sheffiel~ 35 spring, 1957...cunard line funch, edye & co., inc. new york gulf general agents 25...

Splitto

hairs? We splitgive you better

"spider webs"alloy steels

SHEFFIEL~

High Strength

Shef-Tene

Forging Qualitye

Aircraft Quality

ALLOY STEELS

Get your copy of"ALLOY STEELS"If you’re a manufacturer orotherwise engaged in in-dustries served by alloysteels, write for your freecopy of the SheffieldALLOY STEELS book.

Accuracy is measured right down to the millionth part in the making ofSheffield Alloy Steel.

Here a technician measures with a densitometer the exact quantity of eachelement in a furnace sample. This unit provides a double check on otherproduction control equipment which electronically analyzes each heat.Each alloying element, no matter how minute the quantity, must makethe right contribution to obtain the physical and mechanical propertiesrequired for each particular end use.

Sheffield Alloy Steels in drill bits and collars penetrate the rock strata ofthe earth. In aircraft and guided missiles, they pierce the stratosphere.

As a manufacturer of just about any product using alloy steels,you’ll find the metal tailored to your needs in Sheffield HighStrength, Shef-Ten, Forging and Aircraft Grades. Get in touchwith us.

SHEFFIELD DIVISIONARMCO STEEL CORPORATION

SHE~FFIELD PLANTS: HOUSTON ¯ KANSAS CITY ¯ TULSA

HOUSTON PORT BOOK, SPRING, 1957 17

Essomarine

Lubricants

in the Port of Houston

are supplied by

Humble Oil & Refining

Company. These world-wide

favorites of marine engineers

are available in

drums or in bulk at the

Houston Turning Basin;

truck deliveries can be

arranged wherever a

ship is berthed.

HUMBLE

SALES DEPARTMENTMARINE SALES DIVISION

HUMBLE OIL & REFINING COMPANY

Essomarine Lubricants include

a complete line of lubricating oils

and greases for every type of tur-

bine, diesel and reciprocating engineon the Seven Seas.

MANCHESTER

TERMINALon the Houston Ship Channel

offers

~r Modern

Concrete

Warehouses

Water-RailHandling and Warehousing

for Cottonand all Types ofGeneral Cargo

~k CompleteShipsideFacilities

~r High-Density

Cotton

Compresses

If you want the BEST

in Creosoted Materials ...

ask for

"’BLACK BEAUTY’"products

TEXAS CREOSOTING COMPANY

Orange, Texas

POLES ¯ PILES ¯ ANCHOR LOGS

POSTS ¯ TIES ¯ LUMBER

T I M B E R S ¯ C R O S S A R M S

18 HOUSTON PORT BOOK, SPRING, 1957

a world of steel...

QUALITY

STEEL

MILL

PRODUCTS

~ "TWO HEADSARE BETTER THAN ONE"

¯ . . and we at Cunard are constantly putting ours togetherto give Gulf shippers the most reliable and efficient servicepossible. Although that service has earned outstanding popu-larity, we’re always on the lookout to win new friends! Forskillful handling and prompt delivery, ship Cunard. FastBrocklebank ships sail regularly from Gulf ports to Liverpool,Manchester and London. Their modern facilities include ven-tilation and refrigeration for varied commodities. Your con-signment is protected by service standards as high as acentury-plus of experience can make them!

Cunard Line Funch, Edye & Co., Inc.New York Gulf General Agents25 BroadwayChicago New Orleans41 So. La Salle St. 1002 American Bank Bldg.

Cleveland St. Louis1912 Terminal Tower Bldg. 818 Olive Street

Houston ¯ Galveston ° Dallas Memphis: E. S. Binnings, Inc.Corpus Christi: Boyd-CampbellCo.,Inc. ¯ Brownsville: Philen Shipping Co.

Mobile: Page&Jones, Inc.

BANK OF COMMERCE BLDG. ¯ HOUSTON, TEXAS ~To Liverpool, Manchester & London in vessels of the Brocklebank fleet. -

THIS MARK

means your ship will get

EXPERT HARBOR TOWINGby

INTRACOASTALTowing & Transportation Corp.

Cable: P E T A N K 13o2 TEXAS AVE. ¯ HOUSTON 2, TEXAS Phone CApitol 7-2297

HOUSTON PORT BOOK, SPRING, 195719

BLOOMFIELDSTEAMSHIP ,~ COMPAN Y

Owners, Operators, AgentsUNITED STATES FLAG VESSELS

REGULAR SAILINGS FROM U. S. GULF PORTS TOCONTINENTAL EUROPE, EAST COAST UNITED KINGDOM, SCANDINAVIA-BALTIC

Home Office: HOUSTONNEW ORLEANS LAKE CHARLES BEAUMONT PORT ARTHUR ORANGE

GALVESTON CORPUS CHRISTI BROWNSVILLE DALLASAgents in Principal World Ports

CONTRACT TOWING OF PETROLEUM IN BULK

Coastwise and Inland IVaterways

Telephone CA 7-0134 HOUSTON, TEXAS Bank of the Southwest Bldg.

