houston - portarchive.com

HOUSTON

PORT BC~KOfficial Publication of the

HARRIS COUNTY HOUSTON SHIP CHANNELNAVIGATION DISTRICT

PUBLISHED IN MAY AND

NOVEMBER OF EACH YEAR

NOVEMBER, 1947

VOLUME 25 NUMBER 2

Ai~l r.bEkSOi~l,

CL/.\’/’rOi~l CO,(INCORPORATED)

Cotton and Cottonseed Products

HOUSTON

ATLANTA, MEMPHIS

BOSTON

LOS ANGELES

NEW ORLEANS

NEW YORK

and

ANDERSON, CLAYTON & CO., (Egypt) ............................... Alexandria

ANDERSON, CLAYTON & CO., S.A. de C.V. (Mexico) ........ Mexico City and Torreon

ANDERSON, CLAYTON & CIA., LTDA. (Brazil) ................. Sao Paulo and Recife

ANDERSON, CLAYTON & CO., S. A. (Argentina) ...................... Buenos Aires

ANDERSON, CLAYTON & CO., S.A. (Peru) ................................. Lima

ALGODONES, S.A. (Paraguay) ....................................... Asuncion

Represented Abroad by

Australia NOEL P. HUNT & CO, PTY. LTD. Melbourne and Sydney

Belgium EDMOND VEESAERT Ghent

Canada ANDERSON, CLAYTON & CO. MontrealChina ANDERSON, CLAYTON & CO. Shanghai

England D. F PENNEFATHER&CO. Liverpool

Finland OY WESTERN PRODUCTS AB HelsingforsFrance ANDERSON, CLAYTON & CO. Paris and Le Havre

Holland ANDERSON, CLAYTON & CO, N V Rotterdam

India PATEL COTTON CO., LTD. Bombay and Karachi

Italy LAMAR FLEMING & CO. MilanNorway H. HANEBORG HANSEN A/S OsloPortugal ALGODOERIA W. STAM, LTDA. Oporto

South Africa NOEL P HUNT&CO. PTY LTD DurbanSpain EDUARDO MUSTE Barcelona

Sweden F. CORIN & CO, AKTI EBOLAG GotenburgSwitzerland GYSI, HEINZ & CO. Zurich

Correspondents:

ANDERSON, CLAYTON & FLEMINGNEW YORK

Memberse New York Cotton Exchange

D. F. PENNEFATHER & CO.LIVERPOOL

Members: Liverpool Cotton Exchange

Friendly Banking Servicefrom a Long Time Leader

As "one of the nation’s brightest business and eco-nomic spots," Houston is attracting industries, newand old. This port, one of the most important in thenation, is the principal Gulf "door" far an area ofvast natural resources. Amazing population increasesparalleled by mounting bank deposits show a steadygrowth over a quarter of a century. The services ofrhe National Bank of Commerce, a long timeHouston banking leader, are at your command inGulf Coast Texas.

Whatever your banking problems, we sincerely invite you to

communicate with us in a "get-acquainted" way . . . to per-

form some definite service for you or some of the many cour-

tesy services always available to our patrons.

Our banking service is national as well as international. You

will find your interests in capable hands, your contacts with

us pleasant and friendly.

Member Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

National Bank of CommerceOF HOUSTON

¢eTHE BANK OF COURTESY’’

WARM, FRIENDLY BANKING AND TRUST GUIDANCE

HOUSTON PORT BOOK FOR NOVEMBER, ]947

hether you store 5,000 gallons or

you get the same high standards of service at

GENERAL AMERICAN TANK STORAGE TERMINALSGeneral American Tank Storage Terminals are

equipped to handle any liquid that can flow

through a pipeline--in any quantity. No matter

what your product, no matter what the quan-

tity, General American offers you the same

privacy, the same specialized facilities, the

same skilled handling--in fact, every advan-

tage of your own private terminal. Find out

how General American Tank Storage Termi-

nals can mean safer, more profitable storage

and distribution for your product.

