening of the
channels to tho bay. There was great opposition
to this, but during great storm in 1s4S the
ship North America was driven right up into
and across the inlet. which led to the forming of
Sandbars and settled the dispute.
Since then there has been no permanent inlet,
but In the last twenty years there has been an
mination on tie part Of The u railroad % dc company i
and land owners to prevent It As might be OK
Dected It has been an unequal struggle. for ths
pnM the Sea Shore Railroad, that in 1885 was
laid In about the centre of tho isthmus between
Be- on tho beach ltssi 'f but for "ISO the snor. NOR
mously expansive bulkheads that tho COM
tsS hss built to m bod Mass
Of the northern end Of seabrieht has been car
fisd away Nearly every year during some ex; I;
the waters Of the ocean and the river, but NO
serious break occurred until Sept. II. 1890. At
boats were stili landing at tie Horse Shoe dock
During the night the sea began to break over tho
safe, and the train that was to take the eIprees
matter and passengers from the early boat at
s Gsa
covered with sand; In running back to the dock
SrSsfng and eIS the ns crew absndoaed nj the ensns
an inlet over 1000 feet wide. After some weeks
the spot was defended BY huge wall Of heavy
stone. That was the exact spot at which the
are now to be seen under the water.
In the summer Of 1892 the railroad company
aaae hasaaS hs aSt So r Il n IsE
point Of divergence and extended It to tho fort
map Ths m aS so az al
lands of the Highland Beach Improvement Com
GUIDED IN tho e 'S 1eserVston tSS loesiity Of the
inlet Of 1890; To protect the track the engineers
OF the War Department carried 1t over the weak
nh -
Their idea was 10 save the track by allowing the
surf TO pass under the trestle. rather than by
barring the surf out by an expensive bulkhead.
This trestle served Its purpose well until tho
Forming OF the New Inlet, In tho middle of Octo-
Dor last. After a severe northeaster 1t was re-
ported that the sea was washing across tho
beach into the Shrewsbury River ct tho south
eTn END Of the reservation. Several succeeding
storms deepenod and widened the inlet and
caused bars TO form. Tho sand cut from tho
beach was carried into the East Channel, and 1t
formed high, dry bar that headed straight for
ne Highlands. During November the East
Snsnnel .ds narrowed rapidly, and by the
snS, emo OF & the month vessels had to make
the bar that the course was. impossible for
Ealing vessels and difficult for steamboats,.
harly In December the Sea Bird broke her rud-
DER chains while making this turn while on her
Esy Esy 70 Red Bank, and tied up there rather than
Ilsk further damage In trying to run to the dato
advertised for the close OF the season. BY the
middle OF December the inlet had so widoned
tnat IL was necessary for the Government TO
oulld several hundred feet OF temporary trostlo
70 carry guns that had been tested at the prov
Ihg grounds. Bids were taken for tho extension
OF the tTestie 800 feet to the north but whom the
successful bidder appeared on the scene with
:neh ana material he paid forfeit OF 81 900
"t1 hnahdoned the contract. With this money,
Hndea TO that IN hand, the contractors who had
tt6nt Gnt me original structure undertook TO build
rcd l they had completed about half OF the
M9Fk, having begun at the beach on the north
SIDE OF the inlet and built out into the water 10
meet the old portion. A storm on Feb 2 cut the
peach away 70 the north again and another On
eAe oln Lett the work In about a. bad condition