The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-09-12

80 ,l nuie6S ann horser S6.242Slo. cattle
and huils Sl,2e2'o0o. total SI5.I1o5l0
PLAN OF c. u. JONES.
Mr.. c. II. Jones' Of Galveston was next
introduced and stated that he mad been
on this earth sixty years and thought that
man who had been here that long and
learned nothiig VA. u bloceneai, and not
wishing to appear h'ocehead be had
paper tc read Which was as ro.iows
Orr practical expesiel,e Is that foods are
becoming more frequent and also far more
damagiug as they reoccur than at any time
heretofore; and after exhaustive reelection
In that behalf the Inevitable at last dawns
upon us. pointing unerripgly In the one
direction. that all such matters II left to
their natural bent lead to a present bad
and future worse, Take as 1T
the case OF the Brazos river with
ltS all the time inadequate channel
! and couple with said condition the fur
Their uniayorable one that at every flood.
time 1t has a gradually decreased capacity
| Tor taking care OF the gradually Increasing
amount OF solid matter that In the nature
aud other substances is on such occasions
carried into II by the excessive rnins
RevertinE 10 the first accounts obtain
able relating to levee construction on the
I lower Mississippi river. we mud that In
/ l1Iu the settlements Ia such vicinity ex-
tended only thirty miles above ana twenty
miles below tue Crescent city, but by ISIS
the leyees, although quite insufficient IN
I dimensions, had become continuous nearly
TO the mouth OF Red river.
The investigations between 1850 and 1860
established that no diversion Of tributaries
was posslble that no reservoirs grtidciaiiy
1 constructed could keep back the spring
treshets which caused the hoods; that the
making OF cutons, which had some time
. Mfi Il lfNfNaff - rolf AH
( far from being beneficial. was In the high
/ est degree injurious, that while outlets
/ within proper limits were theoretically id
Nantageous, they were mpractieable from
/ the lack OF suitable sites, anu finally, that
leVees properly constructed aud judiciously
/ placed would afford protection TO the entire
alluylal region. The opinions of these en-
! eneers has by both the lapse Of time and
4 through most strenuous practical tests
/ been demonstrated time and again cor
rect. conditions that have time aud again
encompussed the leyeCs on the Mississippi
! river In point Of volume ~ water resisted,
/ angry and rapid currents conrroned have
! all nttested as nothing else could their
powers OF resistance as wen as their ca
pacity of protecting from lnundatlon thou.
sands of acres of the richest alluYlal soil
! of our Southland. and their money saving
qualities have proven rs great as their
other features of Importance and pala-
mount utility, not to say prime necessity.
From practical well as reasonable
standpoint the shortest way Of accomplish.
ing results, the foundation and keystone
combined seemingly consist In constructing
adequate levee protection, for Is Il not
written In the great book Of life's ex-
! pcrience. as realized by all Of us. that the
Lord as well as the United States govern.
ment. help those that help themselves. aud
moreover the prelimluaries Ia successful
| levee construction means too many things
In roo many ways. and they In one way
and another dovetall themselves into 50
many other important adjuncts to success,
( that ! viii not at this time tax your pa
thence with a recital Of them all. combining
! myself to those of most prominence. wnlch
! consist In the removal OF all down timber
aud trees on the banks In the river OF
near enough thereto TO In any manner bear
promise Of at any time menucing the
/ work or ohstructing the stream, dredging
| at all points where the water is shallow
and where the bed o. the stream has not
a sufficient and unobStructed natural chan-
/ mel az points whore pasln IS nor estlu-
/ lished by natural conditions. and the water
! y permitted az high stages 10 spread al
| lthitum an artificial canal, basin or channel
must be dredged aud az the many other
I points where the basin OF the stream Is
/ Cramped by narrow passageways for the
| widening process must be Instituted I'm
/ der the several up to date processes for
| dredging by suction. and the immense
1 steam shovels constructed with capacity
| for removing earth 10y the square yard, tine
/ tedium Of the oldl-time way Is lost sight
| Of, and what was once the work Of months
/ Is now reduced to weeks, and weeks TO
| day; the 0ldtime process Of powder blast
! ing is superseded by dynamite with re-
]
! that of the before named operations in
I earth displacement After tho successful
Us small part OF results inufing there
from? First In Importance, agreeable To
/ our conception of the situation. viii be
! their tendency 90 restore confidence In
/ both the landlord and tenant in their
ability 10 plant and grow and gather their
| crops, Right here let II be remembered
| that It is no fairy tale that Is being gn
! folded when J relate TO sou that II the
/ work Is gone about In 2 proEer manner,
! ana me channel Of the Blazos river prop
! erly treated, there arc many places near
] its banks that after the proper establ sh
] Of the river thar they hut sufficient
| water for purposes Of Irrigation The
! province Of tho corps or board ~ construct
/ ing engineers will, In Us Judgment, handle
] tell I'm cutting out any territory TINT rs not
| for any cause entitled 70 protection, and
| where it Is seemingly impractlcal or prom
| lsing 10 he waste Of money 70 do so,
| they viii likewise determine at what
! points On the lilnc of work the same can
! hest be protected from washing of tue EN-
/ cause settling upon the plan Of procedure
| MS to whether the native or imported BAN
| boo. the common bottom or fishing cane or
! bermuda grass Tor all as varying circun-
| stances may seem bestD as covering m
anchorage for such embqnkments Notably
| among other results 70 inure from a prop
! erly constructed system Of levees must
| not he overlooked the fact that these rich
| alluvial lands Will be restored % their for
1
! like the efulgent rays Of the summer sun
| viii Ia the most forceful way reflect them.
| selves IN the increased revenues they will
| Weld the State and counties In taxes, In
/ the increased patronage they can thereafter
! bestoW on the merchant. banker and In
! fact. on every one else that has for sale
! whatsoever they arc compelled 10 use and
| suhsist upon.
Colonel John y Rogers moved that Eve
minute speeches be taken up.
! Chairman Gddlngs stated that the pro
gram provided for that. and he gave notice
| that lie would call time impartlally.
| w, s. Conoly Of Fails county: The foods
| Of 100 swept the whole business out-every
! thing was swept away-and water was
| everywhere. Efforts were needed to save
| lives OF the people and their property: there
was now no certainty that these disasters
would not occur at any time 10 deyastate
our fertile lands. and we wanted remedy
| Now. men, speak up and let's exchange
! ideas and settle on plan.
! John Howard Of the Sunset-Central lines
| presented his views on the building OF res
ervolrs to store up this storm water. and ia
return use the waters for irrigation pur-
poses. save the southern valleys from daui.
| age and make the northern zones bloom Ike
| the rose with the devastating element The
| water Is greatly needed IN North Texas.
I where start along these lines has al
| ready been made, and, SO far, successfully.
| He also called TO notice plan to secure re-
| nv fr-.