The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-03-03
4 RAoE FOR STAKES.

which is cngaged in tho construc-
ton of the Texas & ST. Louis rail-
way. 1t begins to appear that this
railway is 20 be the entering wedge
for great narrow gauge system for
the Southwest, second in the end.
probably, not even to the vast broad
gauge system, to-day being ce-
mented aud combined and en-
larged BY the most powerful
syndicate rnat has ever organized in
the interest of railway building
Out of the nearly $500 miles OF COM
pleted railway in Texas, the
narrow gauge system, though in
its infancy, makes up one-sixth of
/ this amount, and there is most re-
markable vitality in its present op-
erations. The Texas & st. Louis
railway has over 200 miles of road
completed and being worked. Bre-
mond's East and West Texas is
moving rapidly through Eastern
Texas to a junction with the others.
In West Texas tho Corpus Christi
Railway is scusbing on with vigor
towards the Rio Grande, and, it is
said, it has, or is about to, pass into
the hands of the Palmer & Sullivan
party, now moving in the direction
of the Pacific coast. This company
have secured subventions and rights
from the Mexican government, which
insures the building of trans-con-
tinental line, from Mazatlan. on the
Pacific coast, via the City of Mex
leo, to Eagle Pass, on the Rio
Graude. It Is in this direction that
the Texas & st. Louis railway
moves, and in an Incredibly short
time the little Tyler narrow gauge
railway, that was begun few years
ago by Jim Douglas will haye grown
into q great trunk line, sp inning
a continent, and linking, with
similar enterprises, two peoples
into. one, III community of interest
and in social intercourse. Jay Gould
has entered his International for the
Mexican stakes, and to the rear this
little narrow gauge "critter" starts
off with a grace and ease that may
surprise all before the goal is
reached. Money makes the mare go,
and while we know that
Gould has millions 10 make his
racer dash lustlly of towards
the halls of the Montezumas,
it is also known, there is all
behind the Tyler trcd nag to
make her move at pace hat will
put the New Yorker 10 his heaviest
work. BY the oath cf May the Texas
& St. Louis railway will be COM
pIete8 to Waco. The people of that
section are placing no obstacles in
the way of its rapid progress. They
ara giving II right-of-way, and at
Waco they are giving depot grounds;
and, in fact, the company is
offering every inducement to make
it work with its best will. Yet II
dares not propose to tarry on the
BrAzos. Such a course would not
suit the plans of those who are be-
hind the scheme, urging it on with
money. 1t will at once seek
its course, asross these west
ern plains towards the Rio
Grande, and because of the occu-
patton of country by the Interna-
tional, it will naturally be driven
through the section to the north
ward of Austin; thence to Eagle
Pass, where the trans-coptinental
connection, it is understood, will be
made. Here is the inception of the
system to which we refer. Texas
appears to be the field for its grand
est development. Here it will find
the nearest deep water, and here
will be attracted lines from all di-
rections. The Denver railway will
make its connection, and so will
other roads, and had the people of
Austin followed the advice of the
STATESMAN, through all these
years, and pushed lines of such
railways towards the northwest, it
would now command the respect
and attention of the great railway
builders, and Austin would then
have been the point of concentration
in Texas for all this interest. What is
to be done about it we cannot say.
The time has passed, when golden
opportunities were before these
people for securing and maintain
ing the trade Of rich section, natu-
rally dependent upon it. How far
this trunk line Of the Texas 81 st
Louis railway will pass from us is
not definite; forty, fifty or seventy
Ave miles, probably. II will
be sufficiently far, at least, and
will traverse a section of
country that now trades with Aus
tin; and how to maintain this trade
we leave these people at liberty to
scratch their heads and consider.
1t is a serious question, and yet were
our people alive to the occasion,
they might easily find, hid away in
their safes and money drawers,
enough. cash to yet secure the build
ing of a narrow gauge railway to-
wards the northwesL,that would tap
this system, and not only bring as tri-
butte to our city the trade that natur-
ally belongs to us, but much that is
two thu ee or five hundred miles away.
Realities are before them, not specu-
lative fancies, or what they have re-
garded as the STATEsMAN's. night
mare, but dangerous facts, and
yet not so dangerous as to be impos-
sible to overcome. ~ Er'i fn
PROFESSOR TRIP, whose course
of European lectures is expected to
come off shortly in our city, is the