The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-04-14

Captain Clarence D. Maffitt, agent for
the Inflated schooner John H. Buttrick
which was wrecked three weeks
on Fryingpan shoals, and Captain John
back to the city last night at a few
minutes to 10 o'clock from a trip to
the scene of the wreck.
They left here Thursday afternoon in
Captain Mafitt's yacht, Hart Saver"
and laid over that night at Southport.
On Friday they sailed outside and
both say no vessel ever rode the ocean
more beautifully than the little craft.
They sailed all over the shoals where
the wreck occurred but it was no where
to be seen. Captain Miller says the
hulk and balance of her cargo of 1um-
Der were doubtless swept off the shoals
by the very high tides and are adrift
! on the high sea. The derelict will prove
dangerous to vessels if she gets in the
course of navigation.
Captains Maffitt and Miller. went to
the wreck to ascertain what part of the
| vessel or her cargo could be saved. At
a public auction in the city last Tues
day the salvage from the wreck, con
sisting of a sail and water tank, were
sold. The wreck was also sold and
both were bought b. Mr.. Sam Bear
at $3.50, the wreck and lumber having
been knocked down to Mr.. Bea at $40.
On the way back to the city yester-
day Captains Maffitt and Miller stopped
| at the Rocks and went over to Federal
Point beach to see if any wreckage had
gone ashore from the wrecked vessel.
They saw not a spar or piece of timber.
and think what wreckage has come
ashore has gone on Bald Head or gone
to the southwark. While at the Rocks
they spent some time in looking over
the ruins of Fort Fisher They found
that the new inlet which cut through
from the ocean into the Rocks bay
about a year and a half ago was about
fifty feet wide and has about eight feet
| depth of water on the bar. The fnrush-
ing water has filled in the southern part
Of the Rocks bay with sand and has
/ cut out a large part of the beach p
preaching towards Fort Fisher to>the
~northward. The sea has leveled the
high mound on which stood the day
mark by which thirty-odd years ago
| vessels sailed over the bar at New In
let into Wilmington. The old day-mark
| was Jul still sticking in the cement
which went down with the mound. At
the mound the sea had uncovered the
brick foundations of two houses thai
stood there, and Captains Miller and
Mafitt found there a shovel and a spade
which the ~Confederates doubtless used
lin building Fort Fisher. Parts of the
handles are in them but they have
been under "a and water so long they
are almost as soft as velvet. They also
found two capped conica1 shells and
brought them home as relics. They
found one 500 pound shell which they
could not bulge. The spades and
shells are at Captain Maffitt's place of
business on the wharf and he will glad
ly show them to callers.
Captains Maffitt and Miller went over
the ruins of Fort Fisher and found
| them overgrown and desolate. They
jumped numbers Of foxes, rabbits and
wild hogs, and were ~astonished at the
large number of humming birds all over
the ruins. Honeysuckle, yellow iessa-
mine and other wild flowers are grow
ing on the ruins in the widest profu-
sion.
Captain Miller, who is thoroughly
familiar with that part of the Cape
Fear, says that between the high mound
Of the fort and the river frost and ice
are never known. He says he has seer
h~oneysuckle in bloom on Christmas
day and on the first of January saw
| a snake summing himself on a slope. He
thinks it would be an ideal place for
luck farms.