The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-10-18
A New Railroad.

AuSLlu, I1c IlOSI
city of the state, with advantages OF
location which ought to place it first
in commercial as it is in g Dvernmental
Importance, is every day losing its in
tiuence and diminishing its possible
ties by its ineXcusable and ineXpli
cable want of energy and enterprise,
Shame on such lethargy. The one
feeble attempt it has made at railroad
building is a total failure. The toy
road to Burnet is a mockery and a
laughing-stock. Lampasas has Slapped
Burnet, and the Santa Fe road has in
tercepted the northwestern trade OF
our city. Austin has still remaining
q cannot say preserveD a little west
ern trade through Fredericksburg,
but plans are now on foot to deprive
it OF the little which remains. Still it
is not too late for Austin to retrieve
even a large part of the business
which it has lost. Rapid, determined
effort will yet give it the commercial
rule OF this boundless northwest.
San Antonio, the great rival of
Austin for prominence in the fertile
counties, is now ahead and is adyanc-
ing rapidly. These plains have been
for years under military protection
and San Antonio as headquarters of
the federal troops in Texas, has be-
come more intimately associated with
the country in its developments than
any other city i I the state. Many of
the people know nothing of Austin,
all are intimately acquainted with
San Antonio. This circumstance is
of great disadvantage to Austin, but
direct railroad communication be-
tween it and these rapidly developing
plains will soon deprive San Antonio
of its advantages.
With these remarks insert the fol-
lowing from the Colorado City Clip
per:
A grand mass meeting of the citizens was
held at the opera house on the evening OF Sep
TENDER &c, 1888: the following are the proceed
ings:
On motion Col VIM NJ. Dunn was called to
the chair, and ALT. TOlar elected secretary.
In brief address the chairman explained
the object of the meeting to be to take into con-
sideratiOn the building OF a railroad from san
Antonio, Texas, via San Angela, Colorado City
and on the most practicable route to Kansas
= The meeting was then addressed by Judge c.
G. MeGinnis, Col M9sieey, Major Ferguson,
gentlemen urged the Importance of such road
to the great stock belt of Texas, and to towns
and cities along the line. After a thorough dis
cUSSlOQ OF UD0 inherent IL was ullilnlll-
ously, agreed that the. most derirable route
would have for itsistarting point San Antonio,
and would run on the most practi-
cable route to Boerne, in Kendall county;
City,, Kimble county; .Menardville, Menard
county; Kickapoo Springs, ConchO county;
San Angela, Tom Green county, in the order
From Colorado City through SiOnewall, Has
kell, Knox, Hardeman and Wilbarger coun-
ties, to OF near Vernon, on Red River. The
route was adopted, subject to any change that
might be found necessary after making the
preliminary surveys.
On motion, books for subscription to stock
were opened, and an amount sufficient to Sc
cure charter subscribed, subscribers agreeing
to pro rata the stock in case other sections
failed to join the enterprise.
Distance, estimated at 375 miles; stock sub
Scribed, $375, 600.
The following was Submltted:
Resolved, That meeting be held at the
Frenkie Opera House, in this city, at O'Clock
tary be instructed to correspond with San
Antonio, Kansas City and all intermediate
points along the line, requesting. them to send
with instructions to said delegates to enable
them to make such pledges towards the build
ing of said road as they think their respective
sections will justify them in doing, and to Join
us in this enterprise. Adopted.
There being no further business, adjourned
to meet at time and place specified above.
VIM. n. DUNN, Chairman.
ALF. II. ToLAR, Chairman.
1t is evident that the people of Col
orado City feel the need and see the
Importance of railroad connection
with the southeast, and the union is
in some manner bound to occur.
The proposed connection with Kan
sas City is of no greater Importance
than is direct communication with
seaport. Perhaps it is of less import
ance.
This is now a stock country, and for
the shipment of live stock to market
a direct railroad route to Kansas City
is very desirable thing. But this
will not always be stock country.
A railroad is permanent establish
ment, and the greatest foresight
should be exercised in planning it.
n Northwestern Texas is in the near
future to become one of the largest
grain producing districts of the
United States. This theory is quite
generally entertained by the inhabit-
ants and is endorsed by experience.
Large crops of wheat are now pro-
duced by irrigation. The rainfall is
sufficient for successful agriculture,
but at present is not evenly dlStrib-
uted through the season. The eli
mate, however, is changing in this re-
gard and crops of millet are produced
without irrigation.
Such products as this country will
produce, with the exception of cotton,
perhaps, are abundantly produced in
Missouri and surrounding states.
When, then, will be the advantage of
sending farm products to Kansas
City? They and the dead products of
the stock farms, wool, ETC., are more
advantageously carried by water than
by rail. The people will then want
to reach, by the most direct route, the
nearest seaport, and that port is Gal
weston.
A line through Austin is the best
and only natural route from here to
Galveston: and a road on this line
could be constructed with less expense
than on any other possible route. A
road through Round Rock, Strick-
ling, San Saba, Brady, San Angela
and Colorado would pass through
some of the finest lands in the state.
With the exception of a small strip
between San Saba and the Colorado
river, the country is chiefly level, fer
tile prairie-a large part of it already
well settled and productive.
The people of Austin imagine the
trade of this section is of little i'm
portance, but they grossly deceive
themselves. They would be aston
ished to see the great amount of mer-
chandise which goes out of San Anto-
MO, Lampasas and Abilene for the
towns out here.
This country must very soon be
supplied with a road. Austin has the
advantage. Will she let it pass?
/ am told the projectors of the con-
templated road will go to San Anto-
MO because they know it will help,
and Austin will not. Shame on Aus
tin AN AUsTINIAN.
San Angela, October 8, 1883.
Letter from Ex.Presidant Davis.