San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-11-10
REERIoERA1INo WORKS,

| knowledge comes but wisdom ling
ers,' sings the poet, and the sentiment
/ is as true Of san AntOnio's lack OF In
dustrial enterprise as Of any other thing.
There is knowledge enough Of the bene-
| fits but not that practical wisdom neces-
sary to apply knowledge. With the In
crease of knowledge may come the
! power OF wisdom, and so the LIGHT null
tiplies knowledge concerning those in
! dusIrles which San Antonio should in
tprest herself in. Note this chapter OF
facts. An English gentleman OF means,
who had FIR years been engaged in ship
! ping fat cattle on hoOi TO the London
markets from New York City, found his
| profits cut of by the growing shipments
OF refrigerated meats from the western
cattle markets Closing out his New
| York business he came west to look over
! the situation and decide what to do.
! Concluding TO take hand In the re-
| frIgerating business he carefully exam
| ined the various locations and decided
| on Texas. OF the various openings pre-
scented he selected Columbus as the
most eligible and returned to England
| to report. A company was formed with
II capital stock of $500. 900, and the gen.
tleman returned to Texas; the Colum-
bus Refrigerating works were purchased
for $4,000, the original owner putting
the purchase money into the new con-
| Germ rs so much stock. A vessel cap
able Of carrying GOOO carcases OF sheep
! and 1000 of cattle was sent out and Is
Two weeks ago the agent Of the Column
bus Refrigerating works was in
this city and vicinity buying all the
sheep he could lay his hands upon to
slaughter and ship cold to England. The
vessel sails next week, and If the ven
lure proves successful, as 1t undoubtedly
will. another vessel will be immediately
sent out and a line of ocean ships will
take up the trade. 1t is no Mallory or
Morgan line subsidy, but direct ship
| ment TO England in the cOmpany's own
vessels. This same English gentleman
was in this city some days since. He
was enthusiastic over his new venture.
He SAW that there was no limit practic-
ally to the business. He noted the ad-
vantage to our stockmen, and made
them the following proposition: II
they would subscribe $500 600 Of stock
towards refrigerating works in San An
tonic. said stock payable in cattle and
sheep under a written agreement, he
would organize a company in England
with capital stock of $500, 900, and i'm
medately establish refrigerating works
in this city. Many Of our stockmen are
fsvornbly considering the proposition.
1t is thought that enough could be en-
listed in the enterprise to reduce shares
of stock from 5000 to $1,000 each. That
the Columbus refrigerator Is q paying
concern is amply demonstrated by the
willingness of the old owner to place
his entire receipts of sale as capital in
the Lew company. There is not a single
consideration favOring the profitable
planting Of such an industry in Column
bus that does not more fully endorse the
planting OF such an industry here in
San Antonio Columbus has but one
line Of railway by which to make ship
mentr; San Antonio has three, and the
competition would greatly favor re-
duce1 freights There is nothing that
i TF o. 81
this whole section of the state rs such
refrigerator establishment here. 1t
would open a perpetual market for fat
cattle and sheep in any quantity, small
or great. The farmer Of limited means
could buy few head Of cattle or sheep
n he saw his way clear to fit them for
market and in few weeks or months
receive handsome profit on his invest
ment. His crop of corn or vegetables
could be advantageOusly marketed onhis
own farm, by putting it into the carcsses
OF his sheep and cattle and in that shape
would bring him a far better price than
at any market in the state. Ready
money would be at his disposal any
month in the year. and the advantages
of this, in reducing the cost of his per-
| s0nal and family expen,es would form
very considerable item in his yearly &C.
counts. More money would be in circu-
latiOn every month, because the returns
would come more quickly, and the
money received for fat cattle to-day
would purchase lean cattle tomorrow,
| and pay the merchants cash for all sup
plies received. The butchering and
handling of these cattle would bring an
added number OF workingmen to the
city and so add to the purchasing power
Of the community, thereby increasing
the sales of our merchants and adding to
the volume OF our general trade. In
wOrd-the advantage would be felt by
all classes to the advantages of meme.
These refrigerating establishments in
Texas are bound to multiply. They
solve the question Of cheap meat In the
old world markets. The one question
Is, will San Antonio be wise and secure
for herself so Important an industrial
factor, and secure it nowH
SOME of the state journals are wonder
ing what will fill the gap In the columns
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