The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-04-01
HAVING NEGLECTED RAILWAY
SCHEMES, HOW AUSTIN MAY
YET BE BENEFITED.

10 st. Louis, Chicsgo and Boston, and
much travel that would necessarily
bring about the presence of visitors in
Austin will be lost. As this road goes
farther west the effect upon our COM
mercial condition will be in an Increas-
ed ratio, and alter while Austin must,
unless its people adopt measures for its
protection, lose more certainly than
ever. An iDjnry to the city, 1t is we'll
understood, is also sn injury to all the
section surrounding 1t. When great
boom was carrying Austin to most
respectable position as a commercial
center tie effect was felt in all the Sec
tion Of country about it, and this pros
perity wss by no means confined to the
limits Of Travis county. While the
people OF Austin were growing rich
those OF the country enJ nyed degree
of prosperity experienced by them ct
no other time, and mutually Of in
teresis between them is always ineYita-
bic. Whatever advantages the one de-
riVes benefits the other, and hence this
effort to protect Austin's interests is
one in which the people of the country
are IS deeply interested SIS though their
worldly goods were centered on Con-
gEess Avenue and Pecan street. Gould
circumstances give Austin population
of $4,000 inhabitants, every farmers
wealth IN Travis county would be dou.
bled, and every article Of produce that
could possibly be spared from the farm
would always bring remunerative
prices In the city, and farmers would
rapidly grow rich. Could Austin be-
come manufacturing point, benefits
to country people would be greater
even than to those of the city Were
there cotton and wool factories, and
cotton seed oil mills and beef packer.
les and tanueries, the companies own
lag these enterprises might. once in
awhile, meet with reYerses, but the
farmer would move steadily along un-
der degree Of prosperity that you'd
soon M axe these rich bottom and pro.
duCtiVe prairie farms the most profite-
blr Of all possessions. 1t cannot be eX
pec,ed, however, thst farmers are com.
ing INTO the city to establish industries,
except it may be cotton yarn factories,
which they could conduct with much
profit. To permit them 10 do even this
much we should have cheap and pler'
tiful motor power, which can certainly
be obtained in any quantity from the
Colorado river. There is already
power at the Colorado Mills,
tu7e-- >ls--s-A rlatin where farm.
ers, by combination, might es'
t4bllsh yam factory of considerable
proportions, using the Clement st
tachments, while by doing so they
could add fifty per cent. to annua
profits on cotton crops. We had
just as well accept the theory at onc'
thai industries alone will protect
Austin against dire calamitiee, the re-
suit of iuaction in establishing snd
controlling railway enterprises. Wher
the international begins to divert trade
at San Marcos and New Braunsfels,
we should begin to attract trade
by establishing the fact that Austin il
as good q market for products as New
York or Boston. There should be nc
embargo at Austin on trade, and pro.
ducs should be handled ct Austin,
not as in some cities, for pickings and
steshngs, but for the good OF those
who sell, and tor the profit there may
be in manufacture. GOULD Austin be
made to occupy such relation to the
country it would sttract trade In all
directions along the lines Of railways
converging here, and it might always
maiptain a considerable wagon trade.
A vast productive section lies south OF
the Colorado, on Onion creek, and in
the rapidly developing agricultural
sections OF Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays,
Blsncc, Gillespie, San Saba, Mason,
Lano and other counties that could be
induced to carry on an extensive
wagon trade with Austin. To secure
this, attention would have to be given
to wagon roads, to bridges and ferries,
and the approach to the city would
have to be easy. All this could be eff
fected with not very great expense,
aud profits from trade arising there.
from would soon make handsome re.
turns for small outlays. Another mat
ter, which has often been discussed by
the STATESMAN, claims especial atten-
tion. There should be free and easy
means OF entry to the city from the
south side of the Colorado. During
these dry years the river has been al.
ways fordable, but there are seass n:
when, most OF the time, it is above
the fording piont, snd should toll
embargo continue, it may be expected
that most of the trade from the coun-
ties named would find It's way to STA
tions along tue line of the IuternatioBa
to the westward Of Austin. The Ger
msn farmer, who comes from Freder-
icksburg, with his heavy wagon and
five or six yoke OF oxen, will prefer to
ship st the Onion creek station or a.
San Marcos, rather thsn run the rfsk
OF being compelled 10 pay four or five
donars to get in and out of Austin
The county should own the bridge and
all tolls should be abolished. Imme'
diafely approaching conditions make
Il necessary, too, that steps in this and
other directions named should be q
once taken. Thought and well con
cieYed plans and vigorous execution an
demanded, and there should be no de-
lay in doing things demanded Of us,
not for the prosperity Of others, but fol
our own imminent safety.