Your Vessel will be met at the Bar

and Piloted to the Port of Houston by

HOUSTON PILOTS~" 56 19 FANNIN STREET

~C CABLE ADDRESS: HOUPLT

~¢. HOUSTON 4, TEXAS


Phone CApitol 2-1325

FMB Reg. No. 566 ~ LCB No. 2544 ~ TWX--HO-236

BEHRING SHIPPINGESTABLISHED 1917

INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING AGENTS

LICENSED CUSTOMS HOUSE BROKERS

¯ 962 M & M Building ¯ Houston 2, Texas

COMPANYOffices:

NEW YORK

PHILADELPHIA

BALTIMORE

NEW ORLEANS

SAN FRANCISCO

LOS ANGELES

~Ships Demand Serviee~Gul] Coast Gives it~

~ULF COAST SUPPLY COMPANY lMARINE SPECIALTIES

Boiler Tubes Gaskets Micarta Products Rod PackingBurner Parts Gauges Packing Rubber Products

Couplings, Flex. Gauge Glasses Piston Rings StrainersEvaporators & Parts Governors Pressure Regulators Thermometers

Filters & Filter Elements Instruments Pumps & Pump Parts Valves, Gate & GlobeFloats Liners Reducing Valves Winches

SPARE PARTS FOR LIBERTY, VICTORY, T-2 AND C-CLASS VESSELS

PHONES: Daym2-3191 and 2-3861 ¯ Nitesm3-4090 ¯ O21m16th St., Galveston, Texas

TEXAS TRANSPORT & TERMINAL COMPANY, INC.{ESTABLISHED 1 895)

Cable Address:TERMINAL HOUSTON STEAMSHIP AGF~TS AND flPEHATflB.~

Cotton Exchange BuildingHOUSTON, TEXAS

__AGENTS FOR--

HOLLAND-AMERICA LINE

TOHAVRE/DUNKIRK ¯ ANTWERP/GHENTROTTERDAM/AMSTERDAM ¯ LONDON

BREMEN/HAMBURG

VENEZUELAN LINE(A.C. Venezolana de Navegaclon)

TOLA GUAIRA, PUERTO CABELLO, MARACAIBO,GUANTA AND OTHER VENEZUELAN PORTS

GRANCOLOMBIANA(Flora Mercante Grancelombiana, S.A.)

TOCOLOMBIA ¯ ECUADOR ¯ PERU

GUATEMALA ¯ HONDURAS

SHINNIHON LINE

TOYOKOHAMA ¯ KOBE ¯ OSAKA

CREOLE LINE(Navigazione Alta italia)

TO

GENOA, NAPLES, VENICE, TRIESTE ANDOTHERITALIAN, MEDITERRANEAN AND

NORTH AFRICAN PORTS

ARGENTINE STATE LINE(Flota Mercan~e del Estado--Republica

Argentina)

TOBUENOS AIRES

OFFICES:New York, N.Y. Charleston, S. C.Philadelphia, Pa. Savannah, Ga.Baltimore, Md. New Orleans, La.

Chicago, III.

OFFICES:Galveston, Texas Corpus Christi, TexasHouston, Texas Brownsville, TexasDallas, Texas Memphis, Tenn.

St. Louis, Mo.


The

SUDERMAN & YOUNGTOWING CO., Inc.

HARBOR AND COASTWISE

TOWINGHOUSTON

CORPUS CHRISTI

Office Phone CApitol 7-0830Night Phone GYpsy 4-4709

COTTON EXCHANGEBUILDING

HOUSTON

GALVESTON

TEXAS CITY

Office Phone 3-2428Wharf Phone 3-4673

U. S. NATIONAL BANKBUILDING

GALVESTON

TEXAS

oooeeooooooeoooeooeoooeooooooeoooooooeeeoe¯

¯ ." WESTERN GEAR ."O¯ CORPORATION "

¯̄ Designers arm Builders o/ . "¯ ¯¯

¯o¯ SEA-MASTER MARINE GEARS "0 ¯¯ ¯O ¯0 ¯

¯

¯ ¯

eeeeeeeee Write on Your Letterhead/or Our eeeeeeeee

New Deck Machinery Bulletin to:

to 50,000 h.p.

