6<^(s/^ 394 Z G12 PV 1 .^^ ^ofoeston^ Brief Facts About The PRINCrPAL SEAPORT . . OF THE . . Gulf of Mexico. ISSUED HY THE Galveston Chamber of Commerce. ^^^ KNAPP BROS., STATIONERS AND PRINTERS GALV. - iy IN BRIEF. • Galveston is a deep water port of the first class, having 26 feet at average tides, and the engineers expect 28 to 30 feet in the near future. Galveston is the second cotton i.ort in the world. Galveston's harbor is the largest and deepest on the gulf coast. Galveston is the fifth exporting city in the United States. Galveston is the third richest city ac- cording to population in the United States. Galveston is the most delightful city of residence and the most healthful locality in the south. Galveston county has the longest steel wagon bridge in the world— two and one- seventh miles long. Galveston has over two miles of wharf front highly improved. Galveston has four grain eU'vators. with a storage capacity of 2,500.000 bush- els and others projected. Galveston has three lines of trunk rail- way, the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe, the Missouri, Kansas and Texas and the International and Great Northern, and three short lines, the Galveston, Houston and Henderson, the Galveston, La Portf and Houston and the Gulf and Interstate, the last two soon to make trunk connec- tions. Galveston's jetties are the longest in the world— 35.628 and 25.907 feet respective- ly. Galveston is the geopgrahpical export and import city for all the trans-Missis- sippi states. Galveston is to have four government forts, for which the sites have been pur- chased and construction is under wiiy. GALVESTON AND HER TRADE. Galveston is situated in latitude 29° 17' north, and longitude 94° 49' west from Greenwich and is farther south than any- city in the United States that approaches it in size or business importance. It is the commercial metropolis of the state and the sea port of the vast region west of the Mississippi river. It is a summer and winter health and pleasure seeker's resort and the delightful home of about 50,000 of the most contented residents of the globe. The city is on the extreme eastern end of Galveston island and con- tains about six square miles of territory within its limits. It was platted and lots were placed upon the market in 1838. The solons of many decades have prophesied the building of a great city on the Gulf of MexicO', and recognizing the geographical advantage of Galveston, have pointed to it as the place above all others. The great west, representing a score or more millions of people, suc- ceeded in getting congress to appoint a commission of engineers to designate the most available point on the Gulf of Mex- ico at which a permanent deep water harbor could be secured, and they unani- mously recommended Galveston, stating in their report that of water 24 feet deep the harbor had 1304 acres, of water 30 feet deep 463 acres. The United States govern- ment recognized the national importance of at once making Galveston a port of the first magnitude, appropriated over six millions of dollars to be expended on permanent improvements in the shape ol sandstone jetties or rock walls, with broad bases capped with heavy granite blocks, to confine and give scouring force to the ebb currents which exceed 10 times that flowing through the South Pass jet- ties of the Mississippi river. Among all competitors Galveston harbor was se- lected because it was the only point on the gulf coast meeting all the requirements and conditions imposed by congress. The act imposed the absolute conditions thai the harbor must be of ample depth, width and capacity to accommodate the largest ocean going vessels and the commercial and naval necessity of the country. The north jetty is 25,907 feet long. The south jetty is 35,628 feet. In Febrviary. 1893, before the jetties had progressed suf- ficiently to affect the bar, the depth ot water was but 13 feet. In February, 1894, the depth was 14 feet; February, 1895, 15 feet; February, 1896, 21 feet. In February, 1897, the survey showed a depth of over 2'> feet in the channel, that is straight and wide, and the government engineers ex- pect 28 to 30 feet in the near future. The increase is due largely to the action of the confined currents, thougn partly to dredg- ing. As an outlet of the great west Galveston is nearer than New York to San Francisco 937 miles. Salt Lake City 752 miles, Denver 739 miles, Kansas City 483 miles, St. Louis 220 miles. About two miles of highly im- proved water front, comprising four miles of wharfage, is in service, and more than double this amount of deep water front- age susceptible of the same class of im- provement