The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-03-02
TAMPICO,
A Great Future Gulf Port, and Something
Else.

A Great Future Gulf Port, and Something
Else.
To the Editor of the Herald.
Your paper processes to be alive to the
true meaning of the word progress, n
term too often seized upon by Swimming
scavengers, to effect a present, superficial
end. My understanding, from reading
your paper, is that you are in favor OF gen.
uine, sound progress, based on the laws OF
development, and hence l venture the fol-
lowing remarks
The New York, Texas & Mexican rail-
road, now being built from practically
speaking) Galveston and Houston, para llel
to our coast, which means a grad
ual curve, is to cross the
Rio Grande at Camargo, or some
where between that place and Brownsville
and Matamoros, coterminous cltles. lts
main line is destined for Tampico, with a
branch from Victoria, the capital OF Tafnau-
lipas, through lula pass, to San Luis Potosl,
where it will connect with the now develop
ing system of Mexican railroads, respec-
lively represented by General Grant, Palmer
and Sullivan, the Texas International and
the Atchison, Topeka y Santa Fe. The
Mexican National is building road from
Tampico across the American back bone,
via San Louis Potosi, to a port on
the Pacific ocean. This Texas
road, known as the New York
Texas e Mexican, is an entirely different
scheme. By the development OF both ram
pico will become sea-coast terminus ofnot
only the two roads referred to, but OF the
entire system of Mexican and southwest
Texas railroads. 1t is therefore question
of prime Importance, where and how is
Tampico situated? and this is the question
/ propose to answer from actual personal
knowledge.
Tampico is beautifully situated on a
mound at the junction of the rivers Pannco
and Tamesi, ten miles from the
gulf. From the town 10 the
gulf the united rivers are
called the Tampico river. From the bar at
the mouth of the river up TO the town there
is ilty or sixty feet Of water-the river he
ing half mile wide and capable of holding
thousands of vessels. From Tampico up
the main river to the old town of Pannco, 1t
is thirty-three miles, and the depth TO that
point is sufficient to float the largest
merchant ship in the world. From this old
town up the river, on two different
branches, there is perpetual steamboat
navigation for a hundred miles further.
Again, from Tampico up the Tamesi,
directly in the direction of Texas,
ninety miles, TO the Tancasnequi, there
is also perpetual steamboat navigation.
A canal over fiat Land, or rather the re-
opening of a natural canal, three miles in
length, will connect the rivers Pannco,
Tamesi and Tampico with the magnificent
lake Tomiagua sixty miles long and ten to
fifteen miles wide) which is connected
by a navigable bayou with the Tuxpan
river and its nayigable tributaries Of several
hundred miles Of navigation.
The port of Tampico land this Is the point
wish to make is easily susceptible oil be,
l.. 20. ha
the world. The river. at its mouth, is about
half a mile wide, and, as before said,
is from forty 10 fifty feet deep. The bar at
the mouth varies in depth from nine to
thirty feet, according TO the seasons. In
the rainy seasons il washes out, and, as the
floods cease. it gradually shoals. But the
coast there, for many miles, Is almost an air
line, and is washed by the gulf stream.
Hence, If a Lilliputian set Of jetties were
fixed. on the same principle as that az the
mouth Of the Mississippi by Captain lads
the entrance into the 1ampicO would Afford
a depth Of at least thiiiy feet. The cost OF
such a work would be Insignificant, abso-
lutely Insignificant.
The importance Of railroad cOnnec
pert. fed by local navigation
10 such an extent, bringing sugar, coffee,
rice. bananas. plamtains. dye-woOds, ma
h0ganv. rosewood. sarsaparilla. c0c0auuts.
ufneaiiples. and hundred other grOWths
now used al over the United States, mus
be apparent to all.
But this accomplished, another fact pre-
seuts itself That is, that q railway 81 Two
hundred miles, or in lieu thereof canal OF
sixty miles, will connect the Caribbean sea
from Balize. Honduras With the laguna
der Terminus. at the bottom Of the Mexican
gulf whence there j. a fine harbqr e. the
port Of II Carmen. and cut on twelve hun
drcd miles Of difficult navigation around the
peninsula Of Yucsfan, precisely as canal
across the heel Of Florida-say from Appa-
laehicola 70 the northeast angie o. that
re-. insula-wOuld cut on twelve or fifteen
hundred miles Of dangerous navigation be
tween New Orleans and Neu lork-
Ten wears ago these thoughts would hnFf
f,eeu considered q Utorian, ns -efe tbesz Of
John VI. Dancey. in the Ieras ccl,ftss q
1s1-2 wherein be advocr I'd q rf.ir-Isd from
Ire Gulfto California Today. me- q cap
Hal can look e. the lin. ssni arsnis
- irve.tirnte ard D. = me ~ thefrss -.
Iffher vii - ri III r frl -Ef cud
- fsIf ~ irresfr. -.f. and ] here rr I've
% see irs dersl17 On 81 en-
AL8rs-H aEr.
Skinny Heh-