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Official Publication of the Harris County-Houston Ship Channel Navigation District
Volume 28 MAY, 1950 Number I
WIDE \
To keep pace with the progress of the Port of Houston has been the
endeavor of The Second National Bank, and its Foreign Department offerscomplete banking facilities in connection with export and import trade,working direct through a world-wide network of correspondent banks.
Our Foreign Department has frequently been of great help to exportersand importers of the Southwest in the efficient handling of their actualbanking transactions with foreign countries and also in the experiencedadvice it can often give towards finding a solution of financial and
t~ading problems.
Consult us direct or through your local bank to see if we may not
serve you to advantage.
"42 Years of Service to the Southwest"
MA’N AT RUS~ ............ "~i~ ..... BANK OF
CAPITAL AND SURPLUS TEN MILLION DOLLARS . . . MEMBER F,D. I.C.
H O U STO N, one of the Nation’sfastest growing industrial expan-sion areas!
¯ Just 5 miles/rom center o~ Houston¯ Unlimited gas and electricity¯ Lead tracks and hard snr/aced roads
Santa Fe Industrial DistrictHere’s tile place to locate your business , . .
Smack in the middle of where America’s industrial futurehas set up housekeeping!
Lead tracks and hard surfaced roads have beeninstalled. Electricity and gas are available in unlimited
supply, and waler main to serve the property isunder construction.
Sites in this choice district are being offeredfor sale or lease at reasonable prices. For complete
information, just communicate with:
GEORGE
K M. FOGG, Ass’t General Freight Agent, Neils Esperson Building,800 Trovis, Telephone AT-6441, Houston
W. COX, INDUSTRIAL AGENT, SANTA FE BUILDING, GALVESTON, TEXAS
HOUSTON PORT BOOK FOR MAY, 1950 !
PATRICK TRANSFER & STORAGE COMPANYUPTOWN PHONE PR-Ol 11SHIPSIDE PHONE WO-8341 SHIPSIDE WAREHOUSE
A FISHER G. DORSEY INTEREST
POST OFFICE BOX 2544
General Commodity Storage and Handling Attractive Low Insurance Rate275,000 Square Feet Storage Space Dock Space: 2 Ships, 84 Cars, 60 TrucksReinforced Concrete Construction A.D.T. Electric Protection ServiceEquipped with Automatic Sprinkler Floor Level 35 Feet Above Mean Low Tide
I M P O 1t T EFFICIENT MECHANICAL HANDLING EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING F R E EE X P O R T CONVEYORS AND ELEVATORS TO SHIPSIDE
ORBONDED
"’Best in the Southwest"
Cable Address "EDWIN"
FOWLER & McVITIE, INC.Ship’s Agents and Operato,s
Regular Service to Principal Ports in Europe
OFFICES IN
GALVESTON HOUSTON CORPUS CHRISTI PORT ARTHUR BROWNSVILLE DALLAS
\
from shore to ship...
Shell Oil (~OmlJan.~ is prepared to suppl.~
ships in the port of Houston with three of the
finest marine fuels available. The~ are SIlEI,L B[ NKER
FUEL OIL. and SHELL LIGIIT and HEAVY
MARINE DIESEL FUELS; all made righthere at Shell’s Houston Refinery.
Developed bv Shell research and backed
by years of proven performance, these
superior fuels arc available by calling or writing
Shell Oil CompanyBox 2099
Houston, Texas
Capitol 1181
2 HOUSTON PORT BOOK FOR MAY, 1950
LINCOLN
I ..........
DENVER ̄ !
PUEBLO
TT WORE
MISSOURI PACIFIC’s swift and
powerful diesels assure
IMPORT-EXPORT shippers of
the finest in rail facilities to,from and through the Port
of Houston. The continuous
addition of new equipment
plus extra care in handling
moves freight on time, every
time. Consult your MO-PAC
freight agent.
KANSASCI[V’~
ST
ET SMITLITTLE ROCK
SAN ANTONIO
CHRISTIIROWHSViLL( NEt
SERVING THE
HOUSTON PORT BOOK FOR MAY, 1950
PORT O F HOUSTON
MERRITT-CHAPMAN & SCOTTC 0 R P 0 R A T I 0 N
General Contractors for
WASHBURN TUNNELALL TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
BridgesOil Relineries
Chemical PlantsSteel Mills
Docks
TunnelsPaper Mills
Founded in 1860 . . . Now in our 90th year
GENERAL OFFICES: 17 Battery Place, New York 4, N.Y.
