Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-08-23
,Edith's Letter About HOus.
ton Interesting.

Dear Courier Junior: l thought
would write about Houston this time
There are four big depots where
II railroads meet the sea. Five of the
railroads 60 to Galveston. Galveston
is so miles from Houston. Houston
has big ship channel. 1t cost $4,000,
900 and 100000 more is to be ex
pended There are two hundred street
cars operated daily and four hundred
carmen, both conductors and motor
men. a
The cars are considerably larger
than in Ottumwa. Instead Of the con
ductors coming around after fares
you pay as you go in. Nearly all the
cars go around loop. Hardly any
Of them 60 to the end Of the line and
then turn around and come back.
You can 60 all the way around for q
nickel and even get q transfer to an
other line.
Those lines which are not "bell,
require another fare on their return,
but they will give transfer on this
fare to another line.
Instead Of people saying 25c, most
of them say "two-bits."
There are nineteen car lines
There is a policeman on each cor
ner on Main street, directing the
traffic. There are mounted police Ton
horseback, and on motorcycles The
policemen dress in grey.
There Is one high speed, 60 miles an
hour, interurban. 1t runs from Hous-
ton to Galveston, distance Of fifty
miles. It spends Is minutes in Hous.
ton and takes only hour and ten
minutes to run the remaining forty
miles.
There is one big city market. 1t
has about 20 stalls and 20 stands.
They sell everything in the line OF
fruit, meat. fish, toys, vegetables and
candy. Besides the inside stalls, the
farmers come in about 5 o'clock ev-
cry morning and back up to the curb
ing and display their goods on the
sidewalk until 9 a. m.
Houston has 100000 population. It
has big $250,00O city auditorium and
Ia $250,OOO viaduct over the Buffalo
river.
There Is Senior high school now
and there are two Junior high
schools under construction. There
are also IL ward schools.
The streets are paved with shell,
gravel, asphalt, bithulithic. yellow
pine paving block, brick and brick
paving block
The area of Houston Is only 16
square miles, while San Antonio has
4 - ;1~kx, 1t nd =
population Of only 10000.
The death rate Of Houston Is only
IL and 10 per cent, against a normal
Of Is per cent in other cities.
This is generally considered good.
There are lots of high buildings.
The Rice hotel has been opened since
July 4. 1t Is twenty stories high with
the basement and roof garden. It 10
a $4,000, 900 hotel, has $50 rooms and
is the largest hotel in the south.
The Scanlon building Is IL stories
high. The Union National Bank build
ing Is IL stories. The Carter building
is eighteen stories.
They have moving pictures on top
of 1t and they operate a hashlight
from the roof, flashing the light all
over Houston. They have wireless
telegraph apparatus up there, too.
There are three history buildings,
and three 10.story buildings. There
are numerous s and 6-story buildings.
Houston has big library and a $780,
900 post Office.
There are over twenty picture
shows.
The fire department has 4 auto
trucks-auto chemical, auto hose
wagon and pumper, auto hook and
ladder and auto chiefs wagon. They
also have another auto ordered.
There are ten fire stations, with 8
steam bumpers and ten hose wagons,
two other hook and ladder wagons,
one water tower and one aerial truck.
There are 100 fire alarm boxes locat-
ed In different parts Of the city.
We take the Courier down here and
I saw In the Junior page where had
received prize for writing about my
trip to Texas. From your friend,
Edith Parkinson.
sol San Jacinto st., Houston, Texas.