San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-07-08
WAKE UP. OLD MossBACK
And Read What Palo Alto Says-Do You
Want the Fredericksburg
Trade or Not

Editor san Antonio LIGHT.
PERDINALEs, Texas, July 3, lss6.
The inhabitants of this fertile valley OF the
Rio Perdinalcs are happy In the assurance Oh
abundant crops, but sadly disappointed III
great expectations. recently INDUCED, OF haN-
ing early railroad connection with your clty
and thereby possibility OF getting thelf VAST
surplus products to market. Their Ohly APP
parent hope now is that your people, bust
ness men and property owners OF san Ahto-
Mo- may enquire before IL Is too late anu as.
certain the source of that much talked OF
valuable trade" once yours but now lost, ana
the means by which ID may be recovered VT
binary knowledge of this northwestern sec
ton, readily Obtainable, would afford clear ana
conclusive answers to such enquiries. Inc
facts may be briefly stated as follows: a al,
rect line from your city toward ADhei'c ana
the Panhandle passes through or very near
Boerne, Fredericksburg, Mason, Brady, Paint
Rock and Ballinger, traversing secuon uIi-
surpassed in the state for value of its agricui-
tural, mineral and stock productions
and resources; and it cannot be deni' d that
the source OF said valuable trade ever has
been, is now, and probably always Will he IN
the country along said district line, between
the north boundary OF Kendall county and
the COnchO. and extending out from the Rio
Colorado about ten miles west OF said district
line. II is indeed generally conceded that the
counties of BlancO, Gillispie, LlanO, Mason,
San Saba and McCullOch, with the eastern
part of Menard and Tom Green, produce this
trade, which is now diverted from your city
TO Burnett and Austin, and is rapidly lncreas,
ing. Already companies are organized and
preparing soon to establish extensive iron
works at iuncture of LlanO, Mason and Nc
CullOch Counties promising no little increase
of said trade and beginning immediate rail
road connection with some market. our
lodges and mountains OF finest marble, gran
tie, sOapstUne and iron, will, at no distant day
add immensely to the volume OF this trade.
This trade can be recovered and eJured to
your city only by the construction of rail
road 10 To 100 miles on or near said district
line towards Balling6r One to Kerr can by
no possibility reach or attract IL.
Hence, having thorough knowledge OF the
country, our people clearly perceive and re,
gret your error I'm urging San Antonio to aid
that absurd project of starting railroad on
said direct line and, before reaching point to
secure any of said trade, viz: at the Gusda-
lupc river, turning abruptly on nearly at right
angles, - or more miles to Kerr, where no
trade mas been lost and none can be gained.
This, however, is the only proposition now be-
fore the people in San Antonio; and, II car
ried into effect, must apparently result in pos
tive injury instead of benefit TO their city, ne
cause, FIRST il will greatly lessen, II not wholly
destroy their chances of ever getting n rail
road on said direct line to the source of Nalu-
able trade; and, second, il wOdld leave in these
counties effective inducement for other places
or company to extend the Burnett, Oatman-
vile aud Texas Western trOm Scalyl, on
through this section, and thus forever
divert said trade from San Antonio. But
railroad extended from your city
20 TO 100 miles on the direct line to Ballinger
about IS east of San Angelo and terminus OF
the Santa Fe) would secure to your city the
most IL not all of said valuable trade, besides
retaining that on the Kerr route safely for
ever. and any supposed cost of construction
If required, which is donbted,) sinks into m
significance in view of the thousand fold
greater and permanent benefits thereby
secured.
In view of these facts, hastily and imper-
| fcctly stated, would not ordinary prudence
| dictate that business men and property own
| ers of San Antonio, before aiding any railroad
extension, should well consider what route
| would most promote their interest; and, by
| unity of action, determine and control las
they easily cam on what route an extension,
largely dependent on their aid and support,
| shall be constructed; and especially so when
| they reflect that parties Immediately con
cerned in constructing railroads usually make
their profits in construction and have little or
no interest in the future prosperity or trade
| results of the enterprise. PALO ALTO.