San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-07-20
A TRIP TO THE BRAZOS.
WHAT THE DEEP WATER PORT
OF TEXAS Is DOING.
San Antonio's Interests are Will the
Brazos Region-What May be
Done by Trying.

HI. b. Martin, of the firm Of Martin Sc
Co. of this city, has returned from a visit
to the future commercial cities, Velasco
and Quintana, seaports on the Texas
coast. Mr.. Martin kindly furnishes the
following for the LIGHTS readers.
You can take the morning train
on the Arkansas Pass Railway, passing
over a beautiful country, showing live
towns and good crops. You arrive at
Houston s p. m, resting yourself until 10
a. m, you can enter the car marked
white on the /. Il &. n. Ry., and make
a run to Columbia over the toughest and
Oldest piece of railroad in the. state. You
leave the train, cross the BraZos river on
fat boat toated by a negro. There you
take a small steamer for the seaport
cities.
Passing down this river the embank-
ments tower away 30 feet high above you,
and foliage that gives it a very pictur-
esque look. The depth of water is from
eight to forty feet and the average from
200 to 400 feet wide. From Columbia to-
Brazoria immense trees, logs and debris
obstruct the stream, which the pilot care
fully avoids. Leaving Brazoria, the
county seat, for the coast, you have clear
sailing, deep water and the embankment
growing less in height. The boat was,
crowded with anxious people going
down to make money, each one
discussing how many lots, how many
acres will l buy? Can l make
a fortune? Capitalists, merchants, bank
sas, Nebraska, Missouri and Texas.
Reaching elasco, three and a half miles
from the coast on the river bank. you see
thousands Of mechanics andlabOrers and
people buying lots, all activity. A large
three story hotel going up rapidly, about
twenty-five dwellings and store buildings
also. A brick yard in operation; one kiln
almost ready to open; lumber yards all
pushing, to complete its work; vessels
discharging their cargoes, and steamers
returning to the coast carrying the
visitors, and men to Quintana, that is
located on the gulf coast, with a popula-
ton OF about 100 and has wide streets,
good private residences and business.
houses. Here the river is eight hundreds
feet wide and 35 feet deep. The jettiesS
| commence and run out 1000 feet into the
gulf. The piles are first driven in, then
n ats Of willows are made and stone
placed on them and lowered between the
piling, making a secure wall about 20 feet
wide. and as deep as the river bed. This
is carried up about 20 feet above the river.
The space between the ietties is about g.
feet. The bar formerly had ~ feet
| now has II feet eight inches measured
Thursday. We had a small steamer
chartered to look carefully over he jet
ties and the beach and outside. and visit
ed the new town, VelaSco. This work
| has been done by private individuals, who
| deserve great credit, and the people Of
the state and Governor Hogg should give
expression TO it. This is a grand enter
prise and a grand field for speculation.
You can see the large vessels. both
steamer and sail, running into this in
land harbor As miles up the river. from
| 200 to 500 feet wide and from 20 to 40 feet
| deep.
Who will not say this will be the future
commercial seaport of Texas. We VIII
have maps and circulars in IA few days
which we will mail to any one by sending
stamps to mail them. Let San Antonio,
| push for a connection via the Tansa
Pass Ry. from Cuero, Victoria and on to-
the coast, less than one hundred miles, to
build this connection and help build up,
the CITY.