LOS ANGELES and NEW ORLEANS the Friendly Southern Pacific
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
SP’s ALL-NEW STREAMLINED DE LUXE BedronJl~s en suite on SV’s .~’w SUNSET LIMITED . most spacious o/ all tra~eling accommoda/ions. HOUSTON TO LOSANGELES and NEWORLEANS AUDUBONDINING ROOM, beauti- fully decorated . completely Never before such a luxurious way to go east or west! SP’s equipped for sumptuous dining. all-new, streamlined Sunset Limited is a train of outstanding beauty, combining gracious and pleasing design with the finest in travel comforts and conveniences. All-room sleeping cars offer complete privacy in bedrooms en suite, bedrooms, and roomettes. Reclining chair car seats, with their individual leg rests, afford roomy comfort at low cost. In addition, you’ll enjoy the best in hospitality and service in the swank "French Quarter Lounge," "Pride of Texas Coffee Shop-Lounge," and "Audubon Dining Room" . feature cars especially designed "PRIDE OF TEXAS" COFFEE SHOP- for Southern Pacific’s scenic Sunset Route. LOUNGE,dining, lounging facilities Proudly, Southern Pacific invites you to ride its new Sunset for all passengers. Limited. It’s extra fine . extra fast . with moderate extra fare. 35 hours, Houston to Los Angeles; 7 hours, Houston to New Orleans. The friendly Southern Pacific City Ticket Office--913 Texas Ave., Grand Central Station--431 Franklin Ave., Phone CApitol 1121 Ample Parking Space at Grand Central Station as a convenience in purchasing transportation. HOUSTONPORTBOOK FOR OCTOBER, 1950 21 In August 1950, the Port of Houston completed its 35th ships passing through the Canal, yet it is well knownthat one of year as a deep sea port. It was on August 19, 1915 that the the prime reasons for the construction of the Canal was so our SATILLAmade the first regularly scheduled deep-sea sailing Navy could move quickly from the Atlantic to the Pacific or down the Houston Ship Channel, bound for Philadelphia with vice versa. National Defense should share in the costs of the general cargo. Canal. Five years later, in 1920, the commerce of the Port of A revision of the policy on tolls is being considered in Houston amounted to only a million tons; yet in 1948 it reached Washington by both the Senate Armed Services Committee and a peak of over 39 million tons, dropping slightly in 1949, as a House Subcommittee. Either H. R. 8677 or S. 3649 which in most ports that year, making Houston second only to the have been introduced in Congress will, if enacted, provide some Port of New York in total tonnage as a deep-sea port. Remem- measure of relief. The Port of Houston has gone on record ber, too, that the Port of New York comprises many smaller as strongly approving this revision of the Government’s policy ports all within 25 miles of the Battery at the foot of Man- on Panama Canal tolls. hattan Island. Port Newark, Bayonne, Weehawken, Hoboken, FEDERALCLAIMS TO PORTS etc., over on the Jersey side, are all included in the Port of NewYork’s statistics. Whowill estimate what our tonnage will All the seaports are justifiably alarmed over a statement be in 1965 when the Port of Houston reaches 50 years of age? from Washington that the final claims of the Federal Govern- We all know that much of the commerce of the Port of ment will be not only to the marginal seas (erroneously called Houston has been "wet" cargo; that too little of it has been ’~Tidelands") but also to the bays and harbors. Such an invasion import; and that much of the traffic to the great hinterland of state and local rights would have. appeared impossible only behind the Port of Houston has come through other ports, es- a few years ago. Today it is a definite danger. Howwould you pecially New York, when it could have been better shipped like to see your port enmeshed in a maze of Federal regulations? direct to the Port of Houston and moved thence by rail or How many weeks (or months) would it take, under such cir- cumstances, to have a simple change in Port Tariff approved truck to the interior, or vice versa. and promulgated? All the Ports should join now in a vigorous The Port of Houston is proud of being No. 1 Oil Port of fight to see that jurisdiction over them does not become in- the World. Few realize that the percentage of oil and oil pro- volved in the Federal grab for the States’ rich oil deposits. ducts ("wet" cargo) through the Por~ has decreased from Jurisdiction over our seaports would be a bigger prize for Fed- to 95 per cent in the ~’thirties" to around 74 per cent today. eral bureaucracy to grab than even the oil deposits. Wake up, Houston is no longer just an Oil Port. Cotton, grain, lumber, Seaports! and many chemical products go towards making up the other 26 per cent, and these are on the increase. Moreover this "wet" THE KOREAN WAR cargo does mean much to the