Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-09-16

Of tho ship canal by the United States
government has begun and the work
was commenced at two points under
parties directed by United States en-
gineers and well fitted out with neces-
sary steam craft and apparatus.
The government is making this sur
vey for a ship canal so as to provide
an inside route for vessels drawing as
much as sixteen feet of water. While
1t Will provide. when the canal is COM
pleted. an inside route from Norfolk
to Beaufort that will avoid the terrors
of Hatteras, the graveyard of the seas,
much more extensive course is pro-
posed, namely. from Beaufort south
through Bogue sound and so on
through the small sounds until a point
below Wilmington Is reached. A deep
canal-wi there be required across the
strip of land to the Cape Fear river.
The same system can then be contin-
ued to the South Carolina line and on
ward.
The survey in the North Carolina
sounds is in charge of Assistant Engl-
neer S. +. Burbank. who is stationed
at New Bern, and Assistant Engineer
humphreys, of Wilmington. Engineer
Humphreys will have his headquarter
at Roanoke Island. and will use the
steamer Mary Lily, with Captain Dave
Roberts In command. His part of the
survey work is Automatic Croatan and
part of Pamlico sound Captain Bur
bank will survey the course in Pam
leo sound and Core sound TO Beau
fort. lie will use the steamer General
Thomb. under command OF w. =. Sly
ron.
The surveys when completed will
show the exact amount OF work re-
quircd TO establish the 1G-foot depth
and estimates OF the cost. The points
t.Nl, IL z1erf,x
be required can be now indicated. as
these waters are very well known by
navigators OF this section.
The first big work is the deepening
of the Dismal Swamp canal. This is IA
miles long and has n depth of feet,
and just twice this depth will be neces-
sary. Then there are several points
In Albcmnrle sound that, will require
dredging. Croatan sound Is the narrow
body OF water running by Roanoke
Island, that connects the two big
sounds. and It Is ten miles long. All
this sound from Roanoke Island light
and long stretch in Pamlico sound,
to Long Shoal light. Is miles In all,
will require deepening. In Pamlico
sound. at Bluff Shoal. opposite Ocra-
coke Inlet, there Will be one mile OF
dredging. Much of the Pamlico SOUND
has Il depth OF 20 feet or over as the
regular course of vessels viii be fol-
lowed. Core sound runs the rest of the
way to Beaufort. and from Harbor
Island bar, in Core sound, much deep
ening of the channel will be needed
and number of sharp bends will re-
qure to be Strengthened. and in some
places points OF the marsh can be cut
through to advantage.
1t Will be seen that the project Is one
of considerable magnitude. It's chief
feature is spoken of as furnishing an
inland route for small craft and for
use by the government for transporting
material in time of war All mariners
dread Hatteras. especially in the win
ter season. and the proposed ship canal
will be n boon 70 them. An important
feature to this State, however, Is the
influence the canal Will have on the
towns of New Bern. Washington. Eliz-
abeth City and others. This must be
very considerable, and such n water
route Will make transportation very
cheap and will have an important
bearing on railroad rates. a very
little deepening of the Neuse river will
furnish access to the required depth to
New Bern and the same is tIIis-ef the
other places. Several smaller towns
have great expectations that they ex-
pect to see realized upon the completion
Of the ship canal.
PETITIONS IN BANKRUPTCY.
A voluntary petition in bankruptcy
has been filed by w. L. Jones. q dry
goods merchant here. His liabilities
are 1000. and his assets about $4,000.
Another bankruptcy petition filed to-
day was by d. D. Blue. of Aberdeen
His liabilities are only 1918.
WHY HE DIDN'T RETURN.
To-day o. J. Carroll. the owner OF
the Carrollton Hotel. received letter
from Mr.. C. IT. BENEFIT. dated Norfolk
in which the latter said relative to his
not returning here: Your letter and
telegram received. Sorr-, to say, but
impossible for me to come. I am thor
oughly convinced that have done the
best thing for you, myself and the good
people OF Raleigh. Hope things will
turn out better than you think"
RAILROAD TAX CASES.
The railroad tax case now being
heard at Greensboro before Standing
Master Judge Shepherd is tedious
affair. 1t is almost the same story with
every witness. Nine out OF every ten
witnesses at least give in substance the
same answer to the question. What
is the taxable value of property in your
county, compared to it's actual cash or
selling valued" The answer comes,
about two-thirds to three-fourths."
a little further questioning usually de-
velops the fact that the assessors have
previously entered into an agreement
to try to arrive at uniform valuation
for taxation OF thirds to three
fOurths the cash value. In some in
stances mistakes are made, of course,
and 1t is shown that occasionally
tract of land sells for double the
amount which it Is assessed for taxa
ton. nearly always for a third or
fourth more: but in few instances it
sells for less. In most. If not ell. the
latter cases the land is sold at public
cutlery, and in some instances there is
some question as TO the title.
BUSY AS BEES.
Farmers are just now busy as bees
saving their cotton crop. The equinox
is near at hand and the cotton fields