Operator of the World’sGreatest Public Tank Storage

System far Liquids

GENERAL AMERICAN TANK STORAGE TERMINALSa division of

GENERAL AMERICAN TRANSPORTATION CORPORATION135 South La Salle Street, Chicago

BRANCH OFFICES:

BUFFALO ̄ CLEVELAND ̄ DALLAS ̄ HOUSTON ̄ LOS ANGELES ̄ NEW ORLEANS ̄ NEW YORK ̄ PITTSBURGH ̄ ST. LOUIS ¯ SAN FRANCISCO ̄ SEATTLE ̄ TULSA ¯ WASHINGTON

HOUSTOI~ PORT BOOK FOR NOVEMBER, 1947

. . . serving you

THE MARKETSof the

WORLDthrough our

FOREIGN FREIGHTTRAFFIC DEPARTMENT

Rooms 1939-1940Railway Exchange Building

St. Louis, Mo.

KATY offers a new route, a new service,

to the corners of the world. Katy is also ready to

answer any and all questions any importer

and exporter -- or potential importer -- or exporter

may care to ask. Let us serve you.

R. C. DuljinForeign Freight Traffic Manager

J. L. RichardsonAsst. Foreign Freight

Traffic ManagerST. LOUIS, Missouri

T. L. Peeler, Jr.Assistant to President

MISSOURI-KANSAS-TEXAS LIHES

O. H. GriHinAsst. Gen. Frt. & Psgr. Agent

H. L. ZimmermanExport & Import Agt.

412 Cotton Exchange Bldg.,Houston, Texas

HOUSTON PORT BOOK FOR NOVEMBER, 1947 3

GALVESTON

Cable Address "EDWIN"

FOWLER 8Steamship Agents

McVITIEand Brokers

Regular Service to Principal Ports in Europe

HOUSTON CORPUS CHRISTI PORT ARTHUR BROWNSVI LLE

C. R. HADEN W.A. WANSLEY R.J. WALES

President Treas. & Vice-Pres. Secreta~ & Gen. M.qr.

HOUSTON TOWING COMPANYSEA, HARBOR AND COASTWTISE TOWING

827 Cotton Exchange Bldg. Phone Capitol 6231

HOUSTON, TEXAS

Dock Phone: W. 6=0059 Night Phones" H. 8635--W. 9-2089--J. 2=3332

High among the ideals of the Texas sportsman isconservation of wild life. And just as the sportsmanconserves wild life, so other Texans conserve thosethings we hold most dear-our health, our mode ofliving, our knowledge, our natural resources.

Like other natural resources, natural gas has littlevalue locked in the ground. United Gas gives valueto natural gas by making it available for use. This ispractical conservation, for it gives value to this finestof fuels, stimulates industrial development, createsjobs, and benefits all the families in Texas.

HOUSTON PORT BOOK FOR NOVEMBER, 1947

Stepping Stones to Profitable Markets

Our industrial departmentcan save you time and money

I f you arc planning to expand your busi-ness in Texas, Louisiana or the West, weinvite you to make use of Southern Pa-elf it’s industrial service.

As the pioneer railroad in the eightstales we serve, as pictured above, we canfurnish you accurate, up-to-date informa-tion on all matters which might affect)oln" choice of a site--such as water sup-lily, power, transportation, labor, taxcs,fuel. property availability and costs. Wecan, moreover, obtain this informationwithout revealing your plans or identity.

In Texas and Louisiana we operatc 4319miles of line, a big railroad systcm itself,and our rails directly serve every impor-tant Gulf Port in these states.

If you will providc us with your basicrequirements, we will be glad to furnishyou complete details on suitable siteswhich are available. Then, if you wish,our representatives will accompany yourson an inspection trip of the locations inwhich you are interested.

For many years industries large enoughto require spur track installations have

been locating along Southern Pacific Linesat the rate of more than one a day. Ourpeople have been of help to many ofthem. Executives of these companies willtell you that we can be trusted with themost confidential plans.

Our business is transportation, not realestate. We are more concerned with thesucces~ of your business than we are withits specific location. You may be sure,therefore, that any recommendation wemake to you will be unprejudiced.

Please do not hesitate to write me. Yourinquiry will receive careful attention andwill be treated with strictest confidence.

