The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-12-10

east OF Houston. The United States gov
eminent has recently advertised for lo0,
100000 feet of this pine lumber TO be
shipped TO Cuba.
In this connection we quote the Hous-
ton bank clearances for the last two
years, greater in this city of 81 900 people
than many cities of double her popula-
ton:
Houston bank clearances FOR
the year ending October /,
1899 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. S269, 741.9
Houston bank clearances for
the year ending October /,
1873 Observation-Disclosures. 29h, 1885
Or gain in one year of ...... 26.4Sl, 91S
These are authentic up to date figures
and we invite comparison
The immense cattle and lumber ship
ments from Texas toward Cuba and the
West Indies, as result of the late Span
ish war. is now attracting much attention
and VIII call in the near future for large
ly increased port facilities. To utilize
the returning vessels and trains at least
50000o tons of Cuban sugar (of the 30OO,
600 tons used in the ALnttel States) would
naturally come by this shorter route to
Texas ports. our country is just en-
tering upon Il new era Of increased trade
with other countries The Nicaragua
canal will doubtless be opened in the near
future, and Texas trade with the Central
and South American States. as we'll as the
islands of the seas that we now own,
trade that can be ours for the asking as
the nearest ports, demands that we pre-
pare, and that speedily, for this increas-
ing trade.
No gulf port can afford to have a block
ade of traffic, Shippers learn at once that
it is veXatous and expensive and seek
other harbors We depend largely upon
the fact that the people of nearly one
third of the Nation will be benefited by
this Improvement Hon. Thomas Ball
our congressman, Is member OF the
rivers and harbors committee and an I'M
firing worker He has the earnest sup
port of solid Texas delegation OF both
house and senate The Northwest Is
earnestly with us. There is now more
morcy in the United States treasury than
before known IN our history. A valid rea-
son can hardly be urged now why the
National expenditures heretofore made to
procure deep water on the gulf should
not be grandly consummated by securing
this landlocked harbor fer the $4,000, 900
people who are asking congress for It,
and will be immensely benefited when
congress grants this reasonable approp-
priation Houston has an "arm of the
sea- reaching up to the heart of the city
and last year transacted s26OO0,O0O OF
business over II by light draft vessels ana
harges. Her fifteen railroads have SIMPLE
facilities TO readily handle the increasing
traffic that is rapidly coming to us. What
is needed now is to carry out the conser-
vative recommendations of the eminent
government engineers. We quote.
After a survey and personal examlna-
tion of the wafer route between Houston
and the jetties at the mouth of Galveston
bay by Colonel Henry NJ Robert Major
a. NJ. Miller and Captain George Nee.
Derby. corps OF engineers. they reported
to Brgadier General John NJ. Wilson.
chief of engineers: "A conservative esti-
mate would place the annual saving in
ireights at $500, This saving alone
would Justify an improvement OF this
magnitude, as 1t amounts to more than
the probable cost OF maintenance and the
interest on the estimated first cost of the
work. The corps OF engineers further in
their statement place this saving as but
a small measure OF the value of such an
Improvement TO the farming communities
or the neighburing States, as all rates To
the seaboard would necessarily be affect
ed. Upon receipt of this report Brigadier
General John NJ. Wilson, in submitting
It 10 Hon. r. A. Alger. secretary of war,
closes thoroughly satisfactory report
with the statement; IT is the opinion OF
me board that the interest involved justi-
mes the Improvement proposed"
Since this able repor. was made new
conditions have arisen. The war with
spain has been won and vast territory
ceded to us. Millions more must be fed.
and We are nearest to them Shipments
TO the gulf have increased IN amount
little dreamed OF few years ago. az
shown In this report, More grain, cot
loh, lumber ana cattle have arrived this
year than can possibly be handled with
present facilities. Much valuable trade
mas already diverted because of ex-
pehsNe delays vast volume of new
commerce is opening out to us; even II
the same ratio OF increase continues as
mas prevailed during the last two years.
y would be impossible to care for 1t
without largely increased facilities. This
necessity is so great. so apparent, and the
hehents so far-reaching that, in the opin-
ION OF your committee II will surely be
recognized and provided for at this ses-
sion OF congress. Respectfully submitted,
W. b. slosson.
q. II. MILKY.
f. w. Cave.
Joseph r. Meyer,
VIM, NJ. Read,