The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-06-26
NAVIGATION OF THE BRAzOS.
A LETTER CONTAINING SOME VAL
uABLE IMPROVISATION.
suggestions az TO storing
It's waters.

Waco. Texas, June 2i.--H. G. Eldridge
OF New York. formerly of Texas. wrote to
Hon. Eugene Williams, chairman OF the
Brazos river Improvement committee OF
Waco. giving valuable Information as to
the Brszos and making suggestions as to
storing food water
Among other things, Mr.. Eldridge says
in his letter; "The Brazos river In It's
untamed condition is sometimes very
destructive stream. Whom | came to
Texas 10 1s4i mot Major George b.
Erath, a daring ranger and explorer. He
was making surveys and fighting Indians
In the western counties and many story
he told me OF thrilling adventure in the
course OF his duties, in the portions Of the
State occupied In those days by hostile
tribes He related. among other interest
ing details, a tradition, lingering among
the Comanches OF tho humiliation OF a
tribe by flood In the Brazos. The saw
ages held a red rise In superstitious awe.
II was indicative, they imagined, OF anger
on the part OF the great spirit When the
red water appeared SOLEMN observances
we're held by tho warriors, the medicine
offended deity Of the river. A tribe which
had obtained concession was. accord
ing to the legend, located near the point
whore the Tehuacana and the BRACES unite
their currents. red rise suddenly oc-
Cured, followed by heavy local rains,
which swelled the streams In the vicinity
and the river spread over the low lands
for many miles, Tho wandering tribe was
caught between the BrRzos and the Te-
hunrana and drowned man Nntnpn md
children not one survivor being left.
Floods since white settlers occupied the
country destroyed villages and crops
causing waste which was far more cost
ly than will be the expenditure necessary
to prevent In future any loss whatever
from the overlooking OF the river. an
much pleased to hear that there Will be /
convention OF the people Of the regior
through which tho Br81os river flows foI
the purpose OF taking the preliminary
steps looking to Harvesting the wild
Brazos and making II wholly subject e
the viii OF the people whose good that
and all other rivers was designed In the
plan of the Creator. The survey the en-
gineers will make will disclose and verify
points which Major Brath and Sui Ross
talked OF and which Gen. Robert ". Lee
mentioned in one OF his official reports
| refer TO the fact that the rivers Of tn,
southwestern portion of the United States
eXcayated their own storage basins al
various stages OF their history by 1owng
along certain courses a sufficient number
OF years to open a bed to rock bottom
then changing TO moro suitable level
under the memorable law governing waite
and all other matter, the law OF grayltH
ton, leaving the abandoned bed to grow
up in trees and brush and 30 remain read!
made storage tanks constructed by Thu
hand OF God, some of them miles II
length, the entire system OF natural reser
voirs being In my opinion equal to tn
task of containing and retaining for us
in canals every drop Of the wild, destruc
/ tive food water which Is capable OF irrl
| eating and fortilizing an empire, whicl
when allowed It's uncontrolled sway, is
/ terror and menace to populous regions
/ | rode with Major Erath for four mile
along a depression which he regarded a
an aban Gsned bed of the Brazos river II
talked OF canal or suice way, as b
described 1t. for the double purpose OF re
l!evng the river of food water and Great
Ing lake for irrigation purposes and hs
breeding The Red river, the Trinity, tn
Colorado, the Leon. in fact all Texas riy
ers and the rivers Of adjacent States pos
sess the natural storage basins whlc
! General Lee observed whom he was Ell
gagged on plans for the improvement q
the Mississippi river and the rivers empty
ing into the Mississippi When the Brazo
river is subdued It viii serve as an obieC
lesson and the Improvement OF the Brazo
viii be followed by general elprovemen
Of the waterways Of the State, the resul
Of which viii be the Increase OF wealth
the building OF cities, railroads and canal
and the increase Of industrious, enllght
ened populations in the States Of IN
Southwest. which win serve as a balanc
OF power with the East and secure 70
the region west OF the Mississippi all tn
blessings and benefits the supreme ARCH
tect intended for that wonderful regio
when he completed the world and appoint
cd It for the use of mankind ! can nc
give an estimate OF tho extent of th
natural basins ready made, caused by III
rivers OF the Southwest changing the
courses. Their existence is well know
Some OF them constructed their own dan
by accumulating debris at the lower en-
which enables the basins possessing mai
ura dams TO retain water In the mannC
described several clear lakes have bee
formed in Texas and other States whc
TEEN with fish and are well known
tourists | hope for Texas great things
grow out Of the BRENNAN convention
which ] would be glad to attend an
would do so, but for the iniymties of az
vanciDP aVp -