is available at any time it is demanded. During 1896 Galveston secured two new railroads, the Galveston, LaP'Ortfe and Houston and the Gulf and Interstate, and a few months prior the Missouri, Kansas and Texas reached the city. The LaPoite road will undoubtedly beco^me part of some trunk line, amd the Gulf and Intei-- 5 state mow comnects with several road-s at Beauimont, and it, tco, bids fair to toeoome part of a great system. Galveston's three trunk roads are the Gulf, Colorado and Sianta Fie, the International and Great Northern and the Misfeouri, Kansas and Texas. The Galveston, Houston and Hen- dersoin and the Galveston and Western are also amionig- the railroads centering- here. To tlhiese lines of railroad must be added the steamers of the Direct mavig-ation company, plyinig- ^between Houston and Galveston, the Mallory line to New York and Key West, the Morgan line to Brazos Santiago, Mex., and Morgan City, La., and the following- reg-ular lines of steam- ers to foreig-n ports: Hamiburg- American to Haim'burg-, (North German Lloyd to Bre- men, Harrison line to Liverpool, Manches- ter line to Mianelhester. A 'Mexican line of tank steamers which run fromPhiladel- phia to Tampico and Vera Cruz calls leg- ularly at Galveston. The steamers of the West Indian and Pacific line call here oc- casionally and will soon be made a regular line. Thouglh 1896 was Galveston's first year with dieep water, the export business in- creased 60 per cent during the year as a direct consequence, and the port took a permanent place as one of the great grain exporting points of America. During the year Galveston also handled for export for the first time ipacking house pro"ducts, macihinery, potatoes and 'hay. The ship- ment of lumber and smelter products of the west bids fair to develo^p into a big business in the future. The advantages of the Galveston outlet to the sea ihave been studied by grain, cattle and ore shippers, by western importers and wlholesale mer- chants. The rate question has been partly adjusted, the railroad facilities have been increased, the elevator capacity lias been taxed to such ajn extent that arnangements have been perfected to increase the stor- age facilities by 900,000 busihels. Additional docks have been built; custom house re- ceipts have been more tnian douibled. Tiie total exports for 1896 amounted to $5b',O0O,0O0, iag-ainst $35,000,000 to $36,000,000 in each of the preceding five years. During 1S96 Galveston exported 6,222,282 bushels of corn, valued at $2,013,080. In 1895 1,233,447 bushels, valued at $390,760; in 1894 the value of the corn exports wias $2597^ 1893, $50,710; 1892, $95,925; 1891, $7251; 1890, $11,989. In 1896 Galveston exported 3,440,494 bush- els of w'heat, valued at $2,073,510. During 1895 no wheat w^as exported from this port. Dui-ing 1894 the value of tihe wheat export- ed aimounted to $77,459. Wheat exports for 1893 lamounted to $934,269; for 1892, $335,240. In 1896 Galveston exported 1,182,601 bales of cotton, valued at $47,095,309; in 1895 Gal- veston exported 931,259 bales of cotton, val- ued at $32,672,74fi. Fior the previous five years the vialue of Galveston's cotto^n ex- ports was as follows: 1894, $33,520,164; 1893, $31,534,595; 1892, $32,610,901; 1891, $34,217,492; 1890, $26,303,400. Galveston handled during the last four months of 1896, 1,045,797 l>ales of cotton, as against 674,511 for the same period during 1895. Galveston retains her position as second in the list of great cot- ton ports of the United States, aaid f ot two months of 1896 she occupied first pliace. During 1896 Galveston exported 136,643 tons of cotton seed oil cake and meal, valued at $2,967,879. In 1895 Galveston ex- ported 105,736 tons of cotton seed oil cake and meal, valued at $2,117,218. During 1896 Galveston shipped 56,195 barrels of wheat flour, valued at $212,891. For 1895 the value of the flour exports was $187,682. During 1896 Galveston shipped 22,784,000 feet of lumber, valued at $291,543. For lS9o the value of the lumber shipments was $231,072. During- 1896 Galveston shipped 1,936,499 gallons of cotton seed oil, valued at $493,- 794. The value of the cotton seed oil ex- ports for 1895 was $236,208. During 1896 Galveston shipped $56,260 worth of logs and $13,992 worth of lard. The value of the sundry exports for 1896, including spelter, lead, copper, copper matte, borax, copper ingots, staves and miscellaneous articles amounted to $767,- 794, against $20,338 for sundries in 1895. The dutiable imports for 1896 amounted to $382,695. The free imports for the same year amounted to $412,213. Galveston's total imports for the past five years are as follows: 1896. $794,908; 1895, $337,178; 