The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-14
UNCLE SANS WHARF AT TYBEE
VESSELS DRAWING TWENTY FEET
CAN LAND THERE.

But Only Such Vessels as Bear Car
goes For Government Use VIII BE
Allowed The Privilege of the
Wharf-Big Guns to BE Taken
From Vessels Direct to the New
FOrtiflcatlOns-COnt Are
Pushing the Work on the Tybee
Fort with VigOr-MateriaI Arrfv-
ing Rapidly and the Foundations
Going Up.
The government wharf at Tybee has
been completed, and is now ready to ac-
commodate such vessels as the engineer
department may order to land there with
material for the construction of the new
fortifications on the northern end of the
island.
This wharf is to be the landing place of
vessels which are loaded with cargoes
originally consigned to the engineer corps
of the United States Army or the con-
tractors who have in hand the work that
is in progress on the island for the gov
eminent
When it was decided by the engineer
ing department to place the new fortif-
cations at the place that was selected, it
was found necessary to have a landing
built in the neighborhood for the conven-
fence of such vessels, otherwise it would
have been necessary to have lightered the
cargoes to the place where the work is
progressing. This would have caused
great delay and no end of trouble, and as
it is probable that the wharf, or landing,
will be needed for a long time to come it
was deemed wise to construct substan-
tial pier.
Under the direction of Capt. Carter the
new wharf was constructed and has re-
Gently been completed. 1t extends more
than a thousand feet from shore toward
the Tybee roads, and brings the railroad
spur built from the main line of the Ty-
bee railroad in touch with vessels draw
ing fifteen feet in low water and twenty
one feet in high water, which may safe
ly land at the new wharf
The first vessel to use the new wharf
was the Norrskenet, Capt. Bylund, 1874
tons, Hamburg. This bark discharged
her cargo of cement and came on to Sa-
vannah. The cement was for the use of
the contractors who are building the new
Notifications on the northern send of the
island. With the new wharf and the spur
from the railroad leading close beside the
site of the new fort, it was easy to get
the material speedily discharged and land
ed on the spot where it is to be used.
The principal need of the wharf, how
ever, is in the unloading of the heavy
guns which are to be placed in the fort
there. As is well known this fort is to
be fitted and furnished in the most mod
ern style, and will have some immense
guns behind the walls of granite and sand
after the specifications by which the work
is laid out To handle these guns it
was necessary to have a landing near the
fort, so that the giant engines of modern
warfare might be taken from the vessels
and put in place conveniently.
The new wharf is only to be used for
such purposes as the engineer corps of
the war department may deem wise. 1t
is not intended for the Use of the cruis-
ers or battle ships, or gunhoats of the
navy department, but will be absolutely
under the direction of the engineer corps,
and will be used, perhaps, for no other
purpose than the landing of material nee
esssary for the building and equipment
of the new fortihcations.
The work on the fort is progressing
rapidly. The foundations are in shape
and the work of constructing the walls
| and Easements for the disappearing guns
will be taken up without delay. Mr.
| Walter Crosby, of the firm of Venable
Brothers & Co., who have the contract
for the work. is in charge, and has been
pushing affairs along with rush within
the last few weeks. The Venables have
lately been engaged by the United States
government to put in the foundation work
for the new Notifications at Key West
| and Mr.. Samuel Nenable is there in
| charge of that contract.
The Georgia granite has been received
with favor lately by the war department
in the construction of these and similar
| Notifications, and Stone mountain, which
is the property of the Venables, will yield
| the rock for much of the governments
| fortHfications and breastworks henceforth