The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-01-24
BRAZos NAVIGATION.
Importance of the River as Govern
Ing Rates Called Attention. To.


ing Rat~s Called Attention To.
| Waco. Texas. January S5.--The following
letter has been referred to the secretary
Of the Waco Commercial club. who is nov
engaged in preparing the desired data to be
forwarded to Colonel Roter, at New York
Mess-s. T. 4. Christiansea and Colonel Geo
r. Guriey. Waco. Texas
| Nelasco. Texas. January :l.--Gentleren:
| notice published interviews with each Of
you on the subject Of BRACES river naviga-
I ton prompted. DO doubt by the presence
| al the mouth Of the DrsfoS river o. the gov
eminent engineers. who are examining the
port with view TO government control.
The commission vs. dcsirces OF obtaining all
the Information possible bearing uron the
, question OF the importance N a commercial
sense OF the opening of narbor at tho
mouth OF the Brazcs river, ana OF the
river Itself to navigation. As fs- as prSc-
tleable. The opening o. the mouth OF the
river by the government. az a government
port. viii he speedily followed Nv the max
Jog q he river nAyiEAble The government
has heretofore 5ecluee % appropriate
money 70 improve the river on the ground
that private corporation controlled the
barber az Its mouth. There is now q rrnpo-
sinon before congress 20 sell to the govern
neni The ieity and other auxiliary works
constructed By the BRACES River Channei
and DOCK company aud by which - fee,
% water has eeea obtained at the actual
cost of construction. thus transferring TO
the gsoefal government control OF the
works ana harbor The purpose OF the
board q engineers .n wishing Nelasto by
direu;iou o. congress. was 10 ascertain the
cost o. the work done by said onnpar-
ana ~ ySlae 20 TIE general government
ana 70 t1e People An important considers
tioa 10 this c9uaee ton Is the amount Of
commerce that wauid BE- accommodated by
opening government pa-; al Nelasco and
Improving fhe Bfales rl~cr. COiurel Rob
ert pfeside7It q the hoard informed rae
bat BE wuuld BE- peiyrd 70 have intorina-
ton on this poin, particularly put In writ
ten forfa. 'cr me use Of The hoard IN view
u The importance to Tho people Of the
Rrez0s valley particularly. and to the State
IN general. J would suErcsi that you AMI
other public spirited citizuns Of Waco
which BY common consent is regarded as
ihe head al possible navigation an the
BRACES, prepare and forward to Colonel
Henry n Robert. Army building. New
fork. such statistical data aud other infor-
nation On this subject ss may be deemed
pertinent Probably It would he better TO
have your board ~ trade ocj on the matter.
and present a paper on bonaf OF the entire
community. Permit mo 20 state IN this con-
neo'ion that the impression seems 10 have
obtained lodsment In the public mind that
all commerce must actually he Transported
by water 20 receive the benefits of the low
rate Of water transportation, No greater
mistake could be made. II Is not necessary
10 actually shin freight by waterways TO
secure the benefits Of water transportation.
nat 10 be abl" TO use those means il neces-
sary. Nery little commerce actually finds
us way n or ron market on the Missis-
sippi river above New Orleans but the riy-
er rate fixes tho rate Of transportation by
all rail lines at or near that stream. SO
II would BE- with the Brazos. The opening
OF the ErazoF river 10 navigation by barges
drawing even ? to I feet from its mouth
TO Waco would revoluiionize rates Of trans-
portatiOn throughout Texas and save mill
Ions 10 he people every year. In this era
" economy. rendered necessary by changed
and constantly changing conditions OF
trade. II is a matter of surprise and even
ast0nishm"nt 10 mo that so powerful an in
sirunlent in economiziug the cost Of trans |
por'hiion and building M the commerce Of
Texas has not been utilized. or rather. that
no concerted and persistent move has been
made by The vast number of people who
Spuii be effected thereby to Aru their |
natural advantages 10 account Very re-
spec'fully. l.. l.. Foster
General Manager Veiasco Terminal Railway
fgv.,pauN