Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-08-27
THE RAILROADS, REPLY.
Something About the Alienation of Lands.
Observations on the Address.

OOseTNdlIoiS on the 6uOFeSS.
BEAUMONT, Tex, Aug. "a, 1859.
To the Gazette.
The railroads in their reply to Blake
committee for a reduction Of the freight
rate, dwelt with great deal of emphasis
on the fact that large portion of their
lines were operated through a sparsely
settled country which DID not pay oper-
ating expenses, let alone interest on
money invested. And in consequence of
that fact they were compelled to exact a
sufficient rate to cover the deficiency
When most Of the roads of Texas was
built IF l am not mistaken, they were
subsidized by the state with sixteen sec
tions of land 90 ,2A0 acres) to the mile,
with the expressed understanding that
they would ALLEVIATE the lands within five
years. The object of the alienation
clause, as 1 understand it, was TO get the
railroads to offer inducements to actual
settlers, so as to create a local traffic that
alone would pay to operate the road
and pay interest on bonds, leaving their
through freight business as clear profit.
Now has the policy Of the railroads been
such as to warrant the belief that they
have been controlled by that idea? No!
Look at the almost universal demand for
a commission-someth in the shape
Of a double edge tool that will cut both
ways. The great Illinois Central IN its
inception was operated in spirit of
fairness to the actual settlers along its
line that to-day is bearing its golden
fruit, and stand as q monument to the
business foresight of its projectors. What
dig they do? Running through as thinly
settled country as any road in Texas now
runs through, they did not try to gouge,
but actually hauled free the lumber and
household effects of any man who pro-
posed TO settle along the line of their
road, knowing full well that the actual
needs of each settler that they could
locate along their line would
create a local traffic. that would
bring them in q hundred fold return.
And the facts as proven by the sworn re-
port of the officers of the Illinois Central
road prove that they were not mistaken.
Have the railroads Of Texas even made
an attempt to settle this sparsely popula-
ted country that they pirate about SO elo-
Quentlx2 If they have, l have certainly
sftssit&a 20 find any one in these parts that
ISseognizant of the fact, for 1 have made
diligent inquiry. But the fact is, the
railroads in their policy towards Texas
that I read Of years ago: "In pasture
there was located several sheep who were
contented, dwelt in harmony with each
other and waxed fat on the luXuriant
grasses that grew therein. One day
there came along a lean, slab-slded old
OK, who espying the sheep in the pasture
happy and contented, suggested to'them
that as they could not Gator make use Of
all the fine grass in the pasture that if
they would let him in he would utilize all
the surplus that now went to waste
anu in consequence the grass would be
more nutritious, etc., they (the Sheep
in their innocence acceeded to the pFopo-
sitIon, and forthwith installed Mr.. Ok in
full fellowship in the pasture. 1t WASH It
long before Mr.. Ok, in his greed, not
only devoured the surplus, but kept the
grass eaten down so closely that the poor
sheep were on the verge of starvation
They went to the OK and demanded that
he either curb his appetite or leave the
pasture, his reply was as the railroads
now make to the people. L have a
vested right in here and do not propose
to be disturbed in the enjoyment there
of -
I am an advocate of railroads, and
would not see robbed or curtailed out one
But why is it their representatives go be-
fore q commissioner and swear by all
they hold good and holy their
road is only worth four or
rye thousand dollars per mile, and
4fr Lovett rolls under his tongue
as a sweet morsel the fact that the roads
are worth thirty to forty thousand dol
lars per mile, and they must be allowed
to impose a tariff that will return q fair
interest on that amount. I have always
looked on railroad attorneys as being the
brainest of lawyers in the market, for
railroads need such. but the piece of
buncombe INDUCED in by Mr.. Terry of
the Santa Fe took the cake. He knew
full well when he made the offer that he
was making something that was unlaw-
full. am only sorry that Mr.. Blake did
not accept mis- proposition. Now the law
states 'Fthat no corporation shall transfer
bargains or sell their. franchise without
the permission Of the state, and as
long as Jim Hogg is attorney general no
railroad had better not make such a
"fool's play'' as Mr.. Terry's propossf
ton was.