Reverse and Reduction Gears

Vee-Drives

ALL TYPES OF MARINEDECK MACHINERY

WESTERN GEAR CORPORATIONOF TEXAS

117 N. PALMER ST. HOUSTON 3, TEXAS

SinclairS.I/Vhite Gasoline

’ncla|r Diesel Fuel

22HOUSTON PORT BOOK, SPRING, 1957

FOWLERCable Address

"EDWIN"

N. Y.K. LINETo Japanese Ports

& McVITIE, INC., AGENTSOFFICES IN: Galveston ¯ Houston ¯ Corpus Christi ¯ Brownsville

Port Arthur ¯ Lake Charles ¯ Dallas Memphis ¯ New Orleans

GUY D. GRAVES A. J. SUBERBIELLE

General Stevedores, Inc.

HOUSTON BARGE TERMINALStevedoring and ]Distribution of

Barge Cargoes5401 NAVIGATION ¯ WA-3-6678 ¯ HOUSTON, TEXAS

Smooth sailing for your product

...in Continental Wirebounds

Continental Box container engineers areold hands at, designing rugged wire-bounds that assure smooth sailing forexport shipments, however rough thejourney. Let a Continental man showyou proof. It’s good business to callContinental--whether you ship toanother state or another continent.

Engineered Containers for Every Shipping Need

~/Virebound Crates and Boxes ̄ Generalift PalletBoxes ̄ Corrugated Boxes ̄ Cleated CorrugatedBoxes ̄ Stitched Panel Crates ̄ All-Bound Boxes

ContinentalBox Company, Inc.

P.O. Box 1322, Houston, Texas, Capitol 4-9313SUBSIDIARY OF GENERAL BOX COMPANY


ENJOY

SWITCH TO LOW

COST BARGE

TRANSPORTATION

TO AND FROM

GULF AND INLAND PORTS

COYLE LINES¯ INCORPORATED¯ ESTABLISHED 1865

Serving ports and intermediatepoints on GulfIntracoastal Water-ways, Warrior and TombigbeeRivers, and their connectingwaterways in Texas, Louisiana,Mississippi, Alabama, Florida.Also principal ports and inter-mediate points on the Mississippi,Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, Tennes-see and Cumberland Rivers andtheir tributaries.

GENERAL OFFICES: P. O. Box 6056, Station A, New Orleans 14, La.BRANCH OFFICE: 1814 West Capitol Avenue, Houston 10, Texas

C. R. HADEN R.J. WALESPresident Executive Vice-Pres.

SEA, HARBOR AND COASTWISE TOWING811 Cotton Exchange Bldg. Phone CA. 2-6231

HOUSTON * GALVESTON ¯ CORPUS CHRISTI

Dock Phone: WA. 8-5406 Night Phones: JA. 4-8635--UN. 9-2701

U S Na÷k Bc


Cable Address "RICE," Houston

RICE, KERR & COMPANY, INC.United States Gulf Ports to Spain . . . Morocco . . . Portugal . . . Philippines . . . Japan . . .Brazilian Ports Mediterranean Ports . Pakistan . . . India . . . Ceylon . . . Panama

Canal and West Coast of South America Ports . . . Cuba ... Venezuela

Cotton Exchange Bldg. Cotton Exchange Bldg. Cotton Exchange Bldg.

HOUSTON DALLAS GALVESTON

PATRICK TRANSFER & STORAGE COMPANY,~P~o~ ~o~ ~. ~.o~ SHIPSIDE WAREHOUSESHIPSIDE PHONE WA. 6-8341 POST OFFICE BOX 2544

A FISHER G. DORSEY INTEREST

General Commodity Storage and Handling Attractive Low Insurance Rate275,000 Square Feet Storage Space Dock Space: 2 Ships, 84 Cars, 60 TrucksReinforced Concrete Construction A.D.T. Electric Protection ServiceEquipped with Automatic Sprinkler Floor Level 35 Feet Above Mean Low Tide

I M P O 1{ T EFFICIENT MECHANICAL HANDLING EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING F R E E

E X P O R T CONVEYORS AND ELEVATORS TO SHIPSIDEOR

BONDED

"’Best in the Southwest"

MATERIALS -

Map showsUnited Gas pipelines in a portionof SoutheastTexas.

MARKETS MANPOWER FOR INDUSTRYin this section of thegrowing Gulf South

Here are the answers to every need of expanding

industry. RAW MATERIALS . . . from a diversified

agriculture, a huge livestock industry, vast stores of

minerals and other natural resources, including

adequate supplies of dependable natural gas.

MARKETS . . . nearly 2 million consumers and

hundreds of businesses, plus easy access to the

markets of the world through one of the nation’s

busiest deep-water ports. MANPOWER . . . plenty

of skilled workmen with a will to work.

