The Jersey City news., 1903-06-02
DOWN The SHORE
Life At the Resorts Where
Followers Of Isaak Wal
ton Go.
GASOLINE BOATS IN USE
Forked River and All Around
Barnegat Bay-The Fish
ing.

-~t'>A " shS AseNorA cuhusy Slu.
We have not had rain enough since the
middle of April TO encourage the trees
to come out in full leaf. There is al
ways boundless supply of water in the
river, however. The coffee colored water
comes from inexhaustible springs in the
cedar swamps of the interior and looks
like good old fashion lanyard liquor, but
it is perfectly sweet and always cool.
Big pickerel and water lilies thrive in
it. The single branch which flows
through the millpond back of the old
Lafayette House in the village makes
a rapid stream twenty feet wide and a
foot deep where it passes under the high
way bridge and meets the tidewater of
the bay. Right there is quaint and
most attractive lounging place. The
brown stream ripples over its grass
grown gravel bottom, between luxuriant
banks, clad with ferns and moss, under
the old white bridges and pursues its way
to the bay with dense cedar swamp
on the south side, cushioned vines and
other moisture-loving plants. On the
north side of the branch is lawn, TER
minating at the bank, upon which several
lighthouses are perched. Shallow draught
boats are moored on each bank. On the
west of the road is a grove of ancient
willows some of which are nearly FIVE
feet in diameter at the butt. Opposite
the willow grove and across the stream
is an old blacksmith shop, short dis
tance back from the road The bridge is
less than a mile from the landing place
Of the Barnegat bay boats and it is a
wonder that somebody has not taken the
initiative in getting government action for
the deepening and Strengthening of the
stream so that the bay boats could come
right up into the heart of the village.
The necessary expenditure would be
small in comparison to appropriations
which have passed for the improvement
of less prominent streams. Perhaps the
increased use of motor boats will bring
about some movement for the improve
ment of this branch of Forked River.
There are three branches and this one
is alone of importance above the forks.
There are only two places below River
side Landing which could be improved to
advantage and this would require merely
the cutting off the ragged points of mead
CIV banks consisting of turf only.
Motor boats are rapidly increasing at
Forked River and it will be only short
time before nearly all of the yachts will
be sailing with the gasoline breeze. Sew
eral of the catboats are now equipped
with "kickers" and numbers Of ordinary
bank skiffs, used in net fishing, claiming,
oystering and outside hand-line fishing
are now equipped with the little motors
and screws and with gasoline tanks in
the bows. They keep the air on the bay
throbbing with their rapid explosions.
There are scores of conventional motor
launches also, but the height of eficien-
cy will be reached when the hundreds
Of sailing yachts, or party boats" are
made independent Of the setting poles,
which must be resorted to in calms. En-
gines will enable boat owners to run out
side of the inlet without fear of calms
or adverse tides. At present the inlet
is something of terror to the owner of
the catboat in view of the wind falling
while an adverse tide prevails.
The inlet is something Of wonder to
the oldest inhabitant. 1t Is the only en-
trance to Barnegat bay, which covers
seventy-two square miles. Twice on each
tide two thousand millions Of cubic feet
Of water must rush through this mile
wide passage. The whole drainage area
of the Hudson river does not send to sea
one-third as much water in year as
passes through Barnegat inlet in the same
time. More water goes out of inlet than
comes in. because the bay receives the
fresh water of large area of low land
and swanmps having fall Of six or
seven feet to the mile and surnishing
half a dozen lively rivers in the mouth of
which the tide rises only to the extent
Of twelve or fifteen vertical inches. Toms
river is the chief Of these streams, and
has a drainage area Of 1874 mile a'bova
the village bridge. 1t falls six and one
half feet per mile in ten miles Of its
length.
Tome River Is an ideal town, but it is
long way from the inlet and from the
fishing grounds It makes tedious trip