Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-07-06
TO THE SOUTHWEST.
TIE Proposed Fort Worth & Bio Grande
Railway.
{ Rare Chance for the Profitable Invest
ment Of Capital.
Granbury Graphic.


Stretching from Fort Worth south
west TO Brown wood, 3 distance OF III
miles. il a tier Of counties, Hood,
Erath, Comanche and Brown, COM
prisIpg a scope OF country that for
natural advantages and wealth IL not
excelled by any other country on the
globe. These counties are rapidly In
creasing in population and wealth,
having already reached high e ate OF
agricultural development; and all has
been the result OF natural fertility OF
soil, peopled and titled by thrifty
farmers, entirely unaided by railroad
| facilities. II, through the power OF
/ natural resources and advantages,
I these counties can achieve such pro-
! gress, principally within the last de-
cade, who can prophecy their future
destiny when railroads shall have
/ traversed their lovely hills and broad,
fertile valleys, bringing more wealth
and a more perfect civilization in the
wake, and stimulating the inhabitants
b increased activity and greater pro-
ductions? A charter has been OBJ
tanned for road through these coun-
ties, but II seems those capitalists who
are interested In the enterprise have
not been ehrewd enough to perceive the
advantages offered in the Immediate
construction OF the road and sufficient
pluck to put it through. Considering
the developed state Of the counties on
the route, and the increase in produc-
tons thst would follow as q result OF
it's completion, there il no other pro-
jected road In the state Offering such
inducements for the profitable invest.
ment OF capital as this proposed Fort
Worth q Rio Grande. II Is generally
the rule that railroads are built in adj
vance Of the development OF the coun.
try, and yet become paying invest
ments; but here is a section of coun-
try from Fort Worth TO Brownwood
already teeming with thrifty and
prosperous people, and inviting
railroad 10 carry of the surplus prod
ucts Of the soil. The building Of this
road would not only prove sound in
vestment To those who put their mon
ey In 1t, but would make Fort Worth
the commercial dictator in North Tex
a.. She can not afford TO lose her
prestige as an enterprising city; still
less can she afford to lose railroad con-
nection with the Southwest. A mere
charter laying over the country gives
ner no available title TO IL, without
single mile Of the road completed. In
Dallas, only thirty-two miles distant,
Fort Worth certainly recognizes
stern and formidable rival for The rich
trade Of the Southwest. Dallas ia at
present, and has been for many
months past, preIaying all freights to
Cleburne on goods sold to Granbury
merchants and merchants of other
towns west OF here. and is rapidly
snstching from Fort Worth the whole
sale trade which the latter place but
recently enjoyed almost exclusively.
These are incontrovertible facts which
cannot he refuted or destroyed by any
refinement Of reasoning. The finger
OF destiny points to either Fort Worth
or Dallas as the ruling commercial
power in North Texas. One or the
other must succumb TO the inexorable
logic OF events soon TO transpire. Fort
Worth has rare opportunities, and we
trust has the enterprise and good
Judgment not 10 allow them to
pass by without an effort ON
her part TO take advantage of
them. Dallas has often expressed the
intention Of forming All alliance with
Cleburne and building road from
Cleburne to Brentwood via Glenrose
and Stephenville, which would cut off
Fort Worth from an outlet to the
Southwest. This il not an idle dream
with Dallas, and confronts Fort Worth
with u danger that, like Banuuo's
ghost, Twill not down. Let Fort
Worth bestir herself and 20 TO work
now, while the thrifty towns OF Gran
bury, stephenville. Comanche and
Brentwood are ready and willing to
assist her in building this road to
Brownwood. Procrastination in this
matter IL fraught with peril to the
trade OF Fort Worth. Now is the time
for earnest and united work, and it IL
to be hoped that the harvests of 1886
viii witness the completion OF the
Fort Worth d Rio Grande.