1894, $577,636; 1893, $928,343; 1892, $863,981. Galveston's custom house receipts for 1896 were $191,945 The total receipts for 1894 and 189.'S were $164 915. Increase of 1896 over the two previous years $27,029. During 1896 237 vessels, with a total ton- nage of 392,878, entered the port of Gal- veston, in ballast, from foreign ports; while 44 vessels, with a total tonnage of 64,991, came to Galveston with cargo from foreign ports. During 1896 281 vessels from foreign ports entered Galveston harbor. During 1895 184 vesesls, with a total ton- nage of 245,097 entered Galveston harbor from foreign ports. For the previous three years the number of vesesls enter- ing Galveston harbor from foreign ports was as follows: 1894, 180 vessels; 1893, 171 vessels, 1892, 158 vessels. During 1896 303 vessels cleared from Gal- veston for foreign ports. Of this number all but two carried cargoes. During 189-3 206 vessels cleared from Galveston with 8 cargro for foreign ports. For the three previous years the number of vessels which cleared from Galveston for foreign ports was as follows: 1894, 206; 1893, 196; 1S92, 1S9. The number of vessels entered in the coastwise business during the past five years is as follows: 1896, 369; 1895, 353; 1894, 336; 1893, 293; 1892, 272. Galveston is the third richest city in the United States in proportion to population. The available assets of her eight banks are $13,600,000. During the past few years of coznmercial distress, the banking insti- tutions, without a failure among them, have well maintained their reputation as the strongest in the south. The bank clearings for 1896 amounted to $262,049,751. These clearances place Galveston eleventh among the financial centers of the United States, and the city transacts a volume of business equal to that of communities having three or four times its population The assessed property value is $25.000,00il. based upon 40 to 50 per cent of actual values. Among the principal industries of Gal- veston are: 1 cotton factory, 6 cotton compresses, 1 bagging and cordage fac- tory, 1 rope and twine factory, railroad shops and foundries, 1 brewery, 2 pickle factories, 1 barrel factory, 1 fiour mill (the largest in the state). 1 rice mill, 13 whole- sale groceries. 2 wholesale dry goods houses, 1 wholesale notion house, 1 whole- sale clothing house, the largest litho- graph and printing house in the south, 3 immense grain elevators, with a total ca- pacity of 2,500,000, and 1 coal elevator. There are 43 manufacturing establish- ments, only the largest of which are enu- merated above. Galveston has two hospitals, the state medical college, two orphans' homes, a woman's home and numerous charitable institutions. The water supply is abundant from ar- tesian wells located on the mainland, be- ing piped to the city under the bay. Sevei-al miles of the broad rigiit ang-le streets and avenues of Galveston, of which the citizens are justly proud, are substan- tially paved and form most delightful drives, lined on both sides in many places with continuious hedges of pink and w'hite olear.iders, and shaded by miag-nificent live O'aks and many other beautiful trees. Over 40 miles of finely equipped electric street car lines are cipeTted upon all of the principal streets anid avenues, and from the business portion of the city to the residence and manufacturing sections, and to the beautiful beadh, 'bordering for the entire length of the island on tihe Gulf of Mexico, whicih attracts an imimense local and tourist traffic throughout the year, as the surf bathing is unsurpassed in any lamd. Owing to the salubrious cli- mate, fine hotels and natural advantages, the city is a very popular winter resort for northern people, and in sumimer for those from the interior of Texas and adjoining states, w'bo come here in large numbers to enjoy the cool and refreshing gulf breezes that are almost constantly in cir- culation. Galveston is a city of delightful hoimes, many of them being the most lux- urious in the south. Of her schools she is justly proud, as after the imany liberal comparisons maide, few equal and none surpass them. A combination of favorable conditions, a ratiirally dry soil, a large pro'portion of sunshine, an almost constant sea breeze, renders Galveston one of the healthiest of cities, as the record shows it to be. 10 During tL^ past 24 yeai's the .highest tem- perature reached at Galveston was 98 in 1S74. In 1879, '82, '89, '90, '91, '92 and ,93 the higihest temperature reached was f'2. In the other years during the past 24 years t'he highest temperature ranged from 93 to 97. Durin^g the past 24 years the low- est temiperature reached 'here was 11 de- grees