F. L. GORDONFreight Traffic ManagerSouthern Pacific LinesHouston 1, Texas

The friendly

Southern Pacific


Cable Address "RICE," Houston

THOMAS RICE & COMPANY, INC.United States Gulf Ports to Spain . . . Far Eastern Ports . . . Africa . . .Netherlands East Indies

... Malaya... India . . . Persian Gulf

COTTON EXCHANGE BUILDING COTTON EXCHANGE BUILDING

HOUSTON GALVESTON

INTRACOASTAL TOWING & TRANSPORTATION COMPANY

Cable Address PETANK

GENERAL HARBORAND

COASTWISE TOWING

TUG CALL

LIGHTERING AND COASTWISEOIL TOWING A

SPECIALTY

IKeystone 3-4985Telephone Preston 2297 Night Phones: Wydown 9-2307

H a d I e y 3793503 PETROLEUM BUILDING, HOUSTON 2, TEXAS

FASTER SHIPS

LOWER RATES

WEEKLY SERVICE

BOSTONNEW YORKHOUSTON(GALVESTON)

PHILADELPHIABALTIMORE*BROWNSVILLE

(PORT ISABEL)

Direcf ?rucking services to and from Mexico

BOSTON

NEWTEX STEAMSHIP CORP.NEW YORK PHILADELPH IA BALTIMORE

HOUSTON GALVESTON BROWNSVI LLE DALLAS

NORFOLK

6 HOUSTON PORT BOOK FOR NOVEMBER, 1947

i!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiii~,

¯ . . because tile Texas Coast Country is to-day’s Golconda, and its nabobs are the indus-lrial chemists who create a list of items moreuseful than diamonds from the by-products ofits refineries and from its natural gas (58C:~ ofU. S. reserves).

Your plant will prosper on the Texas Coast.Here it will have demonstrable advantagesover plants located elsewhere. Here are its

raw resources; here are its allied industries;here are the rail and steamship lines ~dfiehlink it with its markets.

But see for yourself. Come down to visit us,or write us for specific information on lheTexas Coast Country’s advantages for yourplant. Your request will be kept in confidence.Address Research Department, Houston PipeLine Company, Houston, Texas.

HOUSTON PIPE LINE CO.Subsidiary of Houston Oil Company of Texas

. .~~o.~H~UmP,,~d,~tWholesalers o£ "~~B

Natural*Auther of this classic: "If I owned Texas and all Hell, I’d rent out Texas and live in Hell!"


.~,~,~U~QO~OOOOOOOQOOOOOOOOOQOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOQO0000000000000000000_ -- ...........................

GULF ATLANTIC

WAREHOUSE CO.

Warehouses Strategically Located to Serve Shippers

-~ BIRMINGIIAM, Ala. * ATHENS, Ga. * CHARLOTTE, N. C.

DOTHAN, Ala.

MONTGOMERY, Ala.

ALBANY, Ga.

* ATLANTA, Ga.

* AUGUSTA, Ga.

* MACON, Ga.

* NEW ORLEANS, La.

GREENVILLE, S. C.

MEMPHIS, Tenn.

* HOUSTON, Tex.

Cotton Compression Service Available

General Office: HOUSTON Division Offices: MEMPHIS, NEW ORLEANS

OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF:

HOUSTON WHARF(Long Reach Docks)

HOUSTON, TEXAS

CO.

o o o~r’o o o o-o o o-o~’~-~’To-o-o o o-o-o o o-o-o-o o o oo o o-o-o-o o-o o o o-o-~-~S’d"6-G-~"


0’0@

Increased yard capacity at importantjunctions on the Santa Fe means bet-ter on-time freight performancefor Santa Fe shippers

L,:ss time in the classification yards means less time in transit for

your shipments. That’s why the continuing Santa Fe program of

yard and line improvements, new bridges, longer sidings is im-

portant in helping set new records of on-time freight performance.

Now operating the world’s largest fleet of freight Diesel locomo-

tives, Santa Fe also provides a coordinated system of highway

transport service. Ship Santa Fe--all the way.

