Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-01-11
DEEP WA TER TALK,

| Hon. JO1n HenSICH, IL d -e'teI " MI
John Willett, takes up the question O.
the mount of territory which would bs
tributary to e deep wster port on the Gull
COST in Texas He appears to be thor
oughlY posted on the subject and conf
dent that Corpus CHRISTIE will soon be
blessed with deep water. He says:
SIN contrasting the utility and import
ance of your enterprise, with the new
harbor works now being constructed al
Ceara in Brazil, it seems singular he
should limit the importance and business
that would pass through your harbor, TO
the superiority of Texas to the Province
of Ceera. While that is true IS five to
che, Texas Is but sn Insignificant portion
OF the area CT territory thst would be trib-
utary to your bsrbor, being in extent over
1000, coo squAre miles, that all bulky
freights, seeking self water transporta-
ton, would pass; larger extent OF terri
tory within the United Ststes than was
tributary to New York, before the treaty
of Guadsloupe Hidalgo. An examination
OF the maps will verify this. 1t is true
that much Of this a,ea Is Inferior in quail
ty, for general agriculture; much CT 1t,
however, is very superior, aud ell valua-
BILE for stock raising, and immense miner
al deposits; having now an aggregate
population Of over IL 900. 600 sId much
of it rapidly increasing in population and
wealth. In Texas, for instance. we fin
the taxable vslues in 1880 were S3l1, 49,
1856, while in 1885 they were 1921, OIL
9S9, an Increase In FIVE years of 80 per
cent. The population has likely in
creased In nearly the same ratio, SO that
in 1885 the population was near 8 900, 900,
which in 1880 wss, say 1,6co. 900. We
have, however, had no Intermediate
state census, so that an exact Increase OF
population is not attainsble. Increase Of
population snd wealth has likely been as
great in Colorado, California, New Mex
leo and Arizona all of which seek an exit
through deep water harbor Oh the Gulf
Of Mexico, because from 500 10 1000 miles
nearer than any sea transportation for
commerce seeking eastern markets.
nIn point Of railway facilities the ad-
vantsges would be proportionably supe-
rior over Cears, extending fars into the
interior in various directions, even awsy
south to the City Of Mexico, to which,
within the next vesr, we are promised
the completion CT the esp now being con
structed, between Ssltillo and San Luis
Potosi, distance Of 500 miles.
"The l, 500. 900 bales of cotton, less than
en- aversge crop of Texas with her present
population, with her 500 900 head of beef
cattle, ever. 2O,O0o,oo0 pounds Of wool,
besides many other products that enter
into the worlds commerce from Texas
alone, give some idea Of the immense bust
ness that would be done st such harbor
as you ontsmplate-more than double
that of the entire empire of Brszil-yes,
fer beyond that.
"To go further into details, might be to
extend this buried letter beyond your
patience, will conclude by again refer
ring those desiring Information on this
subject to the maps CT the different coun-
tries thst would be tributary to the pro-
posed harbor."
It is encouraging to know that the pros
poets for deep water at an early day are
10 istteriug. What Texas most needs is
IN ocean outlet for her own products
md those of her neighbors, and it Ger
ainly is to be hoped that she is In fsir
Hay to secure one now.