The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1903-05-21
GALVBSqON'S WALL.
Built Since city's Destruction.
Rare Energy and Pluck.
Sam ZONES in Atlanta journal.

Rare 6ueC &y ana SIuCXs
Sam Jones in Atlanta journal.
T RETURNED to-day from a tour OF
i Texas, going into the State at Tex
arkana, coming out by Galveston and
Beaumont. Our Georgia farmers. If
misery loves company, would feel en-
If they knew the terrible con-
dition OF the farms and farmers In
Texas and Louisiana. / haye visited
Texas almost every spring for many
years, and 1 think the outlook there
for corn, cotton and wheat Is the most
have eyer seen. Since
the weather bureau began keeping the
record this is the only April that no
rain has fallen in Texas to amount to
Their black land is as hard
as brick now. Constant rain in the
spring, then turned dry by the hot sun
ana winds, it plows up in clods almost
as hard as bricks. OF course, in the
sandy lands OF Texas 1t Is better. l
didn't see hundred acres Of cotton up
in Texas, don't think, and corn is up,
but looks sickly and small. Wheat,
they say, is almost a total failure unless
rain shall fall within ten days. Oats
are in a worse condition. Yet, amid
all, Texas FORCES ahead in many ways.
I epent Monday in Galveston, lectur-
ing there Monday night. I had not
been there since the greet storm Of
September, 1900, but I tell you there's
life in the old land yet. Really Gal
weston is a more beautiful city to-day
than eyer. It is one of the greatest
seaports in America, and am told the
largest cotton seaport in the world.
.he Southern Pacific has brought all
their ocean steamships from New York
10 Galveston. They formerly came
from New York to New Orleans. The
Southern Pacific railroad is spending
two millions of dollars ON their wharf.
The thing that will bring confidence
and promote growth to Galveston is
the sea wall they are now building
about half around the city, covering
ne southern and western portions Of
he city that are exposed to the storms
.ad tides and winds from the gulf. I
xas amazed as I looked upon that sea
vail. They first drive down thirty feet
niles or logs into the sand on the beach.
Four rows of each, covering a width of
bout Is feet, then inside of the out
,ide rows of piles they put down 4x2
imbers, twenty feet and then break
he cracks in these timbers with 2x14
in bers, and then they begin to bed
With cement and crushed rock COM
pound, then build it up nearly II feet
nigh. It Is II feet at the base. It is
carried up nearly straight on the in
ide. the outside ls a concave. The
!des have never gone more than Ia
eet high. This wall is II feet high
With a concave, throwing the water
back as it dashes against the walle
Outside of the walls they are placing
thousands of loads of granite rock
weighing from a thousand pounds tc
i've tons. They are building that wall
50 that it will stay in spite of wind and
side. It will be about three miles Ions
when the wall ls finished, then they
will bank sand behind it on the inner
i,ie In a gradual slope for sixty fee,
md make beautiful driveway through
then Galveston can lie down aud sIeer
n safety amidst the most terrible
forms at sea. The city has voted and
old bonds to the amount of a million
md halt dollars for constructing this
vail. A million dollars OF the bond.
vere taken by the citizens of Galveston
It par. This is wise and good in.
'estment for the CITY, and I believe
bat IN fifty years from now Galveston
will see that her investment in the $50
rall was the best she ever made.
congratulated them on their courage
md enterprise, and told them that The
ity that could live through what the,
.ad lived through was immortal
Galveston has more pluck and enere,
and HE to-day than ever before, ani
he will 60 on to greater growth ani
WIDER commercial influence. I woulf
have liked to have spent a week there
Tor they are charming people.
AN AGGRAVATING COUGH