Here, too, climate promotes more enjoyable living

................and higher industrial production. When looking

for a new plant site where you can grow,

look to the growing Gulf South.


I told youSanta Fe

could handle¢ anything

-L 1 --i - I ,IT

When your shipping prob-lems begin to look like a mon-ster call Santa Fe.

Put our staff of freight ex-perts to work for you and findout how well Santa Fe canhandle anything that needs tobe shipped to or from pointsin the West or Southwest.

R. N. JARL, Assistant General Freight Agent501 Bank of Commerce

SANTA FE RY., Phone: CApitol 8-6441, HOUSTON 2, TEXAS

ROHM & HAAS

Seeing railroad tankcars, drums, and bagsfilled with Rohm & Haas products, fewpeople would guess the many and variedindustries for which they’re destined. Andperhaps even fewer know how these in-dustries use these chemicals, resins, andplastics to improve everyday living foreveryone.

There’s RHOPLEX AC-33, for example.This acrylic emulsion is used by the paintindustry for indoor and outdoor paintsthat dry fast and permit scrubbing a mat-ter of haurs after application. Then there’sPLEXIGLAS--the famous acrylic plasticthat’s used for such diverse purposes astransparent enclosures on airplanes, out-door signs, lighting fixtures, tail-lightlenses and other automobile parts, andtrademark insignia.

Intermediates used in the manufactureof both these praducts, as well as manyothers which we make, are produced inour plant at Deer Park in Harris County,where we are glad to be "working andgrowing with Texas."

PLEXIGLAS and RHOPLEXare trade-marks, Reg. U.S. Pat. Off.and in principal foreign countries.

/CHEMICALS ~ FOR INDUSTRY

ROHM IF, HAASCOM PANY

WASHINGTON SQUARE, PHILADELPHIA 5, PA.I¢,7,~entalil~s in i)rin~il~l /oreign ~).mri~

Advertising?Your yearly budget should

include the Houston Port Book

Circulation over 8,000

published seml-annually in

the Spring and Fall

Write or call/or rate card:

HOUSTON PORT BOOKP. O. Box 1283

Houston 1, TexasMA 3-2356


PORT BOOKOfficial Publication of the Harris County Houston Ship Channel Navigation District

toreword:The HOUSTON PORT BOOK is published inthe Spring and Fall of each year under con-tract and authority of the Navigation andCanal Commission and through the coopera-tion of shipping and industrial interests ofHouston.

As official publication of the Harris CountyHouston Ship Channel Navigation District,this magazine is intended to carry authorita-five descriptions, notices and articles regard-ing port activities and development. How-ever, the Commissioners cannot be respon-sible in all respects for the contents thereof,or for opinions of writers to whom expressionis given.

The HOUSTON PORT BOOK is distributedfree to maritime, transportation and indus-trial interests in the United States and foreigncountries. Its purpose is to inform shippersand others interested in the Port of Houstonof its development, charges and other mat-ters of interest, and inquiries will at alltimes be welcome.

Additional copies may be had upon appli-cation to the PORT OF HOUSTON, P. O. BOX2562, HOUSTON 1, TEXAS, or:

TED SUMERLINEditor

P. O. BOX 6278, HOUSTON 6, TEXASPhone JAckson 6-1071

LEE M. WEBBBusiness Manager

P. O. BOX 1283, HOUSTON 1, TEXASPhone MAdison 3-2356

theCover

A pilot trying to navigate through thismaze of markers might be a little confusedas to just which way to go. But Artist JimGlass was anything but confused when hedrew this interesting cover design. A boatingenthusiast himself, Glass says that he wascarried away with the beauty of the designand he was not trying to give ships exactdirections on how to navigate the HoustonShip Channel.

Volume Thirty-Five ¯ Number One

SPRING ¯ 1957

Directory of Port Officials .................................... 28

Full Speed Ordered On Building Program ....................... 29

Jerry P. Turner Is Named General Manager ...................... 30

The Port of Houston and its Economic Significance ................ 31

ale’ King Cotton Is Staging Comeback ......................... 32

Portrait of Edith Hanner ..................................... 33

Houston Honors Two Port Leaders ............................. 34

Industrial Map of the Port of Houston .......................... 36

Weather Report ........................................... 38

Modern Is the Word for Venezuela ................ 40

International Trade Fair Expands ............. 42

Coffee . . . For You .......................... 43Industrial Giant Opens Near Ship Channel .................... 44

