Last season Osborn’s wharf, at the foot of Main street, which had for some time been much out of repair, was rebuilt in a very substantial manner. This summer the wharf belonging to Messrs. Daniel Fisher & Co., and directly below their extensive Oil and Candle Factory, has been entirely re-built in a superior style. The piles upon which the wharf stands are pine, the bark perfectly whole and secured by copper nails, which will keep the worms from the wood for a great length of time.*

 

The timbers on which the rest of the top of the piles are beveled a little on each edge, so that the water may run off easily, and are covered with a thick coat of pitch, which will undoubtedly preserve the wood from decaying; the top is of yellow or southern pine planks, 3 inches thick. They are also covered with tar, which was put on boiling hot. The surface of the planks are now very hard, and we have no doubt in saying this is the best built wharf in our place.

 

The North wharf is also undergoing extensive repairs. The sides, from the water’s edge down to the lower part of the storehouse, and across under the lower part of the building, are built up with solid stone work; these parts of the wharf will not soon need repairs again. There are some repairs about being put upon the Commercial or South wharf. “Mayhew’s” wharf was re-built some two or three years ago, and is now in good order. After the repairs are all finished, there will be 5 as good wharves in this place as can be produced in any town of its size in the Commonwealth.

 

We earnestly hope that business will so increase that the owners will meet with sufficient dividends to pay them for the money thus invested, and enable them to keep them in repair for many a year to come.

 

*It is said that as long as the bark can be kept on, the worms will not affect the wood; if that is the case we do not see why these piles may not last for ever and a day.