San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-07-11
A WORD FOR THE S. A. p.


Speaking of the temporary delay o.
the San Antonio and Arkansas Pass in
meeting its annual interest charges
owing to heavy construction and con,
tinued building, the Beeville Bee pays
that road the following deserved com.
pliment:
"If there is any road in Texas that
merits the esteem and consideration
of the people Of the section through
which 1t runs, it is the Arkansas Pass.
Built principally by Texas capital,
managed entirely by Texas brains,
and being entirely in Texas, it is re-
garded as Texas Institution, and its
success might be regarded as q tri-
umph for Texas. No proposition, no
enterprise, no scheme calculated to
advance the common interest of it's
territory, has ever been proposed but
what it came up like the private citi-
zen and nobly assisted"
There is no discount on the absolute
truthfulness of this statement. The
s. A. P. has been doing too much ex-
tension for its capital and more
money has gone into new construc-
tions than the earnings of the road
could meet and pay interest on its
bonds. All the same, the road is
worth millions more than it cost, and
Ia improving in business and increas-
Ing in value constantly. 1t is bound
TO be the best paying road in Texas.
What 1t does need is more capital,
and home capital at that, in order to
continue it what 1t is now so emphat-
ically-a home road. The policy
of this road has been somewhat pecu-
liar, and it's pluck beyond all praise.
From that day, five years ago last
March, in which the pillow was start
cd in the south suburb Of this city,
and the lamented Judge Devine turn
ed over the first sod, until to-day, the
pillow has never ceased turning up new
ground for the evergrowing construc-
tions of this road. When it is under
stood how this road was begun, with
out capital, and has managed to pio-
neer its way here, there and else
where until mile by mile it is cover
ing the best cotton lands of the state;
one marvels how it has been accom-
plished. Coming in contact with the
great railroad system of the state
at Houston; challenging the trade
of all south and southeast and south
west Texas; coming again and again
in competition with the Southern
Pacific system at points of contact be-
tween here and Houston; with two
outlets to the gulf; pushing its lines
northward through the Brazos bot
toms to levy its tribute upon the
finest cotton and corn region of Texas;
already master Of the great cattle
trade of large coast sections; and
pointing Its way directly towards the
vast pine region of East Texas, this
road has a certainty of revenue and
an assurance of all-the-year-round
traffic that no other road in Texas
can lay claim to. 1t has built
its lines upon earnings and the
grit of it's official head, and has
been as liberal In aiding every enter
prise that has challenged it's help
and interest, in every section in
which its lines run, as though it had
millions at its command, instead of
being hard up continually. San An
tonic has ever found the road ready 10
aid every enterprise she has suggest
ed, and its officers today are stock
holders and hard workers in every
organized movement for the building
up of our home industries. However
this road may be regarded abroad,
at home 1t is considered the pluck
lest, bravest, most liberal, enterpris-
ing, and far seeing road in the South.
Money with 1t, and lots of it, is only
q question of time. 1t is certainly to
the interest of South Texas to keep
it just what it is, the home road of
this vast section, and San Antonio
its head center.