FREEPORT TO CORPUS CHRISTI

No construction work has yet (1935) been done on this section of the waterway.

From Freeport Harbor westward for a distance of 56 miles, the waterway will be through a dredged land cut following in general the north shores of the Cedar Lakes and Matagorda Bay. It will then cross the western end of Matagorda Bay, a distance of 12 miles which will require no dredging. From Matagorda Bay the waterway will follow a land cut along the north shore of Espiritu Santo Bay for about 14 miles and thence a dredged channel across San Antonio Bay a distance of about 10 miles. From San Antonio Bay, a dredged cut will lead along the north shores of Mesquite and Aransas Bays to deep water in Aransas Bay, a distance of about 14 miles. Thence the waterway will follow Aransas Bay and Lydia Ann Islands Channel to Port Aransas, a distance of about 15 miles, and the Corpus Christi Channel to Corpus Christi, an additional distance of about 18 miles.

The total distance over this route from Freeport to Corpus Christi will be about 139 miles.

32. GALVESTON BAY AND TRIBUTARIES INCLUDING GALVESTON AND HOUSTON

(Charts 1282, 520, 588, 589, and 590)

Galveston Bay (Chart 1282) is a large, irregularly shaped, shallow body of water on the coast of Texas about 285 miles westward from Southwest Pass, Mississippi River, and 755 miles westward from Key West, Fla. The bay is about 30 miles long in a general northnortheast and south-southwest direction, about 17 miles wide at its widest part, and has general depths of 7 to 9 feet (2.1 to 2.7 m). It is nearly separated into two parts about midway of its length by a chain of small islets and shoals known as Redfish Bar, through which a channel 32 feet (9.8 m) in depth has been dredged near its western end. That part of the bay northward of Redfish Bar is generally designated as the "Upper Bay", the part southward as "Lower Bay." The northeastern end of the upper bay is known as Trinity Bay.

Galveston Bay is the approach to East and West Bays, Houston Ship Channel, and the cities of Galveston, Texas City, and Houston, as well as to numerous smaller towns and bayous. Galveston Bay and tributaries form one of the most important ports commercially in the United States, having an extensive foreign and coastwise trade in crude petroleum and its refined products, cotton and cottonseed products, grain, sulphur, ores and iron and steel products, sugar, tropical fruit, and general merchandise.

Galveston Entrance, the approach to Galveston Bay, lies between two converging jetties about 4 miles long and 114 miles apart at the outer end. The jetties extend from Bolivar Peninsular on the north and Galveston Island on the south, respectively, to deep water in the Gulf. There is a dredged channel between the jetties, crossing the old inner bar north of Fort Point and the outer bar at the jetty entrance. The project dimensions of the channel are 36 feet (11.0 m) deep over the outer bar and 34 feet (10.4 m) deep over the inner bar, with a

width of 800 feet. In February 1936 the controlling depth over the outer bar was 34 feet (10.4 m) for a width of 800 feet and 34 feet (10.4 m) over the inner bar for a width of 800 feet.

Galveston Bar Lighted Whistle Buoy, 2 miles off the end of the jetties, marks the entrance to the channel. Thence into Bolivar Roads the south side of the channel is marked by five lighted buoys (four with bell) and there are three lighted bell buoys along the north side of the channel. There is also a light near the end of each jetty. Inside the jetties the channel passes first close by the north jetty and then crosses to the south side.

Fort Crockett Aviation Beacon.—This beacon is located about 8 miles west of Galveston entrance and about 1/2 mile from the seacoast, in latitude 29°16'08" N. and longitude 94°50'14" W.

Galveston Jetty Light (Lat. 29°19′.7; Long. 94°41′.5) near the outer end of the south jetty, is a cream colored cylindrical brick structure with black pilasters. The light alternately flashes white and red (white flash 0.5 sec., eclipse 4.5 sec.; red flash 0.5 sec., eclipse 4.5 sec.). The light is 91 feet (27.7 m) high and visible 15 miles. There is an air diaphone fog signal and a radiobeacon station; see Light List and H. O. publication No. 205.

Galveston North Jetty Light is located at the end of the north jetty. Galveston Direction-Finder Station, located just inside the junction of the Galveston sea wall and the south jetty, is operated by the United States Navy. Call letters are NKB; see Light List and Hydrographic Office publication No. 205.

Prominent features.-Approaching the entrance to Galveston Harbor on a clear day, among the first objects sighted will be the grain elevator 240 feet (73 m) high on the Galveston Channel at 28th Street, the Buccaneer Hotel near the sea wall, and Galveston Jetty Light on the south jetty. Bolivar Point Unused Lighthouse, 116 feet (35 m) high and a clubhouse on the north jetty show conspicuously on closer approach and are easily identified. Vessels approaching from eastward near the coast will first sight High Island and those approaching from southwestward will probably first sight the hotel near the sea wall.