industries of this community since Less than five years since VJ day of World War II we are 95 per cent of it is processed in some form or other in the Great- again embroiled in a war--not just a police action. Howour er Houston area. Only about five per cent moves out of the nation handles this Korean War may well determine whether we Port in the crude state. In other words, these manufactured oil will be plunged ahead into another World War. The Port of products mean a great deal of employment in the refineries as Houston stands ready to give efficient shipping service today well as money to the community in the crew wages and ship or tomorrow whether connected with the war or with our civil supplies o~ the many incoming and outgoing tankers. "Wet" effort. SHIP VIA THE PORT OF HOUSTON! cargo means business to the community even though it is more "bulk" than general cargo. PANAMACANAL TOLLS For more than two years the question of reducing Panama Canal tolls for commercial shipping has been under discussion in Washington. In the past, tolls have been expected to cover interest on the entire capital investment in the Panama Canal as well as its operating expenses. The Navypays no tolls for its HOUSTONPORT BOOKFOR OCTOBER,1950 22 RT Official Publication o[ the Harris CountyHouston Ship ChannelNavigation District Volume 28 Number2 FOREWORD: OCTOBER,1950 THE HOUSTON PORT BOOK is pub- Port Manager’s Page lished in April and October of each ................................................... 22 Directory of Port Officials ........................................... year under contract and authority of 24 World Trade Is a 2-WayStreet the Navigation and Canal Commission By Sydnor Oden ........................................................ 25 and through the cooperation of the ship- The Port Commission....................................................... 26 ping and industrial interests of Houston. Houston Should be Port of Embarkation ....................................... 27 As the official magazine of the Harris The Chief ............................................................... 28 County Navigation District, this publica- Man-of-War in Mufti ..................................................... 29 tion is intended to carry authoritative CAPT. CROTTY.......................................................... 30 descriptions, notices and articles in re- Ethyl Corporation Plant Underway........................................... 32 gard to the activities of the port and the Industrial Mapof the Port Area ............................................. 34 port development. However, the Com- CompleteFacilities Serve World Traders ...................................... 35 missioners cannot be responsible in all Administration of the Port ................................................... 38 respects for the contents thereof, or for CustomCollections Up ...................................................... 39 the opinions of writers to whom expres- Propeller Club Notes ...................................................... 41 sion is given. Description of the Port ...................................................... 42 The publication is distributed free to Lykes Liners in Naval Reserve ................................................ 42 maritime, transportation and industrial AmongPort Visitors ......................................................... 44 interests in the United States and foreign Wharvesand Terminal Facilities ............................................ 46 countries. Its purpose is to inform ship- Upper Channel Map ..................................................... 48 pers and others interested in the Port of NewA. O. Smith Pipe Mill in Production ...................................... 49 Houston of its development, charges and Shipping Services ......................................................... other matters of interest, and inquiries SO It SeemsLike Only Yesterday -- Remember?................................... will at all times be welcome. 54 Charges for Vessels ........................................................ Additional copies of this publication 55 Maritime Interests & Foreign Consulates ....................................... may be had upon application to the 58 General Manager, P. O. Box 9187, Hous- Freight Forwarders & Brokers .................................................. 60 ton 11, Texas, or: Kollcer Chemical Building Plant Here ....................................... 61 Houston Chamberof Commerce.............................................. 62 DOW WYNN, Private Terminal & Industrial Facilities ....................................... 63 Editor Index to Advertisers .................................................... P. o. BOX9187, 68 HOUSTON 11, TEXAS PHONE WE-6661 THE COVER LEE M. WEBB, Chile’s amiable President Gabriel