The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-01-16
HE CALLS IT ROT
Disappointment White Speaks About
Deep Water for the Gulf.

Deep Gult.
To the Editor of the Eagle:
With the recent discussion Of grain
| freight rates in St Louis, the ques-
ton of the ability to handle grain and
| the safety Of handling same through
| the port of Galveston, was frequently
brought up and by unknowing or pur-
pOsely ignorant persons discoura gingly
spoken Of Now, allow me. as man
/ ager and superintendent of the Calves
! ton Wharf company's first class 1,000,-
OjO Dushel elevator for the past three
ana one half years, having served IN
this capacity until the second of the
present month, and having now no in
tereSt IN same, TO say a word about the
ability TO handle and the keeping Of
grain in good condition. As TO the
/ handling, the elevator can, and has
with ease, uIloaded $50 full cars in ten
hours, and IS so arranged with electric
lights that it can be operated twenty
four of the day. So much for the I'M
loading. Now, as to the loading out
Of grain. 1 recently loaded out To the
steamship, HELEN, lbs, 600 bushels of
corn in 256 car loads. in five hours
The loading OF vessels can be done with
equal dispatch night or day.
Now the more important bugaboo OF
damage to grain. through southern ports
Tor export as one of the great points
why grain should go east is on the same
old cry, and with as little sense as the
don't go to New Orleans or Galveston
10 live; you will die of yellow fever"
A more senseless subject was never dis
cusSed. Now in the three and a, half
years Of my SUPPLEMENTARY l have a
certificate in my pocket from the chief
inspector, Mr.. Webster, who at all
times had access 10 the elevator and
the grain in 1t, that not a single pound
was ever damaged while stored in the
house, and no grain leaving that port
was ever rejected on the other side.
This is nearly 5000, 900 bushels of wheat
and corn. have had grain stored in
this elevator for two years-and the
red soft variety Of wheat a t that-sbhe
very worst for keeping, and It was as
sound and sweet when loaded out as on
The day of its arrival. l have handled
grain in all parts Of the United States,
and knowingly assert that in no part
Of the country is grain more easily kept
than at Galveston. Over l 1000, 900 bush
els Of poor, and even damp wheat, has
been raised to higher grades in this
horrible climate, and the awful weevil
that horrid pest of grain. The house
has been built four years, and I will
give 10 cents apiece Tor all that can be
found. IF you know your busin eSS there
is no trouble, but is careless, Ike Chica-
go last summer, you might have the
same trouble that Chicago had and like
the great Chicago, have TO suffer there
by. In short, this inability TO handle,
and the damage of grain, and weevil
and yellow fever, is all the sheereSt rot
and the recent advance in rates is lit
tie shopt of robbery of the poor of the
western country-the farmer. And
what semblance Of justice is there in
allowing corporal tons, for their own
purposes, TO haul freight loo miles 10
the Atlantic seaboard at the same rate
as 10 Galveston, 700 miles, after mil
lions Of dollars have been expended by
a generous government 10 help out the
needs Of a deserving people. Seven
million dollars has been spent, the pur-
pose has been accomplished. There is
today twenty-bhree feet of water on
Galveston bar. Deep enough for all
merchant seagoing vessels, and 70 not
be used by unjust discrimination OF
railroads, backed up by government
railroad commissioners is crying
shame. W. 4. WHITE,
Ex-Superintendent of the Galveston
Wharf Elevator.