The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-05-10
A TEXAS HARBOR.
The Practicability and Advantage
of q Port at Arkansas Pass.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas, May

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, May >.
70 the Ceope of Texas
The report submitted by competent
civil engineers, who have made preim-
mary survey of the depth of water, dis
lance from shore, +, cks III the LagunR
Madre and other conditions at Padre
Island, in reference to an artificial harbor
and its practicabli'y as an engineering
problem, solves the question of harbor
on our coast for commerce. Nearly all
great works of this nature have been done
by private enterprise. Great railway
lines in our own country, laying cables
across the Atlantic, construction of the
Suez and work on the Panama canals;
artificial harbors in course of cOnstruc-
ton in South America, and completed at
Fraserburg, Scotland, and at Colombo, in
CeyloD, all point to the fact that indl-
yidual enterprise has been the means by
which these facilities to modern commerce
have been effected. United action of citi-
zens and private corporations have COM
pleted these works. A great extent of
country seeks an outlet to the
sea, and is too vast and impOrtsntto await
the uncertain action of politicians,
state and federal governments. THE com
merce of Texas will be drawn TO this har
Dor. There will be exported 100000 bales
of,cotton and 30,O00OOO pounds of wool
annually produced, with pecans, bones
gypsum, kaorlin, guano, aud other
natural products under development, and
daily assuming very large proportions.
The overland trade from California
brought by the Southern Pacific railroad
system with existing railroad connections
at San Francisco, San Diego, Guymgs,
drawing trade from the west coast of
Mexico, Central and South America,
meeting the trade from Japan, China,
British India and Australia, will pas
through this part en- route to New York
and London, the worlds commercial
centers for distribution.
The trade of the northwest states and
territories and two-thirds of the erea of
Mexico will find by this harbor the short
liLe 20 the sea.
CouseqeL tial profits that accrue to
Texas enhancing real estate and other
values, wi be very great, especially the
On tie industry as now conducted in the
interest of distant DIRE. sed meat syndi
Gates and railroad combinations.
to-day is at their mercy. The only hope
for the cattle raiser is by using the sea.
the common carrier and highway Of the
world, which cannot be cCrnered or pooled,
carry ing the beef of Texas to the people
of Baltimore, Philadtl phia, New York an !
Boston q cents per pound cheaper than
10y any overland system OF trans pOrtation,
and relieve them from the tribute they
are now paying to a dressed beef combi-
nation IN the interior enc thousand miles
from the sea.
The movement OF beef BE- sea can only
be accomplished by proper harbor flcIll
ties, which means; make a secure l4nding
where ships of the largest capacity can
meet the loaded cars and take dressed
beef from warehouses, erected OF the
wharves' on board ship wi 'hout change OF
temperature. Beeyes and mutton, driven
from the ranges o. brought by rail, slangh.
tered on the island in the cool sea
breeze, can be put on the market at
saving of l6 per cent shrinksge, caused
by long railroad hauls to Chicago
going to consumers free from disease and
fevers caused by long trip and in our hot
climate.
Experiments of moving dressed beef
by rail from Texas To northern markets
have proven failurss-caused, in part, by
the imposslbili.y of keeping an
even temperature while in transit
and have been abandoned by
practical men. Yet. London is largely
supplied with mutton brough. from New
Zealand and Australia, proving the prac-
ticability of moving fresh meat by sea,
carrying 1t across the equator with an
average ocean voyage of thirty-six TO
forty-six days.
Buenas Ayres is shipping weekly TO
europe 1900 carcases Of beef, settling the
question by ocean transportation.
Private enterprises, which have built
several hundred miles of railway in the
last few years from the Gulf OF Mexico |
to Laredo and this city, through n |
thinly settled country. with lines ex-
tending north, west and east. going
into the Cotton Belt to be extended /
to the Mississippi, are results Of indiyid
ual effort in presenting and coz binirr
with capital, beyond the limits of Texas,
and have brought success without waiting
for the action ofcongress to promote com