vol. 12 november, 1934 no. 2 november volume.12 no.2...japanese vessel loading cargo of cotton // /...
TRANSCRIPT
Vol. 12 NOVEMBER, 1934 No. 2
Japanese Vessel Loading Cargo of Cotton
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November, 1934 H 0 1¢~ S l O n P o R T B o o K 1
PETROl FUM NAVIGATION
COMPANYCable Address PETANK
TANK SHIPSFOR COASTWISE AND FOREIGNSHIPMENTS OF FLUIDS IN BULK
STEEL BARGESFOR LIGHTERING ANDCOASTWISE SHIPMENTS
INTRACOASTAL
TRANSAND
PORTATION
TOWING
COMPANYCable Address PETANK
TUG CALL
GENERAL HARBORAND
COASTWISE TOWI N G
’I_IGHTERING AND COASTWISEOIL TOWING A
SPECIALTY
Telephone Preston 2181 Night Wayside 3416--Lehigh 8780-4954
2 H O/¢ S t O ~ P o R T B O O K November, 1934
CROWNOrange Gasoline
A Product of
CROWN CENTRALPETROLEUM CORP.
HOUSTON, TEXAS
[],
Fowler & McVitieSTEAMSHIP AGENTS
Houston, Texas
REGULAR LINER SERVICEto
Liverpool, Manchester, Havre
Ghent, Antwerp, Bremen
Hamburg, Dunkirk, Gdynia
All Scandinavian and Danish PortsJapan and China
SHIPSIDE WAREHOUSEPatrick Transfer & Storage Company
Specializing in General Commodity Storageand Handling
250,000 SQUARE FEET STORAGE SPACE
FIREPROOF REINFORCED CONCRETE WAREHOUSE
T -¢ ~¢ v T ~ -= -¢ ~ T T T v T T T --¢ -¢
Electric ConveyorsLeading To and From
Ships Berth
Usual Handling ChargesApply
No Extra Cost BetweenShips and Warehouse
EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER
LOCATED AT SHIP SIDE
Floor Level 35 Feet Above Mean Low Tide
TRACKAGE CAPACITY 84 CARSAll Railroads serve our Shipside Warehouse through
the Port Terminal Railroad
Phone connection to all ships berthed atour dock
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvv*v*
Import and ExportShipments Handled
Free or Bonded
P. O. Box 1412
Uptown Phone Preston 0111
Shipside Phone Wayside 1869
November, 1934 H 0 It s t o I1 P 0 R T B o o K 3
The Jof a Tractorthe speed of a Train
AND THE MOST ECONOMICAL TRUCK
TO OPERATE FORD HAS EVER BUILT
H ERE, in the new Ford V-8 bearings prevent bearing fail-truck, is everything a truck ure. These brand-new inserts
should have. Ford has added do not pound out. The rear
~;.:~ ~...:~.-.....:~.:..:....~:.:;::; to the sheer, brute strengthof axle is full-floating. The
!~ ~New Full-float-I an 80 horsepower truck the driving pinion is straddle
!~~ ~///ting Rear Axle-- I top-speed characteristic of an mounted. The ring gear has
!~~ ~ It]Entire load .... 1
express train. Yet this Ford specially-designed Ford rein°
~.] I~ ~---~,~ ried on the ¯ V-8, with its dual down-draft forcements.
[~~ ~ ,trongly ribbedi
carburetion, is the most eco- See all these features innomical Ford truck ever built, the new Ford V-8 now on
III..~.~V /// ~ axle-housing. I And there are many other display at your nearest Fordnew, heavy-duty fed- ~ dealer’s. Body types
V-8. New copper-~ ¢,"//q,~ ~ wheelbases to meet[~ I /~., ~d ~ ~/a/[~| tures in this new Ford ~ ~
available on two
is0 H. P. FordI v-s ~.giuo- ~g~ ~/ ~|
lead connecting-rod \ every hauling need.
1 Special truck ~.~ If;i!:!1 p .....bead fo~ ~~~ [i|I fineperf ....... ~~ ~1o°_~,.°~.~1 FORD V-8 Trucks
Ea*3 terms through Universal Credit Co. SEE YOUR NEAREST FORD DEALER
WATC H TH E
FORDS GO BY!
4 H o u s t 0 n P o R T B o o K November, 1934
Above Airview shows 1500 Feet of
HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL FRONTAGEAT
MANCHESTER ¯CITY WATER NATURAL GAS
CHEAP POWER PORT TERMINAL RAILWAYCONVENIENT RESIDENCE SECTION
FOR WORKERSLARGE OR SMALL SITES FOR SALE
MANCHESTER CORPORATION, Owners906 Second National Bank Building
Houston, TexasPhone . . . Fairfax 7355
w/IdequateBANKING FA C1£1TIES
The services of this modern institution are at yourdisposal when transacting business in or throughPort Houston. It is properly equipped to handleevery phase of the financial requirements of yourbusiness. Make it your banking headquarters atPort Houston. You are assured courteous, satisfac-tory service.
¯ ¯ TRAVEL BUREAU ̄ ¯This department, operating with AmericanExpress Travel service will handle all detailsin connection with foreign travel.
The NATIONAL BANK of COMMERCE"The Bank o/Courtesy"
Capital $3,500,000.00 Surplus $2,000,000.00
D RE D G I N G Ship Channels . Harbors . Slips andTerminals. Filling. Reclamations . Drainage and Levee Building
DREDGE "DUPLEX" DEEPENING 13 MILES OF HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL UNDER GOVERNMENT CONTRACT
The Sternberg Dredging Company with its large fleet of Hydraulicdredges, bucket, dragline, derrick, and cableway machines is equippedto handle any excavation problem.
STERNBERG DREDGING COMPANYSAINT LOUIS, MISSOURI
November, 1934 Houston PORT BOOK 5
CHAS. EIKEL
Ocean Freight Broker
and
Forwarding Agent
oCessee ~/lanchester Wharf
HOUSTON
GALVESTON BEAUMONT CORPUS CHRISTI
SECOND NATIONAL BANKCapital and Surplus .... $2,250,000.00
SECOND NATIONAL BANK BUILDINGMain at Rusk
In the Heart of Downtown Houston
HOUSTON, TEXAS
The "Best That Money Can Buy
6 Houston PORT BOOK November, 1934
Cable and Telegraphic Address "TERMINAL" Houston
The Texas Transport & Terminal Company, Inc.REGULAR STEAMSHIP SERVICE TO THE PRINCIPAL PORTS
IN EUROPE AND THE ORIENT
CottonExchangeBuilding
HOUSTONTexas
AGENTS:
HOLLAND-AMERICA LINE
KAWASAKI KISEN KAISHA ("K" LINE)
NAVIGAZIONE LIBERA TRIESTINA (N. L. T. LINE)
OFFICES:New York, N. Y.Philadelphia, Pa.Baltimore, Md.Savannah, Ga.New Orleans, La.Galveston, TexasHouston, TexasSan Francisco, Cal.Dallas, Texas
REARDON
Cable Address:STATMARINEHOUSTON
SMITHGULF TO FAR EAST PORTS
STATES MARINE CORPORATIONGeneral Agents
Cotton Exchange Building, Houston, Texas
New York Of/ice--8-10 Bridge Street
Cable Address: Statmarine Telephone: Bowling Green 9-7321
LINE
Telephones:
PRESTON 3374-3375LONG DISTANCE 147
NOT IDLE FACTORIES
GAS FIRED EQUIPMENT
¯ Houston’s smokeless skyline indicates the extensive use made of the abundant supplyof Natural Gas available to industries in and near the city.
