San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-08-14


Ground this Way.
The Express, in its recapitulatlon Of
the schemes for rapid transit before
the city council, and as preliminary
to the work of the council, and also as
explanatory of the haste with which
the council was assembled, says In It's
report: "
"His honor said to reporter yester-
day that this late call tor the early
meeting was prompted by his realiza-
ton that the matter must be decided
at once, or it might be impossible to
secure means of rapid transit to the
fair grounds before the fall exposi
tion.n
1t is pertinent to enquire in what
way the action of the council on yes
terday in any way furthered the in
terests of fair ground transit this fall?
The rapid transit folks are out OF the
ring. They are only seeking the
head of the river, after six months
vain attempt to secure franchise, Civ
ing guarantee to open to the fair
ground by November l.
The Cross Town people will build to
the fair grounds. But NOT THIS FALL.
They agree to get to the fair ground
within twelve months of securing
right of way; that is, nine months af-
ter the fair is held.
The only proposition at all looking to
opening of the road to the fair ground
this fall, Is that from the Land and
Improvement company, and this COM
pany offered to give bonds to reach
the fair grounds by November D. with
a standard four feet eight and half
inch gauge.
Why this gauge rather than a four
foot one? Because the machine shops,
car shops and locomotive works are
turning out rolling stock and motive
power for standard gauge, and the
required cars and engines could be
procured i'm time. But if the gauge is
made four feet there is no ghost OF a
chance to secure the material for oper-
ating the road in time. Just think of it
- ten week to build cars and engines
and ship them to this city, and put
them on track here ready TO carry
passengers to the fair. 1t cannot be
done. 1t is out of the question, as
much as any other thing that is ply
sically impossible. There is not a
concern in the county that would un-
dertake to fill that order for four
foot track, For standard track it
could be done, with squeeze, but
it would he a hard squeeze. II
his honor and the council intend to
give any relief to the situation and
allow the fair association to transport
people to the grounds. they must
change this proposition. The stick
| ing to the four foot gauge for that
road kills transit to the fair this fall
as dead as though the petition had
been unhesitatingly thrown into the
waste basket.
The hundreds of stockholders OF
that Fair. and the thousands VINO
have interest in that FAIR should be
| heard in this matter. 1t is not too
late. That meeting on Friday should
revise the action of yesterday ana per-
NIT standard guage road, If the fair
ground is to be reached this fall, 9TH
| erWise than it was attempted to be
reached last November. The Land
and Improvement company have Of
fered to withdraw their proposition II
apy other way will be opened, no
matter by whom, to reach the ground
and accommodate the thousands who
| will seek to visit those grounds this
fall. But this is the only way offer
inc, and this way the council has
shut up by demanding a four foo
guage as a condition. Change thi:
condition in the interests of the taiI
and let San Antonio have a show t.
put herself in line with Dallas.