The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1896-03-13


, feet, 26 feet, 26 feet.
Southwest by South-25 feet, a fec
, % feet 0 inches, % feet 0 inches,
feet, % feet, % feet inches, % fee
2l feet, 20 feet Q inches, % feet,
feet, - feet inches.
The next sounding was reported "n
bottom" AS we entered Horn Islam
harbor we found five large sea g0in
vessels anchored, all loading wit
lumber from Scranton and Pascagoula
The committee also found in what
known as Middle Fleet, betwec
Horn Island and the mouth of til
Pascagoula river, four large vessel
also loaded with lumber from same
points.
On the morning Of the 2Sth OF Feb
ruary the committee boarded tht
steam tug Leo and proceeded up tho
Pascagoula river as far as Scranton
where we found seven large three
mastcd ocean-g0ing Sch0oncrs loading
with lumber from said points. AT
this point the committee inspected
the vast timber enterprise located
there. There were three large mills
at Pascagoula.
The two rivers, to wit: Pascagoula
and Dog rivers, united there, arc trib.
utary to the great timbercd forests OF
Mississippi in the following counties,
to wit: Clarke, Wayne, Greene, Perry,
Jones, Smith, Covington, Marion,
Harrison and Pearl River, and it
seemed as if nature had tried herself
in the formation Of every condition
necessary for this vast enterprise at
this point, there being lakes or pOck.
cts IN these rivers into which the tim
Der may be tloatcd, where it will be
perfectly safe from all storms and cur
rents. And it was stated to the COM
mittce from official figures that there
are 03,O00 600 feet of lumber shipped
yearly from this point, which has
been the average for the past five
years, and more than 500 hands given
employment continually in handling
this immense business. After the
committee had made its sOundings
through the Pass at Ship Island, and
on the following day after said sound
ingS were made, it was cOntendcd that
the last of these sOundings, showing
only a depth of 10 feet, was an error,
for the reason that at the time of
making the soundings the revenue
cutter was slightly out Of the channel
1t was admitted by the sounding
committee and the pilots represent
ing the other harbors that the sound
ings might be in error, whcreupon a
meeting Of the legislative committee
was had on board the vessel, at which
it was agreed that a subcommittee,
consisting Of Senator Price and
McSsrs. Eaton and Hicks should pro-
coed from Ocean Springs back to Ship
Island and have the soundngs
through said places made again, and
in pursuance OF said agreement on the
evening Of February 2Sth said sub.
committee boarded the steam tug
New York, commanded by Capt. Joe
Roberts, at Ocean Springs, and with
the following members of the sound
ing committee, to wit: l.. r. Bowen,
j. p. Fox, G. Arbo and j. S. Hicks,
proceeded to Ship Island, reaching
there about 4 o'clock p. m. and then
and there the captain, J. b. Roberts,
was sworn in as leadman to retake the
by the Hon. Ernest Des-
porte, justice of the peace OF Biloxi,
aud in presence of the subcommittee
The following soundings were made,
commencing at what is known as the
bar buoy, at short intervals, to wit |
direction):
East-nortweast-23 feet, % feet, % |
'eet, % feet, 90 feet, % feet, q feet,2l |
feet, q feet inches, % feet, % feet,
y feet, % feet, % feet inches, 90
'eet, % feet 6 inches, % feet 6 inches,
y feet inches, "a feet, % feet 6
inches, % feet, "a feet, 26 feet.
The subcommittee wish to state at
his polnt, t,.iaitt this time, the souLd,ag;
ire Stt contendcd to be accurate, for
'cason that after the subcommittee
lad started to make these soundings
. strong gale commenced to blow,
which rendered the waves high and |
he water being rough no accurate
with the means at hand |
'ould be had. But the subcommittee
S OF the opinion, while all the sound
ngs are not contendcd to be accurate,
hat they were substantially correct
or all purposes embodied in the scope
# the resolution under which the leg
slative committee was acting.
Your committee has been deeply i'm
ressed with the great natural ad-
antages afforded by our coast for the
Of deep water harbor.
'he situation OF the islands near the
horc, the natural protection and free
ON from storms, and with a space
ufficicnt to anchor the fleets OF the
'orld, all combine To render our coast
ccond to none in natural advantages
or such an enterprise.
The benefit flowing to any State or
ountry from its own harbor cannot
c estimated, and as evidence OF their
asst returns and development we
ave only to look at the seaboard Of
he world.
In our country II IS enough to tinge