Minnesota World Trade Conference Entertained ................. 45

Ships and Shipping .......................... 46

Port of Houston Administration ................ 55

Public Wharves at the Port of Houston ................ 56

Shipping Services Operating Through the Port of Houston .......... 58

Private Wharves and Terminals .......................... 64

Houston Pilotage Rates and Tug Boat Tariffs .............. 65

Houston Maritime Interests and Foreign Consulates ............ 66

Freight Forwarders and Brokers .................. 67Mooring Charges and Port of Houston Tariff ........... 68

Terminals and Industrial Facilities ............. 69Index to Advertisements ............................. 72


A DIRECTORY OF OFFICIALS OF THE

Pot! of Houston

PORT COMMISSIONERS

The Navigation and CanalCommissioners are the appointedofficials who govern the operationof the Harris County Houston ShipChannel Navigation District. ThePort Commissioners are, left toright, seated, Howard Tellepsen,chairman; W. N. Blanton, vicechairman; standing, H. M. Cross-well, Jr.; R. Vernon Whiteside,and John G. Turney.

EXECUTIVE OFFICERSVERNON BAILEY, Director o] Port Operations

J. L. LOCKETT, JR., Counsel SAMUEL B. BRUCE, Attditor

G. P. SIMPSON, Chie] Engineer VINCENT D. WILLIAMS, Adminislratire Assistant W.F. LAND, Terminal Superintendent

~. J. PRICE, Maint. Engineer T.E. WHATLEY, Right-o]-Way Agent T.H. SHERWOOD, Grain Elevator Mgr.

VAUGHN M. BRYANT, Director o] International Relations W.H. NUCKOLS, JR., O/lice Manager

EDITH BANNER, Executit’e .Secretary

PORT OFFICESTERMINAL SUPERINTENDENT’S OFFICE ............................................. North Side Turning Basin

Telephone ORchard 2-9421

GRAIN ELEVATOR OFFICE ................................................ North Side Turning BasinTelephone ORchard 2-0576

FIREBOAT "CAPT. CROTTY," CAPT. A. O. HEATON, Master ........................... Telephone WAlnut 6-7620

INSPECTION BOAT "SAM HOUSTON." C~PT. RoY R. FALLIxNER. lla.ster ................ Telephone ORchard2-761~

HARBOR PATROL CRAFT, CAPT. LOUIS O. DESHAZO, Master ...................... Telephone WAlnut 6-7620

HOUSTON PORT BUREAUNICHOLAS PATTON, General Manager, Cotton Exchange Building .................... Telephone CApitol 8-7447

KARL GRIMhl, Manager TraMic Department, Cotton Exchange Building ................ Telephone CApitol 8-7447

LLOYD GREGORY, Director o] In]ormation, 3005 Louisiana ...................Telephone JAckson 6-1071

JOHN A. LALA, Eastern Representative, 2440 Sheraton-WhitehaU Bldg., New York, N. Y. Telephone BOwling Green 9-7747

JOHN R. WEILER, Southwestern Representative, 313 Cotton Exchange Bldg., Dallas, Texas .... Telephone Riverside 6894

CHARLES A. BARROWS, Midwestern Representative, Board o] Trade Bldg., Kansas City, Mo ..... Telephone V/ctor 2-5732

EXECUTIVE OFFICES:1519 CAPITOL AVENUE (at Crawford Street)

Telephone CApitol 5-0671

P. O. Box 2562, Houston 1, Texas


Port Commissioners Order:

FULL SPEED AHEADOn Building Program

MOVING with unprecedented speed, the Navigation andCanal Commissioners of the Harris County Houston Ship

Channel Navigation District are putting into effect a new $12million improvement program.

The money will come from a $7 million bond issue, ap-proved by Harris County voters by more than two to oneJan. 31, and from $5 million in port revenue bonds to t)eissued by the Navigation District.

Previously the Port Commissioners had ordered ~orkstarted on a new dock to be known as No. 17, which will cost$1,196,838.

Engineering on docks 18 and 19, and two transit sheds willbe performed jointly by Robert J. Cummins. and by Lock-wood, Andrews and Newnam.

Francis J. Niven and J. Gordon McKenzie will do the en-gineering work on Wharf 20.

Engineering work on railway lines to serve Wharves 16through 20, and for a new railway yard will be performed byFreese, Nichols & Turner.

Ryburn C. Shaner will do engineering work on access roadsto the new docks.

At its March 27 meeting, the Port Commissioners author-ized Freese, Nichols & Turner, and Rvburn C. Shaner to pre-pare plans on a joint venture basis for excavation of sites forDocks 18, 19, and 20, and for approach roadways and rail-roads to the new docks.

It is expected Wharf 17, now being huilt out of earnings,will be completed in late 1957 or early 1958. This open dock.600 feet long, and 200 feet x~ide, will facilitale handling ofcargo at the Port of Houston.


