The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-04-06

the southernmost of these transcon-
tinental lines, was practically neglect
ed until recent years. Rather curious
~ IL was early the subject of colonial
effort for in 1856 the Chevalier La
sale planted the i'll fated colony. st.
Louis, midway the Texas coast. Not
until the latter half of the nineteenth
century, however, was much progress
made in the settlement of Texas. and
then the building of transcontinental
railroads. to the north left the lower
triangle of the state to one side. and
only within the last twenty years have
the ports been sufficiently developed
TO make its seaboard important.
Taken Out Of Back Yard.
But this strip of country has been
taken out of the back yard. A rail-
road traverses the coast country from
END to end. following the trail which
General Taylor made on his march
10 Mexico. This road was built Ave
years ago. partly to open this country
10 settlement, partly to establish y
new short line to the City of Mexico.
benjamin f. Yoakum. the railroad
magnate, projected it, He is a Texas
product; grew up as a farmer how.
raised and sold fruit trees. and knows
lot about soils. agriculture and bor-
ticulture. When i'm TRAINING for III,
big work he learned that some of the
pioneers in the coast country were suc-
cesstuily growing oranges upon =
small scale. He stored this informa-
tloh away, and when he got ont unon
larger stage and next TO the nonev
BOXES ne built the Gulf Coast Line
ana placed another garland OF orange
blossoms upon the brow of Columbia
during the last three or four wears
the influx of population into the coast
country has been enormous. The mr.
series OF America and Japan have heen
swamped with orders for orange lem.
on grape fruit, fig and olive trees
Commercial shipments of tho fruit,
nave begun. They are raising cane on
the battlefield Of Resaca &c In Palma
and elsewhere I'm the lower bio
Grande valley and up and down said
valley and up and down the coast. the
production of sugar. rice onions. fruits
and vegetables has grown and is grow
Ing enormously.
Millions for Foundations.
These large movements are reflected
IN the towns and cities of the region
Galveston, notably, has been busv
during the last nine years I'm LAYING
the foundations for great things. MANY
nillions of dollars have been put into
improvements, public and private
Two notable works have been comnlet-
Cd third is under construction A.,
fourth and fifth projected and as
sured.
The first Of these was n great con
wall II Ieet high, 20 feet wide at the
base uhe same being protected nv 81
rect or granite riprap). and 1882 feet
III lehgth. constructed by the people of
Galveston. through their county, GOV.
eminent, at cost of $1,000 600 This
mas been extended $500 feet hv tho
FEDERAL government to protect its
Fort Crockett military reservation at
a cost of 100000, the entire wall
forming an embankment for the
grade raising, which comes to level
with the ton Of the wall. the entire
length 4.S7 miles. and breadth. one
nile of the city. The storm OF .Julv
~ 1903 was a severe test 10 this
val and most satisfactory one TO
galveston people. who had builded II.
rs tho protection II afforded was thor.
'ueh' there being no erosion Of the
GRADE no damage to the city and not
ne least damage TO the wall itself.
~ raising the grade 100000 cubic Z
'ards Of material was filled in ~ . $
'ost of $3,2OO,OO0.