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the shoals still required dredging. Bache recommended using a steam dredging
machine similar to the one previously used by the state. According to his estimates, a
channel 12 feet deep at average high water and 500 feet wide through the shoals
below Wilmington would require 2V* years to dredge. Congress found the figures
submitted with his survey report reasonable and on March 2, 1829, appropriated
$20,000 for the improvement of the Cape Fear River below Wilmington ( Fayetteville
Carolina Observer, March 1, 1827; Wilmington Star, July 20, 1907; Hartzer 1984:13,
16).
Federal Improvements, 1829 - 1853
The improvements for the Cape Fear River below Wilmington came under Federal
supervision in 1829. At that time the river had three bar entrances with minimum depths
of about 9 feet at Baldhead channel, 9 feet at the Rip channel, and 10 feet at New Inlet.
Several shoals still existed from the mouth of the river up to Wilmington that averaged
only a 7.5 foot depth at low water. The government continued trying to improve the
navigation of the river but initially met with no better success than the state.
Supervision of the improvements on the Cape Fear went to Capt. George Blaney,
Corps of Engineers. Captain Blaney began to build additional jetties in January 1830.
By August four jetties had been completed and a fifth neared completion when a gale
struck. The storm destroyed a series of jetties built south of Federal Point and drove
the state's dredging boat on loan to the Corps into the marsh. The Corps hauled the
dredge boat from the marsh and returned it to work on the river until November. The
following year the Corps put a new larger dredge boat into service (Wilmington Weekly
Star, October 23, 1874, August 12, 1887; Wilmington Star. February 13, 1886;
Wilmington Star-News, November 18, 1984; Hartzer 1984:16).
The wooden jetties constructed by Blaney were in constant need of repair, and
requests for proposals for repair work were continually issued. One request indicated
the need for "3,000 piles varying in length from twenty to forty feet. The piles to be of
pine timber, and squared on two opposite sides, so that the distance from face to face
shall be twelve inches" ( Peoples Press and Wilmington Advertiser, June 24, 1835;
Wilmington Advertiser, July 27, 1838). In 1834 the Corps placed stone on either side of
the jetties in hopes that it would prevent deterioration from the currents. After the death
of Major Blaney in 1835, Lt. Alexander J. Swift, the son of Brig. Gen. Joseph Gardner
Swift, replaced him the following year. For the next several years Lieutenant Swift
carried on the federal improvements, completing six jetties by 1839. When Captain
Bache made his report in 1827, he stated that vessels drawing only 9 feet or less could
reach Wilmington. By 1839 the depth had increased to 11 feet, still short of the desired
depth of 14 feet. The depth at the mouth of the river continued to steadily decrease
because of sediment accumulation. Between 1839 and 1841, the Corps of Engineers
transferred all the river and harbor work in North Carolina to the newly formed Corps of
Topographical Engineers under the supervision of Capt. John McClellan. Few
improvements were made to the Cape Fear River under the Topographical Engineers
during that period. The engineers did no additional work on improving the navigation of
298
Object Description
Description
| Title | Page 350 |
| Full Text | the shoals still required dredging. Bache recommended using a steam dredging machine similar to the one previously used by the state. According to his estimates, a channel 12 feet deep at average high water and 500 feet wide through the shoals below Wilmington would require 2V* years to dredge. Congress found the figures submitted with his survey report reasonable and on March 2, 1829, appropriated $20,000 for the improvement of the Cape Fear River below Wilmington ( Fayetteville Carolina Observer, March 1, 1827; Wilmington Star, July 20, 1907; Hartzer 1984:13, 16). Federal Improvements, 1829 - 1853 The improvements for the Cape Fear River below Wilmington came under Federal supervision in 1829. At that time the river had three bar entrances with minimum depths of about 9 feet at Baldhead channel, 9 feet at the Rip channel, and 10 feet at New Inlet. Several shoals still existed from the mouth of the river up to Wilmington that averaged only a 7.5 foot depth at low water. The government continued trying to improve the navigation of the river but initially met with no better success than the state. Supervision of the improvements on the Cape Fear went to Capt. George Blaney, Corps of Engineers. Captain Blaney began to build additional jetties in January 1830. By August four jetties had been completed and a fifth neared completion when a gale struck. The storm destroyed a series of jetties built south of Federal Point and drove the state's dredging boat on loan to the Corps into the marsh. The Corps hauled the dredge boat from the marsh and returned it to work on the river until November. The following year the Corps put a new larger dredge boat into service (Wilmington Weekly Star, October 23, 1874, August 12, 1887; Wilmington Star. February 13, 1886; Wilmington Star-News, November 18, 1984; Hartzer 1984:16). The wooden jetties constructed by Blaney were in constant need of repair, and requests for proposals for repair work were continually issued. One request indicated the need for "3,000 piles varying in length from twenty to forty feet. The piles to be of pine timber, and squared on two opposite sides, so that the distance from face to face shall be twelve inches" ( Peoples Press and Wilmington Advertiser, June 24, 1835; Wilmington Advertiser, July 27, 1838). In 1834 the Corps placed stone on either side of the jetties in hopes that it would prevent deterioration from the currents. After the death of Major Blaney in 1835, Lt. Alexander J. Swift, the son of Brig. Gen. Joseph Gardner Swift, replaced him the following year. For the next several years Lieutenant Swift carried on the federal improvements, completing six jetties by 1839. When Captain Bache made his report in 1827, he stated that vessels drawing only 9 feet or less could reach Wilmington. By 1839 the depth had increased to 11 feet, still short of the desired depth of 14 feet. The depth at the mouth of the river continued to steadily decrease because of sediment accumulation. Between 1839 and 1841, the Corps of Engineers transferred all the river and harbor work in North Carolina to the newly formed Corps of Topographical Engineers under the supervision of Capt. John McClellan. Few improvements were made to the Cape Fear River under the Topographical Engineers during that period. The engineers did no additional work on improving the navigation of 298 |
