The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-04-30
BRIEF CHATS
WITH SOME OF THE LEADING
BUSINESS MEN OF
AUSTIN.
The Present Condition Of
Things and the Outlook
for the Future.

for the Future.
Armed with the usual implements
of his trade. a note book and a pencil
| (the latter wal ranted to record nothing
but facts) STATESMAN reporter sal
lied out among the merchants
of Austin yesterday afternoon
to interrogate them in regard to the
present status of business, the pros
pecU for the future, and the condition
of the country generally. OF course,
in making the rounds, he was able
only to converse with few. In
some of the houses entered the
| chiefs were too busy 10 waste
time on reporter some were gone to
the Exposition and some were not in
! communicative humor. But of the
latter class there were very few; meT-
chants, as rule, being very different
from prominent politicians (here are
some in this city,, who dread an inter-
view with knight Of the quill. quite
as much as the manager of Hades Is
alleged to dread consecrated water
Very different from these gentry are
the merchants of Austin. They are,
as Il whole, an intelligent, affable and
courteous set Of gentlemen and
it needed no reportorial augur
to draw out their opinions on the
topics preached.
The first man called on was Mr..
Geo. A. Brush, the well-known hard
ware dealer. He was immersed in
business, but politely stopped to
answer a few queries. There is
much talk" he said, regarding the
dull times, but 1 see no cause to COM
plain. Business is good in cur line
as is usual for this season, if not bet
Ger. However, there will be no boom
till fall, when, if good crops are made,
l look for a grand revival in trade"
The speaker then turned to custom
er, to whom he began to explain the
points of superiority of Charter
Oak stove over all others, and the re-
porter fled.
A member of the large
wholesale establishment of Crow,
Mexican & Co. responded
readily: cit is true the times are
stringent, but trade is fair, consider
ing everything. / regard the future
as exceedingly promising. A hopeful
sign is the closer adherence to the
cash system among our business men.
That system is now the order OF the
day.
"The country merchants are in first
class condition to day, because they
have kept down their stocks to suit
the times, and for the most part have
settled up their Indebtedness"
The well-known establishment of
John H. Robinson & Son was the
next entered. Mr.. Robinson said:
There is no use denying the extreme
dizziness pervadin1 business circles.
Everything, Of course, depends on
the crops, and another month
will decide as to that. A great many
men have to lie carried during this
dull season, but if the farmers make
plenty of grain and cotton things will
come round in more favorable
shape. Of course the last assertion is
selfevident proposition, but it is
about all that can be said"
Mr.. Bass, of Teagarden & Bass, OBJ
served: Business has been looking
up of late, and I predict boom will
hit this country ere many months roll
round"
Phil Abraham was tackled next,
and rose to says: "Trade is rushing,
down on Pecan, and the outlook is i'm
mense. You can charg e up that remark
TO me, he called out to the retreating
interviewer.
John Houghton, of Houghton &
Robinson, wholesale Whiskey dealers,
was met by the way, and told it thus:
"Well, trade might be better, but it
might be worse, / see no cause for
Encouragement; besides it is the
history of commerce for dull
season to be succeeded by
one Of great activity; we have been
undergoing state of depression for
some time and there is bound to be a
reaction. The moving OF cattle and
wool, but barely commenced, is sure
to make the times easier"
Mr.. W. B. Smith, one of the Oldest
| and best known merchants OF Austin,
was quite ready to help out the re-
porter OF all the men spoken TO,
none took more hopeful view Of af-
fairs than Mr.. smith. 81 have never
seen a better outlook, he said. The
farmers are moving off with an en-
ergy that is most suspicious. The
acreage given to the different crops
is considerably in excess of past years.
| OF course they are dependent upon
| the seasons for success, but right now
| no fairer prospect was ever presented,
| TITS true too much rain has fallen in
some sections of late, but more good
than harm has resulted, if the floods
will cease now. The reason talk so
much of the farmers is, that every
body has to depend finally upon them.
Our farmers, too, are year by year
| getting more independent; they sup
| ply their own needs to a greater eX-
tent, and are also learning the wis
dom of diversifying their crops. Yes,
am decidedly of the opinion that
business, which has been rather stag
nant of late, will ere long take on a
boom of immense proportions, and a
| f1ood-tide of prosperity again ell
liven our land"
The extensive establishment of Jno
A. Webb & Bro, dealers in agricul.
tural implements, ETC., was next in.
yaded. The senior member smilingly
sized up the situation: 1T goes with
out debate that everything depends
on the cotton crop, considerable
portion of which is not yet planted
A great many of the farmers are il
debt, owing to failure of last years
crop and the decline in cattle. But
they have retrenched expenses anC
are making no new debts. In Oul
line business is very good, and we art
; hopeful for the future"
Mr.. r. Gildart remarked that bust
ness was fair, aud the depression il
! trade likely to break up soon.
The senior member of Barne
& Scott, the popular grocers
was not unwilling to be rounded uI
aud unbosomed himself as follows
What's the use to go croaking abou
/; dull times? Trade is not dull DOW
. and is constantly improving. A bet
ter outlook never saw. The chance
7; for a big immigration to the Lon
: Star State this fall are excellent. Thi
, will help to make better times. An
: other point is this; capitalists fror
I the East are looking this way, and
; expect TO see great many of ther