The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-03-15
DEEP WATER.
You Must Rely on YOURSELF es
Secure a FIrst-class Port.
The Texas Delegation Not Dis
posed to Act in Harmony
With the Wishes of
the People.

WASHINGTON CRY. February %, 1883.
The STATE immigration Executive Committee
Alstin, Texas
Gentlemen-The undersigned beg to
submit the following report. Inc com
mittee of eleven, appointed by your resG-
luton of Januarys2j last, finding 1t I'm q
practicable to visit Washington City in
body. formulated the following address to
our senators and representatives In con-
Vress, every member of the committee
concurring aud signing the same:
M tba Senators and Representatives from Texas
IN the Congress of the United States:
At the immigration convention of
J.yaa. held at Dallas, Tex, December
20 Il, 1887, the following resolution was
adopted:
Resolved, That it is tho sense Of this
snn qention-called together for the pur-
nose of devising ways and means to best
mgks known the resources of the great
st.te of Texas and to induce thereto
ioncst labor and honest energy, and rs
correlative branch of the purpose of this
convention-thatt the Texas delegation in
congress be urgently requested to unite
their efforts in that body for the purpose of
securing deep water on the Texas coast at
one point, that point to be the most avail
able according TO the best lights before
eacn and according to their best jndg-
mont but to unite in common, prac-
lira, way to attain the desirable end, here
.ofoee defeated by desultory action and
-catteriDg methods.
.Resolyed That IN the sense of this con
aliion the end herein sought will
best be attained by concentrating upon
one point, demonstrating the practica-
bility of the methods employed, giving to
the state deep water seaport and paving
tu way for other seaports on the Texas
i-ler as necessity and development
erJent"
4ga meeting of the executive commit
Ca. 'ormed through the action of the
Dallas convention, held ut Austin, on Jan
vary 25 last, the following resolution was
pas ed:
-,esoved, That il is the sense of this
,or nittee, in order to carry out the full
purposes OF its organization, and to
fnrtler complete work of the Dallas
Immigration convention, that commit
Tee If eleven, one from each congressional
de let of the state, be appointed by the
cha man Of the committee to go to
" II
lntIon in congress the necessity for con
Gen rating their efforts for deep water on
the Texas coast upon one point, to be
.oicoted by the government rs most prac-
tcable, and TO render other services in
tns behalf, and that the preamble and
resolutions passed at the Dallas cOnven-
dion on this subject are hereby appended
20 the resolutions"
opointed In conformity with the above,
III undersigned committee deem IL proper
10 y before you in specific form the Oh
ieut for which IL was constructed, and by
this method to address you on the inn
p0rtant question involved.
axas, with coast of over five hundred
miles in extent, has no port better than
on, of the third class. SO great has be-
come the commerce of the state, that il is
apparent TO you that her outlets to the
markets of the world are inadequate, and
su Inefficient that her trade begins to
languisb, and every industry begins to
5uliur. The committee believe IL is no
cxaggeratiOn TO say that first
cla45 port on her coast would
save to the people of Texas annu-
ally 81 TO SO on every bale of cotton,
twelve to fifteen cents on every bushel of
Grain, and IS to $40 on every beef steer,
ralsed and marketed, aggregating at least
1000 per annum; an amount far greater
hun any estimate ever claimed to be nee
airy to secure first class port But to
this vast saving to the people it is proper
o. add a corresponding saving in other
products and ali kinds of merchandise ex
80, ed and imported, ss well as the en-
s... all .,al.
sonal property in the state aggregating
an amount saved which no one can accu-
ratoly compute.
Presumably, with the intention of i'm
pro ring the rivers and hurbOrs of Texas,
thD general government has expended dur
ing the last fifteen years, 81 57I,2O This
vast amount of money expended, patient
60. a decade and half, what do con
tidng public fud accomplished! Not a
angle inch of increased depth of water
on ny bar. Nay, worse; of the work CON
s'rr ,ted, large bulk of it has been oblit
or I'D; not q trace of it left. In view of
this situation, and in the name of econ
On9 and sound sense, the committee beg
10 urge you to use your powerful influence
.1 )ngress to secure appropriations ade-
gu2ye to obtain deep water at some one
rgiut on the coast of Texas. Without a
HIauge of plan it is conclusive that there
can be no change of results.
&c has been suggested that the Dallas
convention should have designated the
point to be improved. The committee
can but think the convention acted wisely
and periodically in not so doing. The
con ention was composed of representa-
tive business men from every section of
,le state. Naming no point unmistak-
a1ly argues their earnestness and sincerity.
evsry section recognized the proposition
IS ID sensible and fair one; all local issues
9e- waived, and for the sake of the gem
ars good the resolution was unanimously
ado pted. Charged by the state of Texas
-sa this duty, the committee have the
0nnlr to submit this presentation of the
-DrI cot, and to earnestly hope it will re-
7eiys attention at your hands, and that
your best efforts for deep water on the
coast of Texas will be concentrated on
oD point.
s. b. MAXEY, b. II. DAVIS.
'iHN HANCOCK, BRYAN L. BARRY,
T. MILLER, j. PETER SMITH,
II. Jones, J.W. THRooKMoRToN,
D.CLEyELAND, W. l.. MOODY,
-. A. MUM, ID. g. GIDpINGs.
discharge of our duty the under
ed, representing the committee, pro-
asded to Washington City, and on the
instant presented the above address
.a le Texas delegation, all of whom we're
f- ent except two of the representa-