CtARK DAVIS J.A. DANAFreight Traffic Manager Assistant General Freight Agent

Galveston, Texas Houston, Texas


Cable and Telegraphic Address "TERMINAL" Houston

Texas Transport & Terminal Company, Inc.

Cotton Exchange Building

HOUSTON, TEXAS

OFFICES:

New York, N. Y.

Philadelphia, Pa.

Baltimore, Md.

Charleston, S. C.

Savannah, Ga.

REGULAR STEAMSHIP SERVICE TO THE PRINCIPAL PORTSIN EUROPE AND THE ORIENT

OFFICES:

New Orleans, La.Galveston, TexasHouston, TexasDallas, TexasCorpus Christi, TexasMemphis, Tenn.

DAILY CAPACITY8,00(3 Hundredweight

ELEVATOR STORAGE2,000,000 Bushels

MIXED FEED CAPACITY400 Tons daily


NEW MEXICO

/

/#

/

MEMPHI~PLAINVIEW

LUBBOCK

ABILENE

TEXAS

BURLINGTONLINES

1364 miles of railroad in Texas

SERVINGHOUSTON- GALVESTONTEXAS CITY - DALLASFORT WORTH - ABILENEWICHITA FALLS - VERNONLUBBOCK - PLAINVIEWAMARILLO - PAMPA

DALHART

VERNON

WICHITA FALLS

:ORT WORTH

DALLAS

TEAGUE

HOUSTON

TEXAS ClT

GAI VESTO

..... with fast dlrect pas-senger, freight and expressservice to COLORADO, thePACIFIC COAST and the

GREAT PACIFICNORTHWEST

t

j ~.u,s,,,.^ II

I L.(i

A N

C. 5. EDMONDS Y.E. JUGE ROBT. L HOYT J.E. MERONEYFreight Traffic Asst. Freight General General

Manager Traffic Manager Passenger Agent AgentFort Worth 2, Texas Fort Worth 2, Texas Fort Worth 2, Texas Houston 2, Texas

BURLINGTON LINES WestChicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad ¯ Colorado and Southern Railway ¯ Fort Worth and Denver City

Railway ¯ The Wichita Valley Railway ¯ Burlington-Rock Island Railroad

ESSENTIAL LINK IN TRANSCONTINENTAL TRANSPORTATION

HOUSTON PORT BOOK FOR .NOVEMBER, 1947 I 1

ii!i

iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii~i~iii!~~

iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiiii~i~i~i~iiiii~ii~ii~!i~ii~!i~iiiii~i~i~iiiii~i~!

The ROU remember when qouShip and Travel or rum HOUSTON12 HOUSTON PORT BOOK FOR NOVEMBER, 1947

<< << The General Manager’s Pa~e >> >>

The Rail-Water Terminal ProblemThis editorial is the final editorial by the undersigned, and

the record shows that there have been in all, including thisone, thirty-four. Commencing November 1933 there hasbeen a series devoted practically exclusively to the rail-waterterminal problem and great stress has been laid on the internalrailroad problem at Houston, and this editorial cannot gobeyond placing in the record the persistent effort which thewriter has made to inform Harris County taxpayers of theimportance of the subject to the generous taxpayers who madethe Port of Houston possible.

When I came to this position there was a background inmy experience of interchange relations between railroads andindustries and nine years of intimate operating of belt linerailroads in the ports, with personal investigation of practical-ly every port in the United States as to the railroad relations atthe ports; detailed and intimate experience with loading andunloading of cars and the economies which came from co-ordination of switching with the carloading operation; nineyears relationship at the Southeast ports in Docket 12681, avital Docket investigating wharfage, storage and accessorialservices at the ports, concentrated effort to develop the ab-sorption practice at the Northeastern ports, principally NewYork, and which resulted in a questionnaire being sent all rail-road-owned terminals by the Interstate Commerce Commissionto show what it cost railroads at the ports, and the yearwhich was studied showed approximately $30,000,000.00 moreor less thrown away by them in their competitive practices.

