The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-05-06
THEBAsrROP RAILROAD.

The Bastrop Advertiser in reply to an ar
ticle in The STATESMAN last week entitled
''acts not words" says: IF The STATES
MEN had only put in such heavy strokes in
this direction. as found in its issue of last
Wednesday. twelve, or even six months
sooner, we have doubt the long cherished
wish OF Bastrop would have, e'er this, been
realized. Austin and Bastrop would have
been linked together with steel rails; and
soon. "all aboard for AUSTIN ''all aboard
for Bastrop" could be heard morn and eve,
from the lively conductor on the Austin ar
Bastrop railroad but the good people of
the "City of Hills have too long slept
uE on their rights" and the "rich grazing
is to be enjoyed by some other locality.
Bastrop is as sorry to lose Austin as that
city will be to lose the trade of our rich
and fertile valley. But, we fear. our pres
ent charter cannot be changed in the dir
ect;on of the CAPITAL city. Ii the dis
tress of Austin is real and genuine, let her
show her earnestness in a substantial way,
and Bastrop will certainly come to the
rescue and do her full share in building a
railroad from Austin to Bastrop. What
say you, brother STATESMAN"
In another article On the same subject
the Adv r User says:
"Bastrop to the southeast and Mason to
he northwest would be pretty rich grazing
for Austin, and all she has got to do is to
put down the bars (of from and walk in.
On to Bastrop! On to Mason!-SrATEs-
MAN.
For many years Bastrop has been beg
ging to connect by rail, with the outside
world. Oft times, through the columns OF
the Advertiser have we shown up the ad-
vantages to Austin by rail connection
with Bastrop, and while we had gilt edge
fifty thousand subscription, two leagues of
land, together with a guarantee depot
grounds and right of way, the Advertiser
then urged Austin people to come to our
assistance and aid in linking together the
two places with iron bands, which would in
all future time rebound to the interest OF
Austin and of Bastrop, carrying thrift
and prosperity to the city and the town.
We did this because we believed the inter
est of Austin was the interest of Bastrop
Strange to say, to all
our pleading the STATESMAN was as
dumb and silent as an oyster. Not one
word of encouragement was ever uttered
through its columns. But now having let
the golden opportunity pass-after Bastrop,
in her might and power, he's shown that
she is able to help herself, The STATESMAN.
as if suddenly waking from long Rip Van
Wrinkle sleep, jumps up, rubs the film
from it's eyes, and discerns, in the no
distant future, the thousands of bales of
Bastrop cotton and hundreds of thousands
Of dollars of BastrOp patronage, which
will be annually lost to Austin, and cries
out put dawn the bars" just walk in
and ION to Bastrop" Bastrop;ans loved
Austinians; loved with holy love, and in a
long wished for union, would have be-
slowed upon her the true friendship
which has so long characterized our PEG
pie, but having been so often given the
"cold shoulder" we have formed new ties,
our affections TO more will.
ing object. which must in the near flu
ture eniOyt the rich grazing" so long
held out to Austin.