The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-09-23
HOW CONGRESSMAN JONES WOULD
STEAL THUNDER.


People of Brazoria county, especi-
ally, have a leaning towards Hon.
George Washington Jones, because
they have got the idea, somehow,
knocked into their noddles, that the
distinguishedGreenback-Republican
congressman secured the appropria-
tiOn of $40 900, to be used in improv-
ing the mouth of the Brazos river.
Congressman Reagan, seeing state
ments publicly made that Mr.. Jones
is credited with securing the appro-
priatiOns. both for the mouth of the
BrazOs and for Galveston harbOr.
states that
Galveston is not indebted to Mr..
Jones for an increased appropria-
ton for her harbor. | got the
House committee on commerce to al
low one hundred and twenty-five
thousand dollars in tile last river
and harbor bill for that purpose,
and Senator Coke got it increased
in the senate to one hundred and
seventy-five thousand dollars. de-
sire to say that while Jones was
friendly TO the improvement of the
mouth of the BrazOs, as Judge Han
cock and Col. Giddings were before
him, the people of that county are
not indebted to Col. Jones for that
appropriation; and it is wrong that
he should be credited with the labor
of others as mere partisan elec-
tiOneering trick, especially in a mat
ter relating TO an important public
work.
The Waco Examiner, referring 10
this matter, presents history of the
harbor appropriation measures be-
fore Congress. The data are evil
IDENTIFY supplied by Senator Coke,
who is good authority upon the sub
ject. The Examiner says:
In the spring of 1873, on the 18th
of June, while the river and harbOr
bill was under consideration in the
Senate, Senator Coke procured an
amendment to that bill, providing
for an appropriation for a survey of
Aransas Pass and mouth of the
Brazos, for which no appropriation
had ever been made or could be
made until q survey was had, and
thus Senator Coke was the party
who made the first movement look
ing TO the Improvement of the Bra
ZOs harbor. The amendment was
adopted, incorporated into the river
hi
House, and survey was ordered
under that amendment. In the
adoption of that amendment in the
House. John III. Reagan was the
chief agent, being chairman of the
committee. In the session of 1879
and 1880, when the river and harbOr
bill was again up, the report of the
survey of Arkansas Pass was on hand,
but that OF the BraZOs delayed, and
in spite of earnest efforts of Coke
and Reagan, who made personal ap-
peals TO the chief OF engineers at
Washington and repeated appeals
by telegraph TO New Orleans, the re-
port could not be obtained in time.
and the bill was passed before
it could be got to Washing
ton. The bill passed, however,
with an appropriation for Ar
ansas Pass of thirty-tive thousand
dollars. In the subsequent session
the survey was had and an appro-
priatiOn of ten thousand dollars for
the mouth of the BraZos, and an adj
ditional appropriation for Arkansas
Pass was favorably reported on by
the committee on commerce, John
III. Reagan chairman, and by the aid
of all the Texas congressman, was
passed. In the senate it was per-
sonally chanpioned by Senator Coke,
who was a member of the senate
committee on commerce and was
passed there, This is the simple his
tory of the matter.