Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-05-20
DEEP WATER FOR TEXAS.
A Syndicate which will Furnish the Desired
Article az Houston.

A Syndicate which will Furnish the DESIRED
Article az Houston.
Special to the Gazette.
HOUSTON, TEX, May 19.-The projec
for securing deep water for Texas at the
| mouth OF the Brszos river has assumed
definite Shape, and there is no longer 9
doubt that the syndicate who has
! undertsken the matter will accomplish
it. The idea Of securing deep water a.
the mouth Of the Brazos was a hobby oil
| the International revenue Company, 8
| number of years ago, and, in fact, this
| company. owned 20, 600 acres Of land neal
the moath, but having lost hope Of secar-
Ing any aid from the national
government the idea was abandoned sad
the land sold to the New York, Texas and
Mexican Land Company. About year
sgo syndicate, Of which VIM. c. Lee of
Kansas is at the head, conceived the
idea OF securing deep water here
and bought the 10000 acres OF
land from the New York, Texas and
Mexican Dsnd Company. Captain Abram
Cross, the well-known civil engineer,
who is in the employ Of this syndicate,
said in reply to your reporters
interview "We are waiting for
the bill to pass Congress granting
permission to do the work. The bill has
already been introduced in both houses
of Congress. The bill provides that wora
shall be commenced in twelve months
from its passage by Congress, and it
guarantees that in two years. time there
will be twelve feet of water in the bar
and each succeeding yeor there shall be
an increase of two feet OF wsEer On the
bar until there are eighteen feet. The
syndicate does not wish to guarantee
more than eighteen feet on the bar, but
we hsve every reason to believe that we
will secure twenty-five feet. The bill
will no doubt pass Congress, as they
do not ask Congress for anything except
permission to Go the work. The bill
further more provides that IL any time
Congress wiz psy the actual cost of
constructing the improvements they
will be surrendered to tins
national government. The
svndicates owns 10000 acres CT, land
lying on both sides OF the river from, its
mouth, and they expect that the natural
increase in values will be considerable.
They also own extensive copper
and -iron mines in Llano coanty
and they naturally seek water trsaspor
tation for this. Then sgsin this syndicate
is composed in great measure Of large
cattle owners who desire cheaper rates
for their shipments. William, d, Lee of
Kansas is at its head and there are
number of eastern and western capitalists
interested The syndicate has ample means
to ACCOMPLISH what it. has undertaken.
Mr.. E., b. Corthell OF Chicago Is chief
engineer of the work, and 1t is his opinion
that 1t can be secured. Mr.. Cofthen had
charge Of the jetty work at tbs mouth OF
the Mississippi under Captain Eads, and
he was the right hand OF the great
engineer. Deep water can be secured
here Just % cheap as at the moash of the
Miesissippa, where there Is now depth
of forty feet. Or course nothing can
be done until Congress passes thR
bill authorizing the work, but -
first thing that viii be begun wiz b14E&l
building Of q railway from Houston to IT,
mouth of the Brsz1s. This syndic8
VIII build the road wisha3ts
own means. They will wan3 to
control Il, and therefore will not
walt for the Columbia Tap to be extended.
It Is probable that work will be aom.
meaced on this road In the nexs few
months, as material hiss to be transport
ed for the harbor work. This road will
be about sixty-five miles In LENGTH
Furthermore, Captain Cross said that
while town would no doubt soon spring
up near the mouth Of the river the syndi-
cate would not Law out town nor ofIsr
lots for sale until the work WAS well
under way and It's success fully assureds
II deep water was secured here, he sale
there would be no exorbitA15
wharfage or lighterege for vessels.
There would be ct least fifty
miles Of water front along which vessels
could land 50 that such . thing a.
wharf mono oly would be impossible: