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A SEA WALL
“From her rough
coast, which hungry Ocean gnaws with her surges—“ (Whittier)
There are lessons from
the storm. One of those lessons is, that a northeast or an east wind can do
us great damage. The curve of the shore inward places the city as it were
in a pocket, with shores jutting out seaward above and below. A storm like
this drives full into this pocket, eats away the shore, and piles the water
into the beach part of the town. Water street is already washed nearly
away. The breakwaters made by individuals were either torn away or
overflowed, and houses that were built rods inland, with a street
intervening, now stand close upon the bay. If the storm had lasted a few
hours longer they would have gone down. It is only a question of time with
several residences, even if there is only the ordinary sea crowding into
this curve. Another such storm they cannot stand; what has been may come
again. With this experience upon us, it is not wise to delay.
A sea wall of some
kind is needed, from the bayou above the Headen's wharf to the arroyo below
the city—perhaps further down. It is a simple necessity now to
Water street, and to
the buildings and lots contiguous. It may become a necessity to the whole
beach part of the city. As it now stands it will be so in time.
The first thing is to
feel that something must be done—that the sea must be shut out in any
possible storm. This admitted, then devise the best plan. We have no
stone, and Saturday night’s storm would probably undermine any stone wall
whose foundation should be anywhere near the surface of the ground. Spiles
placed contiguously and sunk into the earth, like the timbers of the
wharves, would resist the waves better than any stone wall we can build.
Let them reach six or eight feet above high tide and be supported in the
rear by earth embankments, and they will make a perfect sea wall.
It has been suggested
that the people would consent to a tax for this protection, it being a
matter of necessity.
It is also suggested
that it can be made to pay its own expense by dredging out in front of the
spiles and then banking behind; a whole row of city front lots, over a
hundred in number, may be made in the rear, somewhat after the manner of
dyking in Holland’ these lots recovered from the water, would belong to the
city, or whoever made them; and they
would pay the cost of
constructing the wall and making the lots. The city might do the work and
own the reclaimed lots or they might convey them in fee simple to whomsoever
would undertake, with proper guarantees, to make them. This last plan would
make the sea wall pay its own expenses, give us deep water on the city
front, and a new tier of lots above ordinary or extraordinary high water and
save the city a repetition of this week’s experience, and to-day’s
condition.
The only object of
this article is to call attention to the necessity of doing something. It
is said men---capitalists—will undertake the work on the plan proposed—the
ownership of the reclaimed lots. We hope the authorities will call for
plans and suggestions and that the subject will not be suffered to go to
sleep till another and more disastrous storm as the next must be, presses it
upon attention.
Source:
Nueces
Valley,
September 12,
1874, p. 2, col. 2
Research by: Msgr.
Michael A. Howell
Transcription by:
Geraldine D. McGloin, Nueces County Historical Commission
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