The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-01-22
A SHORT SEASIDE STORY.
oALvEsToN's 'swA, SYNDICATE
The dob Put Up ON "Uil, SAM to
Secure "Sugar" and Deer Wa
ter Bottom Facts ON lae
Fades scheme, Etc.
Galveston Syndicate

The HERALD publishes below com. |
FROM a gentleman whose |
name is given, who processes to know
the "true inwsrdness" of the deep wa
ter fraud, which he "discoyered by
mere accident" AS the subject matter
of the communication unfolds itself as
it proceeds, no explanation is necos any:
GALVESTON, Jan. 81, - Editor HER
AID. Through the columns of the Gal
weston News | have noticed the opposi-
ton OF the leading Dallas newspapers
to the Eads bill, now before congress.
If the opponents of the bill attack it in
its Vulnerable part it will fail.
The writer has neither the opportu.
nifty nor the time to do much toward op-
posing the measure, but considers il to
be his duty to give to the public few
facts not now known, except to a very
few people.
The plan adopted by the government
comprehended two jetty walls running
parallel, or nearly so, and designated re-
spectively as the north and south ietties.
When the work was commenced, 1t
was problematical as to which ietty
it would be best to construct
first, and so Col. Mansfield concluded to
construct the north jetty first, it being
the shortest.
But this idea met with such strong
opposition from the leading financial
men OF the clty-who evidently had lit.
tie faith in the ultimate success of the
work, and who therefore preferred to
have the longest jetty constructed first,
so that the more money might, in the
meantime, be spent here and the circu-
lating medium be increased to the
greatest possible extent-that the orig
inal idea was surrendered to the inhu-
ence eXerted against it, and the south
jetty was constructed first.
Mark the result: A survey made by
the city engineer showed that on the
south side of the south jetty depth of
twenty feet had been obtained along
the entire length of the jetty ex-
cept in one or two places
where the wall had not been completed
to the full height.
Have you ever heard that twenty feet
OF water had been obtained at any
point on the Galveston bar? probahIyy
not. Why? Because the information
was too important TO be given TO the
public: and straightway syndicate
was formed to sell it to the people.
The unexpected discovery OF deep
water on the wrong side OF the lefty
proved that Col. Mansfeld's plan was
feasible and its success assured, if the
north jetty should be constructed by
him.
The first thought was, how to take
advantage of the discovery.
The regular appropriation was nearly
or quito exhausted, and so the first step
was to prevent another appropriation by
congress, and thus stop Col. Mansfeld's
work.
We ali know that our representative
i'll congress moved to have that appro-
prlation stricken out of the river and
harbor bill.
The Eads plan had meanwhile been
brought forward with great hur-
rah, and from that time to this has been
strongly advocated by every influence
that the syndicate could bring to bear in
favor of it.
1t was absolutely necessary to procure
the influence of the Galveston News.
that Journal having been an advocate of
the Mansfield plan (the city had lust
given 100000 to carry on tho work until
that appropriation could be obtained),
and one of theprincipal proprietors was
admitted into the syndicate.
IL is unnecessary TO state that the
News has been an earnest advocate
oil the Eads plan ever since that time.
The Eads bill is SAID to be based upon
the principle mo water, no paw but
IL will be found that with the additional
depth OF q few feet, the bulk of the APP
preparation will have been secured, The
syndicate also knew that this result
could be accomplished by the oxpendi.
ture OF the comparatively small sum re-
qulred to build the north jetty and that
larger sum would remain for division.
Col Mansfield has hitherto COM
planned that his work ought not to be
condemned before completion, but the
powerful influence of the press was
brought to bear against its completion
by him, and his ability as an engineer
has even been questioned.
| II the government allows Col. Mans
ileld to complete the work, it will cost,
say from 100000 to S750,000 to complete
it.
II Eads does the work 1t will proba-
bly, cost tho syndicate less, but the PEG q.
pie will have to pay ten Tins as much.
rms is the case In n nutshell.
The city of Galveston appropriated
|2,5OO 10 the use OF the deep water COM
mttee, and an additional fund of some
10 900 was raised by subscription,
Whether tho committee disburses the
fund IN parsimonious manner or not
Is a matter of no particular consequence.
That they have made of themselves
the laughing stock of the capitol
Is well known; but If they succeed
in getting the Eads bill passed, they
know that they can well afford
TO be laughed at, on the principle
that "they laugh best who laugh last"
When the committee went TO Wash
ingtoD aud made the measure Calves
ton measure, they made q mistake
which the Texas delegation was not
slow to recognize, and the serious con-
sequences OF that mistake was avoided
by the Texas delegation taking the mat
ter up and making IL Texas measure.
But theRreat question before the deep
water committee Is not what shall be-
come OF the interests of our great state
and OF the country west and north of II;
not what shall become of the interests
OF Galveston, but what shall become OF
tho syndicate whom they represent
The writer has no personal acqualn.
lance with any member OF the syndi.
cate nor with Col. Mansfield; has no ia.
vors TO ask ofany of Thorn and no axes
TO grind. Mob.
~
Ieviavilla In,st No...