The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-02-28
COMMUNICATIONS.


Commerce OF the Uio Crande.
The importance of a port of entry somewhere in the
vicinity OF the mouth OF this great has been pointed
out by the Secretary OF the Treasury and commented
upon by the press AT the last session bill was intro
duced Congress providing for such port but union
tunately laid over from of time The bill has late
~ been passed in the Senate and now IN The hands oil
The Committee Commerce OF the House. where IL has
received few slight amendments, and will come up IN
a lew days for final action.
The necessity for the adoption Of this bill is press
ing, and The remaining of the session Short that
we trust no unnecessary delays will be imposed
The bill locates the port OF entry at Point Isabel AMI
provides Tor system OF drawbacks upon goods exported
The port Of entry at Point Isabel The point s the
location nearest the mouth OF the Rio Grande, where
government warehouses, buildings. &c, be
sruced with safety, and where a sufficient depth of wafer
be had al all safe entrance harbor, &c
Point Isabel on The man land, about ten miles distant
from the rver IN straight ine approached through
Brazos entrance and bay, where there depth the
bar OF about 10 feet waer-neary once and half the
depth at the mouth of the river Vessels draw ing Fix
feet may approach the very wharvss OF Point Isabel.
whilst those OF larger tonnage discharge their at
Brezos to undergo short and safe ghterage Of three
miles 10 that place. The expense of this lishterags
hardly exceeds ten or fifteen cents the barrel
The depth Of water at the mouth of the river is feet
very dilcut OF approach during the prevalence oil the
nonhers, and the banks for some distance subectto
overflow at particular Tho vicinity of Bur,ta
IS the nearest point OF safety where government buildings
can be constructed and this is about distant from the
mouth OF the river Point Isabel all things considered
Brazos island is entirely insecure there il the most
abundant and irresistible evidence to show. The Mex-
considered il in this light the reports of their
commissioners evnce Melancholy proofs have already
been furnished of this factt
From Point Isabel there are excellent roads leading to
brownsville, town which has grown up the American
side OF the Rio Cande opposite Matamoras and exhibits
road is miles, capable of being greatly short
ened. In fact regard nothing practicable than
The construction OF railway connecting these points.
eighteen twenty miles in straight line, which can be
effected through level country with very moderate cost,
and would prove highly remunerative when the re-
sources OF the country all brought into play, and the
extended Mexican commerce which it promises opened.
q The trade Of tie RIO Grande.-It is believed that
the route which offered in this direction to Santa Fe is
less expensive than be otherwise furnished,
and that merchandise from the United States be
transported at greatly reduced freight, The Importance
ready amounting to several millions OF dollars.n
The same route Of the river offers inducements to emf
grants to New Mexico and California unsurpassed by
other and has already been taken advantage of by
large numbersT
i In regard the trade with the Mexican provinces on
the Rio Grande, state that it is considerably on
the increases and that by the way of Point Isabel and
Brownsville, Maamoras and the Mexican market will be
supplied at all times with the greatest facility increased by
the advantages Of warehoasing, drawbacks &C. The IN
hah'ants having acquired some taste for American pro-
ducts find advantages Brownsville and Freeport.
The trade through this channel be- eventually, very
Notnng is now needed but tn. speedy establishment of
the port of entry above mentioned demanded urgenty
r by the wants of the whole region.
The writer speaks from acquaintance with the country
and study of its advantages, and ortfes himself still fur
RIO GRANDE.
Elm consequences the absence of port entry. vessels
intended for the Rio Gande with vaua be feghts have
been Obliged to seek Mexican ports and thus carry Oh
been Several instances given lately. par
culary that of the ship Elizabeth, from Liverpool and
brig Maria, from St. Thomas
meeting of the of Point Isabel declares that
anror to the late it through the bay of Bazos
rec, inpo,ta,ions from Europe were made as also great
part from the United States, for Manmoras landing
Point Isabel and being transported to Matamoras
land" During tho war they were landed the beach.
buildings being prohibited Since the peace, 'swohivds
at the same place" This is confirmed by the American
s Il @ no 1o
Point Isabel - and that drawbacks goods exported
dangers Of two bar. required in transportation from Baaos
by of the and the delays caused by the northers
from Point Isabel Is always easy, for whatever quantity Of
ind ss ., The bs English a aona says M Is well
Of shallowness and quickssnds. will only allow crafts Of
sells entered at Brazos and shipped cargoes overland from
Point Isabel The channel from the Brazos entrance, be-
ing of clay bottom. capable of being opened slight
expense and the work, when effected, will be per-
manent
IA meeting citizens Point Isabel held in Decem-
Der last adopted preamble and resolutions which have
been printed and are before From them that
'al attempts by the Mexican government establish Gus
tom-house buildings Brazos Or mouth Of the
river successively defeated by the floods by
last terrible nnndaon 1914. making such life
and properly fixed their 'ony coast cusomioss section
at Point Isabel and abandoned permanently the ofher
The meeting at Point Isabel is fortified by the official
port oil Lieut. webster, oil the geographical engineers
WHO 8" have strong feeling Of the insecurity
OF Bazos Point lsabel not open to the objection,
being sufficiently elevated danger from
these foundations" The Spanish consul, resident twenty
ut Maamoras intervals
Of four which have destroyed the various settlements
At Bra and the Louis Benandie through
Colonel Davenport, Of army, eff 20 back
the destruction and suftIings caused
by which will he found quite sufficient TO hinder any gov
eminent settling places exposed The French consul
adds at has always been considered imprudent by
people OF the country establish any build ngs
margin of the the places above mentioned (Bazos,
and near the mouth, high as Burita, miles in
straight line The Mexican government in 1874 withdrew
it's sections the hills of Bua and Point Isabel"
The American consul alter consulting ghest
OF information, confirms the above.
1.-The Santa Fs trade is estimated specie and rhan-
dlses both and half millions dollars
ally Ii has enriched ST. Louis and t~dependemcs
This trade supplies the northern provinces of Mexico
the merchants from there and the United meeting
at Santa Fe common depot American goods must be
roads, and after leaving Santa Fe carrie the
manner hvc and eight hundred miles in the interior
We have seen the cost OF transportation from ST. Louis
Santa re estimated as high 40 per The Brocxs
rhH rag templates change in this trade. 1t
argues that city will up the Rio Grande, per-
haps AT ITS Junction with the Puerco, commanding tho
valleys OF these streams Santa Fe pey trade Of the
Rocky mountains! The northern provinces OF Mexico
would all be embraced-he distant OF them, sup
piled through Santa Fe, being Within five hundred mica
rom a navigabe point OF the Rio Grande. BY such
route the OF be reduced third
or onsJowrfh OF what il is to make Of tho
greater expedition. Regular ply from Browne
on the Rio Grande, far Camago and whom busi-
offers high Loredo.