The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1898-09-01
A DELIGHTFUL SOJoURN.
At Carolina Beach-The Government
Observation Tower.

Observation Tower.
For The Sentinel.
The summer has had many warm
days, but warm day in eastern North
Carolina is something different from
a warm day in our section. Hence as
we found ourselves on the tug boat of
the Q. f. & Y. V. Ry., gliding across
the river toward the city of Whining
ton, the change was a pleasant one,
compared with the heat and dust of
the train. But still more delightful
was the ride down the Cape Fear
river on Captain Harper's elegant
steamer Wilmington" to Carolina
Beach. An hour or more is occupied
in this delightful trip, and when the
II or Is miles have been travelled we |
find the little train waiting to take |
US over the three miles of sand to he |
shore of the old ocean. This is Ca ro-
lima Beach, one of the finest and most
perfect stretches of sea beach on the
A tlantic coast.
A little village about mile in length
stretches along the slightly curying
shore, and in the center OF this village
| not SO feet from the rolling surf
| stands the hotel. This year the hotel
was under the care of Winston Salem
| people entirely. Capt. jenkins is in
charge, and all about you are seen
| familiar faces. If you go to the bath
| house for suit to take a plunge in
old ocean. Mr.. Ed. Stockton, sun
burned till he is as brown as a chest
nut, will serve you. When you go
into the dining room for your clam
chowder, fried fish and deviled crab,
those who are in and out the room
attending to your wants are people
from the Twin-City. Your room is
nicely cared for by a Salemite, and we
found the stalwart colOred man who
| presided in the kitchen claimed our
towns as his home. Hence it was
really e Twin City colony into which
we came on that hot Saturday after
noon, and we had to ask ourselves
from time to time whether it was a
dream or a reality; for we knew that
WinstonSalem was abroad in that
place but we also knew that Winston
Salem was not located on old ocean.
We thoroughly enjoyed the hour be-
fore sunset, seated n the long veranda
listening to the ceasless roar OF the
waves. watching passing sail In the
} distance, and having the brow famed
J by the cool salt breeze The secret OF
| the restlessnesS OF the seashore to a
, busy man or a weary woman seems To
, be in the fact that one can lean back
, in comfortable rocker and feel that
the ocean Is doing all the work that
need be done, we can afford to sit
quietly by without being called upon
to help. For if ever there was an
t illustration of perpetual motion it is
to be found at the sea shore. There
is noise enough; for the roar OF the
q waves never cease, and although 1t is
, pleasant, restful noise, still it is al
most sufficient to drown conversation
There is result enough: for now the
waves rise high, now they break in
2 | spray as they chase each other along,
3 now they spread themselves over the
l smooth beach in foam lined, smooth
2 and gentle stretches OF water. Ii
) addition to this the salt smell has a
. restful charm about it which invites
: sleep, forces an appetite, and whisper:
ease and rest in general.
Among the other attractions which
r we found at the beach this year wa
q government observation tower
i When supper had been enjoyed to tn;
I extent Of the law we strolled down the
q beach half a mile or more till W.
4 | reached the station. A small house
: had been built to shelter the detach
l ment Of marines detailed to do duty
J. at this point. Around the house wer'
Il the usual signs of warning "keel
8 away" but as a very polite company o
sailor boys were seated In front Of thu
a house we approached and found then
\ quite willing to enter into converse
: tion and to give information to tn,
up-cOuntry visitor.
= The observation tower consists OF
|. framework about 40 feet high, and OIL
t this is fixed large pole some so fee
hirr1 hi n lTnC m =
:. ture nearly 100 feet. A cross ba
q enables the crew to raise and lowe
q lanterns, flags or other signal appa
. ratus. One of the crew is on duty al
= the time, day and night
= The object of this station was T.
carefully watch and report to the gov
g eminent all vessels passing up or dow
7 the coast, and we may add that whe
q Cervera's fleet was still in the dark
ia they kept special lookout for Spanis
. war vessels. The sailor boys wer
a provided with powerful glasses, an
= day and night this ceaselesS watcl
. was continued.
e One of the chief objects OF tn
Is station was to enable our naval vessel
o to communicate with Washington
+. without going into seaport. I
vessel wishing orders rom Washing
= ton could stand five miles or more on
- at sea, signal it's wishes to the Caro-
" lima Beach station; the marines had
y telegraph Instrument in their house
6, and with this the message was tlashe
% to Washington, the reply received an
l. | signalled back to the war vessel in
u few moments.
"a Around the station were huge irO
% frames, six or eight feet high some i
the shape of cylinder, some cones
Il They were covered with wire gauZe
and when there was not wind enOug
y to stretch the signal flags these hug
n cylinders and cones were raised to tn
al cross bar. high upon the flag pole, an
@ by raising and lowering them tn
q messages given.
n We might considerably enlarge thl
- sketch, but what is given above viii
y suffice to Indicate how interesting wa
IL the hour spent talking with tn
"a sailor boys We walked back wit
r Mr.. Ed Stockton, who had kindly il
], PRODUCED US to the boys, and Wer
IA soon again on the hotel veranda.
h A delightful quiet Sabbath da
followed; how we drank in the view
;. the air, the entire list of interestin
IL things about US, which nature had S
81 lavishly provided.
n But Monday found us again in tn
y midst of the sand and sunshine c
lie Eastern Carolina, with the cool ocea
d air exchanged for the dust and cinder
N of the railway train: and the Interest
ing dreams of the seashore war sta
= ton were replaced by the shirk of tn
e steam whistle, as we sped along to
n ward our North Carolina destination