CLEVELAND, OHIO NEW LONDON, CONN.
THI~ TEXAS LINENEWTEX STEAMSHIP CORPORATION
PIER TEN ¯ CITY DOCKS ¯ HOUSTON, TEXAS
Post Office Box 1415 ° Phone WOodcrest 9651
WEEKLY COASTWISE FREIGHT SERVICE
I PORT NEWARK, N.J. (NEW YORK)From
PHILADELPHIA, PA., and BALTIMORE, MD.
LESS CARLOAD ¯ LOWER RATES ¯ CARLOAD
4 HOUSTON PORT BOOK FOR MAY, 1950
~ervingthe Cotton South
Birmingham, Ala.
Montgomery, Ala.
Atlanta, Ga.
Athens, Ga.
Warehouses strategically located at"
Augusta, Ga.
Macon, Ga.
New Orleans, La.
Charlotte, N. C.
Greenville, S. C.
Memphis, Tenn.
Houston, Tex.
General Offices :HOUSTON
Division Offices :MEMPHIS. NEW ORLEANS
GULF ATLANTIC
WAREHOUSE CO.OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF:
HOUSTON TEXAS
o o o-o-o o-o-o-o o o o o o o o o o o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o o-o-o o o o o o o o-o-o-o-o o o o o
HOUSTON PORT BOOK FOR MAY, 1950
BIEHL & COMPANYSTEAMSHIP AGENTS
SHIP BROKERS
FREIGHT AND PASSENGER SERI/ICE VIA
FERN LINEU. S. Gulf Ports to Far East
NOPAL LINEU. S. Gulf Ports to Brazilian Ports
Galveston ¯ Houston ¯ New Orleans
Memphis ¯ Dallas
Cable Address: BIEHL TWX No. HO-360
il I I I I I l l I l l llll I I l I I I I | I I I I I I I l I I I I I I I i I I I i I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ! I I I l I I | I I I I I I I l I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I l I I I I I I I I I I l I I Li
i nludworth !! Shipyard, Inc.
i Designers Builders Repairers -:-
Conversion Work
_- of Wood or Steel Tugs :=
i and Work Boats -:
Nueces St. at Bray’s Bayou WO-1741
¯ l l I l J I IIIIIIUlIII I l I I l |lJJlJl I I I I I I l I I I t I I I I I I J I J J J I I I O I I I | I I I I I I I J I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I | I J I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I II I I I I I I I I I I1~
FILLING,RIVER AND
DREDGINGLAND RECLAMATION, CANALS, PORT
HARBOR IMPROVEMENTS--DEEP WATERWAYS AND SHIPWORKSCHANNELS
We are especially equipped to execute all kinds of dredging, reclamation andport works in Southern waters.
Correspondence invited from corporate and private interests everywhere.
Contractors to the Federal Governme,nt
ATLANTIC, GULF AND PACIFIC CO.NEW YORK: 15 Park Row HOUSTON, TEXAS: Citizens State Bank Building
6 HOUSTON PORT BOOK FOR MAY, 1950
~/~ Fort Worth and Denver City Ry.for the
PORT of HOUSTONWe’ll be operatingour own railroadinto Houston verysoon.., watch forannouncements.
00
o0
0
BURLINGTON LINES E~ WestCHICAGO, BURLINGTON and QUINCY RAILROAD
COLORADO and SOUTHERN RAILWAYFORT WORTH and DENVER CITY RAILWAY
THE WICHITA VALLEY RAILWAY
HOUSTON PORT BOOK FOR MAY, 195U 7
S~PUEC~S:
United Kingdom andEire;
Continental Europe;Scandinavia and the
Baltic;
Mediterranean;Netherlands East Indies;Australia; New Zealand;
South and East Africa;Far East;South America;India and Persian Gulf
0/~C¢31
Savannah, Georgia; Brunswick, Georgia; Charleston, South Caro-
lina; Jacksonville, Florida; Pensacola, Florida; Mobile, Alabama;New Orleans, Louisiana; New York, New York; Washington,
D. C.; Chicago, Illinois; St. Louis, Kansas City, Missouri; Atlanta,Georgia; Memphis, Tennessee; Cincinnati, Ohio; Dallas, Gal-
veston and Houston, Texas.
