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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 20, 1921)
THE MORNING OREGONIAN, THURSDAY. OCTOBER 20, 1921 GALVESTON E Tremendous Volume of Busi ness Flows Ovfir Wharves. GRAIN, OIL BEING SHIPPED Although Cotton Has Made Port Famous, Texas City Now Is Talking Other Lines. BV HICHARD SPILLANE. (Copyright, lit!' I, by the Philadelphia Pub lie Lertner. Publlvhed by ArranRement. 1 GALVESTON. Tex., Oct. 19. (Spe cial.) Considering Its else, Galveston Is one of the moat remarkable cities of the world. In population ft has only 40,000 or 45,000. yet over its wharves and piers there flows a tre mendous volume of commerce. In the last fiscal year, this aggregated $550, (133.922 in exports and $26,666,409 of Imports, or a total of about $13,000 for every man, woman and child In the city. Its province has widened greatly. Once It boasted only of being the world's greatest cotton port. It still retains that position, but now It asks consideration as the world's greatest Train port, and it . hopes to be the greatest oil port, too. There never was and probably there never will be much of a general Industrial es tablishment in Galveston. Physical conditions do not warrant it. The city is at the eastern end of Galveston Island a sand spit two miles off the mainland. Kquinoctial storms have done serious damage several times, particularly in 1900, .but the raising of the city level, together with the building- of a seawall, are believed to have put It beyond danger in that regard. Inland Lone and Narrow. The Island is long and narrow. From the eastern end and also from Bolivar point the government has built Jetties five miles out into the gulf. The tide has scoured out the bar that once Impeded shipping and now the deepest draft vessels of the world can enter at low tide. To the north of GalveBton is a broad bay, with plenty of deu water, and Im mediately opposite and close to Gal veston in this bay la Pelican Island, once a marsh but now filled to a fair height. On Pelican Island ship repair yards, storage warehouses and other port adjuncts have sprouted in number. For several miles along the bay front Galveston is lined with great piers and wharves, grain eleva tors, coal elevators, mammoth' oil stations and refineries, cotton com presses, etc. There Is a great amount of mechanical freight handling equip ment. Some of the piers and wharves are double decked. In few ports is freight handled more expeditiously and economically. Practically all the switching operations are under the control of the Galveston Wharf com pany, which controls nearly all the water frontage except that used by the Southern Pacific railroad and the government. There hardly Is another port In the world where a vessel can get such quick dispatch as at Galveston. With in an hour or so of leaving her berth she can be out In the gulf. This fact, together with the nearness of Gal veston to -the great cotton growing area of the southwest and to the grain belt west of the Mississippi gives advantages to the port that weigh largely in bulk movement. Strnmxhlp Lines Many. Nearly 50 steamship lines have regular sailings to and from Gal veston and eight oil companies have tankers in service bringing oil from Mexico, or taking out oil that has come to Galveston from the many oil fields of the Lone Star state. Cotton exports depend wholly on the Blxe of the Texas and Oklahoma crops. In one year the port handled more than 4.000.000 bales, which would mean one-quarter of the larg est crop ever grown in this country. As a general thing from 26 to 30 per cent of the total American crop goes via Galveston, principally to Europe. Last year Galveston handled 86. 832.162 bushels of grain for export with Texas City, her sub-port in cluded In the calculation. This year that total has been exceeded by 11, 000.000 bushels or more. The youngest child or the younger children are always the handsomest. That explains perhaps why Galveston talks most of grain and oil, and her newer exports and Imports and not so much of cotton, which probably brings more revenue to her directly and ln rectly and which oozes money in every process and at every stage of Its mar keting. All the ports along the gulf have a share in the oil trade. Trobably that is because the fields in the south west and particularly In the western gulf area are so many. Galveston