The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-05-22
HE TALKS IT OVER
{ o. T. SIMMONS DISCUSSES THE GULF
OUTLET FULLY.

state as Well as Oklahoma Will Reap n
Reward SO Great in it's Magnitude That
it Cannotbe Seen at a Glance-Main OBJ
ject is TO Center Upon a Collecting
Point and Wichita is That Place
Brighter Days are in the Near Future.
But few men in Wichita have taken
a deeper interest in the Galveston deep
water harbor, and its great utility 10
not only Wichita. but to Kansas and
Oklahoma as well, than o. T. Simmons
of Wichita Speaking Of the subject
yesterday 10 a reporter for the Eagle
he said:
''The great commercial and transpor-
tation revolution was inaugurated
about April 10, 1886. by the completion
of a $10.ce0.O0O barbor at Galveston,
Tex, for vessels of the deepest draught
and an effort made by the Galveston
Export and Elevator company TO build
great elevators at Wichita, Kan, for
the concentration of grain to be ship
ped by this, short outlet 10 the sea or
gulf port.
This movement now involves an ele-
vator and a proposition 10 make Wich-
ita a central basing point for the stor-
age of grain in the southwest This
movement has already so aroused the
people that traffic associations and
great port cities are alarmed.
Mote what some Of our great states
Ynent predicted would come when this
harbor was finished and other harbors
at Arkansas Pass and Velasco which will
soon follow:
open deep harbor anywhere on the
Texas coast, and Kansas alone viii
send a loaded freight train of fifty cars
into that port every thirty minutes day
and night throughout the year."-U. S.
Senator Plumb of Kansas, chairman Of
convention.
''The salvage in distance from the
west to the gulf is from 500 to 1000
miles. We could now ship over 200 O0O.
Geo tVshels of grain per annum TO for
eign countries. if we were rid Of the in
cubus of shallow harbors and the 18TH
mus barrier "-GOvernor Hubbard of
Texas.
1--WE can concentrate at one Texas
harbor most of the Atlantic commerce
of our great western region. Such a
harbor would secure the bulk Of the for
eign commerce of the country along a
line of 1900 miles in extent. Cover
nor Evans of Colorado.
$50 important will be the influence Of
such a harbor urOn the prosperity of
every farmer. artisan, miner, and citi-
zen of the great west that il should i'm
pei every official to whom this call is
directed to take prompt and efficient
action, which win result in a great and
influential convention. ''-Governor Por-
ter.
For the immense area west Of the
Mississippi, that portion of the Gulf of
Mexico bordering on the Texas coast
furnishes the natural and best outlet to
the markets of the world. The terri
tory to be benefited by commercial
harbor on the Gulf of Mexico has a pop
ulation Of over 100000. In 1888 it pro-
duced nearly one-half Of the nations
corn crop, and more than one-half of the
wheat crop. Two-thirds of the whole
number of cattle and sheep, and one
half the number of hogs were owned in
the territory referred to. These figures
give forcibIe impression of the magni-
uude of the interests involved in the
problem of a cheaper route to the con-
sumner. kansas City Journal
This movement will mark an epoch
in American history and bless millions
Of people with prosperity heretofore I'M
known.
''The great gulf slope is at last TO
have the full benefit of its near Ioca ton |
to tide water. The same as the Atlantic
slope of Pacific slope. Instead of the |
LOO or 1000 mile haul to the east, we |
will have the short outlet to the sea or |
gulf port.
by the gulf slope the writer includes |
all of Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas. and /
the east half OF Colorado. New Mexico. I
and the west half of Louisiana, Arkaa-
sas and Missouri.
within this territory of perhaps 500 /
miles square is found attitudes rang
ing from sea level to 1000 feet: in eli |
mates ranging from tropical to north
temperate.
And all in a climate. soil and native
resources needed or desirable to man
to enable him TO reach the highest posi-
BILE material development
Timber, water. coal, iron, zinc. lead.
gold. silver, copper, oil, salt, marble and
numerous other available products of |
mature in almost unlimited abundance |
Here is produced the solid staples,
wheat. corn. oats. cotton. sugar cane
and all kinds Of fruits from appEas and
peaches in the north 10 oranges and |
bananas in the south. Here is produced
the cattle, hogs and sheep for exnort |
as well as the above grains and fr1Jits !
Yet with all this marvellous productive
wealth power the people who toll have !
not prOspered in the past as have the
people of the Atlantic or Pacific stones.
I"As an Illustration. take Wichita
corn, present price, Is cents: At Kansas
City. % cents; 81 Chicago. Is cents: AZ
Buffalo. 81 cents; at New YORK. N-ich-
Sta corn for export. IS cents That i
what we term the old. long. unnecessary
haul to the east Take the short haul
of zoo miles 10 Galveston: Wichita
corn, % cents; Galveston. so t. 40 cents.
This rule applies 20 every article of
commerce in and out
Surely our people are as intelligent
and labor as faithfully as do others.
Surely IL cannot be the money cues
1ion for all use the same medium Of
exchange. Surely ii cannot be the tenn
perance question. FOR Arkansas has To-
cal option; Kansas, prohibition: Texas.
high hsence.
I'VE all fare alike when il comes 10
commercial prosperity. We have been {
simply commercial and producing
slaves. Others have reaped where. they
have not sowA.
But now we see our day Of indenen- I
dence looming up in the early future. |
The war is on; the result Is certain in |
favor of justice 10 the southwest
Wichita with her railway lines radi-