Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-11-24
RIVALS ON THE GULF.
Galveston Said to Have Com
petitor in Young Velasco.
WARM WORDS EXCHANGED
Between Representatives of the Two Places.
Big Claims for felasco and Her Dock.
MI. Dana Says 1t is Not SubstantiaI-No
Quorum al the Meeting of the Deep
Harbor Convention, and No
Business Transacted
WARM WORDS EXCHANGED

The Galveston deep-harbor committee
or part of it met in room No. 226 Wind
SCR hotel, last night for the purpose of I'M
raveling the perplexities that have sur
rounded the deep harbor project The
harbor has now, it is stated, thirteen and
one-quarter feet ofwater. and twenty years
ago, when they began the work they had
twelve feet of water. In gaining this one
and one-fourth feet in twenty wears. with
an expenditure of s2.27S 900 of Uncle Sans
money, they have, it is said, rival in We
lasco, a little city at the mouth of the
Brazos river, and this fact lent increased
animus TO meeting of last night.
1t was stated that there was not a quorum
present. The meeting was held behind
closed doors, and Secretary Dana refused
to give any information whatever. The I'M
derStanding was, however, when it was ex-
pected that quorum would be present,
that a petition should be presented to con-
gress and the president asking for an addi-
liQ2akS precipitation to finish the harbOr
beslgsb lake steps also to head OFF Velasco. The
friends of the latter place We're about. and
they We're trying TO get petition to be pre-
scented to congress making that place in
stead Of Galveston a deep-port harbor.
The YOUNG RIVAL.
FelaSco is only four months old, and. it is
alleged, has 1000 inhabitants. 1t now
CLAIMS more water than Galveston, though
not cent OF TINS sum being government
money. The secretary of the treasury
wrote letter July Z last to the collector of
the port at Galveston saying that foreign
vessels would be permitted to enter the
harbor at VelaSco when they could do so
and drew too much water to be accom-
modated at the Galveston harbor.
1t is said that 20 per cent of the merchant
marine of the United States draw less than
twenty feet, and a harbor with twenty
three feet of water would accommodate al
most any vessel likely to enter the gulf.
Nelasco promises to have this by July l
next. and asks not cent OF government
money.
NOT VERY FRIENDLY.
There is considerable rivalry between the
two ports on the gulf, and the outcroppings
are not all of the most pleasant nature. f.
l.. Dana, who is secretary of the deep-har-
Dor committee, in addition to 10 the informa-
ton which he gave that the committee was.
doing nothing of interest to the public, haE
something to say of Velasco. He first stSok
exceptions to telegram which waEsent
the Republican from Fort Worth, st ting
that hewas Velasco jboomer, " 5Fhile he
is resident of Galves4 ~. ~
.a1essrs. Crawford$and EdRards,' he
SAIL, "claiIn to be nIHnbers Of the inter
are not Mr. Crawferd claims to be dele
gate to the mining congress, which I very
seriouslF question. EThey ore here simply
&c advertise Neiasc9
& TwqcoMPAxIEs rffE SAME.
Tie tWe com anies Which Mr.. Craw-
fordafepFssents have asort of 4 DR.. Jekyl
andsNIf Hyde existence; for instance, the
dock company makes all of the representa-
tions aud does nearly, if not quite all, of
tho advertising, while the land company
sells town lots.
THE two companies are composed of
nearly the same individuals. but should
misrepresentation be made by the dock
company and Nelasco turn out to be a
fiasco. then the land company sits back and
folds its virtuous hands and says: Our
company made no statements, therefore no
misrepresentation; we owned the town, it
is true. but you bought lots without our So
licitation and you have no legal recourse
LONGS FOR RIVAL.
''Candidly, ] am sorry that Velasco is no
more than a plaything. ! do wish from the
bottom of my heart that a rival would
spring up upon the gulf coast which would
brighten Galveston and cause such an
activity among our people as would make
Galveston improve al pace several times
as fast as she does"
MIR. CRAwFoRD's POSITION.
''Whom the gods would destroy they first
make mad,' said Mr. Crawford, rs he was
notified of the import of Mr.. Dana's inter-
view ''His statement with reference to the
two companies in Velasco is correct as to
their composition; almost the same persons
compose the dock and land companies. The
land company does solicit persons to buy
and also makes representations. We say we
have seventeen and one-half feet of water
and haven't asked the government to pay
for the work of procuring it. We are not
willing that the government shall take our
property. either. If Mr.. Dana or any of his
associates expect to gain anything by such
willful misr6 presentations | think they
will find themselves following the wrong
tactics.
r-r'As to the personal attacks on myself, l
simply want TO say that | am representa-
tive of several I'eXas organizations and two
Cities to the mining congress. / was mis- |
quoted where / appeared to say | was a
member of the deep harbor committee. l |
said expected to attend the meeting or had
come for that purpose. They refuse to adj
nit me. however, and | am satisfied"
Mr. Crawford led the Houston delegates |
to the Denver commercial congress and |
prepared the map in which that city APP
peared to overshadow Galveston, which |
was pushed out into the center of the Gulf
Galveston people do not love him. and rs |
SAYS they are jealous OF Velasco.-DepEerst
Republican. November 10th.