Texas City Times. (Texas City, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 2, Ed. 1 Saturday, May 8, 1909 Page: 1 of 4
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IT Y TIMES
TE
No. 2
VOL. 1.
A MODERN OIL REFINERY
O
Oklahoma oil is selected because of houses without detention to the cars.
RALLY!
fuel purposes, the greatest consum-
0.-
O
I
MESSAGES FROM THE GOVERNOR
TEXAS CITY OIL REFINERY.
the Gulf
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from the North he was
careful to pick
by incandescent i
lamps and clusters.
million in bonds
the
with a motor ambulance,”—Washing-
87
to the installation
power.
The arrival of
extremely
in their
daily,
for the
trades and none but skilled mechanics
of well tested ability were brought
to Texas City.
oil.
are
and most up-to-date plants of its kind
in the country.
stalled the electrical features of the ton Star.
showing a decided increase
year 1908.
Texas City is situated on
\ "ez 1
Na
REFINERY NEAR-
ING COMPLETION
An Independent Institution Which is Interest-
ing Nearly Half a Million Dollars.
lili
------------o-------------
COSTLY TERMINAL
IMPROVEMENTS
I “It’s all nonsense,” said Mr. Chug-
The electricians gins, as he went around a corner at
aimed to make it one of the finest high speed, “to have a policeman fol-
I lowing an automobile on a bicycle.”
a•
e
238288888888888
refinery. Mr. Young is well known EopinA KA(IC
in electric construction circles and is N) 4 I K KW
a graduate of the University of Ver- MIUI IIU IUMIC
duction motors ranging from one to
forty-five horse power. The current
is supplied direct to motors and will be loaded with lumber at Bolivar
SAW NEED COMING.
“That’s right,” answered the ner-
? 5g203828
Mr. B. R. Young and Mr. Lewis
Helper are the electricians who in-
prevent sparking and igniting the gas. | Port get into use and we hope Boli-
The oil is run from the various var will have a large and continuous
tanks, stills, etc., by centrifugal traffic,
pumps directly connected to motors.
a
To the rear of the tail house
sixteen immense storage tanks
mense vats or boiling tanks, where
it is heated to the proper tempera-
ture for drawing off through the stills
the several different grades of oil.
DESCRIPTION OF PLANT
The buildings are of pressed brick
and the tanks of steel. The tail
house adjoins the stills and from this
house the experts keeps in minute
touch with the conditions of the oil
in the varius condensers and stills
and draws off the different grades of
The crude product first enters im-
S. S. “Mae” arrived at Texas City
from New York, May 8th, with 2000
tons general cargo for the merchants
of Texas. This steamer is operated
in the interest of the Texas City
Steamship Company.
crease the capacity in the near future.
The plant will have eight stills of
large proportions and four smaller
..sa
watt 480 volts, alternatives, directly
connected to 100-horse power Flem-
ing-Harrisburg engines. It will be
equipped with about twenty-five in-
shipment through Texas City from
Sparrow Point, Md.,
Sailings from Texas City:
May 13, City of Mexico for Tampi-
co and Vera Cruz.
May 16, Ossalaw for New York.
The Transportation Company Build-
ing Modern Docks With Every
Facility for Handling Cargo-
Electric Conveyors.
the “Red Devil,”
the best
TEXAS CITY, TEXAS, SATURDAY, MAY 8, 1909.
commodations, electric lighted, and
equipped with all modern conven-
iences, both for the comfort of pas-
sengers and the handling of freight.
She was built about three years ago
especially for this service, and has
been operated between New Orleans
and Mexican ports continuously since
being put in commission.
They will also provide that when the
ship is ready to receive the cargo it
will move from the warehouses to
ship side, on the electric moving plat-
lx".
——
ghm
and has been engrossed by the House.
It touches upon the much-mooted
question in the late prohibition sub-
mission issue, in that it provides that
a majority of the votes cast in a pri-
mary election on such a question, for
instance, shall prevail, and cause the
matter to be placed in the platform,
and not a majority of all the votes
cast in a general election. The bill
also provides that district chairmen
shall file with County Clerks names of
district nominees for any and all of-
fices.
The message covering these two
bills was submitted to the Legislature
this afternoon. In the forenoon the
Governor submitted a message auth-
orizing the passage of a bill creating
an independent school district for free
school purposes only in Tarrant Coun-
ty, to be known as the Mansfield In-
dependent School District. Mr. Fitz-
hugh of Tarrant County introduced
House Bill 83 today providing for such
a school district.
When this message was received in
the House, the members were in a
jocular mood, and more to tantalize
Mr. Fitzhugh than anything else, prob-
ably, many cries of “no” followed the
reading of the official communication.
