The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1899-03-17
SCRANTON, MISSISSIPPI, FRIDAY. MARCH H. $780,

oCiduOpIi anu oCiuIC UtlC uiIuSCo dU
East and West Pascagoula were COM
pletcd. number Of US got together
and invited Gen Braxton Bragg, the
great Confederate general and emi.
nent engineer, then at Mobile, to come
down and advise us how best to get
clear Of the bar at the mouth of Pas
cagoula river. He came down, and
he, DR.. e. f. Griffin, Walter Denny
and myself walked over the dump"
and incomplete bridges at and be-
tween East and West Pascagonll riv.
ers. At that time there were half a
dozen lakes and bayous between East
and West Pascagoula through, which
the waters OF the rivers passed out to
the gulf. General Bragg strongly adj
vised that West Pascagoula river and
all the other outlets he closed, and
force all the water out through the
East river and thus scour out the bar
ut the mouth. am still OF the Opin-
ion that he was right
About the year 1878 | employed the
services OF that eminent engineer, ].
G. Ballintine and made a number OF
surveys for Il road from Moss Point
toward Horn Island harbor. l have
always thought that a deep water
harb0r on our coast should be in con-
nection with railroad that would
pass through Moss Point, there take
a nortlwcstcrly direction to about
the northern part of Harrison coun-
ty; then up through the State midway
between the NJ. s. .. and l. Z. rail.
roads.
Up to the meeting OF the State
Legislature in 1896 few, if any, of the
people of Mississippi had ever heard
Of any harb0r on our coast but tina,
at Ship island. Nor had any State
candidate ever felt it to his interest
to be in favor of deep water. To-day
there is no question better advertised
and more respected than our deep wa.
ter interest, and our hitherto stutter
ing candidates, like Demonsthenes OF
old, are using pebbles in their mouths,
training themselves to pronounce our
shibboleth Alright. The name Mctho'
dist was given that great denomina
tion through derisi0n because Of tho
mcthodical way they did their work
The name Baptist, or Anna Baptist
was given to that great denomination
through derision, but after hundreds
OF years both Of these denominations
have reason to be proud Of their
names. l am known in Jackson cOun'
ty and in most parts OF the State the
"deep water crank" OF the coast. But
while am only Il sowcr and can reap
only a small portion, l am more than
proud of the name.
Now let our people be up and doing.
Why not incorporate all our territory
from Wilson Springs down to Bayou
Casotte into not over two or three
municipalities. Restore the old and
historic name OF Pascagoula to all
that portion south OF the old Raby
castle, and the name Of Moss Point to
all that north Of same. Put our
streets in better condition and abolish
the villianous way our roads are NOT
worked as at present. AS the Lord
helps only those who help themselves
and as 'now is the accepted time"
think we should go forward.
The necessities of business will pre-
vent me or my family being at home
for a year or SO, but look forward tt
the time that we, in common will
you all, will enjoy the fruits of a third
Of a century's hard work and that
can realize the dream OF my life, and
see a State central railroad terminate
at a deep water iarbor In Pascagouli
river. So mote it be.
M. A. DEES.
l Hillsdalc, Miss, March 5, 1899.