The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-06-23
Au.tin,s Former Trade.

hQ1IOr SLateeman.
have just returned from an inspection
trip In the frontier counties where I traced
up the former good trade once enjoyed
by Austin. From personal observation
and courtesies of merchants in the several
towns in the western and northwestern
counties, Il have gathered the following In.
teresting items for the consideration OF
our business men and property holders /:
Arriving at the towns of Mason, Fred
ericksburg, Menardville and Brady City,
l found great opposition to the trade Of
our city from San Antonio merchants
who have secured about eighty per cent.
of the wool shipments of those points.
The railroads entering San Antonio, to as
slst Its merchants, discriminate in freight
sold two dollars less per thousand and salt
twenty-six cents per sack under Austin
prices. The former sold at ST. per thou
sand for first-class, and salt at $1.17 per
sack. This discrimination was made as q
leverage on the wool shipments TO en-
able freighters to secure back freight. The
| next points visited were McKavltt, Ben
Ffcklin and Fort Concho. i found trade
turning towards Abilene, 80 miles distant,
| with wagon ffeights sixty cents per 100
pounds, while from Austin they are 81 80,
the distance being about 245 miles, thus
giving Abilene decided advantage over
terms OF freight. i noticed all govern
ment freights being handled from abb
lene to the forts instead of from San An
tonic as heretofore.
The trade of Tom Green county and
Menard county Is about the best Austin
has in this section. They are among the
best wool and cattle counties in the state.
The wool Of these counties has gone to
San Antonio this season and will go to
Abilene next year., From Concho 1 went
| to Coleman City, Buffalo Gap, Bell Plain,
| all formerly trading with Austin. They
are about 40 miles from Beard Station, on
the Texas & Pacific railroad. Calves
ton, Fort Worth and Dallas are holding
the trade of these points. noticed that
the business men were dissatisfied and
are seeking TO make connection with
Austin. At Brownwood 1 found the
same state of affairs. This town
has done large trade with
our merchants for six or seven years.
Now they ship their wool and cotton to
] Eastland, distant sixty miles, and haul
their goods from that point. Freight
/ rates are as follows: On wool, thirty
| cents per 100 pounds, to railroad strtion
on goods, fifty cents per 100 pounds.
Galveston, New Orleans and Waco are
| doing the business for Brentwood.
The next point on my route was
Williams Ranch, Brown county. Here I
found Waco and Galveston doing the bulk
| of the business. The distance from this
plhCC W OtpOL Ou OcHITdl eAIcublOu lTOu
Waco is ffty-eight miles, with freights
| fifty cents per 100 pounds. The distance
| to,Austin Is one hundred and twenty-five
miles and only q very small portion OF
the trade goes to Austin, and we are
bound to lose all. The towns of San Saba
and Lampasas, the "old stand-bys''
of Austin, have turned their trade
to Bolton, it being nearer than Austin.
The Santa Fe railroad people and mer-
| chants of Galveston are doing much to-
ward turning trade from above named
points to Bolton. Sitting down all these
| points your readers can judge how it is
Austin has gone down. 1t IS not to be
forgotten that Georgetown and Round
Rock have lost their trade. II the
people of Austin, and especially the
merchants and property holders, can
| not see the utmost necessity of assisting
| in building a railroad to the section OF
the state 1have mentioned, the trade OF
| which isnow lost TO US for want of trans
portation facilities. 1 have talked
to the best citizens of these
| counties, and If we make q strike now
for q railroad to extend northwest we
will get back our trade, and redeem the
business interests of the:city, and place
her on the highway of prosperity, where
she as the proud capitol of the Lone Star
state properly belongs.
/ r.. .... Yours respectfully,
WILLIAM BRUEGGERHOFF.