San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-19
Dredge Velasco Ordered to
Point Isabel to Deepen
Channels and Turning
Basin Complete Termi-
nal Facilities.

Brownsville, Tex, Aug. 1s.-The
first step in the fulfillment of the
Rio Grande Valleys two greatest am
bitions-the dredging of deep water
port at Point Isabel and the construc-
ton of q railway to give the entire
valley direct cone. tons with San An
tonio-was accomplished last week
when word was received from Calves
ton that the dredge Velasco had left
that port for Brazos Pass, to dredge
the channels and turning basin at
Point Isabel.
Valley people are confident that be-
fore the dredges complete their work
on the channels and turning basin, a
definite announcement will be made
of the early construction of a San
Antonio-Rio Grande Valley railway,
which will connect the greatest COM
mercial and industrial center of South
Texas with the most fertile agricul-
tural section of the South, and at
the same time place San Antonio in
connection with a port which is des-
tined to be an important factor in
solving the transportation problems
of the Rio Grande Valley, South
The dredge Velasco. which was re-
Dredge Re-equipped for Work.
The dredge Valesco. which was re-
equipped by Captain Jacobson, well
known dredger on the Texas coast,
especially for the dredging at Point
Isabel will start wo.k within week
at the pass between Brazos Santiago
and Padre Islands. The dredge is
one of the largest in use on the Texas
coast. and has been utilized on a num-
Der of government contracts. For the
Point Isabel work Captain Jacobson
decided that time could be saved by
equipping the dredge with oil en-.
gines and enlarging its C. pacity. and
some delay was Encountered in secuf-
ing machinery and equipment. the
dredge having been delayed over n
month by failure to receive shipments
promptly from the eastern manufac-
| turers. The dredge has capacity
of 5000 cubic yards day, and the
channels and turning basin will be
completed in approximately five
months, according TO engineers es-
Inmates. Another dredge is expected
\ to arrive in about six weeks to start
work on the inner channel and turn
ing basin.
Outer Channel 400 Feet Wide.
1 The outer channel, the channel
through the bar b tween Brazos de
Santiago and Padre Islands, which
will connect Laguna Madre. as the
bay is named. with the deep water of
the gulf, will have a depth of eighteen
feet at mean low tide. and will be
400 feet in width at the bottom. This
channel will be approximately 2OOU
| feet long. The inner channel, con-
Meeting the outer channel and turning
basin, will be $4,000 feet in length
100 wide and sixteen feet in depth
at low tide. The turning basin will
be 800 feet square. sixteen feet in
depth. providing ample room for any
vessel in the gulf coast trade to turn
A slip. sixteen feet in depth will also
be dredced on one side of the wharf
70 facilitate the handling Of freight.
Good Terminal Facilities.
The Rio Grande railway, one ct the
oldest railways in the state of Texas
having cen constructed in 1870. con
Aects Brownsville and Point Isabel
and this railway has made prepare
tions for the construction of termina
facilities. which will be completed by
the time the harbor is ready for the
first boats. d. A. 0Rrien. president
of the Rio Grande raj way. who ha:
been the moving spirit for seyera