Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-05-30
DEEP WATER.
Dsnvsr wants the Convention But Asks
Texans to Settle Their Differ.
ences at Hsme,
which Cannot be Done without . oonvsn
ton in Some Texas O'ty-DsnvsI's
Inierest In Deep water.
Der yer Globe.

Denver Globe.
The matter OF choosing q place to 10
cate their deep water harbor seems to bs
& difficult question to the people OF Texsl
and they have thought It best to gel
other western states and territories tc
help them in deciding it. The trouble
with the Texans is that they allow toe
many local pre1udices to influence them
in their choice and cannot agree among
themselves In locating IL. There are fou,
prominent places along the coss,
proposed Is available and each has many
advocates WAC can see nothing about the
others to at them for harbors.
These points are Galveston, Arsnsss
Pass, the Brezos river and Sabine Pass.
The Galveston people OF course can see
no merit 10 any other location, for plac-
ing 1t elsewh would mean death to the
prosperity OF their city. Some of the
Texas people, particularly those Of Dial.
las, are also in favor of Galveston, though
on consideration OF their particular merits
Galveston has many d1awbscks which
the other points have not. In the first
place 1t is almost open to the sea, hsv-
ing nothing to guard 1t from the terrific
force Of t1e Gulf storms but 9 sand bar,
which only makes navigation the worse,
as 1t necessitntes bringing both passenger
and freight traffic to the city on lighters.
This causes much extra trouble and ex-
pense, especially In stormy weather when
the landing cannot be made. In addition
to this its unprotected position makes 1t
liable to be swept away at any time by
sucn terrible Cult storms and tidal waves
az totally overwhelmed and destroyed
Indianois, once the largest and best h.r-
Dor on that coast, but now utterly aban-
doned and ruined.
Another drawback here Is the Galveston
Wharf Company, which controls all the
sea frontage Of the city and charges exor-
oitant prices for its privileges. This
company is also closely sliied to the one
controlling the lighter trsfE;, thus giving
II monopoly which makes it one Of the
best paying corporations in the state, Ant
sn Unsuitable vampire on the shippers
Considering all these facts Galveston
should hardly be the choice of the west
for its guilt hsrbor, whatever Texans may
think of IT,
Sabine Pass is also open to demolition
BY storms, having been at one time badly
ravsged BY them, and 1t can hardly be
considered the most available spot
Brazos river and Arkansas Pass both have
points OF superiority over those already
named, although the latter seems to have
the strongest sentiment In It's favor, &H
the citizens Of Austin, San AntonioGhd
Fort Worth all advocate its selection :,
Both OF these points are protected from
the storms. The BraZos river has II.
row but deep estuary which is
nsvigable for many miles S4rom
its mouth, thus affording excellentharoor
and wharfage facilities, and at Arkansas
Pass there is broad and capacious bay
completely protected from the sea by
high islsnds. But besides its roomy hsr-
Dor, which can with little trouble be made
available for deep water shipping, Aran.
ssS has 10 its near vicinity the highest
land on this whole curve OF low and
sandy shores peculiar to the Gulf, thus
making it an excellent spot for locating
the large city, which will certainly 50 ring
up II the shipping Is brought here.
All things considered, Arkansas seems
undoubtedly the best plsce for this hsr-
Dor, and were it not for the strong pres
sure exerted by the Galveston people in
tween the cities of Fort Worth and Dallas
question, 1t would probably be chosen st
once, but these local prejudices make 8
choice impossible. Thus, Texas as q
whole Is injured by this dallying, because
Its different sections can see no interests
but their own.
However, since the building of the Fort
Worth road many Of the more public
spirited citizens Of Texas, seeing how
the interests Of their state are ibjuted
by this delay, have decided to make Ne
project . broader one and get all the
states and territories which viii pzoas
by the advantages of this gulf route 70
IGN them in gaining congressional sid
t5f the project. This is undoub:saiE the
wisest move they could have made, as a
more widespread representation from all
parts Of the west will secure Q more i'm
partial choice Of the best place tor the
hsrb1r. In accordance with this idea the
Merchants Exchange OF Dallae has asked
that the convention to COZ slider this pro-
jsct and set about getting national aid for
1t should be he'd in Denver as more
central point and one which It would be
easier for the delegates from sill the states
and territories TO reach. As they wish to
have delegates from Kansas, Nebraska,
Wyoming. Utah, New Mexico, Texas
and Colorado, snd now desire TO add still
to these California, Nevsds, Oregon,
Idaho, Montsos, Washington and Arizona,
the wisdom Of choosing Denver az q
meeting point is very apparent.
But one thing more would still improve |
the chances for getting this harbor, and |
tha: would be for the people Of Texas to |
come to some agreement among them |
selves before coming to the convention.
II they do not do 30 the different factionsl
coming from their state will involve the |
In such confusion Of wire I
pulling and csucussing for their fsvorite
locations that it's real business will be
impeded and its sessions need
lessly prolonged, state of affairs which
will not be apt to make the members
rom the other states and territories
very friendly to the project. How
sver, the consideration of the question by
from oil this great stretch
If country will undoubtedly help them to