The efficiency with which this modern fuel meets every heat requirement, its economy,its flexibility, its cleanliness and controllability, its ease of handling; its "n~-storage"
.requirement and no tied-up capital give industries many sought for advan~tages in thesolution of their heating problems.
Our industrial engineers will gladly furnish complete data about the use of Natural Gas
for your requirements.
R. B. CREATER, Receiver
HovsroN GAs ~.~ FveL COMPANY916 MAIN ST. ¯ CAPITOL 5111
5.N
November, 1934 H 0 u s t o n P 0 R T B 0 0 K 7
WILKENS & BIEHL ¯ ¯ - Steamship AgentsRepresenting the Following Services:
North German Unterweser French Line ScandinavianFern Line
Lloyd Reederei TO American LineTO TO HAVRE TO TO
BREMEN BREMEN DUNKIRK ROTTERDAM JAPANand and ANTWERP COPENHAGEN
CHINAHAMBURG HAMBURG GHENT GDYNIA
HOUSTONWILKENS & BIEHL
GALVESTON CORPUS CHRISTI DALLAS BEAUMONT LAKE CHARLES
R. A. FENZL, PresidentWydown 91612
Plant Phone: Wayside 4554Plant Located on the Houston Ship Channel
HARRISBURG MACHINE CO., Inc.¯ . . MARINE REPAIRS . . .
General Machinists, Founders, Boiler Makers, Copper Smiths, Electric Welding,
Floating Equipment... Including Barges and Tozv Boats for Ship Repairs
P. O. Address Box 5125, Harrisburg Station HOUSTON; TEXAS
Men follow Payrolls ,, ,,,, and payrolls follow
the Power Lines
ONE OF THE most vital factors in making cities attractive is electricity. It makes
men more productive, enables them to earn more. It reduces home drudgery,and gives their wives more time for pleasure. It helps build prosperity. Hence popula-tion has flowed to centers with dependable power supply.
Now power is reaching out to the smaller places. Suburbs, towns, villages andfarms are being supplied with service that, a few years ago, only the big cities enjoyed.And as that development goes forward, it will have a broad influence on the movementof population--for men follow payrolls and payrolls follow power lines.
HOUSTON LIGHTING & POWER COMPANY
8 Houston PORT BOOK November, 1934
**Houston’s "Pioneer Steamship Line"
Sailings BetweenPHILADELPHIA, PA., NORFOLK, VIRGINIA and HOUSTON, TEXAS.
From Philadelphia, Pa., Pier 46, South Wharves .............. Every Wednesday and SaturdayFrom Norfolk, Va., Norfolk Tidewater Terminals ............ Every ThursdayFrom Houston, Texas, Pier No. 3 . .................... Every Monday and Thursday
Fortnightly sailings from Houston, Texas, to Norfolk, Va.
Seven Fast Steamers Serving Texas and the SouthwestNINETEEN YEARS OF TRANSPORTATION ACHIEVEMENT
General Offices: 1360 Broad Street Station Building, Philadelphia, Pa.Address Southern Steamship Co., Offices in Norfolk, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York, Dallas,
E1 Paso, Fort Worth, and San Antonio.
W. M. Vaughn, CA., Dallas; E. M. Sones, CA., Fort Worth; W. A. Bielstein, CA., San Antonio; R. T. Eatman, CA., E1 Paso
T. A. O’BRIEN, GENERAL FREIGHT AGENT, 1360 BROAD STREET STATION BLDG., PHILADELPHIA, PA.
H. T. LINDSEY, GENERAL AGENT, 409 COTTON EXCHANGE BLDG., HOUSTON, TEXAS
EQUIPPED WITH TWO HIGH DENSITY COMPRESSESSeventeen Railroads Serve This Plant Through the Public Belt Line Arrangement
CITY OF,FICE T U R N I N G B A S IN C O M P R E S S C O COMPRESS OFFICE701 Cotton Exchange Bldg.
Telephone Preston 0291 HOUSTON, TEXAS Telephone Wayside 4011
November,!934 Houston PORT BOOK 9
,, ,,The Port Director’s Page ,, ,,
The Rail-Water Terminal Problem
E LSEWHERE in this number of the Houston PortBook is published in full a letter which wassubmitted to all terminal operators on the South
Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, and copy of which wasdiscussed at the Atlantic Coast organization meeting,held in Washington on November 20th; also a di-gest of the meeting at Washington.
This memorandum was submitted to develop theopinion of terminal operators in general as to regu-lation, uniformity and the desire for remunerativeterminal rates.
The memorandum was set up with a view of de-termining viewpoints as to the position of the severalgroups, especially of private operators over whomthere is not at this time any control of any kind ex-cept the bare necessity of securing enough revenueto meet expenses, and in some instances this is donefrom allied businesses other than the terminaloperation.
The writer believes it is correct to say that, ingeneral, the public terminal operators recognize thenecessity of adhering to uniform tariff practices anduniform rates. If a public terminal is correctly op-erated, as per the law and as per fair dealing to allcustomers alike, then the public terminal operatorcould not countenance cheating, and what the Presi-dent has called "chiseling."
This would produce a very satisfactory state ofaffairs on the public property. Then competing pri-vate terminals, enjoying revenues from so-called ac-cessorial services, would be able to deviate as to thefree time, the exact application of the dockage,wharfage or penalty for overtime occupation of ship-side space and, of course, this would influence, anddoes influence, a considerable tonnage and then, whenthis is seen by the public operators, they feel thatthey must meet it in kind and, in general, this is thesituation now before the three types of operators,namely, railroad, privately and publicly owned ter-minals.
The writer wishes to once again reiterate thatthe answer to this problem is comparatively simple.It is necessary that some regulatory body, preferablythe Interstate Commerce Commission and the Rail-road Coordinator, lay down the proposition thatwherever a railroad delivers import, export and coast-wise freight, that the contracts which this railroad
has with any one of the three types of rail-water ter-minal must be uniform. They must prescribe uni-form switching allowances, uniform loading, handlingand unloading allowances, uniform free time and uni-form accounting practices.
