PORT BOOK Vol

PORT BOOK Vol. V. No 2 NOVEMBER, 1927

The U. S. S. Cruiser "HousToN," now under ~onstru~t.:o, for the United Shth’s Navy, will be built along the lines of the above ship and will be read7 for scrlicc ~d~ont 1930. This crlliser is named for the Ci/y of Hoztslon and is [,c,ing con~!ruc/,,I a/ a cos/ of approxMlately $17,000,000.00.

Published twice annually, in May and Nozember, by authority of /he Navigation and Ca- nal Commission. Additional copies may be obtained b), addre.~ong the Director of the Port, Courthouse, Houston, Texas. TEXAS HEADQUARTERS FOl~

M S P R .... p 1 L 1 N E E S

SHIPS FROM THE SEVEN SEAS

Steamers Sading Ships Coasters Tugs Yachts Trawlers Speed Boats Barges Dredges

They all know that their supplies and repairs can be had in PORT HOUSTON. A fleet of fast trucks is always ready to deliver their needs to any point on the channel from PEDEN’S.

EVERY PORT NEEDS A SUPPLY HOUSE

We make it our Business to give HOUSTONShippers the best to be had in Service, S:oeks and Quality Merchandise.

PEDENIRON & STEEL CO. Largest Supply House in Southwest MARINE DEPARTMENTON SHIP CHANNEL HOUSTON SAN ANTONIO November 1927 HOUSTON PORT AND CITY 1

THE HOUSTON PIPE LINE CO. WHOLESALERSOF NATURAL GAS / The 650 mile natural gas system of the Houston Pipe Line Company is proving to be of inestimable value to all other industries of south Texas either directly or indirectly. In Houston alone the saving J ~.~ to domestic consumers is around $500,000 J ~" annually and double as much to indus- ~ ~ tries, yet as an industrial undertak- //~-’\~-~ ing this company has broken ~ allotherrecords. /N.__~ ~ Together with the -~ ~ Houston Natural Gas \ ; Company these ~ ~l -~~ two ccmpanies 1~, a v e ex- 0~ pended more millions of dollars in developing a modern physical plant and have secured more millions of business annually than any other Houston or south Texas industry in so short a time.

The first joint of pipe was laid two and a half years ago and delivery of gas commenced just a little more than two years ago. Consumers now use around 90,000,000 feet daily and the 150 miles of lines now under construction will permit increase to 130,000,000 daily.

HOUSTON NATURAL GAS COMPANY Distributors of Natural Gas in Houston and Other Townsand Cities Petroleum Building HOUSTON, TEXAS Phone: Preston 1656 2 HOUSTON PORT AND CITY November 1927 November 1927 HOUSTONPORT AND CITY 3

Southern States Line LYKES LINE Texas Star Line To West Indies Three sailings monthly from Houston, Galveston Regular Liner Service--Houston, Galveston and and Sabine Ports to Porto Rico, Haiti and Santo other Texas ports to French, Belgian, German, Domingo. Holland, Baltic and Scandanavian ports.

LYKESBROS.-RIPLEY S. S. CO., Inc. LYKESBROS. S. S. CO., Inc. AGENTS AGENTS Cotton Exchange Building Cotton Exchange Building

HOUSTON, TEXAS HOUSTON, TEXAS

American Pioneer Line ISTHMIANLINE (Gulf Division) (Norton, Lilly & Co., Inc.) Regular Liner Service to Regular Liner Service to Japan, China, Hawaii and Phillippines JAPAN AND CHINA GULF-WEST MEDITERRANEAN LINE Regular Liner Service to Spain, North Africa and Portugal DANIEL RIPLEY& CO., Inc. TAMPAINTER-OCEAN S. S. CO., Inc. AGENTS AGENTS Cotton Exchange Building Cotton Exchange Building HOUSTON, TEXAS HOUSTON, TEXAS

LYKESBROS.-RIPLEY S. S. CO., Inc. LYKESBROS. S. S. CO., Inc. DANIELRIPLEY & CO. Inc. TAMPAINTER-OCEAN S. S. CO.,.Inc. Cotton Exchange Building Houston, Texas 4 HOUSTON PORT AND CITY November 1927

INTEPJOP. LINEEXCAVATIN(i30 FT, ETATIOI’IEQUIPPED WITH 20-160 H,P. blATUP.ALGAS BblGIHBS.

TEP~t~INUS OF HOUgTON PIPE LINEDETAILING INTEP~IOP. OF-, STATION ]00 PT INSIDECITY LI/~ITS’. November 1927 HOUSTON PORT AND CITY J

At Your Service

HIS BOOK"Houston Port & City" the official publication of the T Houston Port Commission, was executed and printed in our plant. We are proud of the privilege and honor bestowed upon us by the Houston Port Commission in giving into our care the responsibilities of producing their official publication.

At Your Sevvice SUGAR LAND PRINTING COMPANY SUGAR LAND, TEXAS

!Marine Repairs--

FLOATING EQUIPMENT--LATEST TYPE ENABLES US TO GIVE INSTANT SERVICE

FOUNDERS AND BLACKSMITHS, MARINE ENGINEERS-- GENERAL MACHINISTS

STEAM, GASOLINE AND OIL ENGINES REBUILT AND REPAIRED

ELECTRIC AND OXY-ACETYLENE WELDING, GEAR CUTTING, CYLINDER REBORING, ETC. ¢

BOILER AND PLATE WORK, TANK CLEANING AND BOILER SCALING ¢ Wayside 4554 Wayside 2777 , HARRISBURG~ MACHINE SHOP, INC. LONESTAR PLATE & BOILERWORKS, INC.’ ON THE SHIP CHANNEL J 6 HOUSTON PORT AND CITY November 1927 November 1927 HOUSTON PORT AND CITY 7

j Brammer & Wilder # GENERAL CONTRACTORS

308 Stewart Building Phone Preston 6137 Houston, Texas

THE TRADE MARK # OF ¢ # BANKINGSERVICE j In industry and commerce J trade marks have long , been used to identify ,a particular product. ’ Many trade marks are To Serve You~ valued at millions be- ’ cause of the good will they represent. j AS A SHIPPERI Above is the trade mark of~ # 9 ’ the South Texas Com- mercial. It is the sym- Fast, DependableFreight Service bol of .a financial ser- , vice distinguished b.y its dependability. This , "Katy Flyer Freight , mark has earned the confidence of the peo-~ ple. It is our pledge of service. AS A PASSENGER! ’ SOUTH , ¢ ¢ ,¢ TEXAS ,¢ ’ ’ COMMERCIAL ii The 11 o’Cloc~ Katv , NATICNAL ’ AlamoSpecial ’ BANK ’ ,# Houston, Texas ’ HOUSTON, TEXAS

