Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1939-10-02
Ocean Being
Pushed Back
Along Banks
Daily Dispatch Sureau,
In the SIR Walter Hotel

Raleigh, Oct. 2.-Old klng Canute,
Dane who conquered England back
in medieval days, couldn't keep back
the ocean, legend tells us; but around
these parts those who know what has
been done, and particularly the De-
partment of Conservation and De-
velopment officials, regard 29year-
old A. c. Stratton as more than a.
moderate success in the sea-stopping
role at which the Viking monarch
failed SO dismally.
Stratton doesn't look much like a
figure out of an important chapter
OF Natures book, but Tar Heels as
cd Banks ought to regard him as
general of long thin yellow line
which is keeping their geography in
tact, keeping a wild surf from roll
ing over their farms and cities, and
saving their network of inland water
ways and their substantial fishing in
duStry.
Biologists believe that if the long
finger-like Outer Banks were to be
pounded to pieces, the banks would
completely disappear and the At
lantic, now held at bay, would in
wade the low mainland for many
miles.
Less than 100 years ago the Banks
still partially covered by remnants
of the heavy forests which covered
them when Sir Walter Raleigh's COL
onists arrived in 1887.
But demand for timber brought
destruction to the great forests; al
lowing stock to roam at large, result
ed in roofing up Of grass and shrubs.
The constant winds from the ocean
blew sand from the beach and away
from around the roots of trees in the
denuded ground. Destruction Of the
Banks doomed as inevitable.
North Carolinians became alarmed
before Stratton was born. Erosion
studies were conducted, but nobody
seemed to be able to do anything
about the situation. One year the
State spent months opening New In
let and just as the work was finished,
a southwest storm blew up and filled
it up in one short night
In 1885 the Federal government
began an ambitious attempt to checA
sand erosion. Fifteen hundred men
were moved to the Banks, camps es-
tablished and the tremendous Job I'M
dertallen.
StrattOn was picked to head the
job, though he knew no more about
it than any one else. He was chosen
for his demonstrated administrative
ability and his engineering expert
ence in other lines
He tried this and he tried that I'M
til finally he hit upon what appears
to have been the happiest sort of
discovery. Ordinary brush, made in
TO PANELS 80 inches high and eight
feet long have no known equals. at
stopping shifting sand These panels
are made into fences above the high
water mark, standing like flimsy
wall against the ocean winds. Att
some places, the fence is reinforced
with criss-cross panels behind The
theory is that the enormous quantity
of sand deposited on the beach will
dry quickly, then the wind will sweep
it southwark. For generations it has
been blowing into the sound Now
the fences collect the drops of sand
and start miniature dunes which
eventually build up into barrier
dunes several feet high.
Today young Stratton can drive you
down the Banks from the Virginia
line to Ocracoke and show you 600
miles of brush fence A great part
Of it is completed, and all of it is per-
forming duty magnificiently For two
winters the thin yellow line has held
against the worst weather the At
lantic afforded, and the first chap
ter in a miracle is unfolding.
After the barrier dune, and sup
porting cross-dune, have built up
sufficiently, STATIONS crews are
planting touch beach grass to an
Choir them down. The grass is taking
hold, the roots are spreading under
surface
In few places, the second chap
ter Of the miracle is being written
Thousands Of tiny tree seedlings have
been planted. Many have died, but
others have taken root, and in time,
it is confidently expected, they will
grow into a forest such as was on
the Banks when men cut the giant
trees for ship masts.