The election law message is as fol-
lows:
“By virtue of authority vested in me
as Governor, by Sec. 40, Article 3, of
the Constitution of the State of Texas,
I hereby designate and present to you
for your consideration and for legis-
lation thereon, the following subject:
8 er
aam.8
refinery closer to the oil fields. The
friend. “What good is a bicy-
They ought to have us followed
D. E. SUTTON. JOHN SUTTON. CHAS. SUTTON. LYMAN SUTTON, AUGUST LOOK FREDSELIFRS, JOHs SKEL
LEISE. LOUIS HEPLER. BERNARD YOUNG. J. C. BLACK, (Contractor Brickmason R LEN JAMES SCHOTTLE-
GUIDE T w SIMPSON. HARRY KROUCH, J. H. CUNNINGHAM. JNO. COYLE. WM. BOYD, JAMES SCHUTTLE
WORTH, J. W. BLACK, WARREN WHITTON. __________
a,
1
of new motive
yard are lighted
former. However, there were very
few who did not take a part in both
these enjoyable features of the even-
ing, if the faces of all did not pre-
varicate.
An address was delivered by W. F.
Kelley of Galveston, which thorough-
ly covered the most prominent feat-
ures of Woodcraft.
J. D. Alexander of Garland, Tex.,
followed with a very comprehensive
talk on the circle.
Mrs. Isabella Powell of Houston, a
prominent circle organizer, was pres-
ent and made a few concise remarks.
She will return in a few weeks to or-
. ganize a circle auxiliary to the camp.
; This undoubtedly will augment the
—0
between Philadelphia and New Or-
leans, it being the intention to inaug-
urate a service similar to that of the
Texas City Steamship Co. between
Texas City and New York, and the
business interests of New Orleans
expect through the establishment of
this steamship line to be able to se-
cure the benefit of greatly reduced
rates, the same as are now enjoyed
by the shippers of Texas since the
establishment of the steamship ser-
in the early years of production in
this section oil was mainly used for stills for the handling of biproducts.
Oklahoma fields to the refinery at will no doubt be issued and used dur-
the shipping port than to eliminate j ing the year of 1910 on further con-
the freight charges by building thestruction and improvements.
into which the different grades of oil
are directed by the expert in the tail
house. To the eastward of the tanks
are located the three storage tanks
for the finished product ready for
export. Pipe lines are laid from
these to the docks and to the railroad
tracks. The boiler house and power
house are close by and the former
accommodates six boilers-
The entire plant will, be operated
by electricity with petroleum as fuel
and provision is made for three direct
connection engines for generating the
There will also be a sewer system “FIRST POSTAL INQUIRY.”
put in during the present year—the Please mail to my address below
trunk line running across the town- one or two issues of your “very valu-
site in the alley between Fifth and able” paper, especially the first is-
Sixth Avenues and lateral lines direct- sue. Does your city need a good
ing therefrom to all parts of the city. ! old physician, (that’s me) and a good
The refinery has two seventy Kilo- new drug store attached? Ask your
form conveyors, in the order that
stowage of the ship calls for and as
fast and continuous as the ship’s ma-
chinery can take it aboard.
In addition to these improvements
a steel and tile fire proof grain eleva-
tor of 500,000 bushels capacity will be
built during the current year.
ADDITIONAL TRACKAGE.
There will be about eleven miles
additional trackage added to the pres-
ent terminal yards in the near fu-
ture.
vice between Texas City and New
York.
Steamers destined to Texas City
are:
Nordham, May 15, from Tampico
and Vera Cruz.
City of Mexico, May 13, from Tam-
pico and Vera Cruz.
Ossahaw, May 15, from New York.
Altamaha, May 25, from New York.
A Steamer, June 1, from Sparrow
Point.
Nordheim, June 1, from Tampico,
Vera Cruz and Puerto, Mexico.
The I. & G. N. R. R. has placed an
order with the Maryland Steel Co.
for 4,000 tons heavy rail for relaying
its lines and arrangement have been
finally closed for the movement of the
Coyle, William Boyd, James Schuttle-
worth, J. W. Black, Warren Whitton.
The refinery occupies a site of
thirty-six acres and the product from
the plant is piped to the docks. All
the crude petroleum to be used by the
plant will be brought from Oklahoma
in tank cars. This may seem strange
to those not familiar with the oil busi-
-------------o-------------■
It is reported that two steamers
of upwards of 33,000 barrels
bers of the local Camp, Woodmen of
the World, held a meeting here.
The first part of the evening was
devoted to necessary business, then
with dull business finished and care
thrown to the winds, the members
finished the evening with a banquet
and dance. Those who did not care
to participate in the latter amuse-
ment did thorough justice to the
- ...
social end of this camp for which
the order is justly famed.
