The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-06-26
TO VISIT TEXAS.
ABLE PRESS REPRESENTATIVES TO
MAKE TOUR THROUGH THE
LONE STAR STATE.
Correspondence Between Mayor Connor OF
Dallas, and Mayor Mcdonald, Rela-
tive to the Visit-The Very
Thing for Aus,in and
Other Cities

The following correspondence be-
tween Mayor Cennor of Dallas, and
Mayor Mcdonald OF Austin, explains
itself:
OFFICE OF MAYOR, !
DALLAS, Tex, June IL, 1905
Hon. John Mcdonald, Mayor, Aus
tin, Tex:
Dear Sir-I have just returned from
a protracted visit to New York and
Washington, and while away partially
made arrangements for the represent
tatives of the United States Press
gallery to visit Texas sometime after
the adjournment of congress-say dur
ing the month of October.
The members of the press gallery
reporting the senate and house of
representatives of the United States
are themost infuentialand best posted
newspaper men in the United States
Very few if any of them have ever
been south of the Mason and Dixon
line, and know very little if anything
of the wonderful resources of Texas /;
and, after comforting with our senators
and members of congress, it was de-
cided that, if we could get them to &C
cept an invitation to visit Texas, we
could do nothing in the direction of
advertising our State that would do
us more good.
To accomplish this will entail con-
siderable outlay of money; and what
1 want to do is to get some concert OF
action upon the part of the citizens of
our leading cities IN Texas so that
when they come they can visit and
write up all sections of the State. The
expense of entertaining them to be in
a measure equally divided.
am assured by prominent citizens
of Galveston who were in Washington
at the time the matter was discussed,
that the people of Galveston will bear
their part of the expense.
am in receipt of information which
leads me to believe that at least fifty
or sixty will come, under the chair
manship Of Gen. HI. V. Boynton, chair
man press committee. Just how much
it will cost, of course l am unable to
say at this time.
My idea is to take them to Fort
Worth, Waco, Austin, San Antonio,
Galveston and Houston, and let them
go out of the State via New Orleans, if
it is to their pleasure to do SO. What
do you think your people will do
! towards defraying the expense, and
how much do you think can be raised
at Austin?
suggest that if we can arrange the
trip through the State for these
people, the programme be arranged to
give them an equal number of days in
each city.
The fifty or sixty press representa-
tives which 1 propose to bring to
Texas in October represent from 300
to 500 of the leading daily newspapers
of the. United States,and if we can have
them visit us as suggested it will be
worth, in my opinion, at least 81 ,000,-
600 to the State. Dallas is ready to
do her part, and more if necessary.
Would suggest that you go to work
on this matter at once and see how
much can be raised by your citizens,
and let me know at the very earliest
moment, as L wish to have you meet
me in Dallas sometime early in July
for the purpose of arranging the pro-
gramme.
Hoping you will command me at
any time can serve you, I have the
honor to remain, Yours very respect
fully, w. G. CoNNoR, Mayor.
To the above letter Mayor McDon-
aid replied as follows:
MAYORS OFFICE, }
AUSTIN, Tex, June %, 1S90.}
Hon. W. G. Connor, Mayor of Dallas:
Dear Sir-Yours of the 18th inst.
is received and in reply 1 beg to state
that we will join you with pleasure in |
the enterprise you propose, and that
Austin will do her share towards
meeting all expenses.
| can think of nothing that would
be more beneficial to our State
than thorough advertisement
VI Jul lhll1OlOO ICbOuICGS, anu
none can do that for us better
than the representative Of the United
States Press Gallery.
If you will kindly let me know how
much would be Austin's share of the
expense of the proposed tour, will
at once appoint committee to raise
her pro rata.
Hoping to hear from you soon in
regard to the matter, 1 am with great
respect your obedient servant,
JOHN MCDONALD,
Mayor of Austin.
The visit of the distinguished rep
resentatives of the press will undoubt-
eddy be to the advantage of Texas as
a state and it will be of special advan-
tage to the cities whose guests they
will be.