Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-28
VELASCO MOVES.
A Constant and Continual
Growth in All Lines.
WITH SAILS FULL SPREAD
a Great Ship Crosses the Bar as If Creased.
The Railroads. housekeeping
to Receive $500 Bales OF. Cotton.
Surf Side, the Beautiful Beach.


SpeClai Lle GaZ6LUe-
VELAsco, TEX, March 26-Grading viii
begin, weather permitting, within ten DAYS
from date on the ffty-four mile stretch of
the Velasco and Northern that is to connect
this city with the several systems that join
at Rosenberg. Rain is delaying the COM
pletion of the Velasco and Surf Side line,
though there is so much of it finished that
weeks pleasant weather would see all
gaps closed. Nearly all the line of the
Yelasco Terminal has received its first bal
last of sand, and the roadhed IS in such ex-
cellent condition that trains make as good
time oyer it as on nearly any line in the
state.
AS soon as possible the wagon roads from
the city to different neighborhoods from
five to twenty-five mics distant, will be in
first rate shape, grading machines having
been bought and a number of substantial
bridges. both iron and wooden, having been
built
Over two-thirds of the immigrants arriv-
ing here by rail are agriculturalists from
the interior counties or the Western states,
most of whom bring their families and
household goods and appear to be pretty
well fixed financially
There ARE over $50. 900 acres of unimproved
first-class farm lands, both timbered and
prairie, in this county to accommodate this
class.
The acreage of cotton. will lie decreased
>
acreage throughout the country will be in
creased at least u per cent. Corn acreage
increases nearly 20 per cent and much lew
land is being prepared for orchards, vine
yards, market gardens. etc.
The British steamship AusterlitZ is ex-
pected to arrive tomorrow. The heavy sea
that recently prevailed in the gulf subsidized
yesterday and numerous schooners and
sleeps that were weather-bOund in the river
left port for the pine lumber region up the
coast
Two large schooners, with 125, 900 feet of
lumber and lot of shingles, for the i'm
provements at Surf Side beach, came in
from Orange last night. The big hotel at
Surf Side has reached its third story. The
central building will contain halls. parlorS,
billiard and sample rooms, dining and
breakfast rooms barber shop, bar, etc,
and sixty-five bedrooms. The two crescent
shaped wings will be devoted TO bedrooms,
about $50 in all. The electric light plant,
steam heating outfit, laundry and motor
engines for elevators will be located in the
rear of the main building. Mr.. Joy of Chi
cago will superintend all the plumbing and
light systems. which he says Will be per-
feet. The water works and fire protection
arrangements are to be similar to those at
the Hotel Velasco.
A negro brought pearl to town yester-
day that he found in mussel shell few
miles from the city 1t was as large as
pea and seemed to be without flaw or speck.
The finder refused to sell or even name his
price for it, evidently believing he had a
fortune.
As this letter goes to post a large, square
rugged sailing vessel appears standing IN
from sea. She is supposed to be the Carrie
Gray from New York, with q cargo of
granite and cement for the Brazos river
channel and dock company.
1t has been decided to increase the width
of East wharf twenty feet and Central
wharf ten feet their full length, 1900 feet
and pile-driverS were started on the i'm
provement yesterday.
A force of hands are at work on the ap-
proaches of North wharf. When completed
this latter will be 1000 feet long by seventy
five wide, and the steam, elevator for load
ing and discharging vessels is being set up
on it
The location of the cotton compress has
not been made public yet, but it will prob
ably be below the city, between the river |
and the angle formed by the Velasco |
terminal and Surf Side railways, as there |
is talk of building seven or eight hundred |
feet of wharf there this spring or summer. !
One large steamboat, thew hlteWater, |
with carrying capacity of $50 bales of cot |
ton has been taken out of the trade between |
the BraZos and Galveston, in which she had |
been for years employed, and put to haul
ing cord wood from. up river landings to
NelaSco. She IS kept busy IN this new line,
making daily trips
Three large barges are at the same work,
each making a trip per week.
The railroad has taken most of the river
steamboat carrying trade md it is probapls
there will never be more than two or three
of the latter running here again unless the
Brazos is opened for navigation beyond the
town of Richmond.
Preparations are being made for hand
ling the 800 bales to arrive here from
Houston for the steamship Austerlitz of
Liverpool, now due.
-Four schooners with shingles, lathes and
pa, 600 feet of lumber from Louisiana and
East Texas, are among the last marine en- X
tries. III
Later-The large brig, Carrie Gray, frQM
New York, has Just crossed the bar and1s
sailing up the BRACES with every stitch of
canvass drawing. Her captain has never
been to this part of the coast before but he
declined the services of tugs or pilot boats.