The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-01-21

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| giop, two great thoroughfares nov pass, and thu
traveller and emigrant cen reach "Paso de
| Norte" with as mucn ease and safety as three
years since he could have performed the trip from
| Red River to San Antonio. Judging the futur,
from the past, three years more will not eapse be
fore half dozen steamers VIII 6e required for the
transportation Of the merchandise and emigran,s
seeking the tar west by way OF Lavaca Bay, anc
| the great avenues traversing the northwestern
section of the State, and passing into Chihuahua
Santa Fe, and California.
We come now to the point deemed by the com.
miitee OF most importance. "That for all purposes
Of the coastiDg trade by seagoing steamers, the
depth OF water up Lavaca Bay to the town Of La
vaca is fully sufficient"
In establishing all physical facts, no proofs are
so satisfactory and conclusive as practical expert
ment, and In the case in point, your committee
are most fortunate In having an abundance of EVIL
dence of that character. In 1916, from July to De-
cember, and till May lS47, number of steamers
employed by the Quartermaster's Department,
came up to Lavaca, many Of them bringing fnll
freghts; Of those arriving and departing, most fire.
qnently the names of the following recollected,
VIZ the James L.; Day, Fashion, Hetzell, and Te-
legraph. Some of these were boats of light draft,
bat all were seagoing vessels, and as such en-
ployed for transports TO the Rio Grande Tamplco
and Vera Cruz, and TO the best OF the recollection
ofsuch OF the committee as were then here, the
boats named above seldom or never grounded, al
though at the time, there was no competent or re-
Again, The Samuel W. Williams, employed
DIS llgnteI III the pay, maze daily Trips 10 the
larger draft vessels lying below Indian Point Bar,
bringing up heavy cargoes, and without even the
slightest difficulty from want of water, notwith-
standing the prevalence during the winter of '46
consequently very low tides This fact will be dis
tincty recollected by all persone observant of such
things, and who were employed during the period
referred to on the northern shore of the Gulf
This same 5. M. Williams went Immediately from
Lavaca bay to the trade between Galveston and
the BraZos river, carrying heavy and valuable
caTgoes of cotton and sugar. Of course, she was
rated as good sea-golng vessel, or insurance on
her cargoes could not have been effected.
We come now to the experiment made by
Messrs Morgan IL Harris. The Yacht was first
put IN the trade, and came ap to our wharves
without difficulty, not untrequently bringing up as
much as she could get, beth in and upon her, and
not grounding on GalIinlpper Bar, the only OBJ
stacle In the way OF coming uPto Lavaca, more
than two or three times, during her regular con-
tlnuance in the trade, a period, we believe, Of
sufficient depth of water, but of pilot acquainted
with the channel. The Yacht is a sea-golng
steamer, and by judges, considered safe, SUBJ
stantial vessel; but being built more tor speed than
capacity Of eurIhen, she did not, according to
Messrs Harris u Morgan, suit the trade, and the
people OF Lavaca were deprived of the facilities
and advantages of the regular arrival and depar-
tuIe OF an ocean steamer at their wharves.
The committee deem that the facts above set
forth are sufficient 10 convince even the most
sceptical, that sea-going steamers can arrive and
depart from Lavaca with regularity and certainty,
and of sufficient capacity, for all the ends Of safety,
still further: In relation to the depth OF water on
the several bars In the bay below they present the
following certificates
On BOARD THE BRIG MarAooRDA,
Lavaca January 10, lSl9 (
At the request Of Mr. r. NJ Forbssri state with plea
sure that arrived here In September last from New
York up without difficulty, discharged my cargo
took in part OF return cargo and down the
bay drawing six feet mae inches water That always
found Gallinippern bar at ordinary tides not less
than feet water and state further that by the
may be found from the pocket up to Galinipper Bar
within four and N miles OF the wharve5 of Lsvacs
The brig Matago IL LOG tons burthen, carries 200
lsisned, cHAs. A. PURCHASE,
Master brig Mstagorda.
STARE or TErAs, County OF Calhoun:
Be It known, that l. George Head, Branch Pilot for
Lsyaca and Matsgords bays do certify, that at least
bar than over Indian Point bari nd that ell vessels
bound to Lavacs can avoid Indian Point bar by follow
ing the Eastern channel which at average tides affords
eight feet two inches up to Ganipper bar, and that
with average tides, seven feet nine inches can be
(Sgned) GEO. s. HEALD, Branch Pilot.
Sr. JosErHs, August 81, 1s49.
We confirm the above statement made BY Capt
Head. Branch Pilot for Lavaea Bay.
In witness Whereof we sign these presents, the day
lsignsG JAS. CUMMINGS,
VIM. NICHOLS,
Thus 1t is established, by the best possible autho.
ry, that seven feet nine inches water, at average
tides, be had over all distractions the chan
9el, up to the town OF Lavaca. Upon this point
1t would be useless TO dwell longer, and your com
mittee will close this part OF the subject, by stating
that the following vessels, since the 18th of Sep
TENDER, have arrived from New York and dis
charged cargoes alongside the wharves, most OF
those Of the largest class, with full cargoes not
one of which touched either arriving or departing,
upon any obstruction above Indian Point Bar.
The vessels referred TO are -
scbr Hszsrd 1874 tons burthen 1000 bbls and carries
schr Matthew Bird, 40 tons, SEQ bbIs, and carries
big Ss Ea.tlaad 100 TONS 1000 bbs and carries $50
Brig Satssorda leo tons, 200 bbs, and carries 600
bales cotton.
Schr ii l.. Scranton, about loo tens, 600 bbls ant
carries 800 bales cotton.
These vessels came up, drawing from seven feet
to seven feet eight Inehes and, before observed,
me citing with no difficulty or delay.
IL 10 fact now beginning to be generally under:
stood and admitted, that steamers, TO be sale aud
good sea-boats, do not require the same depth or
hold o the water sail vessels, being Invested OF
" top hamper" and having the propelling power
near TO The centre OF gravity.
The successful navigation OF tie Northern lakes,
by steamers OF the laIgett class but Of light draft,
say six to seven feet. has fully demonstrated the
correctness Of this theory.
The other branch OF the subject to which thu
tWtuNitil VI tNUiIiitNSt ndH pttu uIrtttu, II
the manner in which Lsvaca has been treated by
the present line Of steamers.
They pass over the first efforts OF the command
er Of the Yacht, under instructions, doubtless,
from the owner, TO break down the established
customs of the place, and thereby subject the con-
sgnees TO unnecessary expense, delay, and trouble.
The united resistance Of the merchants suceee ded,
and the attempt was not repeated, until the Yacht
was taken from the line as a regular packet, and
the larger class OF boats continued their tps from
Galveston to Lavaca Bay, sending mp their freight
aud passengers IN a sai-lighier TO be delivered al
LavscS, according 10 established usage. This
practice continued but short time, when positive
instructions (as was stated by the clerks Of the
boats,) were gwen TO land all goods on wharf,
the necessary consequence OF which would have
beeu TO have built an enormous business for one
house, at the expense and ruin OF the rest OF the
forwarding merchants. For some short time this
course was persisted in, bu, finally yielded.
The neat step was the purchase of the propeller
Jerry smith, 10 be kept IN the bay, meeting the
large boats at the anchorage in the lower bay, and
bringing up the freight and passengers TO T.avaca
Ibis plan seemed TO provide n remedy for all evils