J. P. IUR~ERIS NAMEOGENERALMANAGEROF PORI

JERRY P. TURNER--Here is the new g,eneral manager of the Port of Houston against a mostfitting background ~ the striking photomural of the Port of Houston placed in the HoustonInternational Airport by the Rotary Club of Houston. The photo was made shortly after hearrived to take over his new job.

A MAN ~ith vast experience in han-dling Gulf of Mexico shipping, Jerry

P. Turner is the new general managerof the Port of Houston.

Mr. Turner was named Jan. 18, andwas the unanimous selection of Com-missioners Howard T. Tellepsen. W. N.Blanton, Mark Crosswell, John G. Tur-hey and R. Vernon Whiteside.

A veteran of 27 years with the Ala-bama State Docks in Mobile. Jerry P.Turner was appointed general managerAugust 1, 1951, and remained in thatposition until July, 1955, at which timethe legislature changed the plan of ad-ministration, and a director was ap-pointed by the Governor of Alabama.He in turn re-appointed Mr. Turnergeneral manager.

_~lr. Turner joined the State Docksonly a year after its estab]ishment fin1929! and ~as employed in the x~harvesand x~arehouses department, has ad-vanced from one position to another indifferent departments, obtaining athorough knox~ledge of docks opera-tions.

During the latter years of this periodhe has served in various supervisory ca-pacities in operations and traffic, beingpromoted to Traffic Assistant. then As-sistant Manager.

A native of Chicago. Mr. Turner re-sided in Mobile 28 years. He attendedschools in Chicago and various southerncities and also attended Washington andLee University.

Mr. Turner is a past president of The

American Association of Port Author-ities q 1955-56) and is at present a mem-ber of the executive committee; a pastpresident of the Gulf Ports Association(1954-55) ; past president and now vicepresident of the Mobile Port TrafficBureau; immediate past director of theMobile Chamber of Commerce; Vestry-man of Trinity Episcopal Church; anda member of the Mobile Kiwanis Club,the Mobile Country Club and the Athel-stan Club.

He is married to the former HarriettAcree of Mobile, and has a daughter,Harriett Jean Turner. 22 years old (a1955 graduate of the University of Ala-bama), and an 18-year-old son, JerryP., Jr., who is a senior in high school.


THE PORT OF HOUSTON

And Its Economic Significance

(Editor’s ?~ote: Dr. Buechel has held hispresent position /or 11 years. He is a/ormer head o/ the Bureau o/ BusinessResearch o/ the University o/ Texas.)

I N 1915 an event occurred which hasprofoundly influenced the economic

and social life of this community and itseconomic impact has been felt through-out the entire Gulf Southwest. In thatyear the Houston Ship Channel was com-pleted, which transformed Houston froman inland to a port city, thus vastly ex-panding its economic potential.

Founded in 1836, Houston experi-enced comparatively slow but solidgrowth, gradually gaining momentum,and by 1915, what is now MetropolitanHouston (Harris County) had a popu-lation of approximately 150,000. Thiscompares with its two leading contem-poraries, 170,000 in the Dallas Metro-politan area (Dallas County) and 160,-000 in the San Antonio Metropolitanarea (Bexar County).

During this 80 year period, the econ-omy of Houston was based primarilyupon range livestock, agriculture andforest product production. Such manu-facturing as developed consisted of theprocessing and manufacturing of rawmaterials from these sources largely forthe local and immediately surroundingmarket. Trade, both wholesale and re-tail, together with service occupationskept pace with population growth. Notuntil 1901 when Spindletop came in witha flourish (and almost as quickly sub-sided) did anything occur to disturb theserenity of the economic scene in whaton the surface appeared to be a slumber-ing city along the sleepy bayou.

Beneath this seeming slumber, how-ever, big ideas accompanied by appro-priate action were rapidly taking shapeafter the turn of the century under a dy-namic leadership supported by a respon-sive citizenry, and in 1915 the deed hadbeen accomplished--Houston had be-come a seaport and had acquired awidening economic horizon and abroader spiritual outlook.

Moreover, two developments of worldshaking magnitude were occurring dur-ing the decade in which the ship channelwas under construction--the one, inter-national in scope, led to World War I;the other of national scope--the intro-duction of the internal combustion en-

By DR. F. A. BUECHELDirector of Research

Houston Chamber of Commerce

gine which led to the motor age andwhich has revolutionized transportationin its multitudinous ramifications.