It is the opinion of the writer that this will notrequire additional legislation. The completion of theline haul service by the railroad requires uniformtreatment at the ports and it is certainly a ridiculoussituation existing at present where several railroads,arriving at a given port district, dan have as many assix switching and as many as three leased terminaloperations, all of which deviate from uniformity, buteven though all these wide deviations exist at the port,the freight rate from a given interior center to thisgiven port and to several ports in a given district areequalized.
When we scrutinize this word "equalization,"the terminal operators are told that the railroads areonly equalizing what the shipper pays and they arenot interested in equalizing the allowances, the prac-tices, the charges nor the tariffs at the ports, and it isin this last group that all the "Chinese" contracts andall the monkey business and all the absorptions andgratuities and unfair practices exist, and it is abso-lutely beyond the writer’s conception as to why theInterstate Commerce Commission cannot prescribethat the carriers have uniform terminal practices atthe ports.
The carriers, by the process of equalizing whatthe shipper pays, have dropped hundreds of miles ofllne haul, but they still maintain that within a givenport district switching absorption allowances can varyon a given car of freight between $4.00 and $8.10.In other words, 100 per cent deviation.
How can uniformity or tariff concurrence be ex-pected where one terminal gets a generous switchingallowance and another gets nothing but bills for trackmaintenance?
Uniform railroad contracts at the ports mustprecede any hope of successful handling rail-waterterminal properties.
10 H O/¢ $ t 0 n P 0 R T B 0 0 K November, 1934
HOUSTONA NATURAL INDUSTRIAL CENTER
Throughout the history of pioneering, com-munities have grown to commercial and in-dustrial prominence because of natural fa-cilities such as productiveness of the land; theavailability of shipping outlets; the physicallayout of the land with regard to railroadingand highways. Such conditions have ever at-tracted men of enterprise; men who promoteand build great industries; men who are nat-ural leaders in civic and commercial expansion.Houston, with its fine port and transportationfacilities; the richness of its surrounding oil-fields, farm lands, timber lands and grazingtracts has been, and still is, the mecca of for-ward looking business and industrial projects.
SOUTH TEXAS COMMERCIALNATIONAL BANK
HOUSTON, TEXAS
VlNSON ELKINS SWEETON & WEEMS
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
NIELS ESPERSON BUILDING
HOUSTON, TEXAS
AT ALL PORTS "An able crewfor every ship"
they happen to be located.
The surpassing quality of Texaco fuels and lubricants and the skill
of Texaco Marine Engineers is available at principal ports through-out the world. Operating efficiencies will very likely result fromusing products that have demonstrated their abilityin service similar to yours. Immediate cooperationwill be given to your engineers no matter where
/ ~ PoR~ ~ /~/
THE TEXAS COMPANY, Marine Sales Division, 135 E. 42 nd St., N.Y.C.
TEXACO MARINE TURBINE OIL :~URSA OILS :,k TEXACO MARINE ENGINE LUBRICANTS
ACOFRE E--Just send your
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nd address to TheTexas Company, and wewill mail you a copy ofthis valuable folder.
"Advertising Houston to the World"
Houston
PORT BOOKOfficial Pub&ation of the Houston Port Commission
HOUSTON, TEXAS
VOLtJME TWELVE NOVEMBER, 1934 NUMBER Two
FOREWORDThrough the co-operation of the shipping and industrial interests of Houston, the Port Commission has been enabled to arrange for
the publication of this book twice annually.Its purpose is to inform shippers and all others interested in the Port of Houston of its development, charges and other matters of
interest, and inquiries will at all times be welcome.Address the Director of the Port, Civil Courts Building, Houston, Texas.
TABLE OF
Page
The Port Director’s Page--The Rail-Water Terminal Problem.. 9Map of Turning Basin Showing Location of Public
Wharves and Elevator ............................... 12Directory of Port Officials ................................ 13Administration of the Port ............................... 13Directory of Maritime Interests and Foreign Consulates ........ 14The Future of American Cotton ......................... 15The Port Rail-Water Terminal Problem .................... 17The Houston Chamber of Commerce--A Directory ........... 18Houston’s Relationship to the Cities of the Great
Southwest--Fort Worth ............................. 19Services of the Intracoastal Canal .......................... 21Map--Showing Port of Houston Industrial District ........ 22-23Tariff of the Port of Houston ............................. 24
CONTENTS
PagePort Notes--News Items of lhe Port and Its Aclivities ........ 25Houston Ranks as a Major Port of the United States ........... 31Public Wharves--A Description of ......................... 32Private Wharves--A Description of ........................ 32Privately Owned Terminal and Industrial Facilities ........... 33A Detailed Description of the Port ......................... 35Houston Steamship Service--A Table Showing Steamship
Lines, Ports of Call and Agents or Operators ............. 41Tanker Lines--A Table Showing Tanker Lines, Ports of
Call and Agents or Operators ......................... 42Channel Pilotage and Charges ............................ 43Tug Boat Tariff for Houston Ship Channel .................. 43Charges for Mooring and Unmooring Vessels ................ 43Index to Advertisements ................................. 44
Houston PORT BOOKThis book is published in May and November of each year under contract and authority of the Navigation and Canal Commission.
As the official magazine of the Houston Port Commission, this publication is intended to carry authoritative descriptions, noticesand articles in regard to the activities of the Port Commission and the port development, however the Commissioners cannot be respon-sible in all respects for the contents thereof, or for the opinions of writers to which expression is given.
The publication is distributed free to maritime, transportation and industrial interests in the United States and foreign countries.Additional copies of this publication may be had upon application to the Director of the Port, Civil Courts Building, Houston,
Texas, or to any of the advertisers.
12 H o u s t o n I ) o R T B o o i~ November, 1934
November, 1934 Houston PORT BOOK 13
Directory of Port Officials
Board of Commissioners
J. W. EVANS, ChairmanR. J. CUMMINS, Vice ChairmanK. E. WOMACK, Commissioner
W. A. SHERMAN, Vice ChairmanH. C. COCKBURN, Commissioner
J. RUSSELL WAIT, Director of the PortCHARLES CROTTY, Assistant
EXECUTIVE OFFICERSJ. L. ARCHER, AccountantJ. T. HANWAY, Supt. WharvesGEO. S. COLBY, Supt. Grain Elevator Dept.