STRACHANSHIPPING COMPANYSTEAMSHIP AGENTS and STEVEDORES
Manchester Terminal-on the Houston Ship Channel
a necessary link in land-water
transportation
an
Houston.
integral part of the Port of
MANCHESTER TERMINAL
CORPORATION
Wharves
Warehouses
~k" Cotton Compresses
NO TIME
IS LOST.... .. nor money wasted, when Todd is selected
for repair, reconversion or maintenance jobs on
ships of any type. Todd maintains a complete
range of modem production facilities at its
shipyards which are strategically located on all
coasts of the United States and at Barranquilla,
Colombia. Also mobile service for ships at
anchor or at dockside.
TODD SHIPYARDSHouston: 1001 Chroniclc Building
CORPORATION
HOUSTON ¯ GALVESTON ¯ NEW ORLEANS ¯ NEW YORK ¯ BROOKLYN
LOS ANGELES ¯ SAN FRANCISCO ¯ ALAMEDA ¯ SEATTLE ¯ BARRANQUILLA
¯ HOBOKEN
¯ LONDON
8 HOUSTON PORT BOOK FOR MAY, 1950
Cotton . . .eornerstone of a Modern Metropolis
Since Houston’s earliest days, cotton has
been one of the principal factors in the
growth and prosperity of this community.
The pioneer flatboats which first navi-
gated Buffalo Bayou’s tortuous turns to
the infant village of Houston came to get
cotton from the river-bottom plantations
nearby.
As more and more Texas soil was put into
cotton production, the importance of
Houston as a cotton market increased.
The founding of the Houston Cotton Ex-
change, 75 years ago, was a milestone in
the development of a great trading center.
To handle the increasing traffic, Buffalo
Bayou was widened, straightened and
deepened into the Houston Ship Chan-
nel. And among the first shipside termi-
nal facilities installed along its banks were
vast cotton warehouses and compresses.
Houston today is one of the world’s larg-
est spot cotton markets and cotton ship-
ping ports, and Houston as a community
has become the largest and busiest city in
the South.
ANDERSON, CLAYTON &(INCORPORATED
COTTON AND COTTONSEED PRODUCTS
CO.
HOUSTON PORT BOOK FOR MAY, 1950 9
CROWN CENTRAL PETROLEUM CORPORATIONHOUSTON, TEXAS
LUCKENBACH
BETWEENHOUSTON, MOBILE, NEW ORLEANS, TAMPA
ANDLOS ANGELES HARBOR--SAN FRANCISCO
AND OAKLAND, CALIFORNIAPORTLAND, OREGON, SEATTLE, TACOMA,
WASHINGTONALSO
COASTWISE SERVICEFROM HOUSTON TO
MOBILE, ALA., AND TAMPA, FLA.
GULF OFFICES :Houston, Texas--831 First National Bank Building ;
Phone CA-9837.Mobile, Ala. 707 Merchants National Bank Building" :
Phone Mobile 3-3681.New Orleans, La.--424 Whitney Building;
Phone Raymond 0311.Tampa, Fla.--P. O. Box 377 ; Phone Tampa M 3718.
GENERAL OFFICE: 120 Wall Street, New York.
Luckenbach Gulf Steamship Co., Inc.
Cable and Telegraphic Address "TERMINAL" Houston
TEXAS TRANSPORT & TERMINAL COMPANY, INC.(ESTABLISHED 1895)
STEAMSHIP
HOLLAND-AMERICA LINETO
LONDON
ROTTERDAM/AMSTERDAMANTWERP GHENT ¯ BREMEN/HAMBURG
GRANCOLOMBIANA(Flota Mercante Grancolombiana, S.A.)