gets its full share. She also shares in the sulphur shipments from the lower Brazos country, the lumber cut of the Neches and Sabine and Red river val leys, while there also is a growing import business, principally of sugarJ from Cuba, coffee from tfrazu ana Central America, print paper from Germany, sisal from Yucatan, ramie from the Philippines, etc. Coastwise commerce is large, most of it being handled by the Mallory and Morgan lines. This amounts to some millions of torts a year. Decline lilts Port. The decline In ocean traffic has af fected Galveston, as It has other rorts, but there are signs of improvement. Whether it is due to the cotton move ment, or the grain exports, or better ment In other lines, is not plain, but new agencies for shipping concerns are being established and there Is a general air of optimism. One bad feature in connection with the port is the labor situation. For many years the line of cleavage be tween the blacks and the whites was wide. A few shipping concerns em ployed negroes and the others whites. The negroes worked for less wages than the whites. There was little or no strife between them. A man of considerable ability came down from the north and Interested himself in the labor question. He sue ceeded not only In getting the blacks and whites to Join forces in union labor matters, but politically, and be fore the contented gentlemen who had been directing the municipal affairs of the city appreciated what he was doing he built up a local Tammany snrt had a labor government Installed. There were some bitter strikes and for a time the city was under martial law. Incidentally, some of the high heads among the old guard staid clt Ixens of high reputation talked too much. ome of them wanted the agi tator run out of town. The agitator promptly showed them up as tax dodgers of long standing and they couldn't disprove his statements. Mark l Overshot. In this the nev. nier did well, but ; other respects he overshot the mark. The negro labor leaders are said to dominate in the councils of Galveston s labor and to have made themselves so offensive as to estrange COMMERCIAL SCOP the whites. If there has not been an absolute break, the prospects are that It will come soon, and there are pre dictions that 'w ith It there will be a physical clash between the two labor elements. Incidentally, it Is predicted that the present is the last labor gov ernment Galveston Is likely to have for a long time if the sober, sensible citizens see to it that they vote on election day, and not forget it has been the custom of a great many of them. General business Is good in Galves ton. The city has not the great in ternational trade it commanded in the days when Galveston financed the Texas cotton crop, but It has a share of it. Also It still has a tremendous banking power in the southwest. Once the city ranked as seventh in wealth per capita in the United States. It is not so. high in the list today, but It has many millionaires. Labor is back on the job now, pend ing arbitration of the wage question. As in other centers, labor seems re luctant to accept lbwer pa.v. but those who are best informed say It will have to bear its share of readjust ment in Galveston or there will be no work for it to do. Incidentally, the labor government is making a farce of the prohibition law. 1825 PLANS DISCUSSED MOST SPEAKERS AT CUB FAVOR EXPOSITION. State's Overhead Burden to Be Lightened by Greater Popula tion, Says Truman Butler. HOOD RIVER, Or., Oct. 19. (Spe cial.) With Truman Butler, member of the state executive committee in charge of bringing to maturity final plans for the proposed ls5 exposi tion, the Tuesday launch club yester day devoted the full time of the meet, ing to the fair. Except for two speakers. S. J. Moore, cashier of the First National bank, and Kev. W. H. Boddy, pastor of Riverside community church, re sponses were in favor of the exposi tion. Mr. Moore stated that he felt that the trend of immigration was west ward and that Oregon will eventually get a great increase in population without the fair. He stated that he wes strongly influenced by the oppo sition of many prominent Portland men who were heavy taxpayers, and declared that he had not yet been thoroughly convinced of the need of the exposition. Mr. Boddy's expression was in no wise an opposition. He merely asked If it had been the experience of