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

near future for the protection Of the Rraros
liver valley from overflow further than the
.uIthertrce OF that purpose. IN SO FAR as
me same may be effective by clearing out
the distinctions in the Braaos river ana
Imahng u navigahie as Tar as Old Wash
lbgtoh, which project has already been
ADOPTED by the government aud the prob
anle future extension Of the project from
old washington to Waco. which has hem
laNoreOly recommended by the government
sngineers but not yet entered upon by the
government My reason for making this
statement Is that the Federal government
mas never yet protected by levees OF other
wise tne banks OF navigabie river to pro-
vent the overflow thereof and the conse
! quent destruction OF private property where
Such nayigable river lies wholly within the
In fact, in no instance has the govern.
ment undertaken this character OF work
| upon any Interstate river except the Mis-
far the most important river In Inc rnited
states. draining portion a. least Of TWEEN
t!-SeNen states or Territories. Even Mr.
Salhoun' who antagonzed the Idea Of the
Federal authority to improve our water
ways, conceded the Mississippi river to be
an exception, chnracterizlng Il as an inland
sea and a National project. Even In the
case or the Mississippi, however the gov
eminent did not begin the system OF levees
and two thirds Of the levees which have
peen builded we're constructed by State
county ard municipal aid. Long after tiis
character OF Improvement was entered
! upon, the Federal government was induced
70 aid In carrying Il to completion upon the
t.n9eory that the peculiar character Of the
mississippi river. with Its enormous volume
OF water carrying immense quantities Of
sediment must be controlled within fixed
units at high water to enable 1t to carry
! on by conserving It's energies the great
amount of silt which IL carries and thus
prevent the deposit thereof In tho chanral
! 50 as to Interfere with its navigation at
1 low water.
In other words. the levee system In so
far as the Federal government was con
cerneu was only entered upon ia this In.
stance upon the theory of aiding nay CATION
and not Of protecting property
In addition 90 this. the vast interests in.
VOWED, including the railways which ira.
verse the Mississippi valley create au in
| huence such as no other project In The
| United States can command
Inc policy of protecting caving banks
| upon the Missouri river which was pur-
sued foF time, has been entirely aban-
doned by congress, and In the last river and
harbor bill no specific appropriation was
anywhere made that could he classed as an
| expenditure for the protection of property
| make these suggestions to indicate to
| you how futile. at least fol the present
| II viii be to look for aid In that direction.
| as In my Judgment the combiued efforts of
| the Texas senators and representativas.
would avail nothing In an effort 70 further
| been called.
In almost every State which has navica.
| Ole rivers oYerhOws and destruction to prop.
| erty occurs, and the government would en-.
| ter upon a field II 1t undertook this char
4 acter Of work, that would result In larger
| expenditure of money that the entire rivers
| and harbors bin now carry
, IN any event even were the government
lions as to make IL possible to hope for ala
aTs If wo1ld AZ be asfe, EaeS rom oyer
( terested property holders and the counties
! through which the Braz0s runs had placed
carv ls1o ~ sIlnn W t t9ey could
| This can not now be successfully done and
/ leads me to suggest;
=. lnat we .eSslsistute oe requested to
| propetty affected bv overfoTs far y etotng
period of years that same may be applied
70 the protection 10 81 the Brazos valley upoa
z Tbot @onsfiti,tIonol arnordr,a,. ~
| submitted TO the people OF Texas authorize
ing me formation OF taxing districts with
! oyorlcws ~ certein oIIte1t el,cb % ps
when collected to be applied TO the slme
| purposc
Tie above views were in substance OK
| pressed by me AT the initial convention Yhe
| labors Of which reSditel in the present ns
! semblsee and We're present | could add
nothing OF value to the views above out
| lined
| Assuirg the members ~ your convention
| q my pro found interest in rs objects Gui
| holding myself ieady TO lend any aSststInCa
! In my power to further che work Of pre-
magnificent section Of Texas traversed by
! The EraHcs valley and the appalling disasters
! TO individual, county and state interests
! resultiEg theretrcn, ! am. very respect
| fully yours. Thos II BIil.
LETTER FROM w. l.. DAVIDSON.
| To tho Convention for Deyisiug WAYS ana
] 49, ,.,5t,,.- o,..as,, 81 ~.
H'e'HS "a A'o'u'nA 'NS'"o"9 ""
Brazos.
| Richmond, Texas, September i0-Gentlc-
| mon. 9avinc heep onnoip+ed n delegate
| -, -,..t,-, -,
| from TINS county, Whlch TeuenuaI mere
| enclose and being Unexpectedly prevented
fron, a+tending yin give Won NV views.
1 h,.t =. i,zt .h,, 49, ~, o.i. hra,.
! WITCH a' ie's' su"" Nn'e '"e
| ity.
In the oIden- time we had an overflow here
! abont everv ton veats. NOW they are he.
coming frequent TINS Is caused ny me iael
| that the country Is setting up. Much dam
oga g. E,inr done ana wafer maj used ia
- 80, IN sne mo III or in tha voodianus
ts nov rnshed mto the river.
y.a,eey toka II nave moved n failure
f,n'n ~ fs,,t ,bat The sediment sttiii,g
a. the hed NJ The riv,,l raises tue botr11,
nhont as fsst ne Won ieyee the Ton
"r ~ f ar 20 III c,nntv Is conrcrned VIC
| ~ o. 10 hs,noi tror, naa, pittsville
49,, p,,,taio havon' another fron, L'nlsnear
49, 49, $500 cr,,Sl ana ,notber from WaIIis
| ~. ~ ,lo,,nrd mt. r,,o,,ld ef'ertuylly