The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-03-11
HOW HOUSTON y sLLGET
WITH CBEvs sT5N.

The New O.lesrs Democrat discusses
the relative merits of Galveston and
Houston az the objective points of Tex
as trade. Il asserts tho. another sea
son wilt see nearly sll the cotton Of
Texas finding IT'S way from Houston to
the Mississippi for shipment abroad in
stead OF by way Of Galveston. Il as
serts that just now Galves,on is & port
Of entry for vessels oBly OF very
light draft, and that, being COM
PEELED TO anchor in the open sea,
it is exceedingly Improbable for chip.
owners to go there. The circumstances
attending the unloading and loading
OF vessels at Galveston, says the Dan
Oerat, make it very difficult to induce
sea captains to hold their vessels Of
Galveston, aud it is c0nteIded that
just 80 soon as the railway IL COM
pleted from Houston to New Orleans,
large vessels loaded with freight for
t1S lhNSAApA VI ASAaS VIII GhtGt thS
Mississippi, and resbip at New Ofleans,
instead of making the hazardous at
tempt at Galveston. TIE fact is men,
toned thSt only few days ago the
Prince Leopold and Prince Arthur,
foreign ships, were dispatched from
New Orleans with full cargoes Of cot
ton, and that these two vessels before
the resorted to New Orleans, had
waited sever weeks at GALVESTON for
cotton, without being able to get it.
1t is said that ships are detained on
IN average twenty days longer ct Gal
weston than at New Orleans, and that
this detention costs ships on an aversge
$4,000. The Democrat makes some
very pertinent reference, too, to the
manner of treatment sustained by pro-
ducers at Galveston and at New Or
leans, and asserts, with the differ
ence of classification of cotton, and the
manner of making weights, and the
extra charges for handling, that much
money may be saved by running the
cotton through by rail from Houston
to New Orleans. But the benefits will
not all be derived to New Orleans in
the change, as supposed by the Demo-
erdt. Houston merchants and capital
lists have the energy required to
protect their interests, and the cot
ton seut hence to New Orleans will
be compressed at Houston, and conse-
quently shipped at less expense on ship
board at New Orleans, than at
Galveston. Besides, bills of ladlng for
Liverpool, Amsterdam, Bremen and
Havre will be given at Houston, and
cotton, without handling, will be lift
ed directly into vessels on the west
banks of the Mississippi; and
a bale of cotton will be shipped with
more dispatch from Houston to New
York, or Boston, or to European
ports, with less expense than from GAL
weston. But all this should be tempo
rary. If Texas will only look TO its
own interests, port as well fitted as
New Orleans for foreign shipping
will be established at the mouth of the
Brazos, by which 400 miles of land
transportation may be saved. The
money voted by Congress, the other
day, to al attempted improvement of
Galveston barbor would cut channel
across the bar at the mouth of the Bra
EOS deep enough to admit any vessel
that was ever loaded st Galveston.
And then this .harbor would be prefer
able to the one at New Orleans, with
no danger to shipping and with one of
the most perfect rhodes in the world.