The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-05-10

r..-c.ll crl.r7rista, which are OF so mlc"
,...r @. die g.acra. W .lfara us the ate
J long residence on the coast OF Texas,
interested in shipping, has caused the be
lief that the natural harbors on the coast
of Texas could no, be improved at rea-
sonab.e cost. This opinion Is based upon
noting the changes for series of thirty
six years. The continual changes and
shiftings of the quick sand bar at the
Arkansas inlet, vary ing in depth from lG
feet to less than . feet, assures US the
fore IS of nature which cause these changes
bar must be only temporary and
looked upon as entirely experimental
Pass Cabello, at the entrance OF
Matagorda bay, had from 1851 10 1860
ON 8 to 1012 feet of water on the bar.
The great storm which swept away
Deervus' Point and drowned many persons
at Saluria and nearly destroyed Indianola,
changed and opened the bar to II feet OF
water, but it gradually filled up to and
~ feet, and remained that way for years
ard is now reported to have 10 feet OF
water on it. The uncertain and eccentric
action of Under and surface ocean cur
rents, with currents flowing inwdrds and
outwards from bays and inlets upon bars
of quicksand the specific gravity OF which
is but little more than water, has baliisd
the minds of eminent marine engineers III
all parts of the world. A paper written
by the English admiral, Sir Bedford Pym,
on Galveston bar ard harbOr Is instructive
in this connect on.
The great volume OF commerce that seeks
ocean transportation from the coast OF
Texas, when it is considered that from
New Orleans to Vera Cruz 1t is over l,SyO
miles. and that Galveston, 40 miles from
New Orleans, only has twelve and one-haIt
feet of water (the rest are mere outlets,
six to eight feet is too valuable and i'm
por'alt to depend upon uncertainties and
ingenious theories of persons who live re-
mote from the sea. The cool second
thought of capital, which is always timid,
will always hesitate before it undertakes
to remove sunken quicksand bars without
first adopting methods to control the
wirds and waves and currents.
Artificial herbors, iron piers and break
waters are visible facts, have stood the
storms of the Pacific and Atlantic. They
are monuments Of success, and not tfieo-
ries of speculative minds. We find the
result of fifteen years experience by the
United States government and the ex
penditure of 81 100000 has not deepened
the water on the Texas bars one inch, as
reported by the deep water commits
sioner who recently vi it i Washington
A seaport on the gulf of Mexico is pub
lie necessity, whether Lult by public or
private capital. The Corpus Christi and
Padre Island harbor has been duly con.
sidered as to Irac liability and will not
cost one fourth the amount of Captain
Eads plans at Galveston bar, which are
without certainty Of results. This work
was not undertaken to build up, boom or
tear down towrs and cities, but rather to
cheaper freights on Texas products to
market; profitable investment for cap
ital, properly rewardlng all who aid in its
com pletion; distributing a large amount
of money iO Texas, and giving employ
ment to many thousand men in its con
structon. 1t calls for the consideration
of the industrial and commercial people
of Texas, without regard to section or To-
cality. Their aid and co operation is in
vited to assist in properly presenting il
to home and distant capital.
Respectfully, JOHN WILLErT.