These events completely altered themajor functions the ship channel wasexpected to perform when it was con-ceived by its founders; viz, to providean avenue for conveying agriculturalproducts, primarily cotton, to the highseas. It has become instead the magnetwhich attracted three major groups ofmass production manufacturing indus-tries to this area--the oil refining, chem-ical and metals industries--all of whichhave come here because of the avail-ability of water transportation. More-over, it is the force which has led to theconstruction of oil and gas pipe linesfrom all over the Gulf Southwest.

Oil production in Texas has droppedsharply from its peak in 1905. Up until1915 the main product of petroleum waskerosene. The simultaneous occurrenceof World War I and the introduction ofthe motor car and airplane led to a tre-mendous increase in demand for motorfuel and lubricants. Stimulated by therising price of oil upon the outbreak ofWorld War f, exploration and oil pro-duction increased sharply all over Texas,Oklahoma and Louisiana. Refinerieswere built wherever water transporta-

tion was available, and by 1928 Texasranked first in oil production and in1930 ranked first in refining with oilpipe lines converging and refineries con-centrating along the Gulf ports.

Two decades later concentration andexpansion of oil refineries on waterwayswas further augmented upon the out-break of World War If with its stupen-dous demand for aviation gasoline andfor chemicals for making explosives andsynthetic rubber. This development ledto the establishment along the ship chan-nel of a vast new industry whose rawmaterials initially were the waste gasesfrom the oil refineries---the organicchemical industry--which continued togrow during the postwar years at an ac-celerated rate. This industry has beennamed the petro-chemical industry be-cause of its use of hydro-carbons de-rived from oil and natural gas insteadof from coal tar as was the case priorto World War I.

Auxiliary to the oil and natural gasproduction industries, together with oilrefining and chemical plants, the pri-mary metals and oilfield equipment in-dustries have grown rapidly, and beingmass producers, require access to watertransportation.

Thus the Houston Port, although stillthe medium for transporting farm prod-ucts, has become primarily the agencythrough which chemicals, refinery prod-ucts, oilfield equipment and relatedproducts originate which are destinedfor ocean ports in this and foreign coun-tries and through interior waterways topoints within the United States.

It cannot be overemphasized that theindustries producing basic chemicals, re-finery products, primary metals and oilfield equipment would not: be located inthe Houston area if it were not for thePort.

The same is true of wholesale estab-lishments, major fabricating plants andmanufacturers of paper and allied prod-ucts handling bulk products and whichare attracted here by water transporta-tion facilities.

Approximately 90,000 workers withan average annual income of $5000 perworker are directly employed in thesevarious types of manufacturing andwholesale establishments, creating an an-nual payroll of $450 million. Then, too,a considerable number of workers are

¯ CONTINUED ON PAGE 51


Staging Comeback~

Ole’ King CottonThe Port of Houston is staging a

comeback as a cotton exporting center.Figures from the Houston Cotton Ex-

change show that from August 1. 1956through June 7, ] 957. a total of 814,957},ales have been exported from the Portof Houston. This represents a very sharpincrease over tile period from Augustl. 1955 through June 7. 1956 when

o~ ¯ ¯ ol o¢,27;o })ales were exported.If shippers arc able to find ship space,

there is e~crv indication that the Portof Houston tills cotton year x~ill exportmore than one million hales for the firstlime since the cotton year starting Au-gust 1. 1949 througt~ July 31. 1950~hen 1.192.60t bales ~ere exported.

The record colton year for the Portof Houston ~as 1931-]932 when 2.655.-I)91 }*ales ~ere handled.

()[ course, the Comm~ditx Credit Ex-port Sales Program. which has moved

By Jerry P. TurnerGeneral Manager, Port of Houston

around 6.400.000 hales of surplus ,or-ton into world trade chamwls since Au-gust 16, 1956. is largely responsible forthe great increase in exporls here.

However. the Port of Houston has ex-cellent facilities for handling cotton:

t~ (Storage space for o00,( )0 bales in near the Port. and I I high density cot-ton compresses here.

At least 90 per cent of the colton ex-ported from the Port of Houston moxes(,xer private termimds Gulf ’-\tlanticWarehouse Co.. ?danchester Terminal

Corp. and the Ship ChamM CompressCo. Indications are that there will besuch a demand for ship space duringthe rest of this cotton xear that an ever-increasing amount of cottol~ will go overthe public docks.

Officers of the private terminals are:(;ulf Atlantic ~’arehouse Co.: Alfred

Bessell, Jr.. president and treasurer;Burke Baker, Jr.. executive vice presi-dent: H. Jcppesen. vice president; H. J.1.uhn. x ice president: I". A. llohertson.~ice t,resident; J. H. Branard, Jr, vicepresidenl; J~ \\’. g/vnne, secretary: E. Parrv. assistant secretary; P. E.Kelly. assistant secretary: E. Druce. as-sistant treasurer.