OFFICE--FIFTH FLOOR CIVIL COURTS BUILDING, HOUSTON, TEXASTelephone Preston 3241
D. A. SIMMONS, CounsdH. L. WASHBURN, Auditor
Port OfficialsDIRECTOR OF THE PORT ............... J. RUSSELL WAIT
Executive O~ice: Civil Courts Bldg .... Preston 5241Residence Telephone Hadley 9457
ASSISTANT ............................. CHARLES CROTTYResidence Telephone Hadley 7239
SUPERINTENDENT OF WHARVES .......... J. T. HANVAVGeneral O~ce: Wharf 14 Telephone Wayside 7174
Residence Telephone Hadley 8651
SUPT. GRAIN ELEVATOR DEPT .............. GEo. S. COLBY
General O.O~ce: Wharf I4 ........... Wayside 7174
HARBOR PATROL OFFICER .............. L. A. McMILLIAN
78th ~ Avenue "B". ......... Phone Wayside 1608
FIRE BOAT "PORT HOUSTON"Phone Preston 2325 Sta. 21
HOUSTON PORT BUREAU ........... J. Russell Wait, Manager
O~ice: Civil Courts Building
E. W. BOLDT, Asst. ManagerCivil Courts Bldg., Houston
JOHN C. MAYFIELD, Eastern Representative,10 East 40th Street, New York, N. Y.
W. J. STACNER, Resident Manager,I309 Cotton Exchange Bldg., Dallas, Texas
Administration of the Port
T HE PORT OF HOUSTON is operated by the Navigation and Canal Commission of five members, serving without pay, who are ap-pointed two by the City and two by County Commissioners and the Chairman by the City and County Commissioners in jointsession. These Port Commissioners serve for a period of two years, the terms expiring alternate years. Under this Board the affairs
are handled by the Director of the Port. The Navigation District includes all of Harris County.
The Board controls the commercial activities of the Port and the construction and maintenance of the terminal facilities, andthrough co-operation with the Federal Government the construction and improvement of the waterway.
The wharves and railroad facilities constructed and operated by the City of Houston in 1915 and 1918 were transferred under alease agreement to the Port Commission on October 1st, 1922, for a period of thirty years, the City to be paid the net revenue after opera-tion and maintenance charges were deducted from the gross receipts. All further construction will be under the direction of theNavigation District.
14 Houston PORT BOOK November, 1934
Directory of Maritime Interests andForeign Consulates
FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF THOSE WISHING TO COMMUNICATE BY TELEPHONE WITHHARBOR INTERESTS THE FOLLOWING DIRECTORY IS FURNISHED:
VARIOUS
United States ServicesENGINEERING DEPARTMENTEngineer Officials in Charge of the Construction of the Houston
ship Channel:LIEUT.-CoL. EDWIN H. MARKS
Corps of Engineers, Galveston, District Engineer Tel. 8200JOHN EHRHARDT, U. S. Asst. Engineer,in charge of field office, Houston ........ Tel. Wayside 1583
LIGHTHOUSE DEPARTMENTE. S. LANVHIER, Superintendent, Eighth District,
U. S. Lighthouse Department, New Orleans, La.
COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS ................. FRED C. PABSTOffice: Federal Building, Galveston, Texas .Telephone 5254Houston Office: Old Federal Building ........ Preston 6724DEPUTY COLLECTOR ...................... G. J. GEYER
Office: Old Federal Building .... Telephone Capitol 7296HARBOR OFFICE: Wharf No. 3 .... Telephone Wayside 3435BAYTOWN OFFICE, Baytown ............ CHARLES R. FoxCUSTOM AI’I’RAISER’S STORE ............... H. L. BOWERWHARF NO. 3 ................. Telephone Wayside 2297DEVUTY SHIVPINC COMMISSIONER ....... H. G. REINHART
Office: Sea Service Bureau ...... Telephone Wayside 5000SEA SERVICE BUREAU ................. J. B. CARSKADON
Office: 1214 75 th Street ........ Telephone Wayside 5000
PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ............... DR. S. H. MOOREOffice: Medical Arts Building ...... Telephone Fairfax 5232
WEATHER BUREAU ...................... C. E. NORQUESTOffice" Shell Building ............ Telephone Capitol 6919
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCEBureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, Chester Bryan,
District Manager, Chamber of Commerce Bldg.Capitol 6271
IMMIGRATION SERVICE .................. L. D. CROSSMANInspector in Charge
401 Federal Building ..................... Preston 2426
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUREBUREAU OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY ..... DR. C. H. HORCHER
311 Federal Building ........... Telephone Fairfax 5000PLANT QUARANTINE & CONTROL ADMR.
H. C. MILLENDER, Inspector in charge.Office: Wharf 3 .............. Telephone Wayside 3435
MiscellaneousHOUSTON PILOTS, Marine Banl~ Bldg.. Telephone Capitol 1424
HOUSTON MARITIME COMMITTEE OF THE COTTONEXCHANGE AND BOARD OF TRADEW. C. HUNT, Chairman F.R. DALZELL, Secretary J
Cotton Exchange Building, Preston 5517
Foreign ConsulatesARGENTINE: T. L. Evans, Consul
Chamber of Commerce Building ............. Preston 5111
BELGIUM: R. C. Patterson, Hon. Consul2010 Gulf Building ....................... Capitol 6226
CHILE: Mr. T. L. Evans, Consular AgentChamber of Comm’erce Building ............ Preston 5111
CHINESE: Tsin Lon Ouang, Consul714 Richmond Road ...................... Capitol 7561
COLOMBIAN: Mr. T. L. Evans, Vice ConsulChamber of Commerce Building ............ Preston 5111
COSTA RICAN: C. A. Miller, Consul408 First National Banl¢ Building ........... Capitol 5811
CZECHOSLOVAKIA: Dr. Charles J. Hollub711 Medical Arts Building ................ Preston 2553
DOMINICAN: Mr. T. L. Evans, ConsulChamber of Commerce Building ............ Preston 5111
DENMARK: Edmund Pincoffs, Consul425 Cotton Exchange Building ............ Preston 8191
ECUADOR: T. L. EVANS, Vice ConsulChamber of Commerce Building ............ Preston 5111
FRENCH: G. P. F. Jouine, Consul1926 Shell Building ...................... Preston 5600
GUATEMALAN: Mr. T. L. Evans, ConsulChamber of Commerce Building ............ Preston 5111
HAITI: Mr. T. L. Evans, ConsulChamber of Commerce Building ............ Preston 5111
HONDURAS: Mr. T. L. Evans, ConsulChamber of Commerce Building ............ Preston 5111
ITALIAN: Dr. P. H. Scardino, Acting Vice Consul404-09 S/Jell Building ..................... Capitol 0751
MEXICAN: Serando Barrera Guerra212 Marine Banl¢ Building ................. Fairfax 1700
NICARAGUA: Mr. T. L. Evans, ConsulChamber of Commerce Building ............ Preston 5111
NORWAY: Newton Rayzor, ConsulCotton Exchange Building ................. Preston 7571
PANAMA: F. Galvan, Acting Consul302 Cotton Exchange Bldg ................. Preston 7211
MARINE SURVEYOR .......................... C. B. YULE/50I Cotton Exchange Building, Capitol 7524 -- PERU: F. Galvan, Acting Consul
502 Cotton Exchange Bldg ................ Preston 7211SEAMEN’S CHURCH INSTITUTE, U. L. Taylor, Manager
75th and Beaumon.t ............. Telephone Wayside 0391 SALVADOR: Mr. T. L. Evans, Consul
UNITED STATES SALVAGE ASSN. Chamber of Commerce Building ............ Preston 5111
CHARLES MALLYN, Surveyor VENEZUELAN: F. Galvan, ConsulPetroleum Building ..................... Capitol 6912 302 Cotton Exchange Bldg ................ Preston 7211
November, 1934 Houston PORT BOOK 15
The Future of American CottonAddress Delivered at Twenty-First National Foreign Trade Convention
New York, October 31, November 1-2, 1934
By JOSEPH W. EVANSChairman, Navigation & Canal Commissioners, Houston, Texas
F OR many years steel has been regarded as the barometer ofbusiness in this country, and our cotton exports occupyjust as important a position with reference to our balance
of trade. If one studies our export figures for the last fourteenyears it will be seen that the value of American cotton sold abroadrepresents better than twenty-two per cent of the total exportsand approximately the favorable balance which we have piled upduring that period is all due to this one commodity. If we addto raw cotton the manufactured article, these figures are slightlyincreased, and without cotton our trade balance would have beenrepresented by a red figure.
