The herald., 1896-09-09
Local, Eastern and Foreign
Commercial Dealings
WALL STREET SPECULATION
The Development Of Gulf Of Mexico
Ports
Its Bearing on the Trade Of the Southwest,
Including Southern California and
Trans.Paciiic Trade

In a recent issue The Age of Steel says:
"A celebration covering three days Is to
inaugurate the railroad connection of Iowa
with Kansas City, Pittsburg and the gulf.
This through line to the sea will, when
completed. not only facilitate the export
OF grain, etc., to the seaboard, but will, by
reduction In cost of transport, add some
what to the present scanty earnings of the
FARMER and planter. These will be among
the more immediate advantages secured
to the American producer; but as manu-
facturing enterprises develop in the south
west and contiguous territory, there can
De no question as to the increasing CONNER
cial Importance of all ports on the gulf
coast that are by nature. or can be made
by engineering skill, eligible for deep-sea
trade. 1t is but question Of time when
the commercial supremacy of some of our
eastern seaports will be vigorously dis
puted. and products. both raw and finished.
will be divided In their routes to the sea-
board. 1t may not be SO immediate or rad
lcal as some anticipate, and as the foreign
commerce of the country grows the dis
placement of standard routes may not
prove factor of serious disturbance.
There may be enough and to spare of ac-
tivity for all depioying lines, but that some
change is impending is beyond controversy.
Rapid and economical transit between i'm
porting and exporting centers is one of the
urgencies of modern international trade
Ihe ball rolls that way. and will continue
70 90 so TILL all trade of this nature has
its finger and thumb in natural proximity
As indicating the trend Of things in this
direction. we note a,quotation in the Rail-
way Age from the Manchester Guardian
1t says: sr.n nveusnts ,,,o ,.,n oou,n,..os
for regular frequent salings of steamers
from New Orleans and Galveston to Man
chester from the beginning of and through
out t the coming season: and 1t is expected
from the gulf ports to this port will be very
considerable. With the exception of the
fortnightly service maintained by Messrs
chester. no regular line of steamers has
yet been established from United States
Atlantic port. to Manchester direct. The
ing population in the world is taking prac-
tically its whole, supply of American pro.
visions, cattle, flour, etc., from Liverpool
II landed in Manchester. With the inten-
ton of making through traffic arrange
ments with some Of the North American
steamship lines, from Atlantic ports. the
manager of the Manchester ship canal (Mr.
n raaers T ss wba the bays
perienced difficulty in obtaining shipments
Of their produce from any part of the
United States direct to Manchester should
now take up the matter with their ship
I'VE may confidently accept this pro-
poSeu movement as ltlulCdllIlS III Hu uHCeI-
tain fashion the future slowly rounding out
for all eligible gulf ports
The commercial development noted in
the above is not without important bearing
on the interests of Los Angeles. From this
city to Galveston is the shortest haul from
steamer connection between the Texan port
and the west of Europe there will grow up
a trade which will spread raDldly north and
west from the gulf. 1t will so extend to
Southern California and then will begin
to attract trans-Pacific traffic this way.
With q line of steamers between Galveston
and Manchester and another between
some Southern California port and Japan.
| touching at Honolulu, this new trade would
be wide open and its Importance would at
| once apnear