H. L. BROWNE, A. W. HERR Ass’t Gen. Freight Agt. Division Passenger Agt. CAPITAL$1,500,000.00 ’ SURPLUS $750,000.00 _( 8 HOUSTON PORT AND CITY November 1927 November 1927 HOUSTON PORT AND CITY 9

The Industrial Growth of Houston~

AS BEENgreatly dependent on the Large Oil Companieswho have H headquarters here and on the abundantsupply of Natural Gas. These two Natural Resourcesare very essential to the future developmentand expansion of the HoustonShip ChannelIndustries.

Wehave been drilling Oil and Gas Wells for a good manyyears for many of the largest distributors in the countryand our service has been always par excellent. j. s. ABERCROMBIE& COMPANY OIL AND GAS WELL DRILLING CONTRACTORS 617 WESTBUILDING HOUSTON, TEXAS

Main Office and Plant "Hughes Tools" are used throughout the Rotary Oil Hughes Tool Company Fields of the World. HOUSTON, TEXAS

Service Plants: Los Angeles, Calif. Export Office OklahomaCity, Okla. New York City

\ \ 10 HOUSTON"PORT AND CITY November 1927

CAPTAIN EDWIN GOUDGE ALBERT E. GOUDGE

SHIPPERS COMPRESS E. Goudge Son COMPANY CONTRACTING STEVEDORES Surveyor to Bureau Veritas Houston, Texas Vice Consul Republic of Latvia

GALVESTON AND HOUSTON All work entrusted to our care will receive Plant at Hill Street Bridge prompt personal attention

Plant at Clinton Estimates Furnished

OFFICES: Total Capacity I00,000 Bales Galveston: 4 Marine Building. Phones 936, 1348

Houston: 422 Cotton Exchange Building Phone Preston 1321

tl .i ,i "NEWTEX LINE" NEW ENGLAND, NEW YORK & TEXAS INSURANCE STEAMSHIP CORPORATION OPERATES ALL LINES Class "A" All Steel Steamers between the Ports of New York, N. Y., Baltimore, Md., EXCEPT LIFE AND MARINE Brunswick, G a., and Houston, Texas. Regular Dependable Weekly Service with Direct HomeOffice Service in All Reduced Rates. Southeastern and South-Central States ,and California Rates on Application

Boost the Port of Houston CHRISTIE & HOBBY INCORPORATED SHIP "NEWTEX" INSURANCE MANAGERS The Economical Way 4’ GEO. R. CHRISTIE, President S. P. FLEMING,Asst. Gen. Mgr. Pr. 2380 1002-8 Washington Ave. Second National Bank Building HOUSTON, TEXAS Houston, Texas "Advertisln$3 Houston to the WoT, ld US N PORT and CITY OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE PORT COMMISSION HOUSTON, TEXAS

VOLUMEFIVE NOVEMBER1927 NUMBER Two

~,i~l~, J,,, i i,rlt~tl,,,,,ram.m,, ii, i llll~,, ,llll,,,,,L,, ,,, .,’ L"""’".l I,...," .""’ Ir,l"~ ,~"""’ I LLlII4,1111’" "’"m.m...,., ..,, ,,,,,,, ,,,,,,Jill,Ill JJ I,,,I I,,,,,,,m, rim..., ,,, ,,,, ,.m,..Emllllllllml,,m~l,i JJIJlJ,JiJlllr,rl,,Er~ ,i,,,,Frl,..,, ,,,., .,,,,....,,,..,,,,,,,.,,..~,,,,,,,,,i i,,, i,,,,,,,,, ,,, .,,ll,llllll,ll,,,,,,,,,,,,.i i i i, i i.,,.,~lllllll.l., i llll~l,llll~l,,,, ~.,,,,,r, Ill,,, ,. LI,,,, ,~ i FOREWORD Through the cooperation of the shipping and industrial interests of Houston, the Port Commission has been en- ab’ed to arrange for the publication of this book twice annually. Its purpose is to inform shippers and all others interested in the Port of Houston of its development, charges and other matters of interest, and inquiries will at all times be welcome. Address the Director of the Port, Court House, Houston, Texas.

~,~L, m...,,,, i i Ji i, i,,...,,, ,....Ji, i.., ,,,, u,..mllllllm,..,,,,,,,, ~liJIll,,,,, ...... mL,,,, I Illll,ll,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ..’ .’"’ ’"""’" 1.m, mm,,,~ L~*~IIIE~EIEIIiiit~IIIIlIIll’I’’’~’I~I~I~IJ1~I’IIIIIi’II’II’IIIIIIIIIII’’’’’’’’’’’’’~’’’ ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,.,, ~...... ,,~,m,, ,, m,,,,,.I II~LL~JIJJI,I,IIIIIllELrrIILI~II,~,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,~ It I I J I,,,,,,. ~I~I,,I,,,,,L,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, .,,,,,..,,,, ,, ,,11,,,,,I J,,-

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page Page Administration of the Port ...... 12 Exports and the Banker ...... 33 Directory of Port Officials ...... 12 Houston’s Foreign Trade ...... 39 Description of the Port ...... 14 The U. S. S. Houston ...... 43 Private Wharves ...... 16 The AmericanAssociation of Port Authorities ...... 43 Public Wharves : .... 16 Houston Chamber of Commerce ..... 45 Privately Owned Terminals and Industrial Facilities ...... 19 Why the Investment Banker __ 46 The Seamen’s Church Institute ...... 21 Commerce Through the Port of Houston ...... 47 The Upper Channel ...... 23 Table of Steamship Lines ...... 49 Houston as a Rail Center ...... 25 Table of Tanker Lines ...... 51 Bay Shore and Water Sports ...... 27 Rates, Rules and Regulations--Public Wharves _ _53 Houston--The City ...... 27 Pilotage ...... 67 The FamousSan Jacinto Battle Ground ...... 28 Tug Boat Tariff ...... 67 Oil Transportation Through the Ship Channel .... 31 Shifting Rates ...... 67 Cotton Facts About Houston . 31 Rates of Charges for Mooring and Unmooring ..... 70

