The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-04-27
NEW RIVER, ONSLOW COUNTY
NORTH CAROLINA.
,ondence of The Progressive Farmer.


New River, in Onelow county, N. O.,
is one among the most valuable rivers
in the State, and l doubt whether it's
equal can be found in the United States.
l 90 not know how it came to be
named New River, or who first dis
covered it. This river rises In OnsloW
and enters into the Atlantic ocean
from Onsiow. The sea coast is followed
out a little where it enters the sea, like
a horse shoe, and on some maps is
called Onsio@ Bay. The bar shifts and
sands up and is not good, and just in
side the river the action OF the sea
water from without, beating against
the river water from within for ages
has formed what is called the
rocks at the mouth of the river.
These rocks, or shoals are nothing but
oy sters and syster shells and mud.
These obstruction have hung like an
incubus on the prosperity OF the county
for generations. The State has given
| $50 900 and the United States several
4 J14OOSA44N 80 W ACAAOVO N4CCO ON
structions, yet the irgress and egress
for vessels is difficult. There is good
deep water inside as high up as Tar
Landing, which is four miles above
Jacksonville. The tide water GIBBS and
flows about that high and the distance
Is about 25 or 80 miles from the sea
shore. The river is located about the
center Of the county and divides the
county into two parts. 1t is from 8 TO
5 miles wide and is salt high up.
Fine farms and houses are to be seen
on the banks Of this river. About two
miles below Jacksonville the main
trunk of the river heads at Col. Mont
ford place, and you can see from that
point straight down the river at least
ten miles to theGen. Ware place, Ragged
Point, Town Point, the Summons place
and Stones Bay. The Town Point iB
now the property of Hon. Thomas A.
McIntire, and is called she GleBo Stock
Farm. He has greatly improved that
place, and all who visit New River
ought to call and see that lovely spot
Where the main trunk Of New River
ends, which resembles g lake or an arm
of the sea, shooting up in OnslOw, it
throws eff two branches, one called the
Southwest and the other the North
east, and the main river vary ing q lit
tie to the northwest becomes quite a
row and runs on past Jacksonville,
Tar Landing and passes Ricnlands ana
ends in a low, fat pocosin neal the
Jones county line. Snad and behring's
come up this branch near Rich
lands. ROckfsh and jacks are
caught about Tar Landing, as well as
h~errrlngs, shad and other fish. Sheep
head, muIlet, trouta and oysters abound
In this river. Tne o. sters and trout
world, and from Stones Bay down the
river Is sandy bottom, and the salt
water, suited for oysters, invite oyster
culture, which is now being fairly In
troduced, by oyster gardens, staked
IF and surveyed and deeds obtained
covering the bottom OF the river as
land owned elsewhere. This industry
10 now In it's infancy, but every effort
in this direction Is proof that vast guam
titles Of oysters are destined 10 be
raised IN the waters OF New River.
Near Mr.. Wiley Marines and George
WInberrles ia the celebrated Court
house Bay Oyster Gardens. Col. e.
w. FonvlIIe oWDs a part Of the bay
and l don't suppose ar n of land in
that bay could be bought for less than
$3.50 per acre. On LIE other side Of
the river, Mr.. Urlah Canady owDs a
bay equal 20 or superior to any Oy ster
garden 1 n the world The water covers
land In New River suited to Oy sterp
and fish Of different kinds and Is miro
valuable to the county and State and
brings more ready cash there than If
it vas superior cotton and corn land
and we'll cultivated. The cash sup
Piled by the river by the sale o. fish
and oyRUers viii always lead cotton or
Corn. Go to Trays Creek, on the
S~Wans0Oro' side OF New River, and
look, II you please, as this INDUSTRY,
for this is in the midst of the o, sUer
section, and so is 5need's Ferry. Be-
hold the piles of oyster shells at the
different landings on Traps Creek, as
the creek wlnde about them, the n.arah
touching the shore now on this side.
then on that, these shells are IN pies
as large as q Sd all house, and are as
white a. nov and look like great
banks of white sand. These shells
have been here for aops. All hsd