TO
VENEZUELA ¯ COLOMBIA ¯ ECUADOR
MANILA ¯ CEBU ¯
CREOLE LINE(Navigazione Alta Italia)
TO
GENOA, NAPLES, VENICE, TRIESTE AND OTHER ITALIAN,MEDITERRANEAN AND NORTH AFRICAN PORTS
ARGENTINE STATE LINE(Flota Mercante del Estado--Republica Argentina)
TO
BUENOS AIRES
MAERSK LINE
TO
ILOILO ¯ KEELUNG ¯ HONG KONG
OFFICES:New York, N. Y. Charleston, S. C.Philadelphia, Pa. Savannah, Ga.Baltimore, Md. New Orleans, La.
Eullun Exchanqe Buildinq
HHUSTflN ~, TEXAS
OFFICES:
Galveston, Texas Corpus Christi, TexasHouston, Texas Memphis, Tenn.Dallas, Texas Chicago, Ill.
10 HOUSTON PORT BOOK FOR MAY, 1950
f /
//
/
/\
Take a generous portion of the Midwest, from the Texas gulf toMinneapolis, from Chicago to the Colorado Rockies; include thetidewater ports of Houston, Texas City and Galveston; add agenerous network of steel rails (Rock Island brand); season witha goodly number of fast, Diesel-powered Rocket Freights. Tothese ingredients add any overseas shipments you may haveon hand. Serve immediately. Most satisfying at any time. Try it.
For full information ask
RayW. Sager, General Agent, Freight Dept.
403 Mellie Esperson Bldg., Houston 2, Texas
Phone Preston 8295
Frank O’Kane, Ass’t Freight Traffic Mgr.
805 Meacham Bldg.
Fort Worth 2, Texas
L. F. Talkington, Foreign Freight Agent
403 Mellie Esperson Bldg., Houston 2, Texas
Phone Preston 8295
A. J. Ferrell, Foreign Freight Traffic Mgr.
Room 821, La Salle St. Station
Chicago 5, Ill.
HOUSTON PORT BOOK FOR MAY, 1950 11
RAILROAD EQUIPMENT FOR SALERAILROAD CARS: All Types, Also Their Repair Parts
LOCOMOTIVES: Diesel, Diesel-Electric, Gasoline, SteamRAILWAY TANK CARS & STORAGE TANKS
CRANES: Locomotive and Overhead RAILS and ACCESSORIES
Also --
Merchant Iron & Steel Scrap Iron & Steel
Your O/fer;ngs and Inqu;ries Greatly Appreciated/
,.,,.A_% ,~o,o. A~e.-- IRON & STEEL PRODUCTS, INc.-"ANYTHING containing IRON or STEEL"
-- Chicago 33, Illinois
|[A[r~ Ml-\[~li~Ir CO[~PORArlON
!
!NEW YORK -- NORFOLK -- NEW ORLEANS -- HOUSTON -- GALVESTON -- SAN FRANCISCO
CLEVELAND- DETROIT -- CHICAGO -- MEMPHIS -- DALLAS -- LOS ANGELES -- LONG BEACH
A Texas Industry
... employing Texas People,
using a Texas Resource
to cze=~e new wedth ~o~ 7~ex=s
THE CHAMPION PAPER AND
Manufacturers
FIBRE COMPANYHouston Division
of Pulp and Paper from Texas Pine
12 HOUSTON PORT BOOK FOR MAY, 1950
Every day... 3 industrieslocate new plants along SP Lines !
Since the war, new plants and distribution
tacilities, requiring spur track installations,
have located along SP Lines at the rate of three
per day. Why? Because Southern Pacific is the
largest railroad west o[ the Mississippi, directly
serving more consumers than arty other railroad.
Southern Pacific’s well-organized Industrial Depart-
ment has been a help to many of these new industries,
furnishing them with accurate, up-to-date information
on all matters affecting their choice of a plant site...
such as power, transportation, fuel. labor, taxes, water
supply, property availability and costs. Moreover. this
information is gathered without revealing anyone’s
plans or identity.
If you are looking for a place to expaml your business
in auy of the eight states served by SP. why not let our
Industrial Department help you.