HOUSTON PORT and CITY Published in May and November of each year, Sugar Land Printing Company, Publishers, by authority of the Navigation and Canal Commission. Additional copies of this publication may be had upon application to the Director of the Port, Courthouse, Houston, Texas, or to any of the advertisers. As the official magazine of the Houston Port Commissionthis publication carries authoritative notices and articles in regard to the activities of the Port Commission; in all respects the Commissoners cannot be responsible for the contents thereof or for the opinions of writers to which expression is given. 12 HOUSTONPORT AND CITY November 1927 DIRECTORYOF PORT OFFICIALS For the convenience of those wishing to communicate by telephone with various harbor interests the following directory is furnished:

Directorof the Port ...... B. C. Allin FRENCH: Mr. G. P. F. Jouine, Consul, Office: Courthouse...... Telephone Preston 4470 1117 WalkerAvenue ...... Fairfax 2573 Superintendentof Wharves...... H. J. Scott GUATEMALAN:Mr. T. L. Evans, Honorary Consul, Office: WharfNo. 1 ...... Telephone Wayside 3011 Chamberof CommerceBuilding ...... Preston 3080 SuperintendentGrain Elevator Dept ...... Geo. S. Colby Office: at Grain Elevator, Wharf 14, Telephone Wayside 2146 HAITIAN: Mr. T. L. Evans, Honorary Consul, Harbor Patrol Officer: L. A. McMillian, Chamber of CommerceBuilding ...... Preston 3080 78th & Avenue "B", ...... Phone Wayside 1608 HONDURAS:Mr. T. L. Evans, Honorary Consul, UNITED STATES CUSTOMS SERVICE Chamber of Commerce Building ...... Preston 3080 DeputyCollector ...... W. E. Baker MEXICAN:Mr. S. Barrera Guerra, Office: 3rd Floor Federal Bldg...... Telephone Fairfax 1876 Standard Printing Co. Bldg ...... Preston 2930 Harbor Office Wharf No. 1 ...... Telephone Wayside 3435 SPANISH: Mr. J. J. Bourrett, Vice Consul, Baytown Office: F. W. Leng ...... Baytown Cotton Exchange Building ...... Preston 0500 Shipping Commissioner ...... W. E. Baker Offiice: Federal Bldg ...... Telephone Fairfax 1876 OFFICIALS IN CHARGE OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PublicHealth Service ...... Dr. S. H. Moore OfficeKress Building ...... Telephone Fairfax 5232 HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL

MISCELLANEOUS LIEUT. COLONEL J. L. SCHLEY, Houston Pilots, Keystone Bldg ...... Telephone Preston 2799 Corps of Engineers, Galveston, District Engineer. Seamen’s Church Institute, 75th and Beaumont, Telephone Wayside 2295 MR. C. NELSON, U. S. Junior Engineer, in charge of field office, Houston, Tel. Wayside 1583. FOREIGN CONSULATES BRITISH: Mr. G. Rees Hughes, A Field Office and survey party is maintained on the channel Cotton Exchange Building ...... Preston 6950 to lay out and supervise all work. COLOMBIAN:Mr. T. L. Evans, Honorary Consul, Lighthouses, beacons, ranges and other aids to navigation are Chamber of Commerce Building ...... Preston 3080 established and maintained by the U. S. Lighthouse Department DOMINICAN: Mr. T. L. Evans, Vice-Consul, under the direction of E. S. Lamphier, Supt. Eighth District, New Chamber of CommerceBuilding ...... Preston 3080 Orleans, La. The Port of Houston ADMINISTRATION OF THE PORT HE Port of H~uston is operated by the Navigation and Canal Commission of five members, serving without pay, who are appoint- T ed two by the City and two by County Commissioners and the Chairman by the City and County Commissioners in joint session. These Port Commissioners serve for a period of two years, the terms expiring alternate years. Under this Board the affairs are handled by the Director of the Port. The Board controls the commercial activities of the Port and the construction and maintenance of the terminal facilities, and through co-operatlon with the Federal Government the construction and improvement of the waterway. The wharves and railroad facilities constructed and operated by the City of Houston in 1915 and 1918 were transferred under a lease agreement to the Port Commission on October 1st, 1922, for a period of 30 years, the City to be paid the net revenue after operation and maintenance charges were deducted from the gross receipts. All further construction will be under the direction of the Navi- gation District.

PORT COMMISSION R. S. Sterling, Chairman B.C. Allin, Director of the Port D. S. Cage, Vice Chairman Charles Crotty, Assistant R. J. Cummins H.H. Rose, Chief Clerk Ben Campbell H.J. Scott, Supt. Wharves W. T. Carter, Jr. Geo. S. Colby, Supt. Grain Elevator Dept. Thos. H. Ball, Counsel H. L. Washburn, Auditor

OFFICE~EIFTH FLOOR COURTHOUSE, HOUSTON, TEXAS

It is the intention that this book shall be issued twice annually, in Mayand November. Additional copies may be obtained by com- municating with the DIRECTOROF THE PORT, Courthouse, Houston, Texas. Novenzber 1927 HOUSTON PORT AND CITY 13

Air View of the Public Wharves and Grain Elevator 14 HOUSTONPORT AND CITY November 1927

