The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-03-25
HOW TO MAKE PEACE WITH
ST. PETER.

When the preliminary surveys were
being made for the extension of the In
ternational railway from Rockdale to
Austin, the STATESMAN urged the peo-
pie of this city to induce the company
to run their road on an air line 20 the
south of Brushy, instead of permitting
it to be bent away to the north, and TO
thus pave the way for robblpg Austin
of vast deal of trade. 1t Is Q. well
known fact that bonus of $50, 600 at
that time would have induced the COM
psoy to abaodon the upper route and
to have resorted to the lower one,
which was, as stated, an air line from
Rockdale to Austin; and it IS IS PLAIN
as anything can be, that the deprecia.
ton IN rental alone, IN the city of Aus
tin, in consequence of the course the
road did take, has amounted in
single twelve months to five or six
times the amount that would have Sc
cured the construction most favorable
60 Austin's interests Austin has lost
the handling of ten or fifteen thousand
bales of cotton annually, by failure
to buy this piece of railroad coussruc
ton in its own interest. The curve OF
the road to the north he's been worth
more thar $4,000 annually to Its
owners, and it has really been fortunate
for the compsny that the people of
Austin placed no value on trade. The
STATESMAN, in the last i've or six
years, has. published matter costing
from ore to two thousand dollars in
yam effort to induce the people of
Austin to repair damages to its trade
by constructing line OF railway to-
wards the northwest; and all that has
ever been accomplished were few
sickly efforts to raise funds for the un-
dertaking. When the International
made Its terminus for a season at
Round Rock, the STATESMAN clsmoFed
for an Austin line into Burnet county,
and on to Lsmpasss, to hold the trade
that was beng diverted. Then and
eyer since we have attempted to in
duce these people to help themselves,
but the struggle has been q vain one
When Georgetown concluded it must
have railroad; when little George
town, with its 1900 inhabitants, raised
$50. 900 to construct road, the STATES
MAN urged t,and the people Of George
town plead with the people of Austin,
that they should add enough to this
sum to build the road, not to Round
Rock, but direct to Austin. A deaf
ear was turned to every argument and
entreaty, and little Georgetown built
It's road, and has been running special
trains into Austin 10 secure passengers
and traffic for the energetic little capt
tai OF Williamson county. It's mer-
chants buy their goods in New York
and St. Louis and Kansas City, SIS do
ours. aud they make direct shipments,
via Round Rock, and return cotton,
hides, cattle and other Texas produce
over the sOme route. Yet Austin
once enjoyed the entire trade of
Williamson county, and of slI that
country now trading at Round Rock,
Geores.ewp, Taylor aud Hutto. When
the Georgetown road was purchased
BY a gentlemen belonging 70 the Inter-
national Railroad Company, the STATES
NAN made the prediction that these
ten miles Of road. starting northwest
from Round Rock, would h made the
initial step in branch line of the In
ternationsl. passing through the very
country that we have urged the people
OF Austin 10 control By means OF srals-
way Of their own. and now IT Is stated
by our Liberty Hill correspondent that
this prediction is to be made true. The
argument produced By the STATESMAN
| upon this superstition was one IN which
II was attempted for the thousAndth
time 70 arouse Austin property-holder.
] from, : lsthsEgy that Is certainly theil