Wardens’ Office, June 2d, 1788.
To His Excellency Benjamin Franklin, Esq., President of the
Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Report of the Committee of Wardens, 1788.
The Committee of Wardens who were appointed to inspect into the
State, and examine the Situation of all such matters as are under
the care and superintendency of the Board, down the Bay and River
Delaware, and at the Capes.
Report, That they have minutely examined the Light-House at Cape
Henlopen, as well as every Thing that is any way connected with
it. The Land in the Environs of this Building, they observe to be
so changeable from the strong currents of Wind, that within these
few Years, where there have been deep Ponds, there are now moles
considerably high; and on the contrary, where there were Hills of
sand there are now Vales and Hollows; every precaution should
therefore be taken to secure the Foundation from the growing
Effects of this Evil. Barriers of Logs and Fences of Rails and
Bramble have already had their Effect, and ought to be attended
to.
Under-wood and Weeds of every kind, or indeed, any thing that
can be brought to vegetate, will doubtless have a tendency to
prevent the sand from blowing away. The Gravel which is now around
the Foundation evidently strengthens, and no doubt in a great
measure secures it stability, it may, therefore, at some future
Period be necessary to encrease this Bank, which can easily be
done by taking a quantity of it from the Margin of the sea, which
can easily be done by taking a quantity of it from the Margin of
the sea, which is at no great distance from the Light-House. They
remark too, that on the sea shore there does not seem to be any
Encroachments made by the perpetual dashing of the Surf.
The Light-House, but particularly where the Lanthorn is placed,
and the upper part of the Structure, sustains much Injury from the
frequent Rains in stormy weather, which unavoidably beat in thro’
the small apertures of the ventilators, this inconveniency might
in some measure be obviated by guarding them with Hoods or Caps of
sheet copper,—these should be about six Inches Broad and of the
same Length, placed so as to drop or slant to an angle of thirty
Degrees.
From the bleak and exposed situation of the Light-House it is
unavoidably assaulted by repeated and severe storms, and
notwithstanding the Thickness of the Walls, the beating of the
Rain, especially in the North-East Gales, has so affected them by
the penetration of the Moisture, that in many places the Mortar,
on the inside, has begun to crumble & a good deal of it to fall
off:—Perhaps there isno more effectual method of securing the
building from such mutilation, than by giving it a coat of
Rough-casting on the outside; this, however, would necessarily
require a considerable Expenditure of Money, and consequently the
command of proportionate Funds.
There are eight Iron Stantions in the Corners of the Walls, (the
form of the Light-House being an Octagon,) these are built in with
them, and are designed to support the Lanthorn, as they extend
from the fifth to sixth flight of Stairs, they are now, in many
places, become bare, and the better to protect them from the
corroding of Rust, it would be necessary to have them plastered
over with Mortar, or at least whitewashed.
The small House which was built for the accommodation of the
Commissioners, and is now used by Mr. Hargis, as a Workshop,
occupied by the keeper of the Light-House, is likewise out of
repair; but as the latter is more necessary than the other, it
would, of course, require more immediate attention. Before the
Roof was mended by the new shingles, which have lately been put on
it, the Inclemency of the weather to which it was exposed, had
destroyed a good deal of the plastering in the upper Story, about
the dormant Windows, this had not yet been repaired; the Lime,
however, and the Laths are already provided, so that there is
nothing now wanted but nails,—the necessary quantity of which Mr.
Hargis informs them, would be about Three Hundred. Of the coat of
Painting which was given to the Roof of this House, after the
shingling was repaired, there seems now but little to remain, but
as there is red Oker and Oyl, the principle things necessary to
renew it, already at the Light-House, the only material which is
now wanted, is Tar to mix with them, for they are informed that
Tar will not only absorb itself into the shingles, but accelerate
the absorption of the Oyl, and will make the coat on the Roof more
lasting.
The pavement around the dwelling House, they observe, has in
many places given way, this appears to have been occasioned by the
same Violence of the Wind, which they have already mentioned,
which, however, has been not a little increased by the particular
situation of an old smoak House, now mouldering in a State of
decay, having caused such whirling of the Winds as to blow away
the sand on which the Bricks are placed, they therefore directed
this Wooden Hoven, which was of no use, to be immediately taken
down, and the Pavement, where the Ravages of the Wind had
destroyed it, to be supported by Logs.
There were some Panes of Glass on the Eastern side of the
Lanthorn, which were cracked, and some others, on the same side,
changed, apparently by the scorching of the sun; the Glass becomes
of a whitish colour, tho’ varigated with small specks, this, of
course, suggested to them the necessity of replacing those Lights
with such as were more transparent, they at the same time directed
Mr. Hargis to shift them to the Land side, where clear Glass is
not so absolutely necessary.