DESCRIPTION OF THE PORT LOCATION early as 1825; this was later followed in the sixties and seventies The Port of Houston is located in Lat. 29° and 45’ North and by steam boat traffic; a line having been established at one time Long. 95 ° 17’ West. The entrance to the Gulf Port is through by Commodore Chas. Morgan between Houston and New York a tidal channel extending from the Gulf of Mexico through the using shallow draft side wheel steamers. However, this type of ves- jetties between Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula across Gal- sel was soon obsolete and as the condition of the stream wou!d not veston Bay, a distance of 25 miles, thence up the San Jacinto River permit the entry of deep draft ships, the traffic was limited to tugs and barges. Houston being a great concentration point for cotton through low lying marshes and shallow bays to Lyr~chburg a dis- kept a large fleet of barges busy conveying the cotton from the tance of 9 miles, then up the historic Buffalo Bayou passing the fa- mous San Jacinto Battleground to the Turning Basin at Houstoli, compresses and warehouses to shipside in Bo!ivar Roads and Gal- veston. a further distance of 16 miles, making a total distance of 50 miles from the Harbor to the Gulf. From Galveston Bay to the Turn- By the River and Harbor Act passed by Congress March 3rd, ing Basin the natural channel has been deepened, widened and 1899, a project for the construction of the Houston Ship Channel straightened and the banks from 8 to 30 feet in height offer splen- to depth of 25 feet was adopted and construction commenced a few years Tater. However, progress was rather slow and it was not did locations for industrial development with rail and water con-° until 1910 when the local interests proposed to share with the nection. Government half of the cost of the construction and completion ORIGINAL CONDITION of this 25 foot channel that serious and determined efforts were Galveston Bay has a natural depth of from 8 to 10 feet and made to complete it promptly. Congress then appropriated $1,250,- the San Jacinto River from Morgans Point to Lynchburg was 000.00 and the Navigation District comprising Harris County is- originally about 12 to 1~4 feet with a width of 400 to 800 feet; sued bonds to the same amount and contracts were let for the en- the shallow bays along this section are 2 to 6 feet, in depth and tire project. This 25 foot channel was completed to full depth and cover an area of about one mile on either side of the channel. The width on September 7, 1914. low isJands and peninsu!as are from 4 to 10 feet above the mean In 1919 this channel proved inadequate for the traffic de- low tide~ From Lynchburg to the Turning Basin, the Natural veloped and Congress approved the project on March 2nd of that stream had a depth of 8 to 16 feet and width of 200 to 400 feet year for deepening the entire channel to 30 feet and widening it with banks ranging from 6 to 40 feet in height. The harbor and to 250 feet across the bay and 150 feet from Morgans Point to turning basin is located at the east end of Houston a distance of the Turning Basin. The local interests were asked to contribute four miles in an airline from the Courthouse. The light draft ex- the sum of $1,365,000 00 toward the cost of the work, which was tension of the channel up the natural course of the Buffalo Bayou estimated at about $4,000,000. The 30 foot channel was completed extends from the harbor to the foot of Main Street with a depth of in September 1925. 8 to 10 feet and a width of 60 to 100 feet. EXAMINATION AND SURVEY PRESENT DEPTHS AND WIDTHS In the River and Harbor Act, approved March 4, 1927, pro- vision was made for "An exam:’nation and survey of the Houston The Ship Channel now has a uniform depth of thirty feet Ship Channel with a view of securing increased depth and w’dth." throughout its length, barring slight shoals that occur from In accordance with the above authorization a public hearing was time to time, which are promptly removed by Government dredges. hem Ju!y 14th by the United States District Engineer at which The width is 250 to 300 feet on the bottom from Bolivar time a request was made by the local interests for a usab!e depth Roads to Morgans Point, and 150 to 180 feet on the bottom from of at least 32 feet at mean low tide and an ultimate width of 500 Morgans Point to Turning Basin, all with side slopes of one foot feet across Galveston Bay and 250 feet thence to the Turning Ba- vertical to three feet horizontal. The Turning Basin has a diameter sin; for the extension of a 30 foot channel 100 to 150 feet in of 1100 feet, and depth of 30 feet. width two mi!es above the Turning Basin and the development of a branch channel up Simms Bayou from Clinton Island. This re- THE PORT quest for improvements, supported by statistics and detailed in- Terminal facilities, both public and private, have been located formation from the ship agents, pilots, shippers, merchants and en- at various points along the channel between the Turning Basin and gineers, is being considered, together with estimates of cost, by the Morgans Point, a distance of 25 miles, and the entire section is District Engineer and will be presented to Congress through the susceptib!e to development in a large degree for both shipping and Chief of Engineers and Secretary of War, and it is confidently ex- industrial purposes. The soil along the channel is composedof sand pected that Congress will approve a project for increasing the di- and clay, there being no rock to make construction work expen- mensions of the waterway. sive. The Port of Houston being situated within a few miles of FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT the Gulf of Mexico in a natural valley with a gradual slope to the north and west and at a point where the great transcontinental By an Act of the State Legislature approved by the Governor" railroad lines reach east and west across Texas and out to the Paci- on March 26, 1927 the State of Texas ceded to the Harris County fic Coast, and extending northward, westward and southwestward Houston Ship Channel Navigation District all the state owned in a fan shape to the great agricultural, live stock, mineral and oil islands and submerged lands under the shallow lakes and bays producing centers of the great southwest, is most admirably located lying between Morgans Point and San Jacinto Battle Ground, to- from a geographical point of view for a greater industrial center and gether with all rights of the State in the main channel and tribu- assemb~Angpoint for both raw and manufactured articles. tary streams, all for the purpose of development of commerce, the The climate is most salubrious, the temperature seldom rising State reserving all mineral and oil rights. above 90°, or below 30°--hence work of all kinds can be carried This Act makes available a total area of about 11,~’,)0 acres on through the entire year. of land and water suitable for development into a vast pubhc terminal, which fully utilized will provide berthing space for about fifteen hundred vessels with necessary sheds, warehouses and rail- CHANNEL CONSTRUCTION way connections. The use of the Houston Ship Channel as a waterway dates The Navigation District will develop this as rapidly as need- back to the early settlement of Texas, sail boats working their ed, or will execute long term leases to private parties for industrial way up the meandering tidewater stream of Buffalo Bayou as or terminal purposes. November 1927 HOUSTONPORT AND CITY 15

"-1

\ \ 16 HOUSTONPORT AND CITY November 1927

PUBLIC TERMINALS During the period 1922-24 four new concrete wharves were Shipside terminals were constructed at the Turning Basin and constructed on the north side of the Turning Basin with a total length of 2140 feet; in 1926 a public grain elevator, with a capac- Manchester by the City of Houston with the proceeds of a Three ity of 1,000,000 bushels was added to the facilities. Contract has Million Dollar bond issue, providing 3649 lineal feet of wharves just been awarded and construction is under way for Wharves and railway connection to trunk lines. No. 14 and No. 15 to provide two additional ship berths, and these The Navigation District, including all of Harris County, structures will be ready for service early in the new year. In addi- through an enabling act passed by the Texas State Legislature on tion to the wharf structures, several miles of railway yards and August 21, 1921, took over by lease all the City of Houston ter- switching tracks have been constructed to serve the growing com- minal facilities, and at once proceeded to enlarge them. merce of the Port.

