The Wilmington morning star., 1946-06-29
Gillette On The Cape Fear

Gillette On Inc Cdpe FcdI
Colonel George W. Gillette's address
on the Cape Fear river before the VIII
mington Lions Club, which was pub
lished in full in yesterdays Star, de-
serves more than casual reading. 1t
ought to be studied and the facts be-
come as familiar to Wilmingtonians as
the street they live on.
When this is done they will know
better how to work for the rivers de-
velopment as a great commerce stream
and for essential flood control through
the lack of which so much damage to
lands, crops, livestock and other invalu-
able assets of the state results.
Colonel Gillette notes, for example
that the river is 425 miles long, that
its drainage basin, or watershed, is g.
900 square miles, that 5000, 600 acre
feet of water pour down it's course to
the sea yearly-enough in normal years
to "cover New Hanover and Brunswick
counties combined to a depth of ten
feet" Furthermore, half a million peo-
pie live along it's banks and it's tribu-
%taries.
1t is most of these residents who suf-
fer most from the annual overflows,
not only through the loss of their crops
and stock, but because, in receding,
the floods leave pools of dead water
where mosquitoes breed unmolested
and menace health by spreading mala-
ria far and wide.
The speaker held out a definite hope
that something may be done to halt
the floods, noting that Congress has re-
Gently instructed the Chief of Engineers
to review a previous engineering study
and report on the feasibility of the
government providing protection
against repeated foundations.
This is one of the major projects
endorsed and sponsored by Representa-
tive Bayard Clark who may be relied
upon to use the full power of his in
%fluence to have Congress make the
necessary appropriations for the job.
Colonel Gillette further dwelt upon
the successive dredging operations in
the river to meet the needs of shipping,
citing in particular the project to start
about August l to deepen the channel
to 81 feet and hearings to be held here
in the near future to consider the need
for a 35-foot channel so that deeper
draft oil tankers may use Wilmington
as a terminal.
He placed considerable emphasis up
on the fact that the Engineer Corps
will have to be convinced this addition
al channel depth is an actual need and
will justify the expenditures it will
involve. Oil companies and shipping
companies must be prepared to state
what draft ships they desire to operate
in the Port of Wilmington, as we'll as
additional steamship lines which con-
template making this city a port of call
New industries contemplating establish.
ment of plants in the area should also
be represented at the hearings.
In addition to absorbing the rich
fund of information in his Lions club
talk, it is worth while to remember
that Colonel Gillette, a native of Ons-
low county and graduate of State Col.
, lege, is not only widely reputed for his
) engineering skill and knowledge but
knows this part of the state as no other
engineer could hope to know it, and ha:
a loyalty to Wilmington, it's resources
, and possibilities, as we'll as ali of hi
q district and Of the Cape Fear river
, despite it's periodical turbulence, tina