Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-11-22

creased depth achieved during half a
century, one and one-fourth feet, to
inches and dividing by the sum thus
obtained the total amount expended, it
is ascertained that the improvement to
Galveston harbdr thus far has been eff
fected at cost of s151, s66.66s per inch.
A still further calculation will show
that the rate of deepening per year, if
the whole period is considered, has
been three-tenths of an inch.
1t may be retorted that these nathe-
NAUTICAL deductions are somewhat
strained, from the fact that the United
States government did not lend its aid
to the improvement OF Galvestons
shallow water condition until after the
war, and that when it did the appro-
priations were so far apart as>to render
them inadequate to remove the OBJ
stacles interposed by Neptune. This
might be accepted in mitigation Of
the severity of the conclusion arrived
at by the infiexible application of the
figures arrayed above, had not another
port on the Texas coast within days
voyage of Galveston obtained chan
mel within the space Of few months
of sufficient depth to float some of the
largest vessels that sail the seas over.
This result, too, was produced with
out single dollar from the general
government. Private individuals went
down in their pockets and put up the
money that has brought about this
astonishing achievement. The mouth
Of the Brazos to-day will allow unob-
structed entrance to ships drawing
several feet more water than those that
effect passage across the bar at Gal
weston. This improvement has cost
the sum Of 81 800, 0O0, expended in the
course of months. In other words,
Velasco. a town sixty days old. unaided
by the Federal treasury, has solved the
problem OF deep water on the coast OF
Texas, while the neighboring city OF
Galveston. the Oldest and richest in the
state, with her miles of warehouses
and millions of private capital, has
been unable, with the aid OF the gen.
eral government, to effect an increase
in her deep water facilities OF more
than one and one-quarter feet in many
years.
Another amusing phase of the meet
ing at Denver crops out in that part OF
the description of the affair which re-
lates how the committee, after practl'
cally shutting the door in the faces OF
the representative of Velasco, who
were on the ground to urge the claims
of their seaport, adopted resolutions
calling upon congress to make the nee
essary appropriations to complete the
work at Galveston.
In order to ascertain what the nee
essary appropriations to complete the
work at Galveston will amount to in
money, it will be well to resume the
thread of mathematical sequences in
terrupted short way back.
1t is presumable that the Oleander
City desires to do business at her
wharves with ships drawing say twenty
feet. Now she has thirteen and quar-
ter. Only six and three-quarter feet
are needed to complete the work." or
eighty-one inches. This, according to
the previous ratio of cost, $l51, 1865. 665
per inch, would aggregate an expense
of So, 3O1, 200, or nearly twice as much
as the act of congress, on which Gal
weston so much relies, contemplates
expanding under the direction of the
secretary of war, during the next half
a dozen years. Meantime the current
at the mouth OF the Brazos will proba-
bly, have dug a channel thirty feet
deep.
However, if the people of Galveston
prefer to waste their time---no fear of
their wasting their substance---in mon
keying with Uncle SANS money in an
effort to get things fixed so that vessels
like the Great Eastern can steam across
their hump-backed bar and into their
duck pond of bay, instead of taking
time by the forelock and pulling up
their stakes and moving to a place
where they can enjoy the luxury OF
deep water all the year round, it is
their funeral, and nobody except the
friends of the deceased--the contractors
and engineers in charge of the jetties---
will be expected to attend it.