San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-10-28
COL. ROPES TALKS.
HIS HEALTH SOMEWHAT RE-
COVERED.
Work at the Pass All That is De-
sired-Some Very Encourag-
ing Features.
NO TROUBLE ABOUT WATER
What is Being Done at the Cliffs
The Inter-Continental
Railway.

Colonel E. Ii. Ropes, who is just re-
turning to the coast after an absence of
nearly three weeks spent in absolute rest,
10 order to recuperate his strength, sadly
depleted by overwork, is in the city. He
was found in his quarters in the Menger
hotel by LIGHT representative. He APP
pears in better health than for some
months past, is less jaded and worn, his
eyes are brighter and his complexion
fresher, showing Enthusiastically that his
retirement for a season has been great
gain to him.
Colonel Ropes is a gentleman who al
WAYS receives the press courteouSly and
he is very pleasant man to interview.
His reception of the LIGHT was most cor
dial, and his eye frightened and the old
fire of purpose and energy was in it as he
responded to the questions propounded.
"How long before you expect to COM
plete your first channel across the Island,
Colonel?"
1.-THE engineer says he will be in the
Gulf in thirty days, but give him sixty.
/ have found in pioneer work of this
kind so many unexpected things to delay
work that predictions as to time are not
always met. We have found instead of
the ouickSand, which so many predicted
would interfere with our work, and pos
sibly stop it altogether, clay so stiff that
the dredges have had to be altered in or
der to work it, and this has caused delay.
We have been obliged to lengthen our
ladder eight feet, so as to work that added
distance ahead of its original reach, and
we are only now resuming operations
after such change"
"a fter your present cut is made into
the Gulf how do you propose to proceed"
"As soon as this channel is opened to
the Gulf another dredge cutting channel
twelve feet deep will commence working
its way across the island. This will be
followed by another cutting l6 feet,
another still cutting 20 feet and one
dredge will follow on the heels of another
until clear thirty foot channel is cut.
These dredges will follow one another as
closely as the work can be advantageous
ly done and no time will be lost in getting
the channel opened to its projected depth
81 thirty feet from the bay 10 the gulf.
"Do You intend to jettie into the gulf or
will you depend on dredging entirely"'
after the pass is opened across the is
land we will jettie into the gulf, carrying
our work out to a sufficient distance to
give us clear thirty foot Of water. We
shall revett the south bank OF the pass at
the entrances and exits so as to hold the
channel, and also revet all places that
need it, but the stiff clay will
render this unnecessary save at the ENDS.
There seems to be mistaken idea that
we do not intend to iettie to any consider
able extent. This is erroneous. We in
tend to iettie to a sufficient distance from
the gulf end of the channel, to give us
thirty feet of clear water from Corpus
Christi Bay into the deep water of the
gulf $50.
and how, so far as you know, is the work
regarded by engineers not connected with
your operationSp
During my enforced absence from my
Office, on account OF a threatened break
down from overwork, III. G. Ripley, civil
engineer at Galveston, came over to in
spect the work in an unofficial way, the
engineer in charge being an old friend OF
his Mr.. Ripley was for 1SyearS assistant
u. S. engineer at Galveston. He is better
acquainted with the coast than any en-
gineer in the service. He has been the
practical working engineer at Galveston
under all the engineering chiefs who had
charge of the work there for IS years.
Mansfield and Ernst and the rest have
come and gone, but Mr.. Ripley has re-
manned. After examining our work Mr..
Ripley said there would be no trouble
about our getting 30 feet of water into the
gulf. He also assured me that Corpus
Christi bay was the best tidal basin on
the whole gulf coast. This means, OF
course. that we will have the swiftest
tidal currents racing through our pass OF
any pass upon the coast, and consequent.
ly greater scour to maintain our channel
free from Accommodations and so maintain
and increase its depth. Impressed with
the value of this great tidal basin in any
effort to secure deep water channel TO
the open waters OF the gulf,
Mr.. Ripley, some two years since, Sug-
gested the cutting of channel across
Mustang Island as is now being done. and
had located the place for making such
pass should it be,decided upon, just where
we are at work. This is not coincidence.
1t is the deduction of reason and the con-
clusion of a Judgment practically, in
structed in matters pertaining 10 deep
water on the gulf coast. 1t points to
success as certain as any results can be,
not yet achieved, but based upon the
practical outworking of true scientific
method. Mr.. Ripley'S report upon our
work, and his views as expressed TO me
have greatly encouraged me and con-
firmed my opinion that we are upon the
right track for the best deep water results
that are likely TO be reached npon the
coast"
Glow Is work progressing on shore?
How about rapid transit and your South
American railway scheme?'
"Rapid transit is all right Our road
is built and in operation along the cliffs
4 Ill 2 To 40 n,la aNNfaa