The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1888-02-10
PORT OF ST. AUGUSTINE.
Steps Taken to Have the Harbor I'm
proYed-Board of Trade Action.

Steps Taken to Have the Harbor I'm
proved-Board of Trade Action.
The citizens Of this city feeling that
the time has arrived for some decisive
depth of water over the bar, in order to
admit vessels of good draft and to estab-
fish this city as stopping point or
terminus for one or more lines of steam
ers, as well as encourage sailing vessels
to take cargoes for this point, have gone
to work in dead earnest to accomplish
that purpose.
The Board of Trade were called to-
gether to discuss the question, and after
an examination of the facts and posi-
bilities of the case, committee of three
of our representative men were appoint
ed to draft resolutions and bring the
facts before Congress through the men,
beers of Congress from this State. The
committee is composed of Messrs. O. B.
Smith, b. Genovar and DIR. j. K. Rainey,
who will proceed to Washington at an
early day and endeavor to get an appro-
priation for the purpose of deepening
the water over the bar and improving
the harbor.
According to survey of the channel
by Captain Black, United States En-
gineer, depth of seventeen feet by
means of jetties can be easily secured,
and by the expenditure of 81 900, 900 the
entire work can be done ON both the
jetties and harbor, making it the most
desirable port of entry on the coast of
Florida, as well as the easiest of access
and safest harbor.
st. Augustine is situated within a
mile of the sea, and vessels entering
here only have distance of two miles
to sail to bring them to our docks.
Taking all its advantages into consider
alton, the Government can do. no less
than grant the petition and at once set
about the work.
The following are the resolutions:
Whereas, 1t appears from the statisti-
cal report of this Board furnished to the
the United States Department of Engin-
GERS, for the year last passed, that the
importations for the port of St. Angus
tine by water were II ,625 tons, of the
value of $167 1858, this representing only
about two-ninths of the value of goods
brought to this city for the said year,
the remaining seven-ninths having been
transported by railroads, a major por-
tion of which would have been brought
by water if it had been possible to- secure
a sufficient number of vessels willing tC
cross the bar, and
Whereas, The port of st. Augustine il
so geographically situated as to be the
natural port of distribution for large
portion of the Eastern Coast of Florida
= ON account of its proximity to the sea
Is sheltered harbor, shown by all map
tant to be unyarying in depth and af
brding safe anchorage for numberles
vessels of any draft its inland waite
communications canal from this poin
TO Jupiter Inlet, by the way of Indial
River, being nearly completed, charter
for railroads leading directly south b,
the line of the coast having been obtaine
aud the work on which will be assidu
ously prosecuted, and
Whereas, If regular and certai
channel. with depth of not less tina
sixteen feet, at mean low water, coul
be obtained, the channel at present vary
ing greatly in location, and in dept
from six TO nine feet, at mean low water
as it may be affected by each storms
least one and probably two, regular line
OF large steamers would make this
stopping point, carrying, more especial
during the. winter months, a great nun
Der OF passengers and furnishing a chea
and speedy system of transportation fc
merchandise, and,
Whereas, The population of the cit
of st. Augustine has increased frol
$500 to 10000 during the last five year
and as the growth of the CITY would |
greatly fostered by the enhanced facil
ties for water communication. whic
would be obtained by the deepening ,
the bar, and,
Whereas, The work on the bar at IL
mouth of the st. Johns River: this b:
being of sandy formation. precise
similar in character to the one at tia
port; has conclusively proved. that II
possible to carry such undertakings to
successful conclusion both in deepenir