Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-11-18
AT VELASCO.
THE NEW SEAPORT AS SEEN IN
IN DAY BY THE GAZETTE.
A Stirring and Busy Place-ihs Ehthn-
siasm Contagious-The scramble TO
Get in on the Ground Floor.
Correspondence Of the Gazette.


-VeIasco is truly all that is claimed Tor II
by the press and people of TINS state, as l
thriving, busy, new seaport town. II IS IN
doubtedly the busiest Town IN Texas to-day
and growing as rapidly as an army OF me-
chanics, laborers and engineers can erect
buildings, which are occupied frequently
before completed. The entire town pre-
sents a scene of activity rarely seen, and
ones ears ring with the noise OF the rattle
of lumber the hum of the saw, chck OF the
| hammer and trowel and the yell OF the ne
groes unloading at the wharves.
The east bank of the river IS lined with
vessels of all kinds, from SKIN 20 three
mast schooner, unloading Iher various
cargoes Among them are several barges
loaded with fuel and lumber. Two have
aboard twelve cars, the remainder OF the
twenty-four to be used for the NeIasco
terminal railway construction tram. Ine
engine and other cars were loaded early N
the week and viii go on the track as soon
as the rails arrive.
The lumber business is augmented this
week by the NJ I. Jones lum Der company,
who have opened yard and will place one
and a half million feet OF lumber on the
market.
There are three brickyards in active ope-
ration here, and the fourth Will commence
in few days. Their capacity Is estimated
at from forty to fifty thousand bricks per
GAY. =" uLCu dEc VI HCly SOON H-''AAe'. = " -
brick buildings in this county, erected forty
or forty-five years ago by the pioneer set
tiers are standing, and present as solid and
neat appearance as when tlrsG Oullt. Inc
brick, am informed, were made from the
same kind of clay, which crops Up III
mounds or beds, commonly called here
pockets of clay" throughout TINS section.
There are several houses under contract
and in course OF erection, in which the new
brick will be used. Building and getting
ready for business seems to be the order or
the day. The question OF deep water Goes
not enter into any conversation. ina!
seems to be a settled fact beyond doubssbF
every one. The object now Is, TO get
house and get into business on the ground
floor, and grow with the Seattle Tacoma
and Chicago of Texas. Their faith ana
earnestness is contagious, and seems TO
contaminate all who visit the town.
One Of the first signs that catch the
eve after landing at the wharf IS the Brazos
river channel and dock company, the Texas
land and immigration company, the NelasCo
terminal railway company, al in one sign
over the door Of a twO-storY building,
equally as modest as its piacard Such IS
the ofiice of the fathers, lnstlgatcrS and
promoters of deep water ut the mouth or
the BrazOs river, the finders OF the l4nk
that was long looked for to connect the
great commercial chain OF the West wish
the East. UnpreSumlng and quiet Ii seems,
vet the interior is q scene of activity rarely
seen in Southern cities. The first HOor Is
divided into ten Offices. In each IS de-
partment, presided over by its representa-
tive. all under a perfect system. Among
them is the president, treasurer and other
officers of the company, as diligently at
work as the employees, Which proOably IS
partly due to the wonderful success of thels
colossal enterprise. The volume Of Dy,eI-
i,,t Hftla Office .T-lpslt.iV
a half million dollars last month, and IS
growing daily.
The white dome of the ''Velasco" can be
seen glittering in the light many miles at
sea and several up the river. Velasco'S
light is on hill and shining.
The artesian well has reached depth
of 100 feet The well is an eight-inch, and
is being sunk by the rotary system, ad
joining the hotel and new boiler and
machinery house. The latter IS il course
of erection, of brick, 30X32, in which the
hotel will double its boiler capacity, and
put in electric and ice plants.
Messrs. Benson s. Hodges have leased
the Bodies hotel of Houston, and will run
it in connection with the VelaScO.
The morals of the town are being looked
after by the clergy. Sunday schools and
churches are organized, and sites have
been donated to build them on. A $1,000
church will be commenced at an early date.
New buildings (reSidences) are being put
up as far out as Oyster creek, one and half
miles.
The weather is cold. Overcoats are com
Portable evenings and mornings.
This seems to be the Southern home for
geese and ducks. Nimrods are Staying them
by the hundreds. The fish are beautiful.
Among the recent arrivals of West Texas
are B. F. Freymier, mayor of Cleburne; ".
H. McWilliams. Waco; r. +. Campbell,
w. J. Frewell, FL Paso; Alderman G. II.
Day, r. F. Combs and J.sB. Buchanan,
Fort Worthy