Evening star., 1924-12-24
HOUSTON TO HONOR
OUTSTANDING
Wal Erect Immense Statue
cof ,Ohieftain for Whom
0lBaWas Named.
-------------------

.-Like. the city that spreads over the
Dsst<tct sof Columbia and the capital
ocsScbraska,s Houston, Tex. where the
largest equsstrian statue, ip the world
soon Is TO theSset UP, YVES ma med for
oIls 6or the toutstRnding leaders sisnd
heroes OF lAfneiica." says a bulletin
from the headquarters here OF the Ma
tfonal sGeogsaphIc Society. But be-
cause Sam Houston. the subject OF the
ti1ae tstRt1.e. carried on his work on
tho Frontiers rsther than IN the rela-
lively crowded East, his fame has
suTered. :;
Sam Houston might be considered
a sort Of average struck between
Dsniei Boone, Andrew Jackson and
George Washing makes
him more typical of American lea ders
OF the past century than most of his
fellows" continues the bulletia. "Lik e.
Boone he loved the frontier. was an
excellent Hoodsaan. and was recog
Rised as d leader by the Indians as
we'll as by his fellow Americans. Like
Jackson he was - rough and ready.
but an admirable soldier. And like
Washington he combined military
skill with natural ability TO COM
rnand attention IN the council cham
Der Like WashIn gton. too, he played
a prominent part In shaping the deg
tiny of his country. His vas the ma
jor role In freeing one-tweifth of the
present territory OF the United states
from Mexico and anneSing It to the
Union the State Of Texas.
Few Men So Conspicuous
'Tew men have held 80 many posi-.
tieas Of authority In different juris-
dietions as Sam Uoustori. He was G.
member OF Congress from and Gov
ernor OF Tennessee, comma nder-i chief
of.the Army OF Colonial Texas, Presi-
dent OF the Republic Of Texas. Sens-
tor from the State OF Texas and Gov
ernor Of Texas.
"The city which is the namesake Of
Gen. Sam Houston is more happily
and less arbitrarily designated than
most communities that bear the name
offamous men. 1t vas almost on the
site Of the city that Gen. Houston,
commanding the revolutionary army
Of. Texas defeated Santa. Ana. Presf-
dent and comma CHIEF of Mex
leo. in the battle OF San Jacinto on
April y. 1885. and made possible the
State OF which Houston IS now one
of-the leading cities.
From BattIefeId to Metropolis.
"If the old general could see
through the bronze eyes OF the efiigy
which Will be set up near the scene
Of his pregnant victory lie would be-
hold Il vastly different region from
that over which his soldiers fought
with their muZZle loading nluslsets.
The long grass in which the Mexican
Napoleon was found hiding the day
after his defeat has been replaced by
the close clipped lawns OF tens OF
thousands OF dwellings OF modern
American city. A few old trails have
turned into checlterboSrd OF paved
business streets, while railroads and
electric lines and shell highways ra-
date out into region or farms, Or
chsrds and ranches. The place briseles
with sky scrapers-more. Ioustonians
ssert, than In any other city OF. like
size.
zone OF the most noteworthy trans
formations Is that, which has made
once inland Houston d seaport. Buff
faio Bayou, on whose banks Texas in
dependence was won, is no more. Mod
ern fairy WandS-stesm shovels and
dredges million dollars.
haze turned the tslnggish old stream
into the Houston ship Canal, which
has made the city T. sort Of American
Manchester. Ocean steamers traverse
the canal to a basin on the city's
fringe and help to move the 100000
bales OF cotton that are marketed
through Houston annually.
Citys Name Often Nispronounced.
1.-The popuiat ton OF Houston 81 An un-
known quantity. In 1920 the city had
1SS, ,276 inhabitants. The Census Bureau
refuses TO guess at the present num-
Der. II puts Houston Ia a sort OF
hail OF fame with about a half dozen
other cities which, II is otIiciall; ex-
plained. are growing SO rapidly that
an estimate would be valueless. In
less Houston requests a special emu
1neration as some other cities have
done II will have TO 90 It's own guess
ing until Uncle Sans next official
counting Of noses in 1890.
"Houstonians have one Erudge
against their fellow countrymen of
The North and East. If your name is
Saunders and persons you meet care
lessly call you 'Sanders' or lander
you Will understand their indi6natio
and annoyance at the constant mis-
pronunciation Of their city's name.
The first syllable is not pronounced as
if II were house. or whose but like
the verb TO hew' or the masculine
Christian name Hough'.' ,.-.