Galveston Harbor is the name generally applied to the larger deep water area between the jetties and extending westward between Bolivar Peninsula on the north and Pelican Island and Galveston Island on the south. On the south and west it connects with the ship channels to Galveston, Texas City, and Houston.

Bolivar Roads, the western portion of the harbor, affords good anchorage in 30 to 50 feet (9.1 to 15.2 m) at all seasons except during hurricanes, when refuge is taken at Houston. During winter months it furnishes good refuge for coasting vessels.

A small yacht basin has been dredged behind the sand point protruding north of the south jetty. The entrance is on a southerly course, leading just east of the small pier along the jetty to the eastward of the seawall. When close to the jetty continue close along it to the eastward through a narrow entrance between the jetty and the sand spit opposite. There was a controlling depth of about 5 feet (1.5 m) in 1935, but caution is necessary. Gasoline can be secured at the boat landings.

Galveston Channel extends from a point in Galveston Harbor off Fort Point to and along the wharf front at Galveston, and has a length

of about 4 miles and width of 1,200 feet. The project provides for a channel 34 feet (10.4 m) deep and 1,200 feet wide from the entrance to Forty-third Street, thence 32 feet (9.8 m) deep and 1,200 feet wide to Fifty-first Street; and for its extension when the interests of navigation and commerce require it, with a width of 1,000 feet and depth of 32 feet (9.8 m) to Fifty-seventh Street. In February 1936 the controlling depth was 33 feet (10.1 m) for a width of 700 feet.

The entrance into the channel from Bolivar Roads is marked on the west side by Second Turn Light and Pelican Spit Shoal Lighted Buoy and on the east side by Fort Point Lighted Buoy and a bell buoy.

Pelican Island (Pelican Spit) an artificial island with a dike along the southern side, projects Galveston Channel from northers. There are some harbor facilities on Pelican Island.

Regulations governing the use of Galveston Channel are prescribed by the Secretary of War as follows:

1. The speed of all vessels of over a net tonnage of 100 tons or of greater draft than 6 feet moving in Galveston Channel bounded by Pelican Island dike, the city of Galveston wharf front, the Second Turn Beacon (red), and the western limits of the excavated area, shall be reduced to and shall not exceed a rate of 4 miles per hour through the water when within 300 feet of the wharves or Pelican Island dike, and elsewhere in said channel the speed shall not exceed a rate of 6 miles per hour through the water.

2. All vessels are forbidden to drop anchor, weights, or other ground tackle within 200 feet of the water main and electric cables crossing Galveston Channel from pier 14, Galveston, to Pelican Island.

Galveston (population 52,938 by the 1930 census) occupies the eastern end of Galveston Island, covering the entire width of the island southwestward to the city limits. The wharves are built along Galveston Channel on the north side of the city. The south side of the city fronts upon the Gulf of Mexico and is protected by a concrete seawall 17 feet (5.2 m) high.

Galveston is primarily a port and practically all of its commercial activities are closely related to the business of the port. The short route to the sea together with a deep easily navigated channel and excellent port facilities enable cargo to be handled most expeditiously.

Both the foreign and domestic commerce of the port are extensive. The principal exports are cotton and cottonseed products, grain, flour, rice, sulphur, and metals. The principal imports are bananas, raw sugar, bagging, and creosote. The coastwise trade includes the above articles together with petroleum products, iron and steel products, wool and mohair, lumber, and general merchandise.

There is regular steamship service to several Atlantic and Gulf coast ports and to the principal world ports. Five trunk line railroads enter the port and improved highways extend to Houston and Port Arthur. The railroad to Beaumont and the highway to Port Arthur have ferry connections across Bolivar Roads to Bolivar Peninsula.

Galveston is also a large seashore resort, the principal such resort in the southwest. There is also considerable commercial fishing.

Galveston is connected with the mainland by Galveston causeway, a concrete and earth viaduct 134 miles long, crossing the northern end of West Bay. On the causeway, there are double tracks used by

(32) TERMINAL FACILITIES

291

the steam railroads entering Galveston, an electric line and a roadway for vehicles and pedestrians. The draw, about midway of the length of the causeway, has a lift opening 100 feet wide and a vertical clearance (when closed) of 9 feet (2.7 m) above high water. The overhead wire crossing has a vertical clearance of 100 feet (31 m). Terminal Facilities. All shipping terminal facilities are located on the city waterfront along the south side of Galveston channel and are privately owned.

The major portion of these facilities is owned and operated by the Galveston Wharf Company whose properties extend along the central portion of the city waterfront for a distance of 2 miles. These properties include 32 piers and wharves with a total berthing space of about 31,000 feet. Immediately to the westward are located the three piers of the Southern Pacific Terminal Co. with a total berthing space of about 6,000 feet. Two long piers with oil handling plants are located to the eastward of the Galveston Wharf Co.'s properties. Depths up to 30 feet (9.1 m) can be carried to all the above terminals.

