The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-12-18
CURIOUS INSTANCES OF MIS-
GUIDED FRIENDSHIP

the Jefferson tomncicldl 'iups Oh dfi-
ferson. Texas. has sent us copy Of a
pamphlet It has printed. containing pc
tition 10 the Congress OF the United
States for an appropriation TO improve
the navigation Of the waters that con-
meet jefferson City with the Red river
and that until recent period. gave the
city "a waterway TO New orleans, that
enabled steamboats, TO come TO and 20
from jefferson AT all seasons of the
year. A perusal Of the documents con-
tanned in this pamphlet discloses one OF
the most astonishing case of well-meant
Kindness operating for the destruction
Of the beneficiary that We have ever
seen.
The city OF jefferson is I'm Marion coun-
ty. Texas at the head of a stream that is
partly made up of lake and "a bayou
that make an uninterrupted connection
with the Red river. formation in Red
river, made by sunken logs, drift wood
&c, which, however permitted pas
sage for steamers. damned the stream
SO as TO make a back water flow through
the bayou to jefferson that made her
naviGabe water way. and this state of
affairs continued until same ten or If
teen years ago. jefferson was then
place Of very great Importance. 1t had
over twenty. thousand inhabitants. and,
being at the head of water transporta-
ton. it was the distributing point for a
great back country extending to the
Mexican border and mp into the Indian
Territory. IL was one of the brskest and
most active places in the United States
But the Government determined TO i'm
prove Red River and proceeded to take
out Of it the logs and drift wood that
created the dam. As soon as it did this
the water ran out of the bayou, the navi- |
gable stream became a paltry brook. and |
Jefferson lost her waterway, and her |
commerce with it, The city has steadily !
gone down ever since until IT has not |
now more than 1900 inhabitants. and
row after row of houses that constituted |
offices and depOts, where immense bust |
ness was transacted twenty years ago, |
are vacant now and tumbling down. JEFF |
ferson appeals 10 the Government TO re- |
store the dam it so improvidently de-
stroyed and return TO her the commerce |
OF which she has been SO unjustly de- |
priyed. 1t Is the most mcritorious case |
of an appeal for national aid that we |
have ever met with. and we sincerely |
hope that every Virginia senator and
congressman will read this pamphlet
and aid jefferson IN what she asks for TO
the fullest of his ability
In distributing the Governments money
in aid Of internal improvements. the Con-
gress OF the United States should be
mindful that there are places not so pre-
tentious as New York and Boston, but
places that have just as strong claim
upon the equity Of the Government as
New York aud Boston have strong as
their claims are Virginia. for instance.
Is equitably entitled 90 demand that the
Government shall spend 100000 upon
James river II started that improve
nent with the declaration that il would
spend Si5o0Oo0 and, upon the faith of
that representation. Richmond has spent
|
There Is no place Ia the Union where the
Government could spend 100000 with
better prospect OF a return 10 the whole |
people than on the James river IL would |
give the Government a shipbuHdlng |
plant, in the w r. Trigg plant. abso-
utely secure from foreign attack. where
'ur warships could be built and repaired
Without the slightest risk from the
'nemy In case OF war. The plant IS here
low, and AN that 10 needs 90 make it
! paramount success is the expenditure
Il 100000 by the Government 10 give us
twenty-five feet OF water TO the sea.
Congress should answer Jenerson's APP
heal with an appropriation sufficient to
lndo tho wrong Il has unwittngly done.
nd II should make the appropriation for
ames river that II promised us. We say
his is no sort Of disparagoment 90 the
Ia inns of "a har s,farre FOR ala