PUBLIC WHARVES Covered Op.en Railroad Berthing Area Area Car MATERIAL WHARF Length Ft. Capacily Sq. Ft. Sq. Ft. Storage Wharf Shed No. 1 ...... 819 2 Vessels 62,875 26,750 83 Creosoted Pile Concrete No. 2 ...... 522 1 Vessel 53,500 23,190 55 Concrete Wood No. 3 ...... 799 2 Vessels 15,140 9,349 23 Concrete Wood No. 4 ...... 777 2 Vessels 60,827 27,841 73 Concrete Concrete No. 5 ...... 104 1 Vessel 4,514 8 Wood Nos. 7 and 8 ...... 800 2 Vessels 74,166 20,514 32 Wood Wood No. 10 ...... 600 1 Vessel ...... 118,000 109 Concrete Open No. 11 ...... 530 1 Vessel 66,660 29,160 65 Concrete Concrete No. 12, Two story ...... 530 1 Vessel 65,909 29,260 60 Concrete Concrete No. 13 ...... 480 1 Vessel 62,176 32,500 57 Concrete Concrete No. 14 ...... 443 1 Vessel ..... No Deck Concrete Pile Grain Berth No. 15, under construction ..... 497 1 Vessel 86,836 17,164 30 Concrete Steel ManchesterWharf ...... 500 1 Vessel 201,203 ...... 82 Concrete Concrete Distribution Warehouse...... Cotton Concentration shed_ _ 277,163 150 Wood

Totals ...... 7,401 17 Vessels 1,026,455 338,242 827

PRIVATE WHARVES Wharf Owned By Length Berthing Tex-Cuban Molasses Co. (Using Armour Wharf) Capacity Material of Wharf and Shed Armour Fertilizer Works ...... 150 Ft. 1 Vessel Creosoted timber fitted with hopper and conveyor Houston Compress Co ...... 2,325 Ft. for fertilizer, and pipe line for molasses. Ship Channel Compress Company ...... 800 Ft. 6 Vessels Concrete apron track: Cotton and general cargo Channel Fuel Company ...... 500 Ft. 2 Vessels Concrete: Cotton. American Maid Flour Mills ...... 1 Vessel Creosoted piling: Coal bunkering wharf. (Using Manchester Wharf) ...... 500Ft. 1 Vessel Grain loading berth for e~evator with four spout:, Carnegie Steel Co ...... 400 Ft. 1 Vessel Creosoted piling: Handling steel products. (Slip) 3 Vessels Concrete: General cargo. Southern Pacific Lines (Morgan Steampship Line) .... 1,250 Ft. 4 Vessels Concrete: Cotton and General Cargo. Manchester Terminal Corporation ...... 1,600 Ft. 1 Vessel Creosoted piling: Oil Wharf. Clarion Oil Company ...... 150 Ft. 3 Vessels Concrete and Creosoted piling: Oil pipe lines and Sinclair Refining Company ...... 1,400 Ft. case goods. Houston Lighting & Power Co ...... 150 Ft. 1 Vessel Creosoted piling: Oil wharf. Galena-Signal Oil Co ...... 300 Ft. 1 Vessel Creosoted piling: Oil wharf. Crown-Central Corporation ...... 300 Ft. 1 Vessel Creosoted piling: Oil wharf. American Petroleum Co ...... 150 Ft. 1 Vessel Creosoted piling: Oil wharf. Gulf Pipe Line Co ...... 200 Ft. 1 Vessel Creosoted piling: Oil wharf. Humble Oil & Refining Co ...... 1,400 Ft. 4 Vessels Concrete piling: Oil wharf.

TOTAL ...... 11,575 Ft. 32 Vessels.

BELT RAILROAD 2. Tracks behind the wharf sheds. The map shows the lower end of a large classification yard 3. Tracks behind the warehouse area which lies in the rear capable of holding 4,000 cars which is the clearing house of the of the wharves. Public Belt Railroad and the various lines serving Houston. The 4. Tracks serving the grain elevator. -t a unit of this yard has alread?" been constructed. From this A direct lead from the Classification Yard serves the wharf classification yard several lead tracks reach the water front to and shed tracks so that the only traffic using these tracks is wharf serve both sides of the channel as well as the new terminals. It business to and from the large Classification Yard. Springing from will be noted from the map that the new terminal in itself contains another part of the Classification Yard by another separate and four sets of track as follows: distinct set of leads are the tracks serving the warehouse area, the 1. Tracks on the apron at shipside. grain elevator and the Public Belt main line. From this it will be November 1927 HOUSTONPORT AND CITY 17

