Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-04-09
NOT DIVERSION BUT
GROWTH OF COUNTRY
Striking Evidences Seen in Recent Activities on Texas Gulf
CoaSt--GalVeSton Lays Foundations Millions Expended
as Bases for Great Port, City and Pleasure ReSOrtGar
land of Orange Blossoms

the spillway for the nations foreign
commerce.
Influence of the Big Ditch.
Some diversion will in all likeli-
hood come with the completion and
utilization of the Panama canal
not because of the gulf ports are so
much nearer the Atlantic portal of
the canal than are our Atlantic ports
but because the gulf ports will then
be as favorably situated as are
those of the Atlantic seaboard in re-
spect to Oriental and other Pacific
coast commerce. At the present
time they are the least favorably sit
uated OF all American ports in that
regard, In consequence of which Or
iental business moves by rail to Pa
ciffc and Atlantic ports even out of
Texas.
PE!Iding Room IN Coast Country.
Likewise the Texas coast country,
the great coastal plain, is being rap
idly populated, developed and util-
lied, not through process OF diver
sion, but because the surplus of in
habitants from older sections is here
finding elbow room. No part OF our
country is yet crowded as is Europe
and Asia, but Americans have been
accustomed to plenty of breathing
space and demand It, The pioneer
spirit yet lives. Whenever a section
becomes moderately thick in settle
merit, the nUmadic impulse asserts
itself. Thus, the new sections get
settlers, not so much because OF su-
perior advantages in soil and cli-
mate as because they have breath
ing space; and they do not get set
tiers IN considerable numbers until
that space is needed.
Transportation facilities, of
course, have much TO do in deter
mining the choice Of the homescek-
er. Transeontinental railroads,
ocean TO ocean lines, which were
stretched across the country In the
COS and '70's, afforded access to
sufficient new country to last for
many years. In consequence the tri-
angle of Texas, which lies below the
southernmOst of these transconti-
mental lines, was practically neglect
ed until recent years. Rather cur
iOusly, IL was early the subject OF
colonial effort, for I'm 1855 the Chew
alier LaSalle planted the Inflated
colony. ST. Louis, midway the Texas
coast. Not until the latter half of
the nineteenth century, however,
was much progress made in the set
tlement OF Texas, and then the
building OF transeontinental rail
roads TO the north left the lower tri-
angle of the state to one side, and
only within the last twenty years
have the ports been sufficiently de
Veloped to make its seaboard inn
poTtant.
Taken Out OF the Back Yard.
But this strip OF country has been |
taken out of the backyard. rail- |
road traverses the coast country |
from end 10 end, following the trail |
which General Taylor made on his |
march 10 Mexico. This road was |
built iye years ago. partly to open
this country % settlement, partly 10 /
establish a new short line 10 the City
OF Mexico Benjamin #. Yoakum,
the railroad magnate, projected II.
He is a Texas product; grew up as
a farmer boy, raised and sold fruit
tTeeS, aud knows iUt aboUt sc!!s,
agriculture and horticulture. When
In training for his big work he
learned that some OF the pioneers
Of he coast country We're success
fully growing oranges upon small
scale. He stored this information
away. and, when he got out upon