Austin, Tex., May 6.—One of two
messages submitted to the Legisla-
ture today by Gov. Campbell covers
two House bills already partially act-
ed upon which amend the election
laws. A bill by Mr. Davis giving Dis-
trict Judges jurisdiction over primary
election contests, permitting decisions
on such contests in vacation time and
requiring that contestees shall file no-
tice of contests within twenty days
after the election, a measure that has
been engrossed by the House, is cov-
ered by this message.
The other bill is by Mr. Munson,
The Texas City Transportation Co.
has authorized a bond issue of $2,000,
000 to be expended in additional fa-
cilities and enlarging the terminals
at this port.
Under this authority $1,000,000 has
already been issued in 6 per cent 20
year gold bonds, and the proceeds
from the sale of these bonds is now
available. It is proposed to expend
Woodmen of the World.
Last Thursday evening the mem-
The work now under way by the
Texas City Transportation Company
consists of two pier warehouses, one
600 feet long by 125 feet wide, and
another 100 feet wide by 1200 feet
long.
STORAGE FACILITIES.
Five storage warehouses, each 100
feet wide by 1200 feet long and con-
nected with the docks by an electric
Conveyor, which operates as a moving
platform. These warehouses will be
made as near fire proof as possible,
the foundations and floors being con-
crete, and the superstructure of steel
with asbestos siding and roof. Each
building will be equipped with the
sprinkler system of fire protection.
These facilities will enable cotton
and other export business to be con-
centrated and assembled in the ware-
Ei,
The inter-continent oil producing
territory, comprising the oil fields of
Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas and Louis-
iana, is now producing one-half of the
entire production of the United
States. This is now the age of oil
and all the enormous development,
which is increasing, having origina-
ted with the bringing in of Spindle-
top in the year 1901.
its high grade specific gravity.
The refinery which is an indepen-
dent concern, will soon begin opera-
tion and will have a capacity
of 1,500 barrels daily to start while
provisions have been made to in-
mont.
Mr. Helpner is also very well j
known as a prominent electrician.
He was former chief electrician of
the Pope Motor Company of Toledo,
Ohio- The long experience and high
class work of these two men assures
one of the best electrical plants in
this section of the country.
Mr. Edwin D. Mills is in the
charge of the blacksmith shops. He
is a very capable man in the right
place.
Mr. Charles Snyder of St. Louis, is
in charge of the tin shop. He is thor-
oughly up in his business,
eimmfndstthrd m h mf h mhrdmhn
msg
m
“1. Legislation amending Sec. 114
and Sec. 120 of Chapter 11 of the acts
of the first called session of the Twen-
ty-Ninth Legislature as amended by
Chapter 177 of the acts of the Thir-
tieth Legislature, relating to the man-
ner of holding elections; and legisla-
tion amending Sec. 126 of Chapter 11
of the general laws of Texas of the
first called session of the Twenty-
Ninth Legislature, and also amending
Sec. 141 of said Chapter 11 as passed
by the first called session of the
Twenty-Ninth Legislature, and as
amended by Chapter 177 of the acts
of the Thirtieth Legislature; all re-
lating to the Thirtieth Legislatmhh
lating to elections and to contests in
primary elections.
“A bill covering the subjects here
submitted was passed at the regular
session of this Legislature, but was
vetoed on account of errors, bot in
the caption and the bill.”
2
All fuses are of the Noark Cartridge
type. All the buildings and the
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mAst
steamship service with New York by <
the Texas City Steamship Company, :
and the regular line of steamships 1
between Texas City and Vera Cruz, i
Tampico and Progresso, Mexico, as
well as the service between this Port
and Puerto Mexico (Coatzacoalco),
where connection is made with the
Tehuantepec National Railway, which
connects with the ships of the Mexi-
can Oriental Steamship Line at Sa-
lina Cruz—the Pacific Port in Mexi-
co—giving a direct service every ten
days between Texas City, China and
Japan.
THE OIL REFINERY.
Among the first to recognize the
great desirability of this location was
the Texas City Refining Company
which is nearing completion a modern
oil refinery representing a cost for
buildings and equipment of about
$500,000.
More than 100 skilled laborers and
mechanics have been at work for
months in the construction of this
plant. Among them may be men-
tioned the following carpenters, iron
workers, electricians, bricklayers and
pipemen: D. B. Sutton, John Sut-
ton, Charles Sutton, Lyman Sutton,
August Look, Fred Sellers, John
Skelleise, Lewis Hepler, Bernard
Young, J. C- Black, (contractor
brick mason) ; Len Curtis, Thomas
electric power. A large building
some distance from the stills is used
for putting up the parafines, and lub-
ricating oils for shipment. Another
large building is used for the para-
fine wax works, while the machine
shops and tool house have been in
operation for some time.