seen that no grain, warehouse, or main line traffic comes anywhere two Worthington centrifugal pumps with a capacity of 7,000 gal- near the tracks serving the wharves themselves. This probably lons of water per minute at 150 pounds pressure, which can be de- would not be of any consequence unless the terminal were fairly livered through 39 fire nozzles, including the deck and turret crowded, but at the times of movement of grain for export, there Monitor nozzles. The fire boat was built by the Bethlehem Ship- is a tendency to flood or congest port facilities, and in the ar- building Corporation on designs furnished by Cox & Stevens of New rangement as mentioned there can be no confliction, such as exist York, naval architects, at a cost, fully equipped of $314,000.00. in many ports and the terminal can run full speed both in the export of grain and cotton and with its other miscellaneous business, PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT without any additional switching or delay which many times is Private enterprise was quick to see the advantages of this new accordingly unavoidable. port and soon established industrial plants and wharves along the The construction of warehouses in the rear of public wharves, channel until there are now 50 or more located on it banks with the storage area thus being directly connected with ship berth by an estimated capital investment of over one hundred and twenty- mechanical means, results in the reduction of the terminal cost five million dollars and with a daily payroll of about seventy-two on merchandise stored at the port. The Port Commission has ac- thousand dollars. cordingly held a warehosue reserve back of the new wharves which will be available in connection with the second stories of In addition to the above there are 32 industries located on the light draft channel above the Turning Basin which have an esti- the wharves themselves for terminal warehousing, thus making it possible to reduce one of the items of cost which in some ports mated capital investment of over $20,000,000 and a daily pay roll of approximately $8,000.00. have assumed large proportions. In 1925 several sections of tracks were connected up and an Adequate electric power for the operation of the many industries located along the waterway and adjacent thereto is pro- extension of the railroad was made from Pasadena to Deepwater about one and one-half miles to reach barge repair yard and shell vided by the Houston Lighting & Power Company, which has just completed the second unit of their large generating plant on the unloading plant of Horton & Horton on Cotton Patch Bayou. Ship Channel, which now has a capacity of approximately 84,000 Early in 1927 three miles of main line track were constructed K. W. and has constructed transmission lines in all directions from from the Turning Basin down the north side of the channel to the Port, serving many of the surrounding towns and cities within the new Carnegie Steel Company storage and assembling plant, a radius of 100 miles. and there is now under construction some 4½ miles of additional The City and Port area is also provided with an ample supply side tracks in the Port Classification Yard. of natural gas, furnished by the Houston Gulf Gas Company and On July 1, 1924, there was put in operation the Port Termi- the Houston Natural Gas Company, whose present output in the nal Railroad Association which operates all the facilities of the industrial area is approximately 100,000,000 cubic feet per day and Public Belt Railroad, connecting with the main trunk lines enter- their capacity is approximately twice this amount. Arrangements ing the City and providing for a neutral switching organization are also being made to provide an additional supply of natural gas to handle all traffic to and from the Port Terminals and industries from the fields of northeast Texas and Louisiana. The Gulf-Dixie with equal dispatch and without discrimination to all of the 19 Pipe Line Companyis now constructing large pipe lines from the railroads reaching the City. This arrangement is proving a very Waskomfield to Houston, and to many other East Texas cities. satisfactory solution of the railroad and Port Terminal problem and with the extension of the Public Belt Railroad and this service PROVOSED AMENDMENTS along each side of the channel every industry is guaranteed the maximumof rail and water service. From funds derived from a bond issue of a million and a half dollars voted by the Navigation District on December 4th, 1926, GRAIN ELEVATOR Wharves Nos. 14 and 15 are being constructed, together with about 4½ miles of railway tracks in the Port Yard, and provisions One of the most important facilities of the Port is the new are being made for the widening of Wharf No. 10 and the con- Public Grain Elevator, completed in 1926, this plant being located struction of a reinforced concrete shed on Wharf No. 15. in the rear of Wharf No. 14 on the north side of the harbor, built Rights of way for further extensions of the Public Belt Rail- entirely of concrete and steel with a capacity of 1,000,000 bushels, road are being acquired so that it may be extended on both sides equipped with one Ottumwa automatic box car unloader and three of the channel as rapidly as the industrial development of the water- Webster power shovels for unloading from cars to storage hoppers, way requires. and equipped with two ship loading berths with a grain gallery fitted with four 42" loading belts enabling two vessels to be loaded at one time at the rate of approximately 100,000 bushels per hour. PUBLICLY OWNED WHARFAGE FACILITIES The American Maid Flour Mill operates another grain ele- The activities of the Port center around the harbors and vator with a total storage capacity of 1,000,000 bushels and is Turning Basin with its public’ owned wharves, railway and port enabled to load grain over the public wharf, located at Manchester handling equipment. These public facilities are supplemented by two miles below the Turning Basin proper. a number of privately owned wharves along the channel of which The weighing and inspection of all grain handled through the a description will be made later. The improvement of the harbor was entered into by the City of Houston in 1915 by the construc- Port of Houston is under the supervision of the Houston Mer- chants Exchange, providing for an impartial service and certified tion of several wharves, trainsit sheds and warehouses, these facilities being financed with the City bond issue of $3,000,000.00. weights. Wharf No. 1--This wharf has been extended 172 feet down- FIRE PROTECTION stream and is now 819 feet in length, constructed of creosoted The facilities of the Port are well protected by a splendid pile with wooden deck served by a concrete warehouse 100 by 425 system of fire mains and connections with the City of Houston feet in size, together with additional galvanized iron sheds contain- water supply, as well as auxiliary electric fire pumps, and the entire ing approximately 35,000 square feet. This wharf is equipped Port is patrolled by one of the latest Diesel electric fire boats, the with cotton seed cake grinding equipment on the east end, which "Port Houston." This vessel, constructed in 1926, is 125 feet long, is operated by the Texas Export & Import Company in handling 27 foot beam, 8y2 foot draft, equipped with two 500 H. P. Win- their large volume of export of cotton seed cake and products ton Diesel engines with an auxiliary unit of 165 H. P. driving through this Port.. Westinghouse motor generators, which in turn operate motors for Wharf No. 2--522 feet long, concrete construction, with 18 HOUSTONPORT AND CITY November 1927 transit shed 105x483 feet in size. One railroad track reaches the cross wall construction containing three shipside tracks and gantry ship side. This wharf is used for miscellaneous cargo. rail tracks with 118,000 square feet of open storage unlimited floor Wharf No. 3--799 feet long, concrete construction, for open load. storage and railroad connection. Two tracks reach the ship side. On Wharf No. 11.--530 feet long, concrete pile and cross wall the east end of this wharf there is a galvanized iron transit shed construction with concrete one story transit shed, roof with loading with approximately 15,140 square feet of storage area. of 300 pounds per square foot designed to be floor second story Wharf No. 4--777 feet long, concrete construction, with whenever conditions warrant construction. a concrete transit shed 662x100 feet in size. There are three in- Wharf No. 12.--Same description as Wharf No. 11. clined conveyors here from ship to shed. No railroad tracks reach During the year 1927 Wharf No. 12 has had its capacity in- the ship side, but behind the shed are five tracks spanned by a creased by the addition of a second story containing some 66,000 twenty ton electric traveling crane and two trucking bridges square feet, which has been equipped with a modern cotton seed connecting the transit shed with a concrete warehouse 600x400 cake grinding plant installed by the Maurice Pincoffs Company, feet in size, U shape, served with three railroad tracks between who will operate their cake exporting business from this wharf the wings and two on the east side. A large inclined traveling under lease for the next ten years. conveyor with a capacity of 100 tons per hour has been installed Wharf No. 13.---480 feet long, same description as Wharf No. to carry cargo from ship to warehouse in a continuous movement. 11. Fitted for grain loading berth. Portable conveyors and a sacking machine have also "been pro- Wharf No. 14.--(Under construction. Open wharf con- vided to facilitate the movementand placing of freight. This wharf structed of concrete, 500 feet in length, equipped with two rail- and warehouse are designed for general merchandise. road tracks on the apron to tracks in the rear of Wharves Nos. 13 Wharf No. 5.--104 feet long and 40 feet wide, but with ad- and 15. This berth is especially designed for the handling of grain, the grain gallery from the Elevator being constructed on this wharf ditional pile clusters, provides a berth for oil tankers to discharge and extending from the center of Wharf No. 14 to the upper end of cargo through large pipe lines into the tanks of the Houston Oil Wharf No. 13, providing a loading berth for two ships with nine Terminal Company, located on the top of the hill at southwest dock sprouts. Provisions are also made for extending the grain corner of the property, where it is distributed by other pipe lines gallery downstream over the lower half of No. 14 and No. 15 when to the bunkers and into railroad tank cars, for shipment. additional loading facilities are required. Bulk cargo, such as coal, Wharf No. 7 and 8.--120 feet wide, 800 feet long, creosoted ore, sulphur, fertilizer, phosphate, etc., can be handled over this pile construction with wood shed, fire wall in middle and along wharf to or from ships and cars. rear, transit shed 94x800 feet, supported in the rear by three Wharf No. 15.--(Under Construction). This wharf, of the cotton concentration sheds, 650 feet long and 120 feet wide, and same description as Wharf Nos. 11 and 12, is to be 460 feet in the two compresses of the Turning Basin Compress Company, length and provide an additional berthing space for the handling which provides storage for about 50,000 bales of cotton. of general cargo through a shed which will contain approximately Wharf No. 10.--600 feet long, concrete pile and concrete 66,000 square feet of area.