Here in Houston the City had a man who to the writerhad the stature of a giant. He conceived a municipal belt lineand the City built some tracks and bought two locomotives,but when it came to operating this magnificent thing con-ceived by this giant, influences overcame his recommendationand the public investment intended to supply a municipalbelt line was leased. So far as the writer has been able to find,no material good came out of this investment, and the writerattributes it to the terms and conditions of the lease. In theearly ’20s those who took time to scrutinize this importantmatter realized that all railroads at the Port of Houston werenot on an equality basis, and the Navigation District steppedinto the picture, and there resulted the Port Terminal Rail-road agreement which became operative June 3 o, 1924. Underthis agreement the railroads again sold the idea that they werebetter equipped to operate this public investment than theduly constituted authority.

Immediately upon taking this position I found that therailroads were supplying the motive power and under aformula which repaid them, on an investment that did notseem to exceed, at tbe best, $300,000.00. more rental thanthey were paying the Navigation District for what seemed tobe $2,500,000.00 worth of railroad, and I immediately maderecommendations to the Board that this rental should bemore fair, and throughout my employment with this BoardI have persisted in insisting as the hired man of the Boardthat an adequate rental should be paid by the railroads for themagnificent thing that the public built because some rail-roads were brought to the ship channel area direct over thisrailroad. Had it not been built, some railroads of Texas wouldnot be able to participate in the traffic moving through thePort of Houston on any kind of equal basis, and for my part,

as the hired man of the Navigation District, I have neverunderstood why the public in Harris County should subsi-dize so much as a thin dime bringing railroads into one ofthe great industrial areas of this country.

Persistent and consistent efforts, recommendations, studies,and conferences have been held by me, supplemented bythese editorials, papers before the American Association ofPort Authorities, compilation of book of contracts betweenrailroads and port authorities, speeches before hundreds ofaudiences in this County endeavoring to point out that thispublic investment of Harris County money should have amanagement which is devoted to Harris County industrialand particularly port interests, and certain limitations im-posed on the owners, the public, in the agreement should beremoved. For example, the present contract contains the word<<Lynchburg," and if you are interested in understandingwhere Lynchburg is, it is the little town at the ferry at thenorthernmost point on the ship channel, but the contractdoes not specify where the Lynchburg influence, or area, ison the south side of the ship channel, and all good citizensof Harris County know that all the tidal areas in the SanJacinto River and Bay are under the jurisdiction of the Navi-gation District, yet this contract as now in existence deniesthat area any advantages which may be a part of the Navi-gation District’s publicly owned railroad. To my mind thisis definitely wrong, and the method that has been used inperpetuating it should be scrutinized by those who are re-sponsible to the people for their investment in port facilitiesand railroad service in the port area.

There are also five little words in the agreement <<less ordi-nary wear and tear". It has always been my hope that thesewords would be taken out of the contract on the assumptionthat a railroad cannot depreciate and be safe in its operation.In other words, if the public built a railroad track, the publicis entitled to know that the track will be kept in first classoperating condition consistently and never allowed to getbelow the good condition which existed when it was con-structed, but these five little words are so big in their effecton the Navigation District trackage that it was possible todepreciate the Navigation Disrict property, according to myestimates, as much as $1,000,000.00. Assuming that theNavigation District was to take over its railroad at any giventime, and assuming that it was determined to have it a realservice institution, it becomes apparent that the NavigationDistrict would have to spend as much money on the railroadas would bring it up to the condition which existed when itwas constructed and which would make it a real serviceinstitution.

In my judgment, no lease of public property should con-tain any clauses that are not strictly determined to maintaina public investment in proper condition.

A part of the Port Terminal Railroad system owned bythe Navigation District and operated by the railroads are fivemiles of North Side Belt Railroad built originally by privatecapital and leased by the Navigation District previous to myemployment. It has been my responsibility for these seven-teen years, to explain to most Commissioners who have beenplaced by the law which created the Navigation District onthis Board; the background of this North Side Belt lease, the


AMERICAN GENERAL

merlcan General Fire

American General Life

American General InvestmentCoWo~~tton

CROWN CENTRAL PETROLEUM CORRHOUSTON, T EXAS

14

rental therefor, the revenue received from its operations, andall factors within my power to develop, and along with manyother factors this was the basis for the really serious effortsmade by me to recommend to the Board employing me betterrentals from this really heavy investment of public moneywhich had behind it a reall.y magnificent intent to neu-tralize and equalize railroad conditions within the port area,and it is my conscientious belief, which is substantiated bythe record, that I have never failed to persist on this im-portant matter.

