The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-12-26
ABOUT OUR PORTS
THE REPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT
ENGINEERS HAS BEEN MADE 10
THE PROPER AUTHORITY.
Facts and Figures Regarding the Present
state and Future Possibilities Of
Our Issaporss.

The engineers appointed to exam
inc the coast of Texas with an eye to OBJ
tanning deep water have made their re-
port, turning it in to the secretary of
war. 1t viii be sent by that gentle
man to the president, and by him to
the senate at once. The report starts
out by quoting the resolution under
which the investigation was pros
ecuted. 1t then proceeds to infinitely
describe the Texas coast, and a lengthy
quotation from Gen. Casey's report
made in 1887 is submitted, showing
the character of the bars and rivers.
There are two classes of rivers enter
ing the gulf, only one of which--the
Brazos-is worthy OF mention, it hay-
ing deep channel. Nine points were
examined by the board, these being
Sabine Pass, Galveston, San Luis Pass,
Brazos river, Pass Caballo, Cedar
Bayou, Arkansas Pass, Corpus Christi
Pass and Brazos Santiago.
The report describes Willett's pier
plan, but refuses to discuss it on the
ground that 1t does not come within
the scope of the object for which the
board was formed, as the plan contem-
plates the construction Of an outer
harbor. The report shows the ADAM
Comment of the mouth of the Brazos
by the government and the work done
there by private capital, and describes
that work. 1t says that the channel
there has always had cross section
very much less than the board con-
siders necessary for deep harbor. 1t
considers Cedar bayou unworthy OF
consideration. 1t considers Corpus
Christi pass entirely too small to be
considered in connection with deep
water port, and that it is so unim-
portant that at one time the engineer
in charge recommended that it be
closed by low dam. In regard to
Brazos Santiago, the cross section
maintained by nature is entirely too
small to give reasonable promise of q
suitable artificial channel. AS to San
Luis pass, the board does not deem it
worthy OF consideration. 1t reports
that pass Caballo is an inlet in Mata-
gorda bay and Lavaca bay, with an
area of 400 square miles, but is liable
to severe storms, and tells of the de-
struction Of Indianola and quotes the
report of Major Ernst as to its being
the most difficult and uncertain bar
on the coast, and comedies with the
report. 1t describes the pass and lake
at Sabine Pass at length, and says the
land is marshy and subject TO over
flow. There are 100 acres in which
the water is twenty-four feet deep and
there are sixty-three acres in which
the water is thirty feet deep. The bar
differs from the bars at other points.
1t consists of mud and other factors
of bars, and the currents through the
pass are increased by the outflow from
the rivers. These have maintained a
cross section of 27,774 feet. AS result
OF the work done there the channel
over the bar has increased from 7 to
10t feet. The engineer in charge esti-
mates that it will require $,1801 $50 to
give 20 feet. Arkansas Pass is described
at length. The harbor within the "a
feet curves is now about go acres, 10
OF which have about 30 feet.
The bar has q least depth now OF
81 feet. The approved project
for 20 feet of water is at
an estimated cost, in addition TO the
other appropriation of $1,471 900.
Though the outer side Of the bar is
quite steep, no project has ever been
made to secure 30 feet OF water at
this pass. When it is improved the
channel between Arkansas and Corpus
Christi bays will increase TO depth
of IA feet, the mean depth Of
Corpus Christi bay.
AS to Galveston, the report says I:
Galveston, or the tidal basin tributary
to the Galveston entrance, covers an
area OF 455 square miles. Near the
entrance to the channel is q bar
which in 1867 had 81 feet Of water
and now has IL feet at low water. In
1841 this bar did not exist, as there
was depth of 30 feet out TO where
the water begins to shoal near the
outer bar. The northeastern end Of
the island adjacent TO the inner bar is
so low as TO be washed over in severe
storms and is constantly liable TO be
cut in two. Channels so formed
across this part Of the island by storms
generally fill up and disappear. The
present plan Of improvement will put
an end TO this danger by connecting
the shore end of the southern jetty
with the shore projection built by the
citizens OF Galveston. The entire
area inside the outer bar, containing
a least depth OF 30 feet, is 400 acres,
and there are 1900 acres with least
depth Of "a feet, but these acres can
scarcely be referred 10 with safety as
Galveston harbor, because over 55