Houston Public Grain Elevator and Ship Loading Berth November 1927 HOUSTON PORT AND CITY 19

Index Map of the Houston Ship Channel

Manchester Wharf, located two miles below Turning Basin.- capacity of something like 35,000,000 barrels located adjacent to This wharf is of concrete, 500 feet long and 200 feet wide, with a the Ship Channel. Exceptionally convenient bunker facilities have steel transit shed 480x180, served by three tracks from the rear. been provided by the Houston Oil Terminal Co., at the Turning A belt carrier house for grain connects the wharf with the Ameri- Basin with approximately 128,000 barrels of fuel oil storage and can Maid Flour Mill plant, 600 feet in the rear of wharf, which pipe lines extending on to all the public wharveson the south side has a storage capacity of 1,000,000 bushels. and to the Houston Compress Companywharves, through which Main Street Wharf.--573 feet long, designed for barge and vessels can be furnished bunkers at the rate of 2,000 barrels per light draft traffic. Located on the upper channel, seven miles from hour, while taking on or discharging cargo. These lines have been the Turning Basin and deep water channel. extended to serve the newwharves on the north side of the channel. Bunker oil can also be obtained by private arrangements with BUNKERINGFACILITIES -- someof the oil refineries located further downthe channel. U.S. Houstonis essentially an oil port, being located in the midst of Shipping Board Vessels are bunkered under contract at Houston. all the coastal oil fields, with pipe lines radiating in all directions The Channel Fuel Companycarries a considerable stock of to the great producing fields of Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma, bunker coal on hand and is equipped to bunker ships at their with one pipe line extending to Wyoming,there being a storage wharves on the channel. Privately OwnedTerminal and Indu~rial Facilities

S SOONas Houston was assured of becoming a deep-water Terminal Co.) 85 acre Tank Farm and Refinery. Import and Ex- A port, private capital began to take an active interest in its port Oil Terminal. Canning and Casing Plant. Serving the interior developmentand to secure suitable locations along the chan- producers and refiners. Located on North Bank of Channel at nel for the establishment of industries where proper water and Houston. rail connection could be provided at least expense. These industries Tex-Cuban Molasses Co. Receiving shipload cargoes of mo- have now a capital investment of about One Hundred Twenty- lasses for distribution throughout the State. Pipe line over Ar- five Million Dollars, and employ about 12,000 men with a daily mour Wharf. payroll of approximately $72,000.00. During the year 1926 nearly Houston Poultry Feed and Fertilizer Company.Shell grind- twenty-five million dollars have been expendedor contracts let for ing plant. Barge landing. new plants, wharves, warehouses and additions to existing plants Armour Fertilizer Works. Manufacture of commercial fer- along the waterway. tilizer. Shipmentsof phosphate rock received by vessels. Sulphur These private plants nowhave 11,575 lineal feet of wharves, by carload from Texas mines. Ownwharf. sufficient to berth thirty-two vessels. The following is a summary Houston Compress Co. Long Reach plant just below basin. of the plants and their facilities, beginning at the TurningBasin. Three high density compresses, concrete wharf 2325 feet long, Houston Oil Terminal Co. Handling fuel and bunker oil, two story concrete sheds with storage for 200,000 bales of cot- using Public WharfNo. 3. Supplying vessels and railroads, and in- ton. Cargo of all kinds handled by this Company. dustries. Ship Channel Compress Co. (Alexander Sprunt & Son) Two W. D. Haden. Handling mud and shell from barges for high density compresses, two story brick and concrete storage road, street and railroad work. Using upper end of Wharf No. 5. warehouses, with capacity of 60,000 bales. Wharf 800 feet long. Turning Basin Compress Co. Twohigh density compresses, Magnolia Compress & Warehouse Co. Two high density storage, classing and shipping. Workingover Wharves7 and 8. compresses, large brick and cement warehouses, capacity 100,000 Houston Terminal Refining Co. (Subsidiary Houston Oil bales, Barge wharf about 1,300 feet long. 20 HOUSTONPORT AND CITY November 1927