),Ianchesler Termimd Corp.: l{alphMills. president: Harold Hix. xice presi-dem and general manager.

ShiI, Chain/el Compress (:o.: John H.Flax in. x i(’e president.


PORTRAIT OFEDITH HANNER

By LLOYD GREGORYInformation DirectorThe Port of Houston

FRIENDLYcharmin,~,efficient~These are some of the adjectives used

to describe Edith Hanner, executive sec-retary to the Navigation and CanalCom~lissioners of the Harris CountyHouston Ship Channel Navigation Dis-trict.

And all tile adjectives are merited.In her own quiet way, Miss Hanner

has left her imprint on tile Port of Hous-n, for her employment there spans the

history of the Port.held in high esteem by her*yees, and is a great morale

Every man who has served on theHouston Port Commission is a greatbooster for "Miss Edith."

Edith was horn in La Porte. Hermother and father were school teachersthere.

She started to work for the Port Com-mission Sept. 16, 1927, working as theswitchboard operator, and doing all thetyping for the engineering, bookkeep-ing, and statistical departments.

Her first promotion came when shewas named secretary to Capt. CharlesCrotty, assistant por’t director. She wasnamed secretary to the general managerin 1938; executive secretary in 1950.

Asked if she considered her careerworthwhile, the gray- eyed, smilingwoman said :

"Yes! It’s been quite exciting, be-

cause l know how much the Port mean,to Harris County and its growth.

"As a girl, [ wanted to be a dietitian.but the depression kept me at work.Now, I’m glad it turned out the way itdid."

Miss Hanner has serw~d under thesedistinguished chairmen of the Naviga-tion and Canal Commissioners:

R. S. Sterling, Col. J. W. Evans. J.Virgil Scott, Wilson G. Saville. WarrenS. Bellows, Judge J. S. Bracewell. andHoward T. Tellepseu.

Miss Harmer also has served underevery general manager the Port has had:

B. C. Allin, J. Russell Wait. W. F.Heavey, Warren D. Lamport. and JerryP. Turner.

Miss Hanner is a past president of theWomen’s Traffic Club, and recently ~aselected chairman of international" rela.tions for the Business and ProfessionalWomen’s club. She ser~’es as chairmanof the exhibits committee for Transpor-tation Week, and her ~ork has wonwide acclaim.

In 1955, Edith was the official Portrepresentative on a tour of Europe. spon-sored by the Business and ProfessionalWomen’s Clubs.

An accomplished musician. Miss Han-her for many years played the organ atthe Holy Cross Episcopal Church.

But all other interests have been sec-ondary to serving the PORT OF HOUS-TON.

,OOK,SPRING, 195733

AT THE HEAD TABLE--Seated at the front, from left to right, are Rev.R. L. Johnson, Mrs. Jake R. Aston; Wendel Ley, vice chairman of thecitizens committee for passage of the port bonds; Mrs. A. G. McNeese;

Howard T. Tellepsen, chairman of the Port Commission; Mrs. Wendel Ley;F. M. Law and Mrs. Law. At the upper table are County Judge Bob Casey;Mrs. Oscar Holcombe and Mrs. A. V. Martinez.

HOUSTON HONORS

KEEPSAKE~Mr. Law, left, is receiving the bound issue of the MagazineHouston from Mr. McNeese. Mrs. Law is in the foreground.

f’. M. Lx~x. banker and (’i~ic leader.~as honored for his xigorous and out-

,--landing leadership ill building up pub-It,’ sentiment in faxor of a .$7 millionPort bond issue.

JEICRY |). TIRNER. xeteran port ad-ministrator. ~as saluted and given a~atm welcome to Houston. his nextIvadopted home. ~here he has been namedgeneral manager of the port.

These two ev(,nts occurred on Mav when more lha~ 400 port boosters at-tended a dinner at the Houston Club,sponsored by the Chamber of Com-merce. The dining room was gaily deco-rated uith flags of the United _Nationscountries and many house flags of steam-ship lines that serve Houston.

Ben C. Belt, president of the Cham-ber of Commerce. introduced Mr. Lawbv saving: "He’s a man who has adornedeX’erv" position he has held in this com-munity and South Texas."

The energetic Mr. Law, who carrieshis 80 years like a man 20 years hisjunior, was presented a plaque in ap-preciation of his work as chairman oflhe citizens committee for the passageof the bond issue. Mr. Law accepted thehonor and said:

"’They did me a favor by making m;vhairman of the campaign because I g

HOUSTON PORT BO¢34

sheffiel~ 35 spring, 1957...cunard line funch, edye & co., inc. new york gulf general agents 25...

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