Cover Photograph “View of Wilmington, North Carolina” from Gleason’s Pictorial Drawing- Room Companion, furnished by the New Hanover County Museum, Wilmington, North Carolina. Saltus/Angley i Cultural Resource Survey of a Portion of the Northeast Cape Fear River and Report on the Test Excavation to Evaluate the Steamship “Spray” Prepared for: Atlantic Salvesen Prepared by: Allen R. Saltus, Jr. Archaeological Research and Survey Route 3, Box 88 Prairieville, Louisiana 70769 With Historical Overview by: Wilson Angley NC Department of Cultural Resources Raleigh, North Carolina 27699 November, 1982 Saltus/Angley ii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................... v LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................... vii Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................viii Forward ..............................................................................................................................a Introduction....................................................................................................................... 1 Location of the Study Area .............................................................................................. 3 PHASE I – Historical Overview and Magnetic Survey .................................................5 An Historic Overview .............................................................................................6 Magnetic Survey....................................................................................................20 PHASE II – Magnetic Feature Investigation ................................................................28 Magnetic Feature Investigation .............................................................................29 Summary of Magnetic Investigation .....................................................................36 Site Testing and Results ........................................................................................38 PHASE III – Evaluation of Site No. 0009NERlo ..........................................................39 Site location and description .................................................................................40 Site Testing Procedure ..........................................................................................41 The Vessel .............................................................................................................43 Keel and False Keel...................................................................................44 Keel Cap ...................................................................................................45 Keel Cap Clamps ......................................................................................46 Iron Strapping ...........................................................................................46 Floors ........................................................................................................46 Keelson ......................................................................................................48 Strakes .......................................................................................................49 Machinery Timbers ...................................................................................49 Fuel Bunker ...............................................................................................49 Planking ....................................................................................................50 Futtock Frame and Outrigger Knee Composition ....................................50 Stem and Stern Posts .................................................................................51 Vessel Related Artifacts ............................................................................52 Engine Area ..........................................................................................................56 Engine Area Artifacts ................................................................................60 Stern Area (Cabin) ................................................................................................71 Stern Area Artifacts ...................................................................................72 Bow Area ..............................................................................................................83 Bow Area Artifacts ....................................................................................83 History of the Steamship Spray ............................................................................89 Site Evaluation and Recommendations ................................................................93 Architecture ...............................................................................................94 Archaeology ..............................................................................................94 History .......................................................................................................94 Museum Quality ........................................................................................95 Appendix A – Enrollment Documents...........................................................................96 Appendix B – Newspaper Advertisements ...................................................................98 Appendix C – Persons involved with the Spray ..........................................................100 Saltus/Angley iii Bibliography ..................................................................................................................101 Published Primary Sources .................................................................................101 Secondary Sources ..............................................................................................103 Collections ..........................................................................................................107 Saltus/Angley iv LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: General map of the Cape Fear River drainage system, southeast North Carolina ............................................................................................................................................. 3 Figure 2: Proposed construction area................................................................................. 4 Figure 3: Portion of the Merritt map from an 1891 survey.............................................. 14 Figure 4: Portion of the 1909 Corps of Engineers drawing............................................. 17 Figure 5: Tracklines in the study area.............................................................................. 21 Figure 6: Magnetic contour map of study area ................................................................ 23 Figure 7: Bathymetric map with historical remains. Depth data from Henry Von Oesen and Associates' hydrographic survey, March 25, 1981 .................................................... 30 Figure 8: Magnetic feature “B” stratigraphic reconstruction........................................... 33 Figure 9: Magnetic feature "C" stratigraphic reconstruction........................................... 33 Figure 10: Magnetic feature "D" stratigraphic reconstruction......................................... 34 Figure 11: Magnetic feature "T" stratigraphic reconstruction ......................................... 35 Figure 12: Magnetic feature "W" stratigraphic reconstruction........................................ 36 Figure 13: Bathymetric map of site area.......................................................................... 40 Figure 14: Artifact distribution ........................................................................................ 42 Figure 15: Plan of hull bottom......................................................................................... 43 Figure 16: Stern reconstruction........................................................................................ 44 Figure 17: Bow section details......................................................................................... 45 Figure 18: Bunker area vertical profile............................................................................ 48 Figure 19: Vessel cross sectional details ......................................................................... 48 Figure 20: Artifact #273, gunwale section with futtock frame........................................ 51 Figure 21: Artifact #278, Block and hook with rudder tiller band ................................. 54 Figure 22: Artifact #300, nut and bolt ............................................................................. 55 Figure 23: Artifact #270, bolt and rove ........................................................................... 55 Figure 24: Artifact #359, boat nail ...................................................................................56 Figure 25: Artifact #302, cut nail..................................................................................... 56 Figure 26: Engine area details.......................................................................................... 56 Figure 27: Engine area reconstruction ............................................................................. 57 Figure 28: Steam engine scale 1:10 inches.....................................................................