The Wilmington morning star., 1940-09-15

year approximately four million
dollars worth Of gasoline and kero-
sene went up the river to Fayette-
vile. And oil companies are con-
sidering the addition of other boats.
The Army Engineers receive in
quiries even from oil companies in
Texas who have heard of the op.
portunity and wish to share in the
profits of a fast growing business.
Tugs begin the journey from the
Wilmington port. Gasoline and ker-
osene stored in huge terminals are
pumped into barges. One tug usual
ly carried three barges, two along
side and one abreast. The load car
ried by each barge amounts to
about 125, 900 gallons of gasoline.
These tugs with their barges pull
out of the Wilmington harbor and
pass upstream by the large ocean
terminals to enter the mouth of
the upper Cape Fear. AS soon as
the upper Cape Fear is entered,
the tug blows for the highway
bridge just above the mouth.
Fertilizer Factories
Automobile traffic is held up on
both sides of the bridge while the
tow slowly makes its way through.
Passengers in the waiting automo-
biles usually crane their necks to
see what the funny-looking tow is
taking upstream. The tow then
passes the fertilizer factories a
few miles above the bridge where
large shipments of fertilizer
amounting to over $500, 900 annual
ly are imported from Chile, Nor
way and Germany.
Then the tug settles down to a
long steady pull for Lock l about
30 miles away. There is little to
see in this stretch of the river. The
banks r low, and marshlands
and rice fields stretch on b h
sides IS far as the eye can see.
Few houses dot the river bank be-
cause of the generally low country.
A few startled cranes or herons
lift lazily out of the water near the
marshy banks to alight a few hun
dred yards ahead only to be dis
turbed again as the tug catches
up with them. Occasionally a wild
turkey or a deer may be seen on
the banks. These are not so easily
startled for the tug moves slowly
and without much noise.
Engineers mark each mile in the
river in order chat a boat may
know its exact location day or
night. The signs are numbered con-
secutively, the number represent
ing the number of miles above the
mouth.
Lock and dam l is the first struc-
ture encountered after leaving the
fertilizer factories. Round the bend
below Lock / the tug blows for the
lockmasters. Shortly two of them,
equipped with kapok safety jackets
are seen on the wall opening the
lock gates for the tow. This lock,
as well as the other two, is opera
ted by the Army Engineers.
One At A Time
Carefully the tow enters the lock
chamber, M barge at a time. AS
each enters the lower gates are
closed, and the upper gate valves
are opened to flood the chamber
and raise the barge nine feet to
the level of the upper pool or river
level. When this occurs the upper
lock gates are opened and the
barge is lowed out Of the lock
chamber. When all three barges
have been locked through, the tug
gathers her brood and proceeds on
her way to Lock 2, 80 miles far
Their upstream.
Between Locks / and 2 the banks
become higher and are heavily
wooded. In the spring the scenery
is beautiful although not varied. A
few cattle Craze along the banks.
The buildings are Still scarce al
though much rich farm land lines
the river a S h o r t distance
away. The Army Engineers found
a peculiar, almost white pure clay,
about 80 feet below the river sur
face when they were making bor-
ings for foundation investigations
at Lock l. A sort of natural soap
is also found at spots along the
stream.
Darkness finds the tug still plow-
ing away. ALI through the night it
continues its slow voyage and
reaches the oil docks at Fayette-
vile after a trip of 48 hours. Here
the oil is pumped through pipe
lines to other storage tanks. Then
it is carried away in trucks to all
parts of North and South Carolina.
Fayetteville is enjoying in a
small way what the oil sections in
the southwest enjoy-a flow of liq-
uid gold. 1t is a huge business with
many oil companies participating.
And thus the Cape Fear moves
along-a path for the earliest set
tiers. a transport for liquid gold,
and a direct connection for any
purpose from. the coast through
North Carolina. II,