The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-08-23
Judge Hancock's Deep Water


Whereas, Because of the remoteness of
the markets upon which the people of
Texas are dependent, and the cost of
reaching them by present facilities of
transportation, but few of the products of
the country can be marketed beyond the
limits of the state and return anything to
the producer; such only as cotton, wool,
beef and hides, and they at so heavy cost
for freights, shrinkage, deterioration in
values, wastage and incidental expenses,
rs to aggregate an annual loss to the pro-
ducers of not less than $10,000,0O0, likely
much more, while the vast surplus
Of the farm, the orchard and
the garten, and the profuse pro-
ducts of nature can be utilized but par
TALLY for domestic consumption, and a
limited home market, Leaving vast
balance neglected to waste and rot upon
the ground, or consumed by animals and
insects, aggregating an amount In value
of many millions of dollars-greater even,
it is believed, than that lost on the few
articles which can be sent abroad and re-
turn a meBger remuneration to the pro-
Queer, all demonstrating the Importance,
yea more, the absolute necessity, If we
would avoid the loss by expense and
damage by long lines of trans pOrtation to
remote markets, and utilize at fair market
value the great waste of products that
cannot be carried to market at all, of q
deep water harbor at some eligible point
ON our own coast, readily and easily &C
ces,ible and
Whereas, After over forty years and the
expenditure of $5,000,000 on our sea
coast by the general government, upon
theories and methods adopted by the
branch of the government having in
charge the improvement of harbors, etc,
there has resulted no improvement what
ever in the depth of water to our ports
and without a radical change in the theory
and methods, Of which there is no pres
ent prOspect-at least not such as to &C
1complish early results-there is no
rational ground to hope that our seaports
will be materially different from what
they now are at the expiration of forty
years more. On the contrary the history
of the past, the present policy of the
general government, the vast monetary
and commercial interests, satisfied
with and largely dependent on that
policy and antagonistic to that we so
hOVut boOnON ohu oupP'iUS' "o WV "AN
tagonsm is, by millions of treasure, great
numbers and powerful political influence,
leave little probability to expect bene-
fetal change as long az these powerful
antagoDisms control; while the produce
tive capabilities of Texas are injured
yearly in an amount more than would be
sufficient to build frst-class harbor that
would have a larger area of territory
tributary to it than any seaport on the
globe.
Now, therefore, in order to secure
shorter and cheaper routes, such as shall
give easy and direct access to the markets
of other countries so that the capabilities
of the state may be speedily developed
and utilized, and the people put on
equal plane of competition in the mar
kets of the world, and thereby secure a
fair remuneration for their productions;
be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of this
convention that our legislature should
take such action and enact such measures
as may be deemed proper to place the
state in position to construct deep water
harbor on our gulf coast.