states, where great expositions had been held, to show an early resultant In crease in population. He said he felt that the proponents should show that good results were obtained. Mr. Buller likened Oregon to a manufacturing plant which has a cer tain fixed overhead expense. He stat ed that this overhead had reached a point of crisis, and that those pro posing the fair felt that the only hope would be to increase production by increasing population. With an area greater than seven principal eastern states, he said, Oregon has fewer people than the city of Cleve land. Others who spoke on the fair were f. H. Vaughan, Judge Glnnville, Dr. K. D. Kanaga and Leslie Butler. Herder Barely Escapes in Fight With Two Bears. Second Animal Makes Kuan After the First Is Wounded and Man Flees. GOLDENDALE, Wash., Oct. 19. Fighting bear was a side line that camp tenders and herders with flocks of range sheep in the high mountains during the last summer had to take up, according to William Holdaway, packer in charge of a band of sheep belonging to Fred Billington of Sun nyside. Wash., that were summered in the Nlggerhead range, near the head of Lewis river and in the wild country in the divide between Mount Adams and Mount Rainir. While passing through Goldendale yesterday with his flock on the way to winter quarters Mr. Holdaway related a des perate encounter he had with two bears Inst summer. Mr. Holdaway said that one even ing he noticed that the sheep In the band on the side farthest from the comp were moving around. Suspect ing that some animal was bothering the band, he picked up his rifle and sauntered over to Investigate. As he neared that point he stepped upon a large rock to look around and was confronted by a large black bear that had been hidden on the other side of the boulder. Firing point blank, he shot the bear through the Jaw, but did not inflict a mortal wound. The wounded animal started to climb up the rock after him. Just aa Hold away was preparing to fire again a loud growl behind him announced that another large cinnamon bear was making a dash out of the brush and toward the boulder upon which he was standing. While his attention was attracted by the second bear the first had climbed up the rock and Holdaway turned around Just in time to dodge a blow from a paw of the enraged beast. He then Jumped off the rock and made a dash for camp to get the assistance of his herder. When they went back both animals had disappeared. The following day they tracked the wounded bear and killed the animal, but the cinnamon bear could not be found. BABY JglVES FIRE ALARM Mother Awakened in Time to Save Children From Flames. ECHO. Or., Oct. 19. (Special.) Awakened by the crying of her baby to find the room a veritable inferno of darting tongues of fire was the experience of Mrs. Fred Markham of Echo. Monday night. Fearing the whole ceiling was about to fall from the burning missies dropping all around, she snatched upthe baby and taking her 3-year-old child by the hand broke her way through a win dow'. Clad in their nlghtclothes the trio went to the nearest neighbor, Sylvester Mikesells. Mr. Mikesell ran three blocks to town and gave the alarm. Half the population of the tewn were in the city hall enjoying a show, but 'the vojunteer fire department made record time in reaching the scene of the fire. But aid came too late. The little home lay in ruins and nothing was saved. Neighbors are providing the family with the necessities of life. Telephone Company Elects. RIDGEF1ELD, Wash.. Oct 19. (Special.) The La Center-View Tele phone company Saturday held its an nual stockholders' meeting and elec tion of officers and directors, aiilton L. Bradway was re-elected president, Ernest J. Hawkins vice-president, Jerry D. Riordan secretary ani Charles A. Button treasurer, Thomas W. Finnegan, Frank D. Hobert and George Lawton trustees. The finan cial condition Is the best in the his tory of the concern and the physical line is in first-class shape. During 1 M WWHWfflltlrllllfflM H'HI'iUl'llllHIllif illljyiilMiWffltslrlW I Sam'l Vjrrfitii'rlfiii'r r ti-Mf 'Wi'rri il -'i'i'"rVii''r the last year the company made an increase in growth of- about 25 per cent. The company maintains ex cellent and complimentary local and long-distance service throughout the surrounding country and its switch board connects with the Pacific Tele phone & Telegraph company's