The study of our exports, year by year, reveals the fact thatcotton seems to keep pace with the rise and fall of our foreign busi-ness, and for the past several years our favorable foreign trade bal-ance has been so near the value of the raw cotton exported as toestablish the fact that there has been some very definite relationshipbetween its consumption abroad and the ability of the world at largeto buy and sell. While there may have been other reasons for thisrelation, it is undoubtedly true that the commercial supremacy ofthe leading nations of the world has been built up to a considerableextent through their ability to import American cotton, manu-facture it and sell it to the four quarters of the globe.
PERIOD SINCE THE WAR
In order to discuss with any intelligence the future of our lead-ing export commodity, one must necessarily review its past history,and for our purpose today this study may be confined to the periodsince the World War, for I think we all agree that in these daysand times twelve or fifteen years may be considered an economiclifetime. During this period the United States was properly re-garded as the premier cotton exporting nation of the world andour average exports ran nearly half of the cotton consumed outsideof our own country. Our principal competitors were India andEgypt, whose cottons were not regarded as a proper substitute forthe American fibre, and it is only in the past three or four years thatthese outside, or foreign, growths have taken the place of Americancotton to any considerable extent. This tendency has become de-cidedly more marked since the policy of artificial production andcontrol in this country has been established, for after all it is pricethat controls competition, and throughout the history of cottonsince the Civil War, foreign growths have been stimulated or cur-tailed almost in direct ratio to the value and size of the Americancrop. To illustrate this, with the short crops produced in Americain 1921-1922 and 1923, and the consequential advance of theAmerican staple to war-time prices, foreign growths rose from aboutseven millions in 1921 to almost ten and a half millions in 1925.An even more recent example is that of Brazil--three years agoBrazil was raising approximately four hundred thousands of balesper year and she has stepped up this production in that short timeuntil her crop is estimated at a million and a quarter for the presentcalendar year. This constitutes a genuine threat to our own exportsupremacy, for Brazil’s cotton more nearly matches the Americanfibre than that grown in any other country in a large way.
NO LONGER ABLE TO COMPETE WITH OTHER COUNTRIES
Now if this condition were due to natural causes, such as flood,drouth, etc., in this country, we might comfort ourselves with the
Joseph W. Evans
thought that the situation would follow precedent by reversingitself when nature again returned us a bountiful yield, but as longas we are paying our farmers to plow up cotton already planted, orto reduce their acreage, as long as we are loaning them the marketvalue of their cotton, and as long as our Government is willing topile up millions of bales under the A.A.A., it is vain to hope thatwe can compete with other cottons sold in a free world market atfive to seven dollars a bale below our artificially imposed price.Complacent in our apparent domination of the world’s market wehave always believed that these outside growths could not takethe place of the American fibre, but necessity is not only the motherof invention, but of imitation as well, and today many of the threescore, or more, countries which produce cotton in a commercial wayare improving their seed and methods of cultivation and ginning towhere they have become real rivals in markets which were exclu-sively ours. As further proof of this, American manufacturersof gin machinery have had the best export business in years, theirtotal sales for the first six months of 1934 having run far in excessof the past several years combined.
A week ago cotton exports for the current season were runningwell under sixty per cent of last year. Add to this the fact that weare producing about forty per cent of the world’s total, where afew years ago we grew sixty, or more, and one can readily visualizethis old dependable balance of trade disappearing as snow on a desert.
ELEVATOR 13t~SINESS NO ~ONCER LUCRATIVE
We have seen a tremendous change in the export business asapplied to grain. Houston and Galveston have an elevator capacity
16 Houston PORT BOOK November, 1934
of approximately twelve and a half millions of bushels and up tothree years ago these elevators enjoyed a consistent, lucrative busi-ness, shipping many millions to various European ports. For thepast two years this business has been a total loss and today thereis not a single bushel of grain in any of these elevators intendedfor export, their only business consisting of a few small parcelsbrought from the Pacific Coast to be consumed by Southwesternmills, and as the situation stands, the investment does not pay taxes.Whether this be due to quotas, tariff barriers, or our declining grainproduction, the analogy can not be disregarded.
RELIEF NEEDS INCREASE THROUGH COTTON CONDITIONS
Besides the commercial aspect of this present curtailed programof cotton production, there is a human element which can not beoverlooked. Dr. Cox, the Director of the Bureau of Business Re-search of the University of Texas, stated under date of October10th that there are four hundred and fifty thousand people livingon farms who are on the relief rolls of Texas alone, and that thisnumber will be greatly increased should these conditions obtain an-other year. The implications of this situation are not difficult tosee, for the possibilities in the way of agricultural discontent wouldmake the up-rising of last year among the farmers in the Dakotas,and elsewhere, pale into insignificance.
WHAT IS THE REMEDY?
Now, gentlemen, I realize that I have drawn a rather gloomypicture, but, since this group is so tremendously and vitally inter-ested in foreign business, I feel that it has not been unwarranted.
The first question that naturally presents itself is "What can
"Commercial Orleanian" on Service Between New Orleans and Houston
!9’
Jb~General Cargo and Lumber Unloading at Houston from the Pacific Coast
be done about it," and, if you will bear with me, I propose to addressmyself to this in a very brief fashion.
The United States is capable of maintaining her supremacy asa producer of cotton for the simple reason that we have a hundredyears’ experience plus a native intelligence, ideal climate and soil,which gives us a decidedly competitive advantage over the balanceof the world. In addition to this, our modern ginning system, goodroads and cheap railroad rates are factors which make it impossiblefor foreign growers to bring their cotton to market except at a costmuch in excess of that which the American farmer pays.
