The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-12-04

OF wool per annum. The demand for
wooden goods in Texas, though probably
not up 10 the average of all the states.
ought certainly to call for half this
amount, which could be manufactured
mere with the same margin of profit as in
the case of cotton.
PAPER GOODS.
Inc enormous demand for paper exist
ing III all civilized communities, the wide
range OF materials available in its manu-
iacture, us weight and the consequent ex.
penSe OF long transportation point to it as
likely 10 consume large amount of pow.
or. The waters of the Colorado in low
stages are OF crystal clearness. and sDrnrs
of great volume, entirely free from sedi-
ment break out in the Immediate vicinity
of the proposed dam. So that the intro
duction of the higher grades of paper
manufacture, which dcdend so largely
upon purity of water, might be looked for
at no distant day.
| TO MAKE FLOUR.
Next to textile and fibrous manufact-
ures, and perhaps, more properly. before
them, comes flour, heavy commodity,
which does not bear transportation for
long distances. The freight on barrel
OF flour from Minneapolis or st. Louis to
Texas would be handsome profit on its
manufacture. Flour mills, like paper
mills, usually run night and day. a fair
product for large mill by modern meth
DDS is three barrels per day per one horse
power To supply the present popula
hon OF Texas would require some 1900
barrels per working day, estimating the
| consumption at barrel head of popula.
ton per annum, This would cali for
$500 horse power night and day equivalent
to 900 horse power 10 hours day.
There are now numerous flour mills in ii
state, all operated by steam. The cost of
steam power Tor making flour is from six
to ten cents per barrel. This is small
sum IN comparison with the cost of a
barrel of flour, but it is sufficient to divert
trade. 1T amounts to from sixty to one
hundred dollars day on thousand bar
rel mill. Such mill, running bv water,
on the terms proposed here, would make
profit when steam mill would lose, and
would continue to run in condition of
the market that would compel steam
mill to stop,
The wheat crop of 1883 was about half
enough to supply the demands as given
above. The wheat crop of Nonhen Tex,
as has increased greatly in the last two
years and promises soon to exceed the de-
mand. The wheat is said to be of excel.
lent quality, making flour well suited to
preservation i'll a southern climate.
OTHER ARTICLES TO COME.
Manufactures of textile fabrics, paper
and flour being established, multitude
OF subordinate industries will quickly fol-
low. There are over 200 varieties of wood
Indigenous to Texas, few trees attaining
great size. but many possessing in an emf
nent degree qualities valuable in the arts
strength, hardness, tineness of grain,
susceptibility to polish, durability--quali,
ties adapted to the manufacture of furni
ture, wheels, carriages, agricultural ma
chinery and implements, tool handles,
spools, bobbins, shuttles and innumerable
articles of daily use.
Whenever, at the North, an organiza-
ton has been effected for the develop
ment of water power, the enhancement
in the value of land Consequent upon the
population drawn together by the indus
tries to be established has been regarded as
a leading element of profit in the enter
prise. This profit the projectors have
sought to avail themselves of by purchas-
ing large tracts of land in the vicinity.
This was the procedure at Lowell, Man.
chester, Lawrence, Holyoke, Turner's
Falls, Biddefore, Lewiston and other water
powers in New England. This has usually
turned out to be the best paying part of
the enterprise, but in no case have the
promoters of the enterprise realized more
than small fraction of the total increase
of value. Thirty.seven years ago the land
on which Minneapolis is built, then part
of the Fort Smelling Indian reservation,
was opened to presumption and became
the property of settlers at $l.25 an acre.
1t may safely be affirmed that the twenty
square miles of land embracing and sur
rounding the Falls of st. Anthony could
not now he purchased for $500, 900 900,
No city would ever have grown up at
the Falls of st. Anthony had it
not been for the development of
the water power and establish
ment of industries there. This served to
Start the city. the water power and in
dustries dependent upon it are now en-
tirely overshadowed by the commercial
interests of the place. The improvers of
the water power obtained but tritling
share of the tremendous increase of values
consequent on the undertaking. They
plowed that others might reap. In the
work at Austin the promoters of the en-
terprise are the tax payers of the town,
and they will obtain ell the advantage
consequent upon the enhancement of
property values. j. p. FRIzELL.
THE MESSAGE.
Without inditinu anv lonp NOM