Your inquiry will receive careful attention and will be
treated with strictest confidence. Write
W. W. Hale, Vice-PresidentSystem Freight TrafficSouthern Pacific Company65 Market StreetSan Francisco 5, Calif.
F. L. Gordon, Freight Traffic Mgr.Southern Pacific Lines inTexas and Louisiana913 Franklin StreetHouston 1, Texas
The Friendly Southern Pacific
HOUSTON PORT BOOK FOR MAY, 1950 13
Plant TelephoneWO-1768
P. O. Address Box 5125, Harrisburg StationHOUSTON 12, TEXAS
HARRISBURG MACHINE CO., INC.OLDEST MARINE REPAIR PLANT IN PORT OF HOUSTON
General Machinists, Founders, Boiler Makers, Copper Smiths, Electric Welding,Floating Equipment Derrick Barge and Tow Boats for Ship Repairs
Night Telephone Numbers
R. A. Fenzl, JA-5571 C.P. Legnon, WO-92,11
Pres. and Gen’l Mgr. Superintendent
COY LE o~,~LI NESERVING PORTS ON
Gulf Intracoastal WaterwayCONNECTING WITH ALL RIVER CARRIERS
AT NEW ORLEANS. MOBILE
TEXAS - LOUISIANA- MISSISSIPPI - ALABAMA - FLORIDAGENERAL OFFICES: P. O, BOX 6056 - STATION A - NEW ORLEANS 14, LA.
MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN WATERWAYS OPERATORS, INC.
Your Vessel will be met at the Bar
and Piloted to the Port of Houstonby
HOUSTON PILOTS714 PETROLEUM
CABLE ADDRESS:
HOUSTON,
BUILDING
HOUPLT
TEXAS
14 HOUSTON PORT BOOK FOR MAY, 1950
m m m m m imm mmmm mm m mm m m i n mm m m mm mm mm mmm m
lI
End-to-End Radio Communication providessafer, speedier handling of your freight, in allkinds of weather, right down the line. This modernmiracle is another PLUS, in Katy’s famous "ontime" shipping service.
Hundreds of New Cars--new gondola, hopperand box cars, specially built to carry all types ofheavy cargo shipments, for added capacity,added service, even more dependability whenyour freight goes Katy!
|mmmmmnmmm
iiili
- mImii!
Automatic Block Signals precision-control the |movements of Katy’s freight fleet to suit your everyshipping need. The result: safer, better, moreefficient freight service for you.
Modern Freight Terminals combine human skilland complete mechanical facilities to precision-process your goods safely and efficiently, tohigh-speed the handling of your carloads tomarkets and factories.
You’re on the right trackwhen you ship Katy
Whatever your shipping needs, look to the precision rail transportationnow offered by the Southwest’s Main Supply Line. For dependable, careful,time-saving service to, from, and through the Southwest... ship KATY!
NATURAL ROUTE ~ SOUTHWEST 3O6
HOUSTON PORT BOOK FOR MAY, 1950 15
INTKACOASIAL TOWING & IKANSPORIAIION CORP.502 Caroline -- Houston 2, Texas
Cable: PETANK Phone PReston 2297
Cable Address "RICE," Houston
THOMAS RICE & COMPANY, INC.United States Gulf Ports to Spain . . . Far Eastern Ports . . . Africa . . . Netherlands East Indies
. . . Malaya . .. India . . . Persian Gulf . . . West Coast of South America Ports
COTTON EXCHANGE BUILDING COTTON EXCHANGE BUILDING
HOUSTON GALVESTON
GULF QUALITY LUBRICANTS
LubricatingOILS
LubricatingGREASES
GULF OIL CORPORATION
GULF REFINING COMPANY
Bulk deliveries of Gulf quality marine lubricating oils can be madeat Houston, Texas and at New Orleans, Louisiana. They are availablein drums at all principal ports on the Atlantic, Gulf, and West coasts.
HOUSTON PORT BOOK FOR MAY, 1950
’\\ \ \
\
POWERprogress of the area we serve!
are building ahead . . . new power
plants, new transmission lines,
new distribution facilities
¯ . . so that you may continue
to always have electric
service where you want it,
when you want it,
in adequate amounts...
at the lowest possible cost.
