The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-05-02
BOARD OF TRADE.
The Cotton Mill Project Discussed
and Explained.
Estimates Furnished as to the
Cost of a Plant-The Board
of Trade Building.


cum pany No. l, on Brazos street. Presi
dent saunders called the meeting to ordel
n Secretary Warner called the roll.
There were present Messrs. John Bre.
mond, Frank Maddox, Watson, W. A
Glass, Phillips, Campbell, G F. Hamilton
Oliver Brush, S. M. Burt, ID. q. Dunn
Wyard, Balm, Anderson, Mores, Di,tlln.
ger, Thornton, Warner, Geo. A. Brush
Alfred Smith, lisa Ii. Evans, E @. Borthol.
Omer, F. Ii. PhiIlipson, W. @. Kreisler, A.
p. Woodbridge, Hill and others.
E. M. Scarborough was elected mem.
Der CT the board of trade by unanimous
vote.
The secretary read a communication
from the Farmers Alliance of Travis
county to the board of aldermen of the
city proposing to erect fence and sheds
upon the lot known as the public squar
and utilize it as cotton yard provided
the lot be leased at a nominal rant.
Mr.. Cranberry, one of the committee
| appointed by the Farmers Alliance, said
that the Alliance had been endeavoriDg IL
establish cotton yards at various points
and that it was desired to establish one il
Austin. The Alliance had appointed a
committee for this purpose, aud the re.
sulJ was proposition to the board OF
aldermen. When this matter was agitated
some eighteen months ago there was con,
siderable opposition, which was due to q
misunderstanding of the matter. This
was not plan III favor of any particular
clars. Any farmer could take advantage
of the yard thus proposed to be built
He thought it would be for the benefit
also of the merchants. 1t would be tAe
EFFORT OF THE ALLIANCE
to concentrate the cotton at Austin. The
committee would Use lts influence to put
a man in charge of the yard who would be
under bond. He closed by saying he
would be pleased to answer any quest lions
that any one desired to ask.
Secretary Warner then read the propo-
sition from the County Alliance to ere ct
an exchange building provided the citi
zeus of Austin donated a suitable site.
This was an extract from the minutes of
the County Alliance, and no action was
taken upon this latter proposition.
10 answer to questions of Mr.. Bremond
and others, Mr.. Cranberry said the yard
was for the purpose of weighing, sam.
ping and storing cotton. Cotton could
be purchased of the agent at the yard,
but as to allowing buyers to purchase IL
the yard, that was matter that could be
agreed upon hereafter. The idea was, he
said, to protect the cotton raiser against
improper weighing, sanpling, etc. The
only money to be made out of the transac-
ton would be the salary of the agent and
those handling the cotton. The Alliance
merely wanted the yard t. be self sustain
nd tn
for the fall trade.
Mr. John Bremond moved that a com
mittee of three members of the board of
trade be appointed to meet with the COM
mlttee of the Alliance to arrange charges
and other matters, and that the board of
trade recommend that the council lease
the lot at nominal rent. Carried.
President Saunders SAID that he had
talked with The mayor, aud he had ex-
pressed himself favorably.
Mr.. G. f. Hamilton thought that the
city and county should work in unison in
this matter.
The chair announced that he would ap-
point Messrs. Bremond, George A, Brush
and Woodbridge on this committee.
Mr.. Bremond eaid he would be absent
for some time, and the chair then substI
tuted Mr.. Dunn with Mr.. Brush as chair
man.
The president said the committee won
meet with the Alliance committee, aud
then the matter should be brought to the
favorable attention of the city council.
Mr.. Brush thought that the Alliance
should first fix its
SCHEDULE OF CHARGES,
then the committees should meet and
bring the matter before the council.
Mr.. Bremond thought the land ought to
be secured first, and that there would be
no trouble about the charges. The Alliance
would fix them reason ably, for to do other
wise would drive trade away from the
city.
Mr.. Brush wanted to know when the
Alliance committee would meet the board
of trade committee.
Mr.. Cranberry said that his committee
would meet the other next Saturday week
at D. IN. in the old county court room in
the court house.
Secretary Warner read communion
ton from Mr.. @. A. King, containing
proposition from company to erect
100000 cotton mill, provided $4,000
and twenty acres of land were donated.
President Saunders said that Mr.. King
was present and desired to say something
on the subject.
Mr.. King said: "The party with whom l
have been in correspondence regarding
the establishment of cotton mill here,
advises me that circumstances have arisen
since his proposition which forbids his
engaging in the enterprise as proposed.
this, l can see no reason
why the people of Austin should not build
and operate a cotton mill through COM
petent board of executive officers to their
own selection. Besides, l do not think
the plan of offering bonus a
good one. A successful manufacturer
would not change his location for any rea-
sonable bonus, and those who would be
influenced would be those of speculative
The matter of Austin build
ing its own cotton mill has been sug-
gested to me by the subscription of $780,
600 to the Arkansas Pass railway. If the
citizens are willing to give that amount
away, do not think they would be much
opposed to taking that much stock IN
an enterprise that would benefit not
only the subscribers, but the community
at large. l would suggest that
APLANT BE CONSTRUCTED
for the manufacture of checks, stripes,