The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1896-02-28
DEEP WATER HARB0R
The Mississippi Legislators
Visiting the Gulf Coast
On an Inspecting Tour.

OA On AuoPeeeAn6 AouA'
The Joint committee of the Missis-
sippi Legislature, appointed under a
resolution introduced by Hon. NJ. A.
Dees, OF this county, for the purpose
of investigating the harbOrs Of the
Gulf Coast, after visiting Bay St.
Louis and Biloxi and investigating
Ship Island harbor, Gulfport, arrived
here Thursday evening. The fol-
lowing are the committee /; Hon Jas.
T. Harrison, president pro tenn. Of
the Senate and chairman of the COM
mittee, Of Columbus c. Is. Mitchell,
of Pontotoc; Alexander Price, OF
Cato; Rev. Irving Miller, Of Walnut
Grove; W. A. Boyd, of Ripley; Thos.
II. Someryille, OF Win0na; ThOs. A.
Wood, of Enterprise: J. w. r. Falk.
ner, Of Oxford; j. NJ. Byars, of Pitts
boro, and A. Lowenthal, cf Greenville.
all members of the joint committee
from the Senate; and NJ. A. Dees, of
Moss Point; j. |. Bellingcr, of Pitts
bOrO; j.. Z. Carroll, Of Starkville; J..
S. Eaton, of Taylorville; w. r. John
son, Of Durant; j. +. Allen, of New
port; S. NJ. Shankle, of HOllandale;
J. S. Hicks, of Cleveland, and L. G..
Manuel, OF Ocean Servings, all mem
'bers Of the committee from the House.
Accompanying the committee are
Bishop Charles b. Galloway, of Jack
Son, and Mr.. Gerard Harris, Of the
Clarion Ledger.
Mr.. Dces Is the fostercr Of the
scheme for developing a deep water
harb0r on the Gulf Coast, and since
he became a member Of the House he
has worked hard toward this end. At
the beginning Of the session he in
trOduced a resolution looking to the
appointment OF the committee, of
which he is'nOw chairman. The reso-
olutiOn was killed by the committee
to which it was referred. After let
ting it remain in a state Of quictude
for sometime, Mr.. Does sprung his
idea again, and this time with success,
for the resolution was unanimously
adopted.
Mr.. Dees explained his ideas in ask
ing|that the committee be appointed,
andNthc plains which he hopes to see
become realities, as follows:
Mississippi has need of a harbor, a
deep water harhor Of her own, and
there Is no reason why she should not
have it. At Ship Island and at Horn
Island there are two deep water har-
b0rs as good as any on the coast. AT
Ship Island there is 20 feet of water,
but a wharf Of some ten miles long is
needed to reach it. The harbOr at
Horn Island is more eligible, as there
Is, or would be, with a small amount
OF dredging, % feet Of water at IA
distance Of three miles from shore.
My plan is Il IS follows, In the event
that Horn Island is chosen as the site
for a deep water harbOr: Build a wharf
out to deep water, from Pascagoula.
There is IA road already built from
Moss Point to connect with the Gulf
and Ship Island at Stonewall, 20 miles
westward. Or, build from Pascagoula
to Scranton, a mile and a half away,
connecting with the Louisville and
Nashville. Then utilize the connec-
ton Of the Louisville ana Nashville
with the Gulf and Ship Island at Gulf
port. Then build road north through
the State at Il point equidistant from
the lines of the Louisville and Nash
vile and Illinois Central Railroads.
These roads are at certain points in
the State a hundred miles apart. and
there are counties in the State which
are not touched at any part by a rail.
road. Run this line through to Mem
phis, crossing the line Of the Illinois
Central at Oxford.
What we want In Mississippi is an
%increaie In railroad facilities. There
has been a complete revolution OF
sentiment regarding them since our
Constitution was framed.
The %Pascagoula delegation appoint
ed to meet the Legislative Deep
Water Investigating Committee join
cd them Thursday noon at Horn
Island on tug Leo. The State solons
had already proceeded to that point
on the Revenue Cutter Seward.
After taking soundings and review.
ing the situation, the entire party
will proceed to Scranton and be enter.
tanned as BELTS the cause they repre-.
sent.
A meeting will be held this Thurs
day. night at the courthouse, where
speeches will be made on the subject.
Friday will be devoted to a visit up
the Pascagoula river and an oppor-
tunity afforded of viewing the extern
sive commercial interests Of this Sec
tion, chief among which are the large
number of extensive saw mills. A
trip to the creosoting works at West
Pascagoula will also be taken.
Senator Gray has introduced a bill
authorizing the Mobile, Jackson and
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