The remaining necessaries and Stores which the Committee found
at the Light-House, consisted of about two Hundred Gallons of Oyl,
which was contained in two of the eight cisterns, one of which was
quite full, and the other about three-fourths.
There was also a quantity of thick Spermaccti Oyl, which being
of no use at the Light-House, they had it put into a cask and
taken on board of the sloop and carried to Philadelphia. The
Cotton Wick which is yet unused is about four Dozen of Balls; a
quantity sufficient for the consumption of nine months. Besides
the Lime, red Oker and Lathing, already mentioned, there is a keg
of white Lead nearly full, twenty-five Panes of Glass fitted to
the Lanthorn which are very good, and one Hundred more of a kind,
but ordinary in quallity. The House Lamp and Lanthorn, which were
wrote for by Mr. Hargis, they find are necessary, and ought to be
purchased and sent down.
The Brushes in use at the Light-House were so much worn as to
make those carried down necessary.
The Committee having made their observations on every Thing
which invited their attention on the Southern Cape, cannot well
omit doing Justice to Mr. Hargis, by reporting, that they found
every thing under his care and management in as good Order as
their nature and circumstances would allow.
They made some Enquiry concerning the Glass which Mr. Hargis had
some time ago purchased for the use of the Light-House, the Price
of which being so high that the Board were not altogether
satisfied of the propriety of paying his order for the Money, at
least, until some Investigation of it was made, and all they could
learn of the matter is, that Mr. Shield had Instructions from the
Wardens, to direct Mr. Hargis to buy the Glass, which was then
much wanted, on the lowest Termes he could make, but at all events
to purchase it, and Mr. Hargis informed them, that he could not
procure it at a less price than that which he agreed to give.
The Difficulty of conveying Oyl, &c. to Cape Henlopen, for the
use of the Light-House, is not a little increased by Lewistown
Creek having more and more for these several years past filled up,
and the Transportation of any Thing by that channel, of course,
becomes, in proportion to the change in the Depth of Water, less
practicable. The sloop was obliged to lay better than three
quarters of a mile off the mouth of the Creek, here the casks were
put into a skow and carried up to a landing place called the Stone
Wharf, which is about five miles up the Creek, and from this place
were carted two miles farther by a Road of deep heavy sand to the
Light-House; to complete this business it necessarily took up four
days, and a fifth was employed in starting some of it into the
Cisterns, and stowing away the Rest into the Vault. It was a
mortifying Disappointment, at the same time, to find that seven
casks of the Oyl, which was purchased from Hughes and Anthony, was
so thick as to be totally unfit re-conveyed on board the sloop in
order to have it brought back to Philadelphia, this unavoidably
detained them another Day. They also had a cask containing what
had settled at the Bottoms of some of the Cisterns brought on
bnoard of the sloop to be likewise taken to Phila’s.
The Land on Cape Henlopen appears to be perfectly sterile, and
no part of it that they saw capable of Tillage or any improvement
in Agriculture. The Timber is principally Pitch-Pine and Cedar,
but none even of these large,—the Underwood, Myrtle Shrubs and
Huckleberry Bushes.
From the Southern Cape they crossed the Bay to Cape May,—here
they viewed the Ground which has been purchased, with a Design to
erect thereon a Beacon or Land mark; this they contemplated as far
as it might add to the securities already established for the
safety of the navigation of the Bay and River, and, were they to
hazard any opinion on this subject, it should be opposed to the
adoption of a measure, which it would require a considerable sum
of money to complete, and in the End, by no means answer those
valuable purposes, which have been anticipated from it. Perhaps, a
Buoy, placed on the North-West Part of what is called Crow’s
Shoal, would be a better mark to govern vessels running into Cape
May Channel, than the proposed Beacon; for there are already on
the Cape better natural Land marks than any artificial ones that
could be set up.
The Buoy, which the Ice last Winter had forced from the Middle,
and had floated on shore about two miles above the Pitch of Cape
May, they now got on board of the Sloop.
From Cape May they run to the Brandywine, the Beacon-boat fixed
on this Shoal, they found placed in four Fathom Water, the Tide
being then about three quarters Ebb, running, North-East from it
they immediately shoaled into ten Feet Water, continuing in the
same course they soon deepened into three Fathoim, the Pitch of
Cape May, then bearing South-East, three quarters East, running
still in the same Direction until they were about three quarters
of a mile from the Beacon, they found a quarter less five, Cape
May, then bearing South-East half East, and the Beacon Boat at the
same Time, South-West, a quarter West. The Committee are here led
to remark, that, altho’ this Beacon is placed five Hundred yards
higher up than where it formerly lay, they are of opinion that
when it becomes necessary to place it again, three or four yards
still higher up, would be a spot more elligible, as the Beacon is
designed to point out the Northern End of the Shoal.