The refinery when in full operation
will give employment to about sixty-
five skilled men, and many iaborers.
Contractor J. C. Black ranks among
the leading contractors of the coun-
try in the construction of refineries.
He has had twenty years experience
and has made this a special study.
The Texas City and other refineries
stand as monuments to his ability
and enviable record as a contractor
and builder. In the selection of the
corps of artizens he brought with him
May 23, Norheim for Mexican
Ports.
June 1, A Steamer for Mexican
Ports.
June 1, Altamaha for New York.
The Tug “Mistletoe” was taken to
Galveston last Monday morning by
he Launch “Rona.” The “Mistle-
toe” will go on the ways at Galves-
ton, to under-go thorough repairs, the
hull scraped and repainted, and the
engine room remodeled preparatory
a , ' '
S .S. “Nordboen” of the Wolvin
Line, sailed from Texas City for
Puerto Mexico, Veracruz, and Tam-
pico, Mexico, May 2nd. Cargo con-
sists of 3323 bales of cotton and 2155
tons of general merchanaise.
S. S. “Ossabaw” of the Texas City
Steamship Company, sailed from New
York May 6th, with a full cargo of
general merchandise for Texas City
and interior points.
The next sailing of the Wolvin Line
form Texas City, is the S. S. “City
of Mexico” on May 13th, for Tampico,
Veracruz and Puerto Mexico- This
vessel is up to date in every way; is
fitted with first-class passenger ac-
-A2
ness, but from a financial standpoint • the one million during this year and
it is far cheaper to tank the oil from the remaining one
The Transportation Company has
already purchased one targe 55-ton
switch engine that is now enroute
and will arrive at Texas City about
May 12th.
WATERWORKS SYSTEM.
The main line of the terminal road
is to be extended and the present de-
pot and shops moved to the north-
west corner of the townsite at the in-
tersection of Eighth Avenue and
Tenth Street.
At this point a new artesian well
will be sunk and a water tower erect-
ed from which water mains will be
run, furnishing the city a first-class
waterworks system.
ers being the various railroads in
Texas and Louisiana; but the building
of Refineries has resulted in a lessen-
ing of the consumption of oil for fuel
purposes and an increasing demand
for the refined product.
While the exact figures are not
available, the estimated total daily
consumption of railroads in Texas
and Louisiana for the year 1908 was
approximately 12,000 barrels, a con-
siderable falling off from the previous
yea:, while the Texas Refineries, dur-
ing the same period, had deliveries
/ e s
The S. S. “Norheim” of the Wolvin
Line is now loading at New Orleans
for Tampico and Vera Cruz, and will
sail for these ports on May 8th, touch-
ing at Sabine where she will fill out
with a large consignment of lumber
for Tampico.
The Wolvin Line has just about
completed arrangements for the
charter of another steamer to take
care of its ever increasing business
out of this port. The name of the
steamer will be given in our next is-
■ sue.
The S. S. “Mae” now discharging
> at this port is reported as having
l been sold to New Orleans interests,
and that she will be put in service
proper, has a deep water channel and
is directly connected with every rail-
road entering Galveston and radiating
throughout Texas, Oklahoma and
Kansas.
The Texas City Transportation
Company is the owner of the Termin-
al property, with substantial wharves,
warehouses, and there is at the pres-
ent time, in operation, a regular
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23—ras
McGuire,, J. W. Simpson, Harry
Krouch, J. H. Cunningham, John
Will Have a Capacity of Over Fifteen Hundred
Barrels. — Description of Plant.
transformed to 110 volts for lighting, during the next sixty days-
The motors are all started by auto W e are glad to see the new facil-
transformers and oil switches to ities recently constructed at that
which launch will go into the Texas
City-Galveston Ferry service, has
delayed owing to the remodeling of
her cabin and passenger accommoda-
tions; and this boat is not expected
to arrive in Texas City before the
12th of the present month.
The new schedule promised by B.
W. Adams & Company in connection
with the Ferry service will probably
be postponed owing to the delay in
the delivery of the “Red Devil,, and
the completion of a new pier for the
accommodation of this boat. It is
I understood that the new passenger
I pier will be placed near the foot of
Texas Avenue, and a stop both ways
from and to Galveston will be made
at the wharves for such passengers
and freight as may be taken on
there.
doctor.
J. E- MAYFIELD, M. D.,
Nacodoches, Tex.
May5, 1909.
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Texas City Times. (Texas City, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 2, Ed. 1 Saturday, May 8, 1909, newspaper, May 8, 1909; Texas City, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1576769/m1/1/: accessed July 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Moore Memorial Public Library.