This 17-5 map explain* «hr «home to
open old
Код
no
к
I* Inlet, «hewn here, but
closed st «he lime of «wyn'n report. The
map, shoulne very little water In cither
Croatan or Roanoke lotindn (on each side of
Roanoke Island), hear» out (Swyn's theory
lhat these pUM|M once were closed, lie
suggested closing both with huge dams, thus
diverting the current of Albemarle Sound
against the banks.
grand gamble
gwyn’s
About the year 1825, the State of North Carolina engaged the services of
Hamilton Pulton, described as a distinguished engineer from England, to
ascertain the "importance, the practicability, and the expense of reopening
the inlet at or near Nags Head.”
His report was favorable to such a scheme, and thus commenced a quarter
century of agitation to accomplish the most ambitious and fascinating project
in the state's history to that time.
Other engineers studied the matter and they all agreed with Mr. Fulton.
Finally, in 1840. Mayor Walter Gwyn, was employed to bring the information
up to date. He did so in a report to the state's Board of Internal Improvements.
Then in 1850, the Legislature petitioned the Congress to undertake the work,
on the grounds that it was a matter of national and not state concern. It might
be added that the cost (about $1,000,000) seemed quite beyond the capacity of
this poor state's resources.
Very few people perhaps realize that a start actually was made on the
project — a novel one envisioning the closing up of both Roanoke and Croatan
sounds by dams.
Congress appropriated $50,000. and in 1856 a dredge was at work. However,
in 1858, according to a footnote in Edmund Ruffin's book, the sand filled up
the canal about as fast as it was dug. and at that time, there was danger that
the dredge itself would be trapped in the middle of the sand bank.
No information about the project after that date (1858) has come to our
attention. Other and tragic matters engaged North Carolina — and all the
states— for the next several years.
Nevertheless, Major Gwyn’s arguments arc logical and interesting. The
scheme was so bold, the remedy so novel, that we believe those interested in
North Carolina lore would like to read Gwyn's report.
Wc arc publishing extracts from it in installments, the first of which appears
below.
GWYN’S REPORT
The bell of land which now stretches
across the mouth of Albemarle Sound,
and separates it from the sea, was
formerly broken by several inlets. The
two best known, and which were long
used for purposes of navigation, were
the Roanoke and Currituck Inlets,
through which the waters of the sound
were discharged into the ocean. Roa¬
noke Inlet was situated just south of
a sand hill called Nag’s 1 lead, between
Collinton and Roanoke Islands.
Deriving my information from the
best authenticated history, and from
living testimony, I feel fully justified
in stating, that there was, prior to the
opening of the channel through the
marshes between Roanoke Island and
the main, a depth of 10 feet of water in
this inlet, which gradually shoaled, and
finally filled up, about 30 years ago.
Let us enquire into the causes which
have led to its closing up, and into
the means of re-opening it.
It is well known, that the constant
tendency of every harbour is to silt
or fill up, more or less, according to
situation; and as the quantity of fresh
water, and the impurity of the land
and sea waters, differ in one place
from another. The sea is incessantly
bringing in sand and other substances;
the streams, soil and mud; and unless
the current of the land waters is mainly
confined to one channel, and is equal
in velocity, volume and quantity, to
the influx waters from the sea, they
arc invariably conveyed through
marshes into the ocean, and the
mouths of some of the longest rivers in
the world are in this way shut up —
at least for all purposes of commerce.
Such has been the effect here: the
waters of the Albemarle being divided
among the several inlets, and the dis¬
charge through the marshes con¬
stantly increasing, the refluent tide
became weaker and weaker, until its
efforts, thus enfeebled, rendered it
incapable of returning to the sea the
sands brought in by the waves. Meet¬
ing with more and more resistance
every day. (the bars of the inlets
THE STATE.
О сто вся
20. 1956
