Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-06-29
ARKANSAS PASS.
i Letter From Barney Gibbs OF the sub-
iact of DEEP WAFER.

i Letter From Barney Gibbs OF the Sub
iect of Deep WAFER.
DALLAS, TEX., June "a, 1883.
| To the Editor Of the Gazette.
desire to call your attention to the
following facts: The editorial in the
[ Galveston News Of June %, telegraphed
TO the Dallas News Of the same dste, con-
tairs assertions that should not 20 w
challenged, After characterizing the
| coming Fort Worth convention as "selt
constituted body" and stating thst 1t is
| folly to assume that 1t could have any
! weight or receive the approval OF the
engineers department at Washington,
! II proceeds TO make the astounding GeCisr
| stiou that the engineers department has
practically settled the matter 50 Far SIS tie
| department is concerned OF Zone little
report" of Maio Ernst. How the Nsws
coul De forgetfuI Of the report Of that
celebrated engineer, General Newton,
published in its columns March ,, 1855,
ccCn0t conceive. In this report General
Newton states that the bar st Galveston
has been shoslipg and exte ending into the
gulf 81 the rate q 100 feet per znnuu
since 1851, or $500 feet N thirty I'VE
years, and Es concludes his report II
these words:
81 invite particular attention TO tle
conclusions OF the board thst great
contraction Of the cianEel 0Y j-Gies
would but slightly increase the velocity
! of the currents and extreme depth IN the
| channel, while it would On the other
| hand, ruin the harhor OF Galveston IS
well IS expose the city TO destruction"
This is the report Of 0
I -
GERS, carefully made upon fall dsts
and the most thorough examination. How
does this report square with the ssser
ton o. the News tnst the engineers re-
| ports are more favorable to Galveston
than other'points?
The News relies on Msior ETnst's
answers to few ekillfully formulated
questions propounded - him by Mr.
| Willis; questions constructed on the Disn
/ Of the old nigger's coon trsp, ITO kctCh
'em 8 gwlne Snd COMM" These
answers are 80 fairly and forCibly met by
the Corpus Christ! Caller that beg &c
! quote il;
! The answer shows 1904 sores Of
| twenty-fouE- foot curve inside Galveston
bar sgsinst sixty acres Of the same curve
INSIDE Arkansas bar. This is out half the
truth, yet MSJor INST should not be held
accountable tor lis issuorc &C in hat shape
! The whole truth is that Galveston hsIboT
| has less OF twenty four-toOt curve
| than Arausss hsroar mas. Nearly
/ sll Of Arkansas sLchOrage is be5inG
! s.. Joseph Island, and Is completely
| Isnd-lOCked, smooth WeteE anchorage,
| while nearly Gil CT the twenty fCur-fou,
anchorage st Galveston is in the open sea
outside OF the cost line, or in Bolivar
/ Roads, ard therefore as fully exposed 20
/ The gulf storms as though lying Off 81.
| Joseph's Island. No lind lies between
| the anchorage 81 Galveston and tire Grlt
/ Cf Mexico. The Galveston bsr is i've
miles out ct ses, aud tbs anchorage is
made up By measuring everything which
| lies between that bar and the Cotst line,
/ therefore, If 81 ocean Tier we're run out
! from Padre Island it might with equal
truth be claimed that there were 100, QQ0,-
600 acres OF thirty-f0ot anchorage avail
able at Padre Ielsnd. But
even this is not Gil. Vessels drawing
twerty-four fest Ct water can
to-day lie alopg Harbor leland
the entire length Of the
hsrbor; ia other words AcsHsAs can Cff=r
three miles OF dCckage where q twenty
| four foot vessel can lie in perfectly
smooth water. Galveston Las not spot
where single ship drawing twenty-iour
feet could lie at q dock even If che could
get over the bar"
Since July II, 1870, the Uoited States
government has expended in spprc pris
lions on Galveston hSrbor S2,279,0 900 OF
the peoples money. The statement Of
committee of the mos: distir guished Gal
weston citizens, who went 10 Washington
LAST year to present her c.use before Con
gress, wss,thst the expenditure OF this vast
sum Of money Lad rot deepened the bar
at Galveston one single inch.
There can be no wharf monopoly al
Arkansas Pass, as the present constitution
prevents il, end would have regulated
the Galveston Wharf Company except for
the decision Of 3 committee CT lis Gblast
members that Il could not be regula,ed.
There csn be 10 land monopoly, rs lh2
four or five hundred people uvirg thert
oWn in different amounts more thar one
half the town lots. TIE people interested
expect their prcfis from the large v0iums
Ct legitimate commerce 10 the north gu
south CT Ars2sas PAss. 3. GIB8S.