Of all the properties constructed by the public and underthe jurisdiction of the Navigation District, the only one underlease is the railroad, and this provides a most unusual studyby any interested party of policy. When these public fundsare used for the construction of these public facilities, therecomes a question of policy as to whether they are to be op-erated by the public through legally constituted authority, orwhether they are to be leased, and I brought to this jobseventeen years ago a firm belief that it was feasible andproper to operate such properties, and I have never failed toso recommend to the Board, leaving of course to the Boardthe final decision on policy matters of this importance, andI can point to the record of seventeen years operation of theNavigation District’s vast property, as the hired man direct-ing the operations, the establishment of uniform tariff prac-tices on all the facilities operated by the Board. There is nospace in this editorial to go beyond the bare statement thatthe original policy announced by Congress, itself, at the portsof the United States in June 1919 has been unerringly car-ried out here in Houston. This policy was to the effect thatcommunities enjoying deep water as a result of expenditureson the waterway by the Congress of the United States shoulddefinitely own and operate on the basis EQUAL TO ALLALIKE such a facility as would provide within these portsdeveloped by public money wharves and docks open to allalike so that no special privilege could result.

It so happens in the operation of these facilities that thePort of Houston is in direct competition with many otherports, and if this competition is to be met without publicsubsidy it will behoove the Navigation District and any otherduly constituted authority to see to it that no portion ofthe public investment is so operated, either by the District orby those holding the lease, that the over-all benefits expectedfrom the public investment are denied the customers of theport and make it impossible for private capital to be safewhen invested in private facilities on the Houston ShipChannel.

It is true that this is a highly technical matter, and I be-lieve that I can authoritatively write herein that the opera-tion of publicly-owned facilities is, to say the least, difficult,but I believe that it has been satisfactorily done in Houstonif I am able to believe the correspondence which I hold andthe results which have been obtained. As the hired man ofthe Navigation District I have tried to approach this matterin a very practical way. I am not an advocate of publicownership but an intense study of this problem reveals thefact that no private capital has been willing to provide deepwater and, what is more important, to provide definiteequality at the ports, with the result that the public hasbeen called on to invest something like Three Billion Dollarsfor the communities taxpayers at the many ports in ourcountry, and in my approach to this problem as the hiredman of three public bodies administering these facilities Ihave assumed that the public is in a business of a kind thatcannot be turned over to anybody else and, therefore, is en-titled to a fearless, direct, and straight management, free fromspecial privileges, special rates, or rules, or practices. Underthis theory the Board can fix the toll, equal to all alike, andit becomes my duty as the hired man to inflexibly enforce theBoard’s rules, rates and practices as published in their tariff orother published documents.

HOUSTON PORT BOOK FOR NOVEMBER, 1947

Any thought that a noisy or influential customer should befreed from any conditions in the Board’s tariff never crossesmy mind. Any thought that a large shipper should receivea better rate per ton, per ship, or per car, than a smallershipper never has been a part of my make-up here in Houston,and in resigning this position I look back over seventeen yearseditorship of these editorials with entire satisfaction with theefforts which have been made to unfailingly avoid any specialagreements of any kind.

In leaving this position the important factors which haveever been before me of tax rate, finances, relations with otherports, shipside rates, and a long list of other details have neverbeen knowingly avoided, and I know of no material interest inthe form of a large industry, nor any small taxpayer, such asmy long time friend ’~Zeke", who has been imposed with anyburden brought about by failure of the undersigned to servethe ever present influence of the composite taxpayer, who isin the last analysis the real boss. It has been hard to findthe real boss, and it has been difficult to serve his interest,but there is, in concluding this seventeen years in Houston,an intense satisfaction that no ghosts have been created to goalong with many ghosts that may have been in existence as aresult of any failure to find the real boss in days gone by andfearlessly serve his interest.