GOVERNMENT SHOULD PAY ON INCREASED ]PRODUCTION
I do not believe that any thinking man, regardless of his busi-ness or social affiliations, can be other than sympathetic to the pres-ent plight of the farmer, and certainly for selfish motives, if forno other reason, we should want to see him prosper and enjoy areturn for his labors which would mean a decent scale of living. Toaccomplish this in the present disorganized situation, he will prob-ably have to have certain benefit payments made him for severalyears to come. I have discussed this matter with a great manymen who live in the South and who are keenly aware of the im-portance of the cotton industry to the economic life of its millionsof people, and they seem unanimously in favor of the Governmentcontinuing to pay the farmer, but this payment should be based onan increased production instead of curtailment; it should take theform of applying the money derived from the processing tax to thatpart of his crop which is used for domestic consumption, which isgenerally estimated as forty per cent of the whole, thereby guaran-teeing him an adequate return on a portion of his crop. This wouldinsure him a price that would compensate him for his labor andpreserve a parity with those things which he has to buy. Havingdone this, the cotton producer should be encouraged to raise allthe cotton he can and let it be sold in competition with the balanceof the world for, obviously, if he were guaranteed a parity returnfor two-fifths of his crop, he could afford to sell the balance of itat competitive prices. It might be said in this connection thatthere is no reason to assume that the world’s price would alwaysbe below the cost of production, for Old Dame Nature has a curioushabit of equalizing supply and demand over a period of time, andit is possible that the price in the free market of the world mightapproximate that which he received under the benevolent adminis-tration of his own Government. Whether this immediate resultwould be attained or not, it seems a fair guess that within twoor three years this foreign production, which has been increasing byleaps and bounds under the favorable competitive conditions whichwe have fostered, would again begin to recede, and we would findourselves, at no distant future, once more masters of the cottonworld.
MILLIONS ENGAGED IN COTTON PRODUCTION
In taking this view, I am considering the tremendous numberof interests involved in the picking, ginning, compressing, trans-porting and merchandising of cotton; as there are many millionsof people engaged in these various occupations which have to dowith the movement of the cotton crop, and, since the goal of ourpresent Administration Policy is to secure employment for morepeople, it would seem that this program would have much to recom-mend it to those in authority as well as those who think alongeconomic lines.
We can not build a wall around America. We of the Southcan not substitute an artificial policy for the gifts which Nature hasso abundantly showered upon us; and if we are to maintain thesupremacy which has transformed our Southern States from a landof impoverishment and meager living to prosperity and the oppor-tunity to enjoy the best things of life, we must reverse the policywhich, in its final effects, will strangle our own section and, to animportant degree, affect the welfare of our entire country. To thisend I bespeak the help of this important group, for whether we befarmers, manufacturers, merchants, college professors, or skilled orcommon laborers, we are all bound together by one economic chainwhich is no stronger than its weakest link.
November, 1934 Houston PORT BOOK 17
The Port Rail-Water Terminal ProblemF oR many years there has existed a highly competitive situation
between the port groups of the United States, and even withinthe individual ports there is a struggle between the Public, Pri-
vate and Railroad owned terminals to secure and hold on their ownfacilities the commerce moving to and from shipside.
These groups of ports such as the North Atlantic, South At-lantic (Norfolk to Key West), Gulf, and the Pacific Coast eachhave their own peculiar problems of location and rates to the in-terior, and each have more or less organized to meet and work outa solution of this problem, while the American Association of PortAuthorities, representing port interests of all sections, acts as aclearing house for discussion and conference as to the best methodsof solution of terminal difficulties.
The matter of terminal charges is of utmost importance as af-fecting the operation of port facilities regardless of ownership, andas millions of public and private capital has been invested in suchrail-water terminals, to say nothing of the Federal Government’soutlay for harbors and channels, a determined effort is now beingmade by the various interests to equalize these charges and placethem on a reasonably remunerative basis, and end the destructivepolicy of giving away the services or discriminating between classesof traffic.
The Federal Coordinator of Railroads is trying to adjust these
charges as to railroad terminals. A conference was held in Wash-ington, November 20, 1934, with a view of organizing a MarineTerminal Operators Association of Atlantic Ports, and Mr. J. Rus-sell Wait, Director of the Port of Houston, as President of theAmerican Association of Port Authorities, has just addressed the fol-lowing letter to port officials and operators of both public and pri-vate terminals of the Gulf and South Atlantic ports with a view ofcalling a conference to discuss and formulate a unified, or equalizedsystem of charges at all ports for similar services and to eliminatethe discriminatory practices that have prevailed in the past.
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENTTHE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PORT AUTHORITIES
Gentlemen:
Most of us have endeavored to benefit the rail-water terminal industry formany years. Practically every man on this list, with few exceptions, was identi-fied with Docket 12681, which docket was initiated in March, 1921, at Norfolkand continued for ten years. The basis of this docket was remunerative terminalcharges at railroad owned terminals.
Anyone who has looked over the record of these past fourteen years mustbe astonished at the lack of progress which has been made in an industry ofthe size of the rail-water terminal business in the region between Norfolk andthe Mexican border.
Some progress has been made at certain localities where cooperation was ab-solutely necessary or large private investments would be destroyed, and the pur-pose of this letter is to enlist your interest in a program as follows:
(I) The writer, as President of the American Association of Port Authori-ties, has been requested to call a joint meeting of all terminal interests fromNorfolk to the Mexican border at a centrally located point, to be determinedlater, for the purpose of discussing and acting on a schedule of terminal ratesand charges, and to promote certain rules and regulations to be applied uni-formly on all competitive terminals within a given district.
(2) The writer has agreed to call such a meeting after a plan and scheduleof what is proposed to be discussed at the meeting is submitted to all rail-waterterminal operators in the Norfolk to the Mexican border district, and this letteris intended as a preliminary outline of the subjects to be discussed at the con-ference.
(3) For clearness, it is proposed to divide into three classes the matters be discussed:
1. Charges against the cargo.2. Charges against vessels.3. Accessorial charges.
Under No. 1, the writer would propose to fix certain conditions preliminaryto the conference. The matter of whether a shed at shipslde is to be used forstorage or not must be determined in advance of the conference. The writerwould suggest that you, for your property and in your port agree among your-selves as to what is the shlpside facility and what is the warehouse facility.
Unless this is done, it is useless to hold a conference with any individual withinthe rail-water terminal industry, because the operation of the so-called shipsidefacility must be divorced from warehouse practice.
For the purpose of the conference, the writer proposes that:
(a) No use of the word "storage" be in evidence at the conference, whichbears on so-called shipside transit shed space, but that the words "space penalty"be the term employed to designate the penalty which is assessed against com-modities occupying transit shed space after the expiration of the free timeperiod. On import freight, a maximum free time period of ten days to be al-lowed; on export freight a maximum free time period of fifteen days to be al-lowed; and that, for all space occupied in excess of the free time, a penalty of~/ac per square foot per day be applied against cargo.
