Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-04-08
DEEP WATER An GALVESTON.
What q OWL Engineer Gas .s Say of tho
Advantages of Galveston.
FORT WORTH, TEX, April 6, 1883.

What q OWL Engineer Gas ts Say of tho
Advantages of Galveston.
FORT WORTH, Tx, April 6, 1883.
To the Aditor of the Gazette.
Your brief but comprehensive reply to
"Civil Engineer" in your issue Of 23d
ult., with reference to an al line railroad
from Fort Worth to Houston and Calves
ton, encourages your correspondent to
venture little further, and refer to the
question of deep water, which must OF
course be considered In the same coInec-
ton. AS there seems to be q growing
sentiment IN favor of concentrating con-
gressional appropriations upon some par
ticulsr point on the coast of Texas, L
would fam enter plea for Galveston.
Galveston bay was the choice OF
Captain Lsftte, who no doubt
had carefully examined the whole
coast, and who perhaps knew
as we'll as any other man what harbor
was. 1t was here that the gallsnt Com
modore Moore established his headqusr-
tiers, and founded navy yard. II wss
here that General Magruder, with his i'm
proVised mosquito feet performed one OF
the most daring, brilliant, and successful
exploits OF the late war. But better still
for Galveston, is her long established aud
constantly Increasing trade with other
nations, and her facilities for trensscting
business OF sill kinds either by land or
water. She is IN this respect many years
and millions OF dollars in advance OF any
of her competitors. 1t Is true that
large sums have been expended alre sdy
IN the effort to deepen the water on
Galveston bar, but not altogett er in vain.
The conditions were anomalous, and tx
periments had to be made. The Gulf OF
Mexico is unlike other seas in the vio-
lence of Its storms and its rapidly shift
ing currents and deposits. One Of its
old fashioned gales would knock Port
S.id, for instance, into q cooked hat
Hence the questionable practicability OF
constructing piers straight out from
shore, with protecting breakwater in
front, at Padre Island or anywhere else,
to say nothing of the immense cost of
such work. This same idea was proposed
for Galveston and rejected forty years
ago. The objection th.t the present IT
ties are too far apsrt at their extremities
should not be insisted on when
II is considered that vessels must
sometimes run In from the open sea for
shelter without waiting for pilot or tow
boat, and therefore require wide berth.
The impression tnst the present method
is not the same as that adopted by Colo
mel Mansfield, is, think, also mistake.
The only difference appears to be in the
LAYING of railroad track with the south
jetty for a roadoed. Build up both jetties
to the required height so SO to concen-
trete the entire ebb tide upon the bar,
and the desired object will be attained.
Surely this can be done now more cheaplY
than permanent deep water can be Sc
cured at any other point. Colonel Mans
FELIX'S plan is perfec ly feasible, snd only
needs to be carried out. He laid the
foundations of those jstties broad
and deep, and there will they remain
as lasting testimonial of his ability aud
his faithful services. In addition, Gal
weston has the prime advantage Of CEN
trail position with reference to Texas, the
great northwest, and the msratime world.
As for the land-locked harbor itself, that
can be enlarged to any sired capacity by
means of dredging. The ship channel to
Houston, and the peninsula Of Bolivar,
may yet cut an important figure In the ex-
tension of the Denver or some other
great route from Fort Worth to deep Wa
ter st Galveston. Very respectfully
CIVIL ENGINEER.