Having seen the Texas ports reach the pinnacle of bringingto the State of Texas the Number One position in the portbusiness of the states on the coast of the United States andwitnessing in this port the tremendous growth of Houston asnow the third port, and knowing first hand the importantposition which the Navigation District occupies in the heart ofHouston, I can only hope that more attention by the com-munity will be paid to the future guidance of the reallyheavy investment which the public now has in this heart ofHouston, altering as the problems arise the approach tofinding the solution, and it is needless for me to say that Ihope in the future to make as much contribution to thissubject as my personal equipment and experience may con-tinue to devote to the public interest.

General Manager

ANNUAL MEETING OF GULFPORTS ASSOCIATION

The fourth annual meeting of the Gulf Ports Associationwas held in Lake Charles, Louisiana, on September 25, 26 and 27th.Important business sessions were held and many subjects of mutualinterest were discussed. Officers were elected for the coming yearas follows:

Alva P. Frith, Lake Charles, PresidentE. H. Thornton, Galveston, First Vice PresidentH. W. Sweet, Mobile, Second Vice PresidentRoland Preis, Jr., Lake Charles, Secretary-TreasurerThe Association selected Corpus Christi, Texas, as the place

for its 1948 fall meeting.

NEW MACHINESPort Houston has placed into operation two modern blower

units to take care of an increased movement of copra, the driedmeat of the ordinary cocoanut.

The new machines represent an investment of $50,000 andare capable of handling from 20 to 30 tons per hour.

LUCKENBACHIntercoastal Service

BETWEENHOUSTON, MOBILE, NEW ORLEANS, TAMPA

ANDLOS ANGELES HARBOR--SAN FRANCISCO

AND O~l"W.&ND, CJIL~OKIh’IAPORTLAND, OREGON, SEATTLE, TACOMA,

WASHINGTONALSO

COASTWISE SERVICEFROM HOUSTON TO

MOBILE, ALA., AND TAMPA, FLA.

GULF OFFICES:Houston,, Texas---831 First National Bank Building;

Phone Capitol 9837.Mobile, Ala.--707 Merchants National Bank Building;

Phone Mobile 3-3681.New Orleans, La.--424 Whitney Building;

Phone Raymond 0811.Tampa, FIa.~P. O. Box 377; Phone Tampa M 3718

GENERAL OFFICE: 120 Wall Street, New York.

Luckenbach Gulf Steamship Co., Inc.

NATURAL

Gas,,, HOUSTONINDUSTRIES

One vital reason for Houston’s importance asan industrial center is the availability here olunlimited natural gas for industrial consump-tion to turn the wheels of progress.

We are proud of the contribution we aremaking toward the growth of Houston byfurnishing natural gas for fuel for its newindustries.

Houston Industrial 6as Co.City Industrial Gas Company

F. M. Corzelius2027 COMMERCE BUILDING, HOUSTON


SAN JACINTO MEMORIAL

A visit to Houston without a visit to SanJacinto Battlegrounds is a visit incomplete, anda viBit to the Battlegrounds without dinner atSan Jacinto Inn is only half a visit.

The guest register at San Jacinto Inn, dur-ing the past 25 years, best speaks for itspopularity.

To reach this beautiful public park, driveeast on Preston Avenue to Harrisburg Boule-vard, thence to La Porte Road; follow La PorteRoad to Deer Park, turn left on LynchburgRoad, then on to the famous San Jacinto Battle-grounds and Inn.

SAN 3ACINTO INNSEA FOOD ~ CHICKEN DINNERS

Located at the historical San Jacinto Battlegrounds, where the San Jacinto Monument,tallest in America, is one sight you will not want to miss... Forty minutes from Houston.