(b) That the wharfage charge on cotton be 2c per 100 pounds.(c) That the wharfage charge on lumber be lc per 100 pounds minimum.(d) That the minimum wharfage charge on any commodity moving
coastwise service be 1 ¼c per 100 pounds.(e) That the wharfage charge on all import and export commodities be
minimum of 1½c.(f) That the minimum wharfage charge on bulk commodities be lc per 100
pounds.(g) That when commodities are handled to and from car and ship, or truck
and ship, and the car or truck is placed on wharf apron track at shipside, that on:1. Open top cars the terminal assess the stevedore performing the car-
loading or unloading operation ~c per 100 pounds.2. On box cars which are handled on these tracks lc per 100 pounds.3. On all truck traffic handled in this manner, there be assessed a
truck wharfage which is, in all instances, I/2c per 100 pounds higherthan the regular rail wharfage rate.(h) Handling, carloading and unloading, truck loading and unloading. That
the rates for this service be as follows:1. Handling fertilizer materials, 2c per 100 pounds.2. Handling objectionable fertilizer materials at terminals, option.3. Handling cotton, 2c per 100 pounds.4. Handling lumber, shingles and forest products, 2½c per 100
pounds.5. General cargo, 2~c per I00 pounds.6. Suggest any special consideration on loading and handling.
Under No. 2. The writer suggests, for the conference on dockage, the basiswhich the Coordinator agreed to assess uniformly, and for the benefit of all con-cerned, this schedule of dockage is copied herein:
2 cents per gross registered ton, where the vessel lifts or dischargesmore than 500 net tons of freight;
1½ cents per gross registered ton, where the vessel lifts or dischargesnot more than 500, but more than 300, net tons of freight;
1 cent per gross registered ton, where the vessel lifts or discharges notmore than 300, but more than 150, net tons of freight;
½ cent per gross registered ton, where the vessel lifts or discharges notmore than 150 net tons of freight.
Under No. 3. Accessorial services at the terminals are the source of mostof the terminal operators’ difficulties. On one terminal weighing is permittedwithout any charge being assessed. On another tags are pulled by anybody own-ing the cotton and no charges are assessed, while on still another terminal re-coopering, forwarding and many other accessorial services are permitted withoutrental or other charge being assessed against the user of the terminal and waivingthese charges influences more tonnage than deviation from the free time pro-vision, wharfage and dockage charges on the vessels.
It is the recommendation of the writer that you list, for the purpose of theconference, the accessorial services in which you are interested, and also listthose which are performed on your property and in which you are not interested,and that you submit this list to the writer at once with recommendations on each.
Would you approve of the railroad Coordinator of Transportation, theInterstate Commerce Commission, or any other proper agency taking the lead insecuring legislation calculated to bring all three classes of terminals--public, pri-vate and railroad--under uniform tariff, uniform railroad contracts and uniformaccounting practices, this to apply only on such terminals as are offering forhire to partak~ in the export, import and coastwise competitive freight?
After receiving these suggestions, which I urge all of you to turn inpromptly, the writer will digest such reports and submit a consolidated docu-ment for the study of all the ports involved and will then call such a meetingunder the auspices of the American Association of Port Authorities at an earlydate.
Awaiting your reaction to this program, I am,
Yours very truly,
~. RUSSELL WAIT,President, American Associationof Port Authorities.
18 Houston PORT BOOK November, 1934
The Houston Chamber of CommerceMany persons and firms located far from Houston desire
service and information with reference to their various interestsfor which the Houston Chamber of Commerce is always glad tobe called upon:
The following is the executive committee:
Gvs S. WORTHAM ............................ PresidentL. S. ADAMS ............................. Vice-PresidentH. O. CLARKE, JR ......................... Vice-PresidentJAMES ANDERSON ......................... Vice-PresidentJ. A. FITE ................................... TreasurerR. D. ERNST ....................... Secretary of the BoardJ. M. LYKES ........................... Member at LargeW. N. BLANTON ......... Vice-President ~ General Manager
The service rendered by the Chamber of Commerce is dividedinto several departments of which the following is an outline andthey at all times welcome inquiries from those desiring theirassistance:
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTW. N. BLANTON, Vice President ~q General Manager
TRANSPORTATIONC. E. HOLLOMAN, Manager
Rate quotations--Readjustments of rate situations--Publica-tion of rate changes---Preparation of statistical information indefense of rate adjustments--Analysis of transportation problems--Dissemination of information on the car situation and any othertransportational subjects of interest to shippers.
INDUSTRIALR. A. LAIRD, Manager
Sites--Warehouses--Retail locations--Labor situation--Statis-tical information on industrial subjects--Business conditions (cityand state)--Present and future industrial possibilities.
FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC TRADET. L. EVANS, Manager
Foreign Trade problems--information on Houston, Trade pos-sibilities with special reference to Mexico, Central and SouthAmerica and the West Indies. Spanish translations: information onCustoms Regulations; Tariffs, etc.--Domestic trade; Local con-ditions of trade with special reference to wholesalers and jobbers--Classified list of Houston concerns--Present and future possibilitiesof specific trade propositions.
PUBLIC RELATIONSNORMAN H. BEARD, Manager
Deals with a variety of Chamber of Commerce activitieswhich do not center in any division under the direction of adepartment head, including inter-organization activities. Partici-pates in the welcoming and entertaining of distinguished visitorsand arranges details for a variety of meetings and conferences heldby local agencies.
MEMBERSHIP DEPARTMENTT. W. ARCHER, Manager
Establishes friendly contacts between members, prospectivemembers, new citizens and visitors through confidence in theChamber of Commerce.
RESEARCH AND STATISTICSG. C. ROUSSEL, Manager
Maintains a file of approximately 1,500 items on subjectsof informational value with reference to Houston, its trade terri-tory and Texas. This information is available to anyone anywhere.
AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENTJ. I. McGRECOR
Agricultural conditions in Harris County and adjoining coun-ties-Specific information to individuals on farming problems--Boys’ and girls’ rural club work--Information from specialistsemployed in the department of livestock and dairying’, home dem-onstration and field crop subjects--County agent work--Informa-tion available through direct contact with the Extension Serviceof the State Agricultural and Mechanical College.
HIGHWAYHAYGOOD ASHBORN, Secretary
Provides comprehensive service for motorists and tourists andassists in the planning of new or improved highway construction.
SAFETYNORMAN H. BEARD, Manager
Advocates and promotes the observance of approved safetymeasures both with reference to the individual and to groupemployes. The department regularly carries a message of safetythrough every publicity medium and interests itself in the adoptionof legislation to enforce worthwhile safety methods.
