The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1873-10-23

in the Northwest He has, SO VIC are relia-
bly, informed, made number Of efforts to
lay his proposition before the city council,
but iron some unaccountable reason he has
been neglected until the probability is that
he cannot afford to wait upon the indefinite
movements Of the city council much
longer It was but accidental, yes
terday that Te met with and made
the acquaintance Of Mr.. Watts, and it
is now fer the good of the public and for
the carly accomplishment Of something to-
ward WHIT is so much desired, that we at
once take steps towards bringing this i'm
portant subject before the minds of our cit
liens. This gentleman's propositions have
something in them entirely satisfactory,
and when we can say this much we would
like TO see the council, instead Of turning a
cold shoulder to the movement, probably
because there is no public investment in the
proposition, listening to them and in the
end accepting them. 8Ir. Watts proposes
to put up works in less than years time to
supply gas to all citizens at the same or the
lowest prices paid at either Galveston or
Houston during the continuance of the con
tract, and to supply the city at ten percent.
less than such prices. He proposes to take
the contract for exclusively supplying the
city on such terms for twenty-five years.
His gas would be the best coal gas.
He contracted about in the same
way to supply San Antonio, commenced
work there in March last and the city was
lighted under bis contract on the eighteenth
day of August. He also commenced work
at Bellevillc on the fifteenth Of last October,
and bad that place lighted with gas, as per
contract, by the thirty-frst day of the fol-
lowing December. 8Ir. Watts says he will
enter into contract to light Austin in one
years time, but would expect to have it
done by the end Of six or seven months.
Now here is chance, such as other cities
at least, are ready TO accept, to have Austin
lighted with gas in very short time. viii
it be listened to and accepted, or viii Mr..
Watts he sent away and the city issue her
bonds to build gas works? These bonds
would of course bc sold or disposed of at
loss to the city though they would most
probably prove profitable TO those who
would have the handling of them. There
would be company too in which the city
would be jointly interested in stock, and
the history of such companies would
only be re-enactcd in this instance,
and by the time the stock began TO pay
anything that of the city would have been
sold cut and passed an easy prey into the
hands Of the individuals forming the COM
pany.
Whether the council feel Qn interest in
coming to some decision in the matter or
not, we assure its members that the citizens
OF Austin do, and if on such fair terms as
proposed, they can be saved the payment Of
tax for twenty or thirty years, by which,
in the end, they will not obtain gas at a
cent less expense than il gotten under q
contract with Mr.. Watts, then they will be
very much disappointed if this gentlemau's
propositions are not listened to, and, if made
as We understand them, acceded to in the
end. If such propositions suit San Antonio,
which, though hundred miles further in
the interior than Austin, has already been
lighted with gas under them, then we can
not see why somebody or bodies about Aus
tin, the capital Of the State, cannot be
worked up to a similar proposition, by
which this city will not be involved in one
dollar of debt, and all we want in this way
secured.