We are closedMondays except for

Special Parties

Open 6:00 P.M.Tuesday

through Saturday

Open 5:00 P. M.Sunday

THE DINNERS THAT MADE SAN ,JACINTO FAMOUSWINTER DINNER

Two Dollars and Fifty Cents

CeleryShrimp Cocktail

Oysters on the Half ShellOyster Brochette

Tenderloin of Trout or RedfishFried Chicken

Hot Biscuits and JamDrinks Dessert

Please Make Your Iced Crabs

Reservations EarlyPhone Wayside 1!81 Fried Chicken

SUMMER DINNER

Two Dollars and Fifty Cents

CeleryShrimp Cocktail

Tenderloin of Trout or Redfish

Hot Biscuits and PreservesDrinks Dessert

Specially Equipped to Sevve Banquets to AnyUNDER THE SA~|E

Potatoes

Baked Crabs

Potatoes

~|AN A GEM ENT

Nul’~b~r

FOR OVE lg T~’EN TY-FIVE YEARS


"Advertising Houston to the World"

Houston

Official Publication of the Harris County Houston Ship Channel Navigation District

HOUSTON, TEXAS

VOLUME TWENTY-FIVE NOVEMBER, 1947 NUMBER TWO

FOREWORDTHE HOUSTON PORT BOOK is pub-

lished in May and November of eachyear under contract and authority ofthe Navigation and Canal Commissionand through the cooperation of the ship-ping and industrial interests of Houston.

Its purpose is to inform shippers andall others interested in the Port ofHouston of its development, charges andother matters of interest, and inquirieswill at all times be welcome.

W. E. JESU1~, EditorP. O. BOX 9337, HOUSTON 11, TEXAS

PHONE W. 3-6661

LEE M. WEBB, Business Manager542 M & M BUILDING, HOUSTON 2, TEXAS

PHONE FAIRFAX 2348

As the official magazine of the HarrisCounty Navigation District, this publica-tion is intended to carry authoritativedescriptions, notices and articles in re-gard to the activities of the port and theport development. However, the Com-missioners cannot be responsible in allrespects for the contents thereof, or forthe opinions of writers to which expres-sion is given.

The publication is distributed free tomaritime, transportation and industrialinterests in the United States and foreigncountries.

Additional copies of this publicationmay be had upon application to theGeneral Manager, P. O. Box 9337, Hous-ton 11, Texas.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The General Manager’s Page--The Rail-Water Terminal Problem

Map of Turning Basin Showing Location of Public Wharves and Elevator

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

Administration of the Port ...........................

Directory of Maritime Interests and Foreign Consulates .....

A Directory of the Houston Chamber of Commerce .............

Port Houston Looks Forward .......... Bv CoL. WILSON G. SAVILLE

This Man Wait ...................... By R. STARCHY TEVlS

Sister Cities ..................... BY KEARNEY WORNALL

Industrial Map of the Port of Houston

Houston As An International Air Gateway By H. DE YBARRONDO

Building Permits ....................

Terminal Operators Regret Wait’s Leaving

Tariff of the Port of Houston .....................

Nine Co-Op Importers Visit Kansas City Co-Op Bv O. S. SINOELKA

Interesting Interviews By GEORGE K. REEDER

A Photographic Review of Port Activities

PAGE

13

18

19

19

21

22

23

24

27

28-29

30

3O

31

33

33

34

36

Port Pictures BY J. RUSSELL WAIT 40-41

We Miss These Associates 41

Texas’ Interest in Foreign Trade BY B. M. BLOOMFIELD 42

A Detailed Description of the Port 43

Privately Owned Terminal and Industrial Facilities 47

Comparative Standing of Texas Ports 47

Public Wharves A Detailed Description 51

Private Wharves A Detailed Description 51

Channel Pilotage and Charges .......................... 52

Tug Boat Tariff for Houston Ship Channel 52

Rate of Charges for Mooring and Unmooring Vessels 52

Houston Steamship Services:

Foreign Services .......................... 53

Tanker Lines ................................... 54

Intercoastal Services .................................. 56

Coastwise Services ....................................... 56

Intracoastal Canal Services ................................. 56


\’,\

\

\ \

/

\

\,\

\.

MAP OF TURNING BASIN SHOWING LOCATION OF PUBLIC WHARVES AND ELEVATOR

houston - portarchive.com

Documents