St. Landry democrat., 1890-04-05
SOUTHERN COAST POINTS.
THE CALCAsIEU PASS POSSESSES ADVAN-
TAGEs GREATER THAN ALL
OTHERS.

Mr. Editorials q Kansas man, will you
allow me to give as briefly as L can my
ideas of the interests which Kansas and
Iowa have in the question of route to the
nearest point on the Gulf of Mexico suita-
BILE for a harbor and it's advantages to all
the States between the Mississippi and the
Rocky mountains. I speak from great
deal of investigation by careful personal
observance, having passed along the entire
gulf coast from New Orleans to Mexico,
examining as best could every point under
consideration for harbors. 1t must be
recollected that this gulf coast is one third
longer than the Atlantic coast from Balti-
more to Boston, embracing New York,
Philadelphia and all intermediate points,
and with that idea in view the natural
inquiry will be, when all Texas and Louis
lana shall be developed, how many ports
should be along this line? Certainly not
less than three or four.
The eastern end of Kansas lies on due
south line from western Iowa and what
will help Kansas, I opine, will help Iowa.
Galveston, Arkansas, Sabine and other
points in Texas have been largely dis
cussed, and convention at Topeka, asked
board of government engineers to make
a report as to the best point, and that
board recommended Galveston, with quasi
recommendations also for Sabine and Aran-
sas Corpus ChristD, but with an estimate
so large as to make it doubtful whether
congress will give any such immense ap-
preparation. That estimate was $780,
900. Recollect, Galveston has been receiv-
ing appropriations ever since the admis-
sion of Texas into the union, except in the
interregnum of war and that appropria-
iton is but the initiation of $50, 600, OOO in
the near future.
The point I desire to call your atten-
ton to, was not included at all in the in
structions or Investigations of that board
of engineers but it lies within twenty
miles of the eastern port investigated.
That port is the mouth of the Calcasieu
river in Louisiana. 1t did not need any
board to report. Unsettled as the country
is near it, government officer had made
a report four years ago. 1t sent represen-
tatives to the Topeka convention, but the
power and influence of Texas voted them
out If they had no place which would
have stood the ordeal of critical eXamina-
ton, there would have been no policy in
keeping them out and common courtesy
would have invited them in and thus have
secured their CO. operation.
Well, where is the evidence that the
Calcasieu is suitable place fora harbor :?
Here it is, in the official report of engineer
Thomas L. Raymond in 1886: "Calcasieu
pass, the outlet of lake Calcasieu, is some
thing over seven miles in length, with an
average width of 600 feet, and a good
channel sixteen feet deep for the greater
part of this distance, interrupted by oyster
reefs about four miles from the gulf.
Neither time nor opportunity was had for
current observations during the examina-
tons, hnt in all similarly situated waters
currents of from two and half miles
par hour are produced by the level of
water remaining in the lake when the
gulf level is suddenly lowered by the
action of wind and tidal causes. These
currents, when confined sufficiently in the
pass have produced depths as great as
twenty five feet.
ssThe slope in the Gulf beyond the
twelve feet depth is ABOUT one foot in $50,
giving depth of eighteen feet one and
half miles from shore"
This is showing of the Calcasieu pass
in state of nature by public officer at a
point where there were but few people to
take any interest in any attempt to bias
his opinion, and is altogether a better
showing than Galveston can make after
experiments for almost half a century.
| have the government coast survey
showing that at two miles out there is a
depth of twenty-five feet, from which the
sea falls off abruptly.
In contrast with this give quotation
from a report by E. w. Brown, an able
engineer, in the Kansas Farmer of De-
cember, 1889:
Galveston bay, near the island of that
name, where the city of Galveston is stu
ated, is on the northeast point of the
island. East of the city a sandy point
runs out about a mile and half, where
the tide washes over, and further East
you can see the yellow sand just under the
water. Years ago jetties were built on
the North side of the point, but the tides
and the waves have destroyed or covered
up all but few posts. About the same
time canal was dredged up out of the
bay toward Houston, eighteen miles, but
the report of the examining engineer says
that the water is shallower than it was
before any dredging was done. A year or
two ago work was commenced on another
jetty, starting from the northeast point of
the city, and was built out in northeast
erly direction a mile and half, using
brush and rock, but as the railroad track
was just above the sand, they concluded
it was too low. Another one was built
out north of it, and has been extended out
from the main land over three miles,
curving around to the southeast FIVE miles,
this being necessary to reach deep water.
The present jetty is made by building
trestle work seven feet above the water,
hen backing out trains loaded with granite
and dumping it off between outside of
rack, thirty feet wide at bottom, round
ing up to the rails, costing at a rough es-
innate $1,000 rod, or $500, 600 mile, for
rock. The estimated cost for two lines of
jetties and dredging to deep water is
s8, 600, 900, and $500, 900 year to keep it
1redged out, so that it will be passable.
Those who have dredged out quick sand
IAN see the feasibility of such an UNDER
;aking."
have no desire to oppose Galveston.
That city's interest is small factor in this |
great enterprise. At least eight other
States are more deeply interested in it than |
Ill of Texas. It is the simple question of |
low to get deep water harbor for the |
benefit Of the farmers of the great North |
western States, as well as Texas, at the |
nearest and best, and am willing to put |
Jalcasieu at 81 ZOO, 600 and her two miles
# jetties against Galveston with Sc, $780,
100 and her five miles of jetties.
Then Calcasieu is the nearest to all the
Itates interested except Texas. Draw q
Inc from the mouth of the Calcasieu to
ny point in Iowa or Nebraska, and the
istance is from fifty to one hundred miles
horter than from Galveston.
Two railroads are already projected be-
ween Kansas City and that point, and one
+ them, the Kansas City, Watkins and
Fulf road, is already constructed for about
xty miles.
The route from Kansas City passes over
d almost level country with an average
ecline of about one foot to the mile. On
lis route is the best forest of timber for
30 miles to be found in the United States.