The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-02
ON THE ROAD.
Things Seen, Heard and Suggested
by Ride Through Texas.
Irregular COrrespondence.l
ON THE 1. & G. y.
NARInIrs IL ArEs

VARIOUS DATES.
To say that railroad travelling in
summer is hot, dusty and diSagreeable
and lust perfectly awful, as the
dear ladies say, and g. - -
~ as the men all
say, would only be repeating what is
already known. But many things,
both interesting, instructive and val
liable, are observed by the rejecting
traveller. There's the drummer, who
is never satisfied with anything, per-
son, place, train, country or even him
self. He advertises the fact that he
has never been accustomed to be
treated as if he amounted to any
thing, by continually growing at ev-
erything with which he comes in con-
tact. He shows that he never had
anything in his life, by repeat
edly remarking on how miserably
everything is managed around him.
He finds fault with everything at
hotel or eating house and orders
walters around with loud voice, and
even insults the landlord, remarking
that he generally pays for what he
gets and wants it brought to him'-as
if people were not in the habit of pay
ing for what they got and even more,
too. And, l am glad to say, these
growing. fusSy, fault-finding travellers
generally get the worst of everything
to be had; because, common sense and
decency would teach them that if any
thing goes amiss, it is their privilege
and duty to call attention to it, butln
the tone and manner of gentlemen;
and, in nine case out Of ten, they will
find landlords, walters and railroad
men willing and anxious to rectify
any error or amend mismanagement,
if they courteouSly request 1t. This is
verified by the treatment accorded
THE GOOD NATURED TRAVELLER.
He is always jolly. If the train is
delayed he sets his fellow passengers
in roar by numerous remarks con-
corning the matter. If the hotel fare
is not such as it should be at $3.50 and
50 per day, he jocularly calls the man
ayers attention to the matter, and is
henceforth treated like lord. Should
the walters prove careless, he never
curses them and tells of how they
would fire" such walters where he
came from; no, but he WlnkS at the
head waiter and slips a cigar into the
hands of the boy at his table, making
a facetious remark about his tortoise
disposition, and straightWay that
waiter brings the good natured tray-
eler the best in the house, and almost
breaks his neck doing 1t, too. The
good natured traveller is never run
over;" he has great deal to make
him SWear-and he does it, too, some
times, but it is all to himself. He
knows that to storm out at lmpoSl
lions does not remedy an evil, while
itImakes him enemies and he and all
around are uncomfortable. SO he
swears internally, presents smll-
ing face to the world, makes friends,
is welcomed everywhere, hotel land
lords carry in his valise themselves
and greet him loudly, he is always
welcomed where he is known. and has
crown of righteousness laid up for
his noble brow to glisten on his fore
head in the golden sheen Of the bliss
full hereafter, and is the very man you
never regret meeting. Newspaper
men are generally good natured men.
They can't help it; their holy calling
and desire for the fat things of life
make them so.
FREIGHT MATTERS.
While in Austin a few days ago |
saw a lot of brown stone jugs, crooks,
ETC., being brought IN by the carload,
and ascertained that they came from
Wisconsin. Knowing that brown
stoneWare factory in Arkansas makes
as fine ware as any similar factory in
the world, l thought it strange that
we should buy from Wisconsin; but
did not understand the enigma. |
M tn-1au / IN
on the train Mr.. II. A. Harvey, of
Benton, Saline county, Ark, who is
one of firm which manufactures
those jugs, ETC., in that state. In con-
versation with him found that he
had to pay $50 per car from Benton.
Ark, to Taylor, Tex, on his goods,
Wisconsin, Ohio, Iowa and other
points. for a carload of the same
goods to Austin. Now, Of course,
"blood-sucklng railroad mOnopOlies,"
great swindles, etc: l am of the
opinion, after careful inquiry and ma
is managed in strict accordance with
business equity. There are several
| CbI bhO OUclOOo
mentioned; while there are none from
Arkansas to Texas just yet-there
will be soon. OF course, this makes
a differencc-a very great difference.
These manufacturers get the benefit
of this competition to Texas.
THE REMEDY
Seems PLAN enough to the sagacious
business man. A long pull is of little
more consequence 30 Il railway that a
short pull, hence, figures could be OBJ
tanned on circuitous lines; then ask
for "cut under" from more direct
line. 1t will take work and good
business men to do this, as railway
men are all wide awake; but it can be
done. 1t is done by our Northern
brethren, and it is high time that we
of the South were arOusing ourselves
to more energetic measures of COM
polling recognition of our worth and
shrewdness-fo we have native
shrewdness, which commands the adj
miration of the world in all matters
except diplomatic operations. We
seem to have kind of false aristo-
cratic sensitiveness about going to
company and urging them to show
us the same favors, or make the same
concessions to us which they grant to
our driving neighbors of the North
and East. / say, as class, we of the
South do not do this; but are content
to cry loudly about high freight
rates, unjust Determinations, ETC." If
Imay be pardoned the seeming pre-
sumption in making the suggestion,
we will never induce railway men to
give us better freight rates by bitterly
bewailing the fact in wrathful COM
plants. We must arise and show the
railway managers that it will be
mutually beneficial to give better
rates. Show them that by so doing
they will enable and energiZe us to
work up an extensive trade and en-
large our industries, thus giving them
a larger freight traffic; that unless
they make these concessions we can
not do so. Put it to them
IN A BUSINESS WAY.
Argue that if they now haul a car
into Texas on which the freight
charges are $65, to be divided between
two or three connecting lines, it we e
much better to take that same car
from a point on their own lines to ALI
other point on their lines at $40 or
$50, as they would get the whole of
their freight charges and hav only
the same haul to make as they do
now, taking a car from connecting
limos o1l fkap Anlxr ro0oi oQ0 ~