The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-06-21
Austin and the Wool Trade.

The following communication, containing
timely hints on wool matters was handed in
yesterday by prominent wool man of this
city. and one who is interested in Austin be-
coming manufacturing, as well as a wool
buying city. He explained that he had para
phraSed an able article from the pen of MIR.
Stephen Gould, of San Antonio, and applied
the latter part of the article to San Antonio :
while the wool growers had their ranches
near the eastern boundary of the state, Gal
weston was wool market of considerable i'm
portance; but with the influx of immigrants
and the development of the agricultural posi-
bilitles OF the country, land became too Valua-
bic to be devoted to sheen ranches, and
the fiockmasters were steadily crowded
further west to cheaper lands and wider
ranges. Then, too, Galveston began to make
specially OF cotton, and invested its capital in
the building up of its cotton facilities. The
large exchange established there was cotton
exchange, and wool was neglected. About this
time the Galveston, Harrisburg and San An
tonic railroad began its western extension
from Harrisburg, and the wool growers sought
the nearest railroad shipping point. Soon
after the New Braunfels wooden mill was es-
tablished, and its effect was so marked on the
San Antonio market that woods were attract
ed there which formerly sought Galveston as
market. -
tonic made an effOrt-and a speclalty-fOr the
wool trade. Austin must do the same thing
In the first place, to create a market. it Is
necessary to create a local demand; and In
the absence OF manufactures it is necessary to
attract foreign buyers, who visit Texas during
each wool season, and fill the orders they
hold for the northern manufacturers. To at
tract foreign buyer, it is necessary to
have large amount of wool of various
grades, conveniently stored in large ware
houses. More than thi ). there must be am
pie banking facilities, and those modern con-
veniences Of trade such as he is accustomed
to in the large cities of the north. 1t is true
that some buyers will continue to visit the
ranches and smaller towns to buy WOOL but
those men will not pay city prices unless they
have competition, and only then in Compare
lively rare instances and for choice lots An
established reputation has much to do in at
tracing buyers, and convenient means for
vantageS are possessed by Austin to as great
degree as any Texas city. We should offer
chance for buyers to have their woods secured
before being shipped, which results in a great
saving of freight, and fits the wool for imme-
diate use for the manufacturer. No other city
in Texas, except San Antonio, could then
boast of wool securing mill nor would this
be the only advantage posed by Austin, as has
already been shown True, Austin needs
still more facilities to give it permanence as a
wool market. Business is enjoying perfect
boom here; its population is constantly in
creaSing; new firms are being established here
every month; the demand for new store build
ings and dwellings exceeds the supply, al
though during the past two years over thir-
teen hundred building permits have been is
sued, and business accommodations have
been doubled, and the storage room for wool
alone has been nearly doubled i'll the past
twelve months, and new wool commission
firms have sprung into existence when, two
years ago, such a thing was deemed impOssi-
BILE; yet there exists lack, and that is in home
manufactures, wooden mills, wool securing
mills, mills for the manufacture of bagging
and Irvine, etc. These are the things Austin
needs to give it permanence as great wool
market Of the future, and with such enter
prlses it can become not only great city, but
also great benefit to every wool grower in
Texas.
"A wooden mill established in a small COM
munity, far away from machine shops and iron
works, is at continual disadvantage, as
breakage OF machinery, such as are liable to
in the work. Then, too, the manufactured
goods will have to be shipped to a market,
whereas, if there is home demand, such as
there is IN large city, both time and expense
will be save', and the profits of the mann
fadtllr( rs correspOndingly increased. A few
minutes thought will suffice to suggest other
reasons why wooden mill should be located
at point Ike Austin; the cheap and album
dant water power, gas, educational adyan-
tages for the children of the employees, cheap
homes, delightful climate, railroad, telegraph
and telephone facilities, growing city with
constant rise in the value of real estate, which
of itself will make mill property many times
its ordinary value; all these conspire to make
this city one of the most favorable locations
for wooden mills. Then, too, the Austin mer-
chants andpand owners will contribute to such
enterprise If they are started on business
has no such wooden mill. although several
milling corporations. having been drawn here
by the unsurpassed water facilities and natu-
raj advantages of Austin. have figured on put
far. by the hostility exhibited In exhorbitant
prices for mill sites. While this lack of manu-
featuring facilities continues. Austin is in
danger Of being robbed of its prospects as a
wool market. All along the lines of the ives T
ern extension of the great railroads which
cross this state, ara numerous little cities and
towns which are fast growing into trading cen
tres for wool growing districts. 1t Is not nee
essary to name these, for they are well known
and ii energetic wool dealers should estaDllSn
themselves there, and adopt liberal policy
in dealing with wool growers, there is no doubt
that they would divert a large amount OF wool
from this market. That such contingency
would be permanet benefit to the wool grow
ers of Texas we do not believe. The policy Of
modern trade is toward GENERALIZATION. and
with the wool of Texas centralized in one
large market the influence OF Texas wool
growers would be an important factor in pol
tiles as well as in business. Wool growers as
race are less united for theiI common good
than any other sg class ASS Ta Is bs
needed is more eff the cooperative principle,
more unity, more OF the brotherhood, ma
senry, so TO speak. Of the wool growers, not
say of the entire world. United and thorough
ly organized, the wool growers Of America
can obtain what they wish, whether from
thorough organization and fratern.
ity Of feeling, they are but the
plsythings Of the designing politicians, and
the pray OF manufacturers. Let the wool
growers OF Texas unite, first, on a common
market for their wool, and then in building
wooden mills near the market, and we viii
never again hear their complaints of low
prices resulting from rings among buyers OF
manufacturers And, with the present ener
gy and push of our citizens extend d towards
securing the wool trade, together with heI
natural advantages and the large amount OF
capital now seeking Investment here, as the
capital OF Texas, and the best city for resi-
dence in all the southwestern states. we are
bound to become the leading wool market Of
Texas. WOOD MAN"