Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-14
DELICIOUS VELASCO.
A BEACH AND BATHING GROUND
TO THE QUEENS TASTE.
Tho Hotel at Surf Side and the Zine Pavu
ION Under way-So Cndertow and
Fine Clear Water.
special to the Gazette.

VELAsco, TEX, March IS. - Another
cargo of picked lumber has ar
rived for the mammoth hotel, being built
on Surf Side beach. The first floor of the
hotel Will be full half story above the
ground, secured to enormous piles of Cen
trial American palmetto, that are driven
through the sand and twenty feet into the
snb-strata of tough clay. The bathing pa
Wilton, built over the water, viii be the
largest on the Gulf coast. In 'front.' the
water extends out for $50 feet before it
reaches depth of six feet during calm
weather This shallow strip extends al
most the entire length of Crescent beach,
fifteen and one-half miles from point to
point OF the magnificent sweeping curve
The bottom is of firm sand. ana Is as uni
form as floor, except its gradual slope
towards deep water. There are no holes
snags nor reefs, and even in the heaviest
weather, when the great rollers come bel
lowing in from the Atlantic, there IS no IN
dertow, the peculiar formation OF the coast
making it impossible for such an under cur
rent to exist. Your CORES pondent can't
swim q lick but by jumping from one
bouyant breaker to another, frequently
goes out into ten-foot depth with perfect
safety. In calm weather the bottom Of the
sea is plainly visible through twelve feet Of
the always clear, sparkling water. Visitors
here who have been TO the far-famei
watering places along the New England
and Pacific coast have said they found no
bathing beach equal to 81 IF Side.
4 few miles north OF this beautiful place
there is a stretch of prairie country extend
ing from chain of nearly land-locked tide
water bays and lakes for forty miles inland
and watered by Bastrop, Chocolate, Oyster,
Flores, Austin and Mustang -reekS, clear
water high-banked streams from sixty to
200 feet wide and most of them navigable a
distance of from twelve 70 twenty-five
81 y
region is just rolling enough to be pictur-
esque and is dotted with large mots Of giant
live OAKS, pecanS, coJtonwoods and some
cedar 1t is almost entirely unsettled and
is a magnificent range and hunting ground.
The creeks swarm with fish, trout and
black bass predominating. There are also
on that side of the county four great lakes,
thirty to elghty-ive acres in extent and
from ten to forty-ive feet deep, with high,
wooded banks. Along the coast line from
a point several miles northeast of Surf
Side, for a distance of thirty-hve miles, ex-
tends the chain of salt Underwater bays pre-
viousIy mentioned. These are filed with
oyster reefs and are always unvexed by
storm winds in consequence Of their almost
Ia unlocked situation.
Returning to Surf Side and Crescent
beach The latter was where the great
bicycle race for the South Texas champion
ship belt was run last month and won by
CQDG. h6uleQy OI LU5 lOu CluO. ~ Is
magnificent drive, visible because OF its
curve from one end to the other. A short
built fine new tower and equipped the
distance from Surf Side the goyernmenthas
long had a life saving station, and recently
station with all the best modern appliances
for giving aid to ships in dis ress. The
crews were carefully selected from among
the most expert surfmen on the gulf coast
and have been drilled by Captain Toland
until they rate as high as any in The
world. They have frequently saved crafts
that were driving in shore before gales and
had become unmanageable from loss Of
steering gear or from being short-handed.
The station is a delightful place to visit
and all callers receive hearty welcome.
From the hotel the electric street car line
is being built to and through the city OF
Velasco three miles inland. This and the
graded carriage way, that is four feet high
and forty-two wide across the top, will be
finished by June l, the contractors being
| under bond to do so.
There are many other places Of interest
in this immediate part Of Brazoria couHty's
| coast, but It would take up too much space
| to describe them all in single paper.