lines. Etterburg Berries to Be Tried. ABERDEEN, Wash.. Oct 19 (Spe cial.) Farmers near Elma are ex perimenting with the Etterbur'g variety of strawberry, and several acres of the berries have been set out in that vicinity in the last few weeks. The variety is said to be less susceptible to frost, and blooms later in the spring than the other species. It is estimated that at least ten acren more of berries will be planted this year than last. Merchants to Hold Institute. ABERDEEN. Wash.. Oct. 19. (Spe cial.) Meetings which will be in the 'nature of a combined merchants' and m mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmk "-''-"1-Jrinntfit n rir -W ffli iiiinrjn-wiiii"nTr""- s f'wif iifitflivsWr - r't' housewives' educational Institute are being planned for the different towns of the county. They will be under the auspices of the Washington State Retailers' association. The . men's schedule calls for meetings Wednes day evening, October 26, at Elma and Montesano; at Aberdeen and Hoqui am Thursday and Friday evenings, October 27 and 28, and women's meet ings Friday afternoon. M0SIER STRETCH PAVED Hard-Surface Now Links Town With Hood River. HOOD RIVER, Or., Oct. 19. (Spe cial.) The last foot of pavement be tween here and Mosier was placed on the Columbia river highway today, linking the town of Mosier and the apple district to the east of here with continuous pavement from Astoria. No celebration marked the event other than a slight demonstration on the part of members of the crews and 1 V tyli sh Made by Hart These clothes are sold by Rosenblatt & Fifth at Alder . - fyi-- - '" - - ' nwtns-ir ii kiK:iMr' about 21 Mosier and Hood River folk who watched the steam roller smooth out the last truckload of "hot stuff." A Joint celebration of Mosier and Hood River people is planned early after apple harvest work Is over. The plant of the Kern Construction corru pany, paving contractors, will be re moved at once to Sbedds for Pacific highway paving. MASONIC CLUB FORMED Square and Compass Charter for Idaho tTniversitjr Requested. UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO, Moscow, Oct. 19. (Special.) Masons expect to enroll 150 members In the Square and Compass c'.ub, a Masonic organiza tion Just organized on the univer sity campus. Colonel Edward R. Chrisman, commandant of the uni versity cadets, is one of the leading boosters of the club. The Masonio club eoon will make application for a charter to the na : ... 1 Fj-y ' ' .V? -J economy - weariii1 . 4 overcoat chafrn Gasco, Building xt....mWto,Mu....iva ...jiji.niiiiiivinii,.-i tional headquarters of the Square and Compass club at Lexington, Va. Square and Compass clubs were started at Washington and Lee uni versity in 1917, and now have organi zations at Columbia university, Col gate university, Lawrence University of New York, Louisiana State uni versity. University of Kansas. North Carolina State college, Washington and Lee university and others, a total of 12 chapters. Both students and faculty members are eligible for mem bership. Scrub Stock to Be Replaced. ABERDEEN, Wash, Oct. 18. (Spe cial.) "Scrub" dairy stock will be taken as first payment on thorough bred sires at an auction sale to be held at Satsop early In the new year, by the State Holstein-Freslan associa tion, according to announcement made at a meeting of the Grays Harbor county association. The sale will be staged as part of the state associa tion programme to improve the dairy herds of Washington. Long time will B3IS M a - - V be given on balances above the value of the scrub sires turned In. Location ot Son Sought. HOOD RIVER, Or., Oct. 19. (Spe cial.) Unable to obtain delivery of a telegram, George Shuhart. friend of the family, telephoned from Walla Walla to a Jocal newspaper today in an effort to locate John Herbert, 20, whose father, George Herbert, was re ported dying. Long-Bell Employs More Jlen. KELSO. Wash.. Oct. 19. (Special.) The Long-Bell Lumber company put Don't forget the Public Auction Sale of the new town of Port Olympic lots, October 27, 1921, 1 P. M. sharp. Tacoma Theater, Tacoma, Wash. Crifb. il,HtStWM a Mart nearly 100 men to work in land clear ing operations and at cutting wood on their property south of town this week. They expect to maintain a large crew at that work all winter. The wood cutters are employed on the basis of the amount they cut, netting good wnpes. I t