The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1876-03-16
DECLINE IN PROPERTY VALURs---
CESSATION OF IMPROVEMENTS
AUSTIN SrAGGRnED.

The anticipated policy Of the Interna-
tional Railroad Company is having its ef-
iect, even now, upon the conduct of prop
erty-holders. There are at least two lot
owners on the Avenue who, having made
financial arrangements, decline TO make
Contracts for the erection OF buildings until
it may be known whether the people will
provide for the compulsory extension of
the International to this city by extending
a narrow gauge In the direction Of Lam
pasas. When the managers of the JnteIna-
tional believe that the narrow gauge will
be built, they will hesitate no longer, and
the great road that is to bridge Texas will
be extended mile each day till 1t reaches
Austin. But these railway sy-b1ilders want
money. Most men want it. They have no
interest in Austin, save to the extent that
Austin makes their road profitable We
cannot complain of this; but can protect
ourselves, and there is no future fact more
certain than that the International Company
would gladly defeat the construction of the
proposed narrow gauge road. The great
corporation wants no fatal competition.
The narrow gauge can do everything that
can be done by the International. There
is no demand for transportation which 1t
cannot supply, and, the road and its rolling
stock costing certainly one-hslf less than
the competing broad gauge, its rates may
be one-half less. Then, such is the light
Less OF narrow gauge rolling stock that it's
rails aud road bed and machinery last al
most twice as long as those of the broad
gauge. Locomotives weighing twelve and
fifteen tons do uot cause that lamInation of
rails which compels owners of broad gauge
roads with locomotives weighing forty and
hfty tons to renew their rails each SIX or
ten years. These are facts that make mar.
row gauge roads pay when competing
broad gauge lines are pruftless,
and these aIe facts that force owners of
broad gauge lines and their agents to exert
themselves to prevent the construction OF
the cheap system of profitable and product
I've roads. If the harrow gauge be built
along and near the route of the Interna-
tionsl, it compels the International, In
shipping to Austin, to adopt narrow gauge
rates, and then, too, 1t compels the Interna-
tional to ship towards Austin even more
chesply than it ships tOoards New York,
and thus the fixed commercial system of
the country is reversed, and therefore New
York capitalists are bitterly hostile to local
narrow gauge roads. These are significant
of local Commercial independence. These
cheap roads create and enrich cities in
Texas, while the whole broad gauge sys-
tenn of railways converges and centralizes
the whole country's wealth in Philadelphia
and New York; and so true is this that
when Texas eEdOws most generously q
Southern Pacific road it must be, before
Congress will aid it, transformed into an
extension OF the Pennsylvania Central
through st. Louis to the Pacific.
If We build twenty-five miles of the mar
row gauge towards Lampasas, these miles,
through their own inherent force, will ex.
tend themselves even to Lampasas and
thence to El Paso with branches to the
silver and gold bearing districts now begin
ming to attract the attention of miners and
capitalists everywhere. Ultimately no loss
will accrue to the competing broad gauge
roads. Population will be rapidly attract
ed to country in which transportation
costs the least possible, and the resources of
the country will be so rapidly developed
that the vast quantity shipped to and
from Austin will pay more than the
trifing value of freights now moved only
in one direc ion towards New York over the
International. 1t exists for the behoof of
New York and recks absolutely nothing
Of Texas towns save to the extent that
these may contribute to the trade of New
York. 1t the people of Austin stand still
and in selfish, stupid stolidity refuse to re-
cognize plain facts thss have destroyed or
aggrandized cities, it is very proper for
those who proposed to rear stately struc-
lures ON the Avenue and Pecan street to
wait for the wagon" The fate of the
place depends upon the defeat of the plans
of the International, and upon the immedi-
ate construction, at any and all costs, of the
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