The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-04-25
ISLAND CITY NEWS ITEMS
Colonel Robert, Captain Richie AND Citizens
Discussed narbor Improvement.
TWO PLANS WERE SUBMITTED THEREON
Petitions Presented in the United
states Court Asking Payment OF
CIaims--Notes and Personals.

Galveston, Texas, April PA meeting
was held at the office Of the United states
engineer this morning. at which the ques-
ton OF the Improvement Of Galveston har-
Dor was discussed by Colonel H. M Robert
and CAPTAIN C. S. Richie and number OF
nroninent citizens Colonel II. NJ Robert
submitted two plans for the consideration
OF the citizens.
Taking UP his first plan he asked his
hearers to suppose that along the present
bay front of Galveston island channel
1900 feet wide was built. this channel ex-
tending to point midway between the
| city limits and the bay bridges and no
! further. Suppose at the point in the west
ern end OF this channel bulkhead was
constructed 40 that this channel, or basin,
would be completely protected from re-
ceiving any sand or silt from the snsal
! hay above. suppose that the whole o, the
Pelican island property was made aVaii-
able for wharf purposes and maze IKE inc
Erie basin in New York harpor-elgnt
fest high, or as high as Galveston islanu'
and with both its southern and northern
! sides utilized for docks-hoW Wouiu '""S
suit Galveston?
Colonel Robert asked his hearers what
| would be the effect, In their opinion OIL
the building OF this bulkheed or dam ia
thu west end. II would, he said, OF course
close up the channel at one end and seuo
all tho water of the west bay and the
upper bay out through the Bolivar cnan-
mel The tide here is only from one 100
to eighteen inches and the tide would
In Nt.s~ 4. l,n U1-fO
was excayated to a depth OF thirty, thl. ty-
Ave or forty foet there would be nothing
to Ill It UP except the surface drainage
of the city and the city's sewerage. Tnere
would consequently be very little dredging
necessary to maintain this channel.
The colonel wanted the people to think
OF this because considerable alarm hau
been felt here about the filling up Of the
| channel. He wanted his hearers to sup
nose the extreme case that the channel
was cut off from all connection with the
Q bay except at the lower end. that Pelican
: island was developed and acted as buftei
for the city against the storms that oHns
, water from the upper bay
= He had discussed this plan with Messrs
z Richie and Hartrck, the colonel SAID am
r they agreed with him that the cost o
; keeping this channel deep would be small
Il All the sand and silt that now comes int
y up the bay. storms from the north COM
Il sweeping down. stir up the bay bottom y
q the shoal places and some of this Is de
posted In the present chaanei.
IL In the basin or channel he was de5erio
: ing Colonel Robert said there would be n
:, special current and no scour. 1t woul
Ie practically be a basin.
l. The second plan was as follows:
y Instead Of closing up the present chan
TD.laa s4 eatl "a
~ were built from Pelican island to tn
~ mainland at point midway between Swa
lake and Texas city. Suppose this dix
we're made eight or ten feet higher tina
3, high water and suppose the whole OF Peli
Nv can island were made available Ia
ls wharves Suppose that the present chan
,n mel along tho bay front of the. city we.
-, deepened, but that the land between Ga
w weston island and the mainland be tilla
an in, so that instead OF the Island beln
"A two and one-eighth miles from tho mair
~ land tho channel to the west bay WEI
he confined to a canal o. say, $50 feet wild
or This big dixie from Pelican to the mall
O. land would protect Galveston's cham
,ir from the sand and silt OF the upper bc
MS and at the same time the amount OF wat
IL In the basin south of the dixie and comlr
In In aud out OF the channel would keep Il
IS channel clean and oversome the sanital
Tor objection TO the other plan.
The plan was simply to divide the bi
into two bays-one great one north
Pelican and one small one south OF Pei
can and south OF the dixie. The has
Wy south Of the dixie wauld be of 700 acres
extent and this basin could be OF a.
M depth desired.
,,v Colonel Robert said he believed II Il
80 plan were carried out 1t would do aw
ca entirely with any possibility OF Galvest
ing island ever being overswept by stol
tho waters from the north. II any water pc
. sibly came over the dixie, he explained
would be swept out through the west b
tho channel or canal.
Les Colonel Robert explained that It "
Ad ridiculous to have railroad bridges /
his miles or mora long over the bay Tit
hat was no necessity for having more than
can narrow channel or canal to the west b
TO and Galveston could be made almost
not portion of the mainland.
lns The citizens present seemed willing
TN trust the Judgment of Colonel Robert
the gardIng the matter and he explained
tins them that he was not talking about W
'eat the government intended do!ng, but .
his he was simply DESTROYS OF hnding out th
as desires on the subject.
win PETITIONS ASKING PAYMENT,
- 4