From the Brandywine they run to the Brown, which they went over
about the Distance of six Hundred yards to the North-West of the
Beacon placed on this shoal, in a quarter less Twain, Cape
Henlopen, then bearing South half East, and the high Tree at the
mouth of Lewistown Creek, which is a well known Land mark, at the
same Time, bearing South and by West.
From hence they run upon the Shears until they struck in five
and an half Feet Water, which appears to be the highest part of
the Shoal, the Tide then being about quarter Flood, and the
situation about four miles distant from the shore, the Light-House
then bearing South-East, three quarters South, and the high Tree
near the mouth of Lewistown Creek, at the same time, bearing South
and by West, three Degrees West.
With regard to the Cross Ledge, they have examined what remains
of the Pier on which the Beacon was formerly erected, and they
find, that it would be totally impracticable either to re-build
it, or to build another on the same place, owing to its having
been sunk in the Hull of an old Vessel, which in settling in the
sand had taken so deep a Keel, that when she broke up and left the
Pier, it lay in such a manner, that at Ebb Tide the Northern
Corner was two Feet above the water, and the Southern Corner four
feet below it; they find also, that the Shoal has extended itself,
at least, three hundred Fathoms farther to the South-South-East,
than it was when the Pier was sunk; and they are of opinion that
any Mark, which in future it may be thought necessary to place,
with a view to point out the lower End of the ledge, should be
fixed, at least, that Distance from the Ruins of the other.
The Result of every observation they have been able to make on
this situation, has led them to form this opinion, that a Diamond
Piere, sunk on its own Frame, well built and sufficiently secured
with plates of Iron to break off the Influence of the pressing
Ice, and at the same time proper attention paid to repairing it as
often as it becomes necessary might endure for many years, as the
Shoal is very regularly flat on the highest parts. At about half a
mile below the old Pier, when the tide is at its lowest Ebb, there
is about seven Feet Water across this Shoal.
From some appearances, as well as from Information, they were
induced to believe that Nantackset Bay or Cove, formed by what is
called Davis’s point, might in the Winter Season, afford a safe
Harbour to vessels of a middling Draught of Water, however, on
sounding it in various places, they find that those only, which
draw about six or seven Feet water could avail themselves of this
situation.
From this Place they run up to Reedy Island, and examined the
Piers which are buildt on the opposite Shore; the Diamond Pier
will, in some places, require an increase of Ballast, as in the
North-East Corner and in two or three places on the Land side,
some part of it is washed away, the others tho’ are still full.
They are all of them, affected in some Degree at each of the
Corners, by the Decay of the Wood which some time ago has begun to
rot: The second one from the Land is considerably sunk at the
South-West Corner: That one which is joined to the Land, is
considerably damaged; some part of it, but particularly on the
upper side, having been carried away, will require immediate
amendment.
They sounded the water round each of those Piers which are
detached from the Land, and find Depth sufficient for any Vessels
of the Burthen of those which are usually employed in our Trade.
They now proceeded to Marcus Hook and examined the Piers which
have lately been erected at that place; and they find that in many
places of each of them, the Ballast has been washed away,—to
repair this Damage, one Hundred Tons of Gravel Ballast would,
perhaps, be sufficient; and to prevent farther Depredation from
that cause, it would be necessary to have it put on as soon as
possible; in every other Respect these Piers appear to be in
perfect good Order.
They took a Survey of the Piers at Mud Island, the uppermost of
which they find in a total state of Decay, the lower one, however,
is yet in pretty good order. In sounding the Water between them,
they found it so shallow as leads them to conclude, that it would
not now be of any use to bestow upon them any Expense for Repairs;
unless indeed, it should be deemed necessary to extend them
farther into the channel by subjoining an additional Pier to each.
They are nevertheless of Opinion, should any farther Improvement
here, be proposed and deemed necessary, that a Diamond Pier, built
at a proper Distance between what are called the Boom Piers and
the point of Hogg Island, would be a better security for Vessels
from the Ice, and be much more likely to endure a considerable
Length of time, without filling up, as there would be a sufficient
passage of water between them and the shore.
They likewise examined the Boom Piers which lately were
partially repaired, and they find that they yet want filling up
with Ballast, and that the East Corner of the outside one, is
still too low, by, at least, the Height of one Log.
The Buoy on the Middle as well as that on the flat Ground they
examined on their passage down the Bay, and found them both placed
in the situation which Capt’n Shield reported immediately after he
laid them down.
They cannot conclude these Observations without remarking, that
a general survey of the Delaware Bay, accurately made, would be a
Work of much Utility and Advantage, and contribute in no inferior
Degree to insure the safety of the navigation and promote the
Commerce of the Port of Philadelphia.