above zero, in 1886. In 1895 the lowest temperature recorded was 15 degrees, and in 1880 the lowest temperature recorder was IS degrees above zero; in 1893 the low- est temperature was 37; in 1874, '82, '90 and '91 the lowest temperature reached was 34. In the other yeci^rs during the past 24 years the lowest temperature ranged from 20 to 32 above zero. In the hottest weather the trade winds from the gulf blow over the country, furnis'himg a pleasant breeze. Sunstrokes are rarely known bere. The average yearly rainfall is 45 inches, evenly distributed. Sub-irrigation prevails at from eight to ten feet below the surface. [Extract from speech of Dr. J. F. Y. Paine, dean of the faculty, medical de- partment, university of Texas, at banquet of Galveston chamber of coimmerce, March 2, 1897.] "Galveston has always been remarkably exemipt from zymotic diseases (which in- clude epidemic, endemic and contagious affections). Scarlet fever and diphtheria are uncommon, and when they occur, rarely exhibit the virulence common to them in the north. Smallpox is exceed- ingly infrequent and has never prevailed to a considerable extent. Malarial dis- eases have no existence here. Rheuma- tisim is very rare. Consumption is said never to originate here. There is no in- stance of sunstroke on record that I am aware of. 11 "The exce*i3tional healthfulness of Gal- veston is further shown by the low rate of mortality, which was 15 per 1000 of pop- ulation in 1895 and somewhat lower than that in 1896, I think. "A glance at the meteorological condi- tions, briefly outlined, will show that Gal- veston possesses many attractive features of climate congenial to any class of in- valids except consumptives. The latter do badly here. The salutary effect of this climate uipon heart affections and nervous disorders is universally conceded. Insom- nia, the demon of the overworked business, cessful here as anywhere, a fact, per- soft. moist evening breezes or the en- chanting coolness of the morning winds. Many peojDle experience serious difficulty in keeping awake. "It is the common experience of sur- geons that oiperative measures are as suc- man. can't resist the soporific luring of the haps, partially explained by the antiseptic influence of our climate." GALVESTON COUNTY. Galveston county has an area of 640 square miles and a population of 61,000. It comprises Galveston island and the adja- cent mainland. The surface of the coun- try is level prairie. The soil of the main- land for the most part is sandy loam. The island is 30 miles long and from two to three miles wide. The land under culti- vation is devoted chiefly to fruit raising and vegetable gardening. The assessed value of property in 1896 was $26,110,330. Improved lands sell at from $25 upward per acre and unimproved at from $5 to $.50 per acre. The average taxable value is .«9.69 per acre. The principal farm pro- ducts are sweet and Irish potatoes, corn, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, hay, peas. 12 beans, pears and strawberries and most of the fruits, berries and vegetables grown throughout the United States. The tax rate in the county is 98 cents on the $100. Up to this time the fish and oyster products of Galveston far exceed all other products of the county. Farmers raise two and three crops of vegetables each year, finumg a ready sale for their products in the near by cities of the state and in the more northern mar- kets. Berries are shipped three months in advance of the home crop in the north, strawberries being shipped in the middle of February and bringing as much as $16.50 per case. Pears, peaches, plums and figs grow aboundantly and can be marketed from two to three weeks in ad- vance of the California crops and net in- telligent growers from $200 to $800 per acre. Between Houston and Galveston there is scarcely an acre of land unavail- able as gardening and fruit land. Galveston county has built a wagon bridge across the bay that is two and one- seventh miles long, said to be the longest of its kind in the world. It is constructed of steel, resting on solid concrete piers, and is broad enough to be used by two teams abreast. The roads to the bridge on the island and for many miles on the mainland have been graded and shelled. In ^the vicinity of Galveston the hunt- ing and fishing are very fine and num- bers of noted sportsmen and business men from various sections of the union pay frequent visits to the locality to enjoy the rare sport. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS illllllllllilllllllllilllllllllllllillllilllilllllllllHIIIIIII! 014 649 256 3n(|i LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 014 649 256 3