The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-01-15
Department Notes

disastrous TO many OIL Int
roads; in fact, not a road il
the state escaped without more Oh
less damage. Some of them were put
to an extraordinary outlay for repairs
The roads generally have improved
since my last report, especially the
main lines, which have been very ma
teriaIly improved both in track anC
equipment. as evidenced by the facI
that there has been 10 complaint this
season on account OF transporting
the crop or any other freight of,
fered, and the passenger trains are
seldom behind schedule time. 1t is
now the rule, and not the exception
for trains TO arrive and depart prompt
" on time. The traffic for the ensu-
ing six months promises to be very
light, owing to the short crops. Many
of the roads show a disposition to
neglect their branches. This, probably
occurs to some extent from the TACT
that few OF the branches earn their
operating expenses; but even some OF
those that have handsome traffic ere
neglected. l think it VIII require a
legislative enactment to ever have the
! Columbia branch OF the Inter- a+i9,H"i
s. Great Northern railway put in
proper condition. l have implored
and threatened, but to no avail, and l
herewith respectfully submit the mat
ter to you, to have such action taken
as you may deem best.
"The sheepmen have a grievance
with reference to shipping mutton
sheep. They desire the cars to be
double-decked, so that tie allowed
weight 100000 may be put upon the
car. The roads declind TO comply. L
think the sheepmen are entitled to the
douOle-deckedc car.
"The Gould system continue their
general offices il st. Louis. instead of
at some point in Texas, as the law
requires.
The Houston, East & West Texas
Railway is constructing to a connec-
tion with Shreveport. The Kansas q
Gulf Short Line is constructing to q
connection with the Houston, East &
West Texas at or near Lufkin. The
Gulf, Colorado IL Santa Fe is con-
structing from Montgomery to a con-
nectionIWith theiInternatiOnal * Great
Northern at or near Willis, in Mont
gomery county. The Galveston, Sa-
bine & St Louis Railway is construct
ing from present terminus to Car
thage. There is a probability that the
Fort Worth 81 Denver City Railway
will build some fifty miles during the
ensuing year northwest from Wichita
Falls. This is about all the construc-
ton, either present or prospective.
In accordance with section 6 of the
act creating the Office OF state engi-
neer, | have prepared and mailed to
each member of the Nineteenth legiS-
lature a freight classification and
tariff of maximum charges of the
government of the railroads for the
state.
"The state mas now tried the exper-
iment of the state engineer for about
eighteen months, and the question
naturally arises: Is it a success?
From my observation and experience,
l answer, emphatically, MOI The act
gives the state engineer no power. He
can inspect and persuade the railway
companies, but he has no power to
order or compel. He is confined en-
tirely to the physical condition OF the
roads has no authority to examine
the books and papers appertaining to
the operations Of the roads. The
state engineer, under the present law,
is nothing more than rOadmaster in
charge of maintenance Of way. L re-
spectfully recommend that the present
office be abolished, and either have no
railway department, or enact new
law and give the party, whether you
call it q railway commission or state
engineer, such power as will enable
him or them to thoroughly investigate
the railways in all their depart
ments. In the event that nothing is
created in lieu of the present office, L
would respectfully suggest that the
legislature auopt maximum tariff
for treights and make it penalty of
$500 for any railway company to eX-
coed said tariff in its class for trans
porting freight, Also make it a pen
atty of $500 for any railway company
to discriminate between any persons
shipping same class Of freight from
the same place, same distance and IN
same direction.
81 think the above about all the
laws needed in regulating freight tar
if, In reference to roads keeping
their track and equipment IN good
order, / would suggest law making
it a Enable offence for any
railway company to cause passengers
or freight to be unreasonably delayed,
if said delay was caused by said rail-
way company failing to keep their
track and equipment in good repair.
81 do not believe there is railway
company in the state that is not anx-
| ious to have their roads in frst-clasS
| but there is not q dividend-paying
road in the state, and more than one
| fails to earn interest on bonded in
debtedness and operating expenses Fix
| charges). This is why they have
no money for bettering the condition
of their property"
The comptroller hiss placed the claim
of the state against Henry Hamilton.
collector of Bandera county, in the
hands of the attoIney-generalf for suit,
said Hamilton being Behind in his ac,
| counts about $500.
There was deposited in the state
treasury, yesterday, 81 $50 to revenue
| and $1,000 on account of the school
| fund.
Chartered: The Pan Electric Tele-
phone company of Fort W oIth, capt.
tai S25.00O: directors, n. Mallerich
Drew Pruitt, Geo. Hendricks, j. z.
Smith, Max Elser, Wallace Hendricks,
L. c. Looney.
The land board has received appli-
cations for leases OF six sections in
| Palo Pinto, two in Howard, four in
Medina and thirty three in Preside
county. Nearly all the applications
made in December have been received;
and although there was an interval OF
two months, the total leasing is small
er than at any previous let
ting. The board meets to-day
to pass upon applications.
The comptroller is reported
as saying in regard to the
present condition of the state
| finances that cash payments are
not likely to be suspended, inasmuct
as the tax collectors are making very
prompt settlements, and he thinks
the worst is about over.
The reports of the capitol building
commission and state penitentiary
officials are in the hands OF the printer
and will be issued in a few days.
Gen Bee, lately appointed commits
sioner of insurance statistics and his
tory, has rendered the place OF chic
clerk in his office to Hon. Chas. r
Gibson, of Waxahachle. AustiI
gains good citizen and the depart
ment most competent man by thi
happy selection
Mr.. r. j. Kendall, the present pri
vate secretary of Gov. Ireland, vacate
that position on the 10th inst, ant
will be succeeded By gentleman iron
1