HOUSTON PORT BOOK FOR MAY, 1950 17
EVERY time the clock ticks off a minute
the Port of Houston pours $200 into the
economic bloodstream of the city. That’s $12,-
000 an hour--over $100 million a year. Indirect
benefits run into the billions, part of which
eventually finds its way into the cash registers
of every business and industry in Houston.
An important factor in stimulating business
through our port has been the availability of
adequate banking facilities. Far-seeing officers
of First National Bank established the Bank’s
Foreign Department during the early days of
Port Houston. This department helped develop
much foreign business for the port and estab-
lished world-wide connections that have been
of increasing value to customers as Houston has
grown to international stature.
If you do business outside the United States,
our Foreign Department can be helpful to you
in many ways. We invite you to use its
services.
18
FIRST NATIONAL BANil
MEBIBER FEDERAL L,[POSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION ¯
NATURALGas... p, HOUSTON
INDUSTRIESOne vital reason for Houston’s importance asan industrial center is the availability here of
unlimited natural gas for industrial consump-tion to turn the wheels of progress.
We are proud of the contribution we aremaking t o w a r d the g r o w t h of Houston byfurnishing natural gas for fuel for its new
industries.
-k
Houston Industrial Gas Co.City Industrial Gas Company
F. M. Corzelius
2001 COMMERCE BUILDING, HOUSTON
AMERICAN GENERALq~o,,p
merican General Fire
American General Life
American General InvestmentCo~pozatton
HOUSTON PORT BOOK FOR MAY, 1950
SAN JACINTO INNSEA FOOD ~ CHICKEN DINNERS
SAN IACINTO MEMORIAL
A visit to Houston without avisit to San ]’acinto Battlegroundsis a visit incomplete, and a visitto the Battlegrounds without din-ner at San Jacinto Inn is onlyhalf a visit.
The guest register at San Ta=cinto Inn, during the past 25years, best speaks for its popu-larity.
To reach this beautiful publicpark, drive east on Preston Ave-nue to Harrisburg Boulevard,thence to La Porte Road; followLa Porte Road, then on to thefamous San Jacinto Battlegroundsand Inn.
We are closedMondays except for
Special Parties
Open 6:00 P.M.Tuesday
through Saturday
Open 1:00 P.M.Sunday
Located at the historical San Jacinto Battlegrounds, where the San Jacinto Monument,tallest in America, is one sight you will not want to miss . . . forty minutes from Houston.
THEDINNERSTHAT MADE SANJACINTOFAMOUSSUMMER DINNER
Three Dollars
CeleryShrimp Cocktail
Iced Crabs Baked CrabsTenderloin of Trout or Redfish
Fried Chicken PotatoesHot Biscuits and Preserves
Drinks Dessert
Please Make YourReservations Early
Phone WAyside 1181 Fried Chicken
,* Drinks
WINTER DINNER
Three Dollars
CeleryShrimp Cocktail
Oysters on the Half ShellOyster Brochette
Tenderloin of Trout or Redfish
Hot Biscuits and JamDessert
Potatoes
Specially Equipped to Serve Banquets to Any NumbevO~VNED AND UNDER THE SAME MANAGEMENT FOR THIRTY-THREE YEARS
HOUSTON PORT BOOK FOR MAY, 1950 19
O N APRIL 6 the Port of Houston dedicated its newtwo million dollar Wharf 9 at the head of the Turn-ing Basin, 57 miles from deep water in the Gulf
arid only three miles from the heart of the business districtof the ever growing metropolis of Houston. This fine newwharf is in line with the Port Commission’s determination tokeep the port facilities of the Port of Houston up to date andefficient. Wharf 9 has many outstanding characteristics: afront apron 50 by 500 feet with three tracks; an enclosed piershed 150 by 500 feet with a minimum of interfering columnsand with high ceiling; a covered railroad train shed in rear45 by 500 feet; a front apron elevation of 21 feet designedfor the higher decks of modern ships.
In continuation of its improvement program, the PortCommission on March 9 awarded a contract for a new openwharf, No. 16, designed especially for the efficient handlingof pipe, lumber, and other durable goods not requiring shedprotection. The increasing shipments of "dry" cargo throughthe Port of Houston require such an installation as the presentopen wharf is inadequate to meet these growing demands.Wharf 16 is scheduled for completion by February 1951.
