The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-08-09
NIX. r0RTER'S SUGGESTIONS.
THE BENEFITS TO FLOW.

To the Editor of The Post
Tho communication from MIR. George l..
Porter, showing the great advantages to
our city of deep water and propos ng a
plan whereby we can nave Il without walt
ing the SLOW and uncertain movements of
the general government. should be read hy
every person in harris county and meet
with n hearty response of help TO obtain
the much desired object. The plan pro-
posed seems to me not only feasible but
very simple. The bonding of this great
county for s6oo,cO the amount required
to complete the work, would impose no
hardship upon anyone as he shows very
clearly that the whole Indebtedness could
ne met by Il nominal charge on the one
article OF cotton alone, long before the
Obligations would mature even II the gem
cral government did not refund tho money
as soon rs success was assured. as il moS
certainly would. win these facts IN
evidence Houston and Harris county has
everything to gain, with no possibility OF
loss. Mr.. Porter has shown the benefits
houston wound derive a one" from a
deep water channel to the gull and he has
rather understated them than other wise,
but the growth of our city would lie only
one of the many beneficial results. The
country adjacent to Houston would share
In the prosperity of the aty. Anyone who
has visited any of the large cities Of the
North and East has seen the country Inn
mediatrly surrounding It with nicely grad
ed and maca.lamzed roads leading IN
every direction. These roads are lined
with farms of from five to eighty acres,
all comfortable and many elegant homes.
Every acre of these farms Is In 'hc high
est ross BILE state of cultivation and the
owners not only live comfortably from
their products. hut many Of them acquire
handsome completeness. We have here
an anomalous condition existing. Kgh.
an unbroken prairie, our climate is I'M
eXcelod, our soil equal to the best, yet
1t remains practically uudeveloped, ana
While the country adjacent to Houston,
miles, is capable Of supporting pnpula-
ton of 5000, we find less Than r.r cent
of that number. but let Houston become
deep water port, the marvellous growth
the city viii have incident 10 that VII
reflect on the country surrounding 7 ana
Won will soc a thorough system of drain
prairie grass give place to IN" orchard
and garden and new homes spring hp ms
If by magic. Tho foreign capital attracted
to tho city Will overflow on to the country
and all these things Will come TO pass.
Let us see what that would 'ncan 20 the
property owners IN thts district. There
in round numbers, 10000 acres of lana.
with an average value today OF perhapN
ana growth of our city and country that
would follow Immediately upon the as
slIred success OF the scheme nroposcu,
would make these lands worth AT least SO
al
Northern cites, without many OF cur cd
ysntages, are worth double tins arno unit.
This would mean an increased value on
The lands within this tcrriory alun'. OF
neaily 81 100000 or enough to pay FOR the
work required more than six lines over.
And | think | am safe in making 'nis
statement: That the income received ny
the city and county from taxes on the
ncreased values In the city anu hdlhceht
Country would he sufficient TO pay the
interest on the 100000 and create sink
inr fund that would pay the debt hseli
In ten years so that instead of a burden.
on tho people in the way of Increased
IA YES. II would result in a much lower TAX
rate Can anyone hesitate TO work Tor
such a result? And this thing can he hoic
If the proper spirit is shown In the mat
lev II everyone during the next fonr
months will devote one-hall the tme 70
f',ithering this movemen, that they give
10 the discussion of the question OF nm
encies mat nine-tonths Of them know
nothinc about, its success will be assurtd.ll
nvertone viii nut rs shoulder 10 the work
~ Vel stared by Mir, Porter, there can
h. no Question of "a lure for me "nter-
mise, Now is the time 10 get TINS WORK
started Delays are ALWAYS dangerous.
Don't walt for better times. Horace
Greeley Il think 1t was) said tine way
IN resume specie payment Is 20 resume
and she way TO make better tunes - TO
10 fbpm. d ~ iipppN''