The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-03-28
VOL. VII.
CATTLE TRADE AND THE
MOUTH OF THE BRAZOS.

| a writer In the -Four Counties quotes
Mr.. Kingsberry, now in England, as
saying that rich corporation in that
country
"Will buy cattle in Texas and drive
them to the Colorado, BraZos or old
Caney, where they can get cheap corn.
Here they will erect sheds, where all
the feeding and geRtling possible will
be given them for about sixty days.
Upon the arrival of the steamers they
will be brought to Galveston by rail
and transferred to ships side by hight
ers. The ship will be loaded with
corn and hay, and mills and hay cut
ters will be worked by steam. On the
arrival of the cattle in England they
will be shielded, fed and put in the best
condition for the market, etc."
A writer for the newspaper above
quoted says there is no portion of
Texas IN which cattle can be bought at
lower rates than in the four counties
about the mouth of the Brazos. Here
there are rancheros counting their
herds by the hundred thousand, aud
in chGapness and abundance of corn,
now worth twenty-five cents per
bushel, the valleys of the BrazOs
and the Colorado, Oyster creek
and Caney cannot be surpassed.
Why then should cattle be transferred
to Galveston by rail and to ships by
lighters there2 We have always un-
derstood that the anchorage for large
vessels off the mouth of the Brazos was
the very best on the Gulf coast, the
convenience of loading by lighters as
good as anywhere and much the cheap
est. 1t is useless expenditure to ship
cattle by rail from the Brazos to GAL
weston, to be lightered there, when
cattle may be placed on lighters at the
rivers mouth and transported directly,
safely and far more cheaply to the YES
sells. But there is a better mode of
avoiding rail transportation and light
erage. There are on file in the de-
partment at Washington reports made
by competent engineers appointed
by the government, showing that
the bar at the mouth of the
Brazos can be removed and depth of
water of twenty-five feet made and
maintained at a cost of less than
5000, 900. This done, there would be
no such harbor on the coast. For
thirty miles the river has water enough
to float tho largest vessels, and the Sc
curity against storms would be perfect.
Northern capitalists interested in the
international and Great Northern rail
road Investigated the feasibility of
making deep water harbor in the
Brazos and were so well satisfied of its
practicabillty that they determined to
engage in the work. They bought
large tracts of land In the vicinity of
Velasco and Quintana, paying good
prices. The project was for the nonce
abandoned, through strenuous exer-
tions made by Galveston in opposition
to it. The Neaos at that time con-
tanned very enlgmatical utterances IN
relation to Mr.. Kopperls mission to
New York, and on. his return, the re-
port of his complete success. This
and nothing more. 1t was understood
that it was to negotiate with those
who had this matter in hand that he
was deputed. Will the interesting
Mr.. Kopperl rise and explain 2
at the last session of Congress there
WAS included in the general appropria-
tion bill an item of $50, 900 for the i'm
provement of the Brazos. 1t passed
the House, but failed, for want of time
with the general appropriation bill, in
the Senate. To Mr.. Reagan, who alone
of our delegation in Congress seems to
appreciate the importace of the matter
possibly because his tenure of Office is
not dependent on Galveston majorities)
we were indebted for the inclusion of
this item in the bill, and now that he
is chairman of the House Committee
on Commerce we have good reason to
believe that he will renew his efforts in
this direction with every assurance of
slccess. The appropriation was advo
Gated in Congress upon the ground that
it was needful to establish a naval sta
tion, and harbor of refuge for the pro-
lection of our marine on this coast, and
the only objection urged was that 1t
was not the practice of the government
to appropriate money to make harbors
where there was no trade. The open
ing of this cattle trade with England
would put an period to that objection.
Not the least persuasive consideration
which should influence the govern
ment in entering upon the work
of the removal of the Brazos
bar, is that it would give ac-
cess to the most needed and most
abundant supply of live eak timber on
the continent, supply elsewhere al
most exhausted, and essential to the
very existence of our navy. Through |
the instrumentality of railroad compa-
nies, of the English importation couI-
pAny. or OF private enterprise or public
appropriations, this great work must |
he accomplishas. There Is q necessity |
for it[Tf any bill in aid of the Texas
Pacific Company pass Congress, it viii
be Mr.. Stephens's bill, and by that the
terminus Of the road is fixed on the
Mississippi below Memphis. All
branches are Topped OF. And so by
that road all the trade OF the northern
half Of Texas is turned from the
State. The success OF Eads's jetties
has given wonderful impetus to the
growth OF New Orleans, and We may
count with certainty upon the speedy
closing of the gap in our railroad con-
nection with that city, and thus all
the trade of the southern half Of the
State viii cross the borders. II we
would not see the Nh6ie efsour COM
merce dixarted to other States, it be-
comes US to bestir o1lselxes and seitate
this project of a dep water harbor in
the Brazos. However We nay feprzi !.
IL tha reonvirtion Il <a|- ~