The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-07-28
PROGRESS AT VELASCO
soME FACTS WORTHY YOUR CONSIDER
ALTON.
Its Advantages as the Greatest Supply De-
pot on the Gulf-0pinions Of
Prominent Men.

moth steam coal elevator just com
Tpleted here is the only one of the kline
on the entire coast of the Gulf of Mexi
co, and will be an important factor il
inducing ocean steamers to prefer
Velasco to any other Gulf port, for il
is well known fact that coal is the
last thing that should go aboard 6
steamship before she starts on 6
voyage. The reason this is so is thai
few steamers are properly trimmed,
or landsman's terms, sit right on the
water after receiving their cargoes
and the trimming" is done by put
ting most of the coal on the "high
side" of the vessel, thus bringing
it down even; otherwise, the YES
sci would be obliged to GO
to sea in poor condition to
face heavy weather.
This is not so much the case with
sailing vessels, as their CargOes occupy
most of their entire length, and there
is no bulky machinery amidships to
necessitate most of the cargos being
loaded fore and aft. The weights of
various articles taken on board can
not always be considered in loading a
steamer. The largestpackage may be
the lightest, and the entire cargo is
put in with a view of its remaining
tightly in place during its most severe
weather, and also to be quickly and
cheaply discharged upon arrival at it's
destination. Consequently, when a
majority of steamships have finished
loading, they are Tout of plumb" and
unfit to proceed to sea until they are
trimmed with coal as aforesaid.
Now, to lighter coal out from a
wharf to a steamer lying off any gulf
port, costs as much as would pay for
the coal. as it all has to be handled
without the aid of machinery, and if
the sea is the least rough the coal
barges cannot go outside, and the Ves-
sci is delayed until calm weather, be-
ing all the time at an expense and
also running a risk of being obliged,
by an increase of heavy weather, to
quit the dangerous proximity of the
coast and put to sea in bad form, and
with an insutficiency Of fuel.
This was demonstrated when the
United States men of war of the White
Squadron " ERE obliged to leave Gal
vestonand proceed up the Mississippi
to New Orleans to coal.
At present the largest cruisers in
the navy can fill their bulkers at We
lasco's wharves, and deep draught
ocean steam carriers can complete
their cargoes and take on a full sup
ply of fuel here for voyages to north
ern or European ports without shift
ing their positions 100 feet. Commo-
dore Spieer of New York and other
officers of the Mallory line, who in
spected Velasco's coaling facilities
shortly after work began on the ele-
vator, said they would have no
trouble loading the Concho or any
other steamer of her sex to full Ca
pacity here and taking on all needed
coal without recourse to lighters.
The advantages offered in this line
at Velasco indu ced the building OF
this elevator, the firm controlling ii
and several of the coal fields of A la
bama and Tennessee, being deter
mined to make this the great supply
depot on the Gulf of Mexico. No other
port presents half as many induce.
ments, nor, according to present pros
poets, will any other gulf port be able,
in this generation at least, to begin
competition with Velasco as a coal
distributing point.
The magnitude of this bushes can
hardly be appreciated by people un.
acquainted with its details. AS one
evidence, Commodore Spicer may be
quoted again. He said: GA steamer
drawing over fifteen feet could make
money coaling here, even if she took
on her cargo of freight at Galveston
The elevator is located between
South First and South Second Streets
on the river. 1t is 125 feet long, II
feet above water and SO feet wide. The
bin has holding capacity of 2,2O(
tons of coal, with twenty-five chute:
for loading vessels or cars, also foul
ene-ton buckets for unloading a cargo
of coal, which can be kept constantly
at work. The firm of Chambers &
Marmion who control the elevator, in
forms your correspondent that they
will receive cargo of about 1000 tom