The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-01-27
SOUTH AUSTIN. January 16, 1881

Editor Democratic Statesman:
1 once heard an old citizen, now dead,
declare as his political platform: ''The
kitchen before the parlor; good common
schools before colleges, and thorough
system of public roads before railroads"
While cOncede the importance, indeed
the necessity of the railroad, the college
and the parlor, we turn with grateful
confidence TO the well provided Kitchen,
the well disciplined country school, and
good solid road in sunshine and rain with
substantial bridges across the perhaps
swollen streams, culverts over the
slOughs, and the hills cut down or graded
to meet the capacity of the team, whether
speed or tonnage he the object. 1t places
the distant village church or the city Of
flee at our door and draws our fields laden
with gain nearer the market; it places
our forest at the disposal of the city con-
sumner so that 4 man with modrate purse
may lay on an extra stick and smile at old
BOreas as he bowls around the northwest
cOrner-nO vision of sixteen dollar ''cOr-
nersrOn wood to disturb his serenity. But
to business.
L propose that the county commission
ers of Travis, the mayor and board of
aldermen of the city of Austin, the presi-
dents or owners of our city banks, the
wholesale and retail dealers, the bridge
company and the business managers of
our two railrC ads and other moneyed
men be specially invited to meet at the
court house on Saturday. January -, 1881,
to organize the Austin and Travis Coun-
ty Turnpike Company, The object OF this
cOmpapyis to build a macadamiZed road
thoroughly graded, metaled and bridg-
ed, from the city of Austin to the border
of Travis county in each ofthe following
directions. viz: Fredericksburg, Lock
hart, BastrOp and Old Round Rock. The
70 ha Oh fha
nature of the country will permit, that
a president and secretary be elected and
proper steps taken to secure n char
ter from the present session of the
Seventeenth Legislature. That 1.-THE Hon.
Stephen II. Darden, or some such man, in
whom the public have unqualified conf
dence, be selected as president, The
stock of said company to be taken as fol-
lows: One-fourth to be taken by the City
of Austin; One-fourth by the county of
Travis, and the residue to be taken by
private stockholders, who shall own and
control said roads for term of years,
with the privilege of collecting toll at in
tervals of five miles, beginning at some
central point in the city, after which time
the road to be the property of the county
of Travis.
As some of your readers may not know
precisely what is meant by "macadam-
lied" road, 1 will say it consists of a
graded road bed, the hills cut down or
valleys, etc, filled, so that the grade shall
at no place exceed an average of given
number of feet to the mile. of uniform
width. and surmounted by n bed of
pounded rock generally ten inches deep,
and a foot or two narrower than the grad
ed bed, the whole finished by covering
of dirt or sand few inches deep,
While 1 am not prepared TO give the
amount required for this enterprise in
figures, will say the distance contem-
plated would be about seyenty-fve miles,
the grading light, and the work neces-
sary generally very convenient.
Sincerely hoping that these suggestions,
if not adopted, may call the favorable at
tention of the people of Austin to SUBJ
ject which right now affects their mate
rial interestmore than anyother. Certainly
nothing could strike nearer "bottom" to
the future prosperity of city and county.
No air ship to deceive; no monopoly to
Cypress, but solid ground work of COM
fort or luxury.
Very respectfully, ). j. s.