INSURANCEC. A. PICKETT, Manager
PUBLICITYBURT RULE, Manager
National and local distribution of civic advertising includingnews publicity on Houston development--Pictures and cuts ofHouston’s commercial and civic life for the use of visitors andfor loan to interested individuals--General information regardingthe city--Direct contact with local newspapers which makesavailable assistance for those desiring that character of publicityservice--Advice and counsel in the preparation of publicity matter’which has a bearing on Houston publicity--File of newspaper clip-pings on stories of interest.
CONVENTION AND TOURIST BUREAUHAYGOOD ASHBURN, Director
Promotes the holding of conventions at Houston; arrangesfor conventions and other conferences and stimulates the holdingof sales conferences at Houston.
AVIATION DEPARTMENTR. A. LAIRD, Manager
Stimulates the establishment of new airmail and passengerservices at Houston; inaugurates statewide movements for thebetterment of commercial flying in Texas and fosters the im-provement of air ports in Houston and generally throughout Texas.
HOUSTON MAGAZINEBURT ROLE, Editor
JEFF BARNETTE, Manager
A monthly business journal, combined with the Port Register.
YOUNG MEN’S DIVISIONNORMAN H. BEARD, Manager
An organization of young business men of Houston but adistinct division of the Chamber of Commerce operating underthe latter’s supervision. Promotes the general civic welfare ofHouston through a great variety of activities.
November, 1934 Houston PORT BOOK 19
New Underpass of the Texas & Pacific Railroad
Houston’s Relationship to the Citiesof the Great Southwest
FORT WORTH, TEXASBy CHAS. G. COTTEN
Manager Trade Extension Department, Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce
The fourth of a series of articles showing Houston’s relationship to other cities of the Great Southwest. Some other city will be coveredin the next issue of the Houston Port Book.
I N A SERIES Of discussions bearing on Houston’s relationship tothe cities of the Great Southwest, it is but fitting that one of
AL the series should be devoted to Fort Worth, as all the cities con-tained in the series owe their ’beginning to a common era with theexception of San Antonio and Oklahoma City, San Antonio beingthe oldest and Oklahoma City the youngest.
Since previous articles have already appeared in this publicationdiscussing Houston’s relationship to at least three of the other cities,this one will naturally resolve itself into the presentation of suchmatters as bear particularly on Houston’s relationship to Fort Worth.
Fort Worth’s beginning goes back to the time of Texas’ earlystatehood when at the closeof the Mexican War GeneralWinfield Scott sent a groupof dragoons commanded byMajor Ripley Arnold toNorth Texas to establish apost to protect the then scat-tered settlers from the raidsof savage Indians. The settle-ment was first called CampWorth in honor of Brig. Genl.Win. Worth, who recentlyhad distinguished himselfthrough his brilliant exploitsduring the Mexican War. Afew months later the name ofthe settlement was changedto Fort Worth, but the postcontinued to be operated assuch by the Federal Govern-
ment until 1853, when the soldiers were transferred to Fort Bel-knap, located still further out on the frontier.
From the earliest times, Fort Worth became a trading centerfor the settlers of the immediately surrounding country and herearly business men realized the importance of affording a livestockmarket for the cattle which were rapidly increasing in numbersthroughout the plains country. So, in spite of several unsuccessfulattempts in the establishment of packing houses, Fort Worth re-ceived no great impetus towards industrial growth until 1902, whenpacking houses were established by members of the great packinghouse families--Swift, Armour, and Libby, McNeill & Libby. A
Playground at Lake Worth
20 H o u s t o n P o It v B o o z November, 1934
number of smaller allied industries sprang up within the next decadeand Fort Worth secured its first growth which marked its forwardmarch among the cities of the Southwest.
In 1917, during the World War, Camp Bowie was located atFort Worth and a short time later oil was discovered at Ranger, inWest Texas. The coming of these two events occasioned the ex-penditure of vast sums of money, both public and private. Businessbegan to boom on every hand. Almost overnight Fort Worth be-came headquarters for hundreds of oil enterprises and her positionas one of the great cities of the Southwest was assured.
Today, Fort Worth is a city of 175,000 population withschools, colleges, recreational facilities, manufacturing establish-ments, churches, hospitals, transportation facilities and other advan-tages on a parity with any city of its size not only in the Southwestbut throughout the nation.
Few cities offer wider opportunities for healthful recreationthan Fort Worth, which has 45 parks with an area of approximately4,500 acres. Trinity Park, Rock Springs and Forest Park are con-nected with continuous driveways and form one of the most beau-tiful park systems to be found anywhere. The Municipal Rose Gar-
New Texas ~ Pacific Passenger Station
den and Aboretum in Rock Springs Park is a recognized beauty spotof America. Natural springs feed exquisite lily ponds which aresurrounded with the most luxuriant trees and shrubbery. In theRose Garden there are thousands of roses of every known color.Swimming pools, wading pools, tennis courts, baseball diamonds andgolf courses are to be found in every section of the city.
Lake Worth, which is located five miles northwest of the city,covers a water area of more than 5200 acres. Twenty-seven hun-dred acres of the surrounding land is owned by the city on whichprivate owners have erected many beautiful camp sites which areobtained on a lease basis from the city. A meandering drive followsthe shore line and forms one of the most beautiful scenic drives tobe found anywhere. On the shores of the lake is located the LakeWorth Casino, a million-dollar playground offering recreation todancers, swimmers and fun seekers in general. Above Lake Worth,two other lakes, Lake Bridgeport and Lake Eagle Mountain, havebeen constructed by damming the clearfork of the Trinity River.These two lakes, together with Lake Worth, at capacity will em-pound a water supply second to but few throughout the entire worIdamong artificial bodies of water.
Arlington Downs, one ofthe finest racing plants inAmerica, is located on theThree D Farm of the Wag-goner Estate, 15 miles east ofthe city. The E. RanchitoPolo Grounds are located onadjacent Waggoner properties.Both of these establishmentsattract hundreds of thou-sands of visitors annually.The spring meeting at theDowns in 1934 attractedmore than 200,000 visitorsalone.
The Southwestern Expo-sition and Fat Stock Show,which has been held annuallyin Fort Worth in March forthe past thirty-eight years,draws entries and rodeo con-testants from many westernstates, and offers a characterof entertainment of its kindcomparable to that found inMadison Square Garden, Chi-cago or Cheyenne.
Fort Worth has ten highschool and forty-seven gradeschool buildings and at thistime a total of $4,167,000 isbeing expended in the erec-tion of thirteen new build-ings, additions to a like num-ber of existing buildings andthe complete rehabilitation ofall others. Probably no cityin America has such a schoolbuilding program under con-struction at this time.
Fort Worth has 12 hos-pitals with 1150 beds. Severalof these hospitals are as fineand as well equipped as can befound anywhere in the South.The city is an important med-ical center and is the head-quarters of the Texas StateMedical Association.
(Continued on page 44)