The Washburn Vehicular Tunnel under the Houston ShipChannel at Pasadena, completed this month, will not onlyeliminate one of the ferries across the Ship Channel, but willopen up areas for industrial development which can be servedby this vehicular tunnel. The Port Commission not only con-tributed $650,000 toward the construction of this vehiculartunnel, but is also contributing $600,000 toward the construc-tion of a second vehicular tunnel. The latter tunnel, knownas the Spillman Island Tunnel, will eliminate the need for anyferries across the Houston Ship Channel and will thus improvethe Port’s already excellent safety record by eliminating thehazards of any ferries on the Ship Channel. Work is progress-ing at a rapid rate on this second vehicular tunnel.
In recent months existing wharves of the port have all beenrehabilitated so that it can be said that the port facilitieswere never in better shape than they are today. At the sametime deepening of the Ship Channel to the authorized depth of36 feet is also progressing, the contractor’s dredge now work-ing in a section eight miles up the channel from Morgan Pointwhere the Ship Channel leaves Galveston Bay.
"SHORT CUT OR BOTTLE NECK’"The reader’s attention is invited to the excellent article on
pages 36-37 by Brig. Gen. P. A. Feringa, Corps of Engineers,who is now serving in the important post of President of theMississippi River Commission. In his article entitled "ShortCut or Bottle Neck," he describes the one weak link in theGulf Intracoastal Waterway, namely, the short cut from PortAllen, opposite Baton Rouge, to Morgan City. It is of particu-lar value to Houston and other Texas ports to have this shortcut constructed at the earliest possible time. The project hasalready been authorized by the Congress and all that is needednow is an actual appropriation to get the work under way. Itis believed that two million dollars would be a satisfactoryinitial appropriation as that sum would cover the work whichcan be done efficiently in the first year. The remaining elevenmillion dollars should follow in succession during the next
three or four years, thus allowing completion of the entireproject before 1955. Certainly a project such as this which willgive immediate benefits to such a large number of Gulf portsand to the many shippers using our network of inland water-ways--the Ohio, Mississippi and its tributaries--should begiven priority over some of the nebulous reclamation and floodcontrol projects which are getting appropriations because ofpressure from local interests. Come on, Texas Ports! Let’sget this beneficial project under way as soon as possible.
PORT TERMINAL RAILROAD ASSOCIATIONOn Page 40 is a photograph of the Railroad Board of
Control of the Port Terminal Railroad Association whichoperates the public belt railroad on both sides of the HoustonShip Channel and connects with the six lines serving thegreater Houston area. The efficiency of the port is determinedin a great measure by the prompt handling of cargo to andfrom the connecting railroads. This Board on which the Portand the five member lines are represented is under the Chair-manship of Chairman W. G. Saville of the Port Commission.The P. T. R. A. operates under the railroad Board of Controlin a neutral manner, expediting the transfer of cars to andfrom all of the five member lines. Switching charges in theHouston Ship Channel industrial area are held to a minimum,and it is now planned to dieselize the P. T. R. A. in the nearfuture.
BUNKERING FACILITIESIt has long been known among the shipping fraternity that
the Port of Houston has "the best bunkering facilities in theworld." It is only appropriate that this should be the case atthe world’s Number One oil port. When shipping to and fromthe Port of Houston, it is a definite advantage to be able tobunker either Diesel or Bunker "C" from any Navigation Dis-trict dock at the Turning Basin or from the Long Reach docksby pipe connection while unloading or taking on cargo. Withthe low price at Houston ($1.60 per barrel today), it is wonder that over 1,200,(}00 tons of bunker fuel were takenaboard ships in 1949 at the Port of Houston. Incidentally thisbunker tonnage is not included in the tonnage figures whichmade the Port of Houston the second seaport of the nation in1948, based on tonnage figures released by the federal gov-ernment. Nevertheless this bunker business was certainly valu-able for the port and for its ships.
In summary, think it over! The six railroads serving thePort of Houston with two port terminal railway systems, withefficient wharves and bunkering facilities, with ships plyingto all ports of the world, where can you do better than
SHIP THROUGH THE PORT OF HOUSTON!
20 HOUSTON PORT BOOK FOR MAY, 1950