Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-03-26
the RAILROADS
PORT ARTHUR CANAL OPENED TO
COMMERCE OF THE WORLD.
y. l.. Martha speaks of the Work In
Building the kansas City, Pitts
burg 4 Gulf Railroad and
Port Arthur Canal.

west was IOTmally oItNeu to-oaS' ~
does not mean that 1t has been completed,
for in places 1t is only eight feet deep. II
has escaped the injunction stage and now
work can proceed. Places eight feet deep
must be twanty-fOur in time TO handle the
fall crop. according TO estimates OF canal
officials. Parenthetically the canal Is seven
miles long. lS3 feet wide and Will have a ca
pacity sufficient 10 accommodate the great
section of country supposed 10 be tributary.
There was something of a general trans
portation mix-up in making the canal trip.
The governors and press were booked for
a steamer but somehow both missed out.
The governors finally landed on ii barge
with a thousand others. they being up III
the mud for an hour at the lower end OF the
canal and We're relieved by some passing
tugs. 1t was a case of five hours without
water and no lunch from y a. m. until q
p. m. The governors looked cheerful. The
governor OF Texas failed 10 arrive this
morning and is reported to have maiaria-
some think it is commercial malaria of the
Galveston variety. Two thousand visitors
shouted and shared in the days sight
seeing.
Ing over until tonight. The first and only
mayor of the town, Colonel Grant, extend
ed welcome and r. A.; Greer: Of Beaumont.
served as chairman. f. l.. Martin, Of Kan
sas City, vice president of the Pittsburg &
Gulf, representing the officials of the COM
Oltlcu y EpohC u.s.
Il exceedingly regret the unavoidable alb
sence OF Mr.. StilweII. Mr.. Degojen. Mr..
Gillham and Judge Trimbie to o. whom l. - so
addressing you 10 fall upon me.
Il dom blieve 1t would be In good taste
for me to say very much about the work
our people have done and are still doing
for the benefit of the great producing sec.
content to allow those present here to-day
to see and judge for themselves, and when
you return to your respective homes you
can truthfully say to your netghbOrS that
our people have really built a railroad
from the Missouri river to he Gulf of
s MseieG miles aaa lo %us and ' iss feet wide, s Which,
| contains water enough to float a ship.
There are a great many people who have
been able to realize this to be a fact. yer
here are the road. the canal. the dock and
the elevator PRACTICALLY completed for me
they be used freely. When all these im>
proyements receive the finishing touchs.
10 esta Iii ho aad it s1sh'; Steamship a rs SHp l Rnes't 10
handle with dispatch all the imports and
exports that will naturally pass through
and 1t is our further purpose TO make Port
Athur a good place in which to live ana
lat the risk of adverse criticism, for bad
taste. l will venture to say that no set OF
men were ever beset with greater OPPOSE
ance and benefit to the public than We
have been in the construction of the Kan
cas- City, Pittsburg & Gulf railroad and the
Port Arthur canal.
ut would be imposing upon your time and
a reflection upon your knowledge Of pass
Ing events for me to undertake to go into
details upon this subject. but ! will say
that We know no such word as failure. and
have pushed forward steadily with UNI
daurted courage born of faith in our work
and defeated the enemy upon every Occa-
sion. until We stand here to-day with A
powerful field glass at our eyes. and the
enemy can nowhere be seen. For this
result too much credit cannot be given
President Stilwe!i and Chief Engineer Gill
ham and the valuable aid rendered by our
efficient CORPS of legal advisers.
Neither do W. lose sight of the cordial
support rendered us by the legislatures and
state officials of the great section of coun-
commercial bodies within that range. and
1 take this opportunity to express the sim
cere thanks OF our people for such support.
On behalf Of the railroad and canal cOmpa-
MES. l also wish TO thank this large as
sembly Of distinguished guests for the en-
couragement of their presence here to-day
of the Port Arthur canal. This canal and
the Kansas City. Pittsburg ~ Gulf railroad
must for all ages 10 come be- Il blessing 10
the people whom You represent. The enter
i'ristng citizens of this growing and pros
pero9s city of Port Arthur have always
stood shoulder to shoulder with us in our
struggles. and l want to assure them of
our hearty appreciation Of their friendship
and support. l thank you most sincerely
l U your KIM attention.
Governor Stanley. OF Kansas. said the
opening of the canal reunited the South and
the North. and Kansas alone raised enough
corn and wheat 10 ill a string of freight
ears from New York 10 San Francisco. and
much OF this in the future would find 4
market through this canal. Kansas raised
everything fair women. as well as John r..
Gentry and Joe Patchen. The fast horse
references seemed TO catch the Texas con-
tincsnt so much that a later speaker guar
anteed that ii Stanley would move to Texas
i; six years residence would make him
eligible for the Democratic nomination for
governor. There We're shouts for Kansas
when the governor closed.
4 Governor Jones. of Arkansas, recited that
he had been born in Texas. and that Ar
kansas had always favored the canal.
Thomas kittrell, ii local member of the
legislature. had reconstruction and race
troubles mostly. but hoped incidentally that
the North and South road would he a good
thing Chief Justice Daster. of Kansas, Of
fered the following resolutions:
Resolved, That the people here assem-
bied, representing the great West and
South. for the purpose of celebrating the
express 10y resolution our appreciation of
the benefits TO our respective sections of the
ountry derived from the building of the
Kansas City. Pittsburg & Gulf railroad and
the Port Arthur canal. and take this oc-
casion to extend our hearty thanks Ia
Mr.. A. T.. Stilwell and his associates for
their great work now nearing completion
Congressman Cooper. of this district.
closed the ceremonial debate with aSioms
of trade, and fireworks and the dance were
next on the programme.