W. D. Haden. Location No. 2, shell handling plant mouth The Texas Co. Location No. 2 Oil storage tank farm. Wharf. of Brays Bayou. Shell for road and street work. Galena Signal Oil Co. Refining and shipment crude and re- Horton and Horton. Shell unloading rig in Brays Bayou at fined oils. Pipe line connections to large fields. 400 foot wharf. Southern Pacific Bridge. Crown Oil & Refining Co. (Crown-Central Corporation.) Harrisburg Lumber Co. Saw mill. Logs received by raft and Oil refining and shipping by vessel. Wharf 400 feet. barge. Horton & Horton. Slip, wharves, shell unloading rig, marine The Texas Company. Oil and gasoline supply station for ways and repair yard. small craft. American Petroleum Co. (Tank farm and storage.) Shipment of crude oils. Wharf 150 feet. The Humble Oil & Refining Co. Oil station for small craft and vehicles. Gulf Pipe Line Co. Oil storage and mixing plant. Shipment by vessel and pipe line. Wharf 400 feet. Peden Iron & Steel Co. Ship chandlery and vessel supplies. Humble Oil & Refining Co. Refinery at Baytown. Refining B. H. Elliott Ship Building Co. Marine ways and ship re- and shipment of crude and refined oils. Two concrete wharves 600 pair yard. Tugs and barges built and repaired. and 400 feet long, barge wharf 250 feet. Harrisburg Machine & Foundry Co. All kinds of ship and Sun Oil Co. Oil storage, pipe line and barge wharf. machine repairs. ]g. F. Simms Co. Tank farm and storage, barge and pipe line Gulf Refining Co. Oil and gasoline supply station for small shipments. craft. La Porte Oil & Refining Co. Refiners. Barge wharf. Tex-Chemical Co. Large chemical plant manufacturing sul- Pay-Tex Oil & Refining Co., Refiners. Barge wharf. phuric acid, bone carbon, fertilizer, etc. The Texas Company. Location No. 3 Oil and gasoline sup- Deepwater Oil Refineries. Refiners of coastal and midconti- ply station small craft. Morgans Point. nent oils, turning out high grade lubricants. Ownbarge wharf. The Goose Creek oil field is located on the banks of the chan- Magnolia Petroleum Co. Crude oil storage and supply station. nel just above Morgans Point where several hundred derricks can Own barge wharf. be seen. This field has a daily production of approximately 20,000 Texas Portland Cement Co. Large plant manufacturing high barrels. grade Portland cement from oyster shell and clay. Capacity 3,300 Other companies having large tank farms and storage facili- barrels per day, operating three kilns. Barge and ship wharf. ties on the channel are: Channel Fuel Co. Coal storage and supplying bunkers to ves- The Texas Company. sels, distribution throughout State. Storage 20,000 tons, loads vessels 150 tons per hour. Use own wharf on City property. Magnolia Petroleum Co. American Maid Flour Mills. Flour mill and grain elevator. American Petroleum Company. 1,000,000 bushels capacity. Carrier house to Manchester Public Clarion Oil Company. wharf, loading capacity 20,000 bushels per hour. Rio Bravo Oil Company. Humble Oil & Refining Co. Fuel, oil, gasoline and kerosene Houston Oil Terminal Company. distributing station and storage tanks. Small craft wharf. Carnegie Steel Co. Wharf, Warehouse and Assembling plant UPI~ER CHANNEL INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT under construction. In addition to the industries established along the main channel Rio Bravo Oil Co. Oil storage and railroad supply tankage. there are a number located upon the light draft channel between Southern Pacific Lines--(Morgan Line.) New steamship ter- the harbor and the center of the city and having their own wharves minal at Clinton. First unit to berth six vessels. Coastwise ship- and cargo handling facilities. Amongthem the following are noted: ment of cotton and general merchandise. The Houston Packing Company. Sudermann & Young. Shell unloading rig, Morgan Line Merchants and Planters Oil Mill. Wharf. Shell for roads and railroad ballast. Standard Cotton Compress. Clinton Compress Co. Cotton compress and storage. Ca- Prichard Rice Mill. pacity 30,000 bales. Barge wharf at present. Shippers Compress Co. Irvins Ice Plant. Manchester Terminal Corporation. Cotton compresses. Con- The Texas Company (Location No. 4.) crete wharves and storage warehouses for 250,000 bales of cotton. Wolf Cotton Warehouse Co. Berths for 4 ships and general cargo handled. Central Lumber Company. Clinton Ship Yards. Marine Ways 500 tons. Repair and build- Crystal Ice Factory. ing of tugs, barges and small craft. American Chemical Company. W. D. Haden. Marine Ways for barge and small craft re- Houston Terminal Warehouse & Cold Storage Plant. pairs in Simms Bayou near Public Belt Railroad Bridge. C. R. Cummins Lumber Co. W. D. Haden. Shell unloading rig and side tracks in Simms B. A. Reisner, Structural Steel. Bayou near Public Belt Railroad bridge. tIouston Lighting & Power Company. Clarion Oil Co. Storage and shipment of crude oils. Ship Houston and Texas Central, Warehouse. wharf. Houston Gas & Fuel Company. Keen & Woolf Refining Co. Refiners of coastal oils. Horton & Horton. W. L. Jones Shipyard. Sinclair Refining Co. Refiners and shippers of crude and re- G. C. Griffin Sand & Shell Company. fined oils. Wharf 1400 feet long, pipe line connection to all mid- W. L. Jones. west fields. Ship Channel Boat Line. Houston Lighting & Power Co. Electric power plant, first Ship Channel Boat Line (General Freighting over Public unit 40,000 K. W. Second unit 25,000 K. W. under construction, Wharves.) ultimate capacity 200,000 K. W. Ample power for city and indus- Trinity Portland Cement Plant. trial use. Wharf. H. C. Schumacher Co., Grocery Warehouse.