Practically all piers and wharves have transit sheds, there being 30 waterfront warehouses with a total storage space of about 3,000,000 square feet. All have both rail and highway connections and nearly all have shipside tracks. There is a total storage capacity of nearly 10,000,000 square feet available at the port; more than half is for the storage of cotton.

The port facilities have been especially developed for the efficient handling of cotton, grain, sulphur, and bananas, as well as general merchandise. There are numerous cotton warehouses with compresses, all located near or on the water front. The storage capacity is 1,680,000 bales, untiered. There is a concrete, electrically operated grain elevator with a capacity of 6,000,000 bushels and with a sacking plant in connection. There are two other grain elevators with capacities of 500,000 and 1,000,000 bushels, respectively; one of these has pneumatic, electrically operated, unloading equipment with a capacity of 6,000 to 15,000 bushels per hour. On Pier 19 there are three electrically operated banana conveyors and on piers 35 and 36 there are special facilities for handling sulphur.

The properties of the terminal companies are administered directly by the respective companies.

A Captain of the Port, designated from the Coast Guard Service, exercises jurisdiction over all matters covering the movement and mooring of vessels and enforces the provisions of the anchorage regulations for the port.

Dockage. At the railroad piers no dockage charges are made except when vessels occupy berths while being fitted for loading grain. Ât the other piers there are dockage charges.

Lighters are not used in Galveston but one car float operates between Galveston and Bolivar Peninsula as part of the through transportation facilities of the Gulf, Colorado & Sante Fe Railway.

Supplies and Repairs. Provisions and supplies including ship chandlery are available.

An ample supply of fresh water is available at all piers. It is good for boiler use and for drinking.

There are five companies furnishing fuel oil either directly from piers or by pumping from oilbarges. The maximum capacity is

about 3,000 barrels per hour. Bunker coal can be secured at Pier 34 at the rate of about 200 tons per hours. There are also barges available for bunkering alongside.

On Pelican Island, Todd Drydocks have two drydocks, each with a rated lifting capacity of 10,000 tons for vessels up to 520 feet long and 22 feet (6.7 m) draft. These drydocks can haul vessels up to 12,000 tons and 550 feet long. There is also a marine railway with tonnage capacity of 1,200 tons and capable of hauling vessels up to 250 feet long and 18 feet (5.5 m) draft. A derrick boat of 60-ton capacity is also available. This yard has complete shops for all types of marine repairs to steel and wooden vessels.

The port of Galveston is well equipped with numerous marine repairs shops and foundries capable of making repairs to the hull or machinery of steel or wooden vessels.

Salvage Facilities.-Tugs, lighters, pumps, derricks, driving equipment, etc., are available for wrecking and salvage operations.

Radio. The Radiomarine Corporation operates a radio station doing a general commercial business. The call letters are WGV. Airways. There is airway communication to Houston, Waco, and Fort Worth. There is a municipal airport, with facilities for servicing aircraft day and night. The Fort Crockett airdrome (United States Army) is located 3 miles southwest of the city. There are servicing facilities for Government aircraft day and night.

Storm Warnings.-Day and night signals are displayed on a steel tower at the Galveston Quarantine Station on the west side of the entrance to Galveston Channel.

Small-Boat Facilities.-The slip between piers Nos. 15 and 16 (foot of 16th St.) is used as a small-boat basin. Deliveries of gasoline, oil, and provisions can be secured here; fresh water is piped to the piers and there are a number of berths under sheds.

At the foot of 9th Street there is a boat yard with marine ways which can haul vessels up to 110 feet long and 9 to 10 feet (2.7 to 3.0 m) draft.

The small yacht basin in Galveston Harbor has been described on page 289, and Offatts Bayou is described on page 308.

Hospitals. The United States Marine Hospital is located at 4400 Avenue N. There are several other hospitals in Galveston.

Customs and Immigration. The Customhouse is located at 25th Street and Avenue F and the Immigration office at 18th Street and Avenue B.

A United States Branch Hydrographic Office is located at Room 301, Customhouse. Bulletins are posted here giving information of value to mariners who are also enabled to avail themselves of publications pertaining to navigation and to correct their charts from standards. No charge is made for this service.

A meteorological table for Galveston is given on page 382.

For information regarding Pilotage, Anchorage, Quarantine, etc., see pages 302 to 305.

The Port Series, volume No. 6 (Part 1), gives further detailed information regarding the port of Galveston; see page 4.

Port Bolivar Channel connects Galveston Harbor with a turning basin at the wharves of Port Bolivar. The project provides for a channel 30 feet (9.1 m) deep and 200 feet wide from deep water in