San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-06-02
DENVER AND THE PASS.

DENVER AND TIE fASSs
The Denver World has been airing
matters concerning the proposed deep
water hsrbor for Texas, and says some
things that are as true as they are peril
nsnt. While dissenting from some mat
ters stated by the World, as for instance
that Texas cannot decide her own deep
water questions and 80 calls upon other
states and territories to help her. the
LIGHT cordially endorses such utterance
as the following concerning the unavail-
ability and undesireableness Of Calves
ton as the future port:
SIN the first place 1t is almost open to
the sea, having nothing to guard IL from
the terrific force of the gulf storms, but
a sand bar, which only makes naviga-
ton the worse, as it necessitates bring
ing both passenger and freight traffic to
the city on lighters. This causes much
extra trouble and expense, especially In
stormy weather when the landing can
not be made.
Another drawback here is the Calves
ton Wharf company. which controls all
the sea frontage of the city and charges
exorbitant prices for its privileges. This
company is also closely allied to the one
controlling the lighter traffic, thus CIV
ing it a monopoly which makes 1t one
of the best paying corporations In the
state but an Unsuitable vampire on the
shippers. Considering all these facts
Galveston should hardly be the choice
of the west for its gulf hsrbor, whatever
Texas may think of it."
AFTER considering the advantages
and disadvantages Of the other possible
gulf ports, Arkansas Pass, Sabine Pass
and the Brazos, the Worlds concludes:
"All things considered, Arkansas seems
undoubtedly the best place for this har-
Dor, and were it not for tie strong pres
sure exerted by the Galveston people In
their behalf and the sectional strife be-
tween the cities of Fort Worth and Dali
las placing them on the opposite sides
of the question, 1t would probably be
chosen at once, but these local preju-
dioes make a choice impossible. Thus
Texas, as whole, is injured by this
dallying, because its different sections
can see no interests but their own"
1t will thus be seen that the eyes of
Denver having been turned this way for
q deep sea port at which to make its
open ocean shipments, the sentiment
there sets strongly in favor Of Arkansas
Pass. 1t now remains for San Antonio,
Fort Worth, and all Western Texas to
emphasize that sentiment at the ap-
preaching convention at Fort Worth.
Denver, Colorado, New Mexico, and
Western Kansas do not want to reach
open water by the longest but BY the
shortest rail route and that route is over
lines converging at Fort Worth. thence
to the Gulf at Arkansas Pass. Eastern
Texas and Galveston will be at Fort
Worth armed with all the influence that
brains, business and money can COM
mand to turn the tide OF feeling toward
Galveston. To prevent this and center
all. effort upon our own seaport should
enlist every effort of this city and the
whole Southwest. This section Of Tex
as should not 60 unorganized into that
convention. San Antonio should enter
that convention with "a definite idea of
what she desires to have done, and what
she thinks can be done, and In pushing
her ideas upon that convention should
be backed by the whole ofSouthwest
Texas fully organized to stand and work
together.