New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-08-21
For The Tribune
SKETCHES OF rkXAs.No
Riveru Of Texas-Fncilities for Interior Vom.
meree-Prospective improvements Of Riv
ers and Harbors.

| Rivers Of Texas-FaciIities for Interior Vou.
| interchangeable Impr eveme Mt. OF Ri,-
| ers and Harbors.
10 Is well known 70 any one a all acqasint,d
with the geography Of this country that i. Is well
wstered by rivers and small streams but Il has
been, perhaps, supposed that the only or chief al
ysntases derived from them was the rich suvis
supplied BY their frequent overaows and the great
fertility Of the bottom snds but thus 10 greatly un-
| dersting the resources OF Texas. The four prin.
| cips rivers of Texas VIZ; the Trinity. Braros.
Colorado. and Rio Grsnds. arc susceptible Of
being used for steamboat navigation tar into the
interior OF the country aud the inferior streams
as the Sabine Jscintc. Nueces. aud Antonio rivers.
may, during part OF the season. for short dis
| tances, be available for transportation To somc
extent.
| The Trinity River has been sscended by steam.
boats distance Of 900 miles. and during the last
Winter and Spring regular trips were made Tor
| the carrying OF freight ss high as S~au~out,
which 10 upward OF 800 miles, aud all the cotton
that W." ready for delivery on or near the river
| was brought down to Galveston.
In the month OF January last two steamboats,
were placed on the Brsxos River aud made resu-
| ar trips from the mouth OF the river to Washing
| ton. distance OF $50 miles by the course OF tho
-ver and from that time till the latter part Of May
| the stage OF water was sufficient. Some deisn-
non took place in the early part OF the sessoa from
sufficient acquaintance with the channel. but
| rom the experiment which has now been made, u
u calculate by the parties Interested IA The On
| terprise that by the removal or cutting through
| three shoals If rock which Is soft aud easily r.
moved. the navigation Of the river BY these boats
will be insured during the entire year, perhaps,
with the exception OF the lowest stage OF water IN
| midsummer, when It would be OF very little con
sequence in any event, AZ there would DO 10 freight
at that season. Having less acquaintance with tho
| other rivers would not undertake u speak so pos
| lively OF the which msy be made OF them un.
I'll similar experiments shall have been made, but
Judging by comparison of the quantity OF water aud
| the great extent OF country through which they
| low, II hardly admit OF doubt that they will bo
| navIgsted.
THIS summary of the commercial resources OF
| Texas would be incomplete without particular
/ mention OF Galveston Bay, which extends about
| forty miles inland aud by Its tributaries Buffalo
Bayou. The Jacinto and Trinity River Is connect
ed by water communication with great extent
| Of country equal la fertility, especially that upon
| the Trinity River. to any in Texas Buffalo Bayou
navgsble at all seasons OF the year TO Houston.
| distance from the City OF Galveston of about 30
| niles, for vessels drawing SIX feet Of water.
| bAlFehlOn bay must necessarily Dr the ult1lum
| Of the foreign commerce OF Texas, there being 40
other access by tho sea board that can be compar
ed with Il, but at what precise point on the bay
the great port town nhich must al some fntDrc
tune gr0u sp will lie, 10 not altogether settled Tho
City of Galveston has already acquired some note,
but lt is by certain that 10 possessed Of
ali the advantages that may be found elsewhere.
aud the foreign trade shall increase and conner
cia facilities be demanded q more searching and
thorough survey will OF course be made, and 10
cation fixed upon which shall combine the greatest
advantages OF convenient access from the sea and
Of every communication with the interior Of the
country. 10 the latter respect Galveston 10 do
fcient as It 10 nsulsr and has no direct inland com
munIcstioD except by water, the consequences 81
which has been that tho inland trade has been
intercep pied at Houston which should have belong
ed 10 the sea. port town and there will always be-
his embarrassment, that the boats which Will
navigate tho rivers will not be 90 constroctsd as
20 20 down the Bay safely at all times To Calves
ton. la fact from the mouth OF tho Trinity River
Or at east from New W sshinston ~ Gsiveston.a
good sea boat 10 required equal u those which arc
employ ed between Galveston aud New Orleans
IL 10 obvious there for that II point could be liked
upon a. far up AZ New w ashngton or about there.
Tor the transhipment OF the freight from the
interior, and II thence II could be transported o.
rect 20 q foreign port, Il would take the plsee 81
Galveston Ia commercial importance. From sof'
yeys OF the Bay and H1bor 1t appears that the
bar outside Of Galveston has depth on water OF
about ~ feet and that tbere 10 passage up tho
Bay 10 tho cas-, side Of Jscnt Bay. little sbove
New Washington at de pth not less than 10 or ~
feet, except upon Red Fish Bar, distance OF 20
miles from Galveston, which has bat ? feet OF va
ter and another bar Just below New w sshington
of feet water: bat both Of thess are u soft cal
carsoas formation and can BE- easily cut through at
a moderate expense, admitting vessels ct slltm
0. any drsazft which can cross the bar outside of
Galveston These survey were made many years
since /, may be that upon nov and more accora,e
soandings being made, greater depth 81 other
points along the Bay may be foand. and should this
turn oat 10 be the fact and should Il be found prsct
cable 70 make the location the west side ~ tho
Bay above Red Fish Bar It would be the most
eligible point, a. there will be facility OF com
m1ncation thence 10 the Colorado River ~ nigh Al
Austin.
take into view some prospective improve
mens beside the navigation Of the rivers. Afsll-
road or canal from the bay 70 the Brsxos. would
open q commit nica alton with al tho country wa
tered by that river as high a. steamboats, ascend
them 20 the Colorado, which 10 not great distance,
would accomplish the same thing IN respect ~
that river. And this mode OF transportation would
be preferable 70 the present course, waich maSes
q transhipmsn. necessary At tho nooth oi the
river upon q small steamboat Of light rat, 70 Gal
weston. and then another ranshiPment At CAVES
ton tor the foreign port
These statistics deserve attention In this city,
where there 10 no. only q commercial interest in
,he Growth OF Texn bot where there 10 also 90
large q propristorshio Of lands In that country
which are 70 be directly benefited. 5AsDovAL.
Which 10 about the same - 90 the Der q, the mouth
Of the Mlssssippi River.
l. 49,