Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-09
AT THE STATE CAPITAL.
Governor Ross Talks About the Fair.
San Ant0nlo's Indifference.
Austin Awakening from Her Rip Van Wfnklo-
ism-The status Of Crime throughout
the State-Ihe Treasurer Busy.
GOVERNOR ROSS INTERVIEWED

GOVERNOR ROSS INTERVIEWED.
| Special Correspondence to the Gazette.
AUSTIN, TEX. Oct. 4.-On his retur!
| from San Antonio, Governor Ross wa
interviewed concerning his trip TO South
eastern Texas, but, like the boy the cal
ran over, he had but little to say.
"Iscarcely heard politics mentioned,
said he, ION my trip. Everybody n
San Antonio seemed to be occupied witt
thoughts OF the fair, aud had nothing to
say OF politics.
"How is the fair, covernor?''
"Qute good. was surprised by the
display of stock and other things, which
was really creditablS TO the manage
| meut. 1t was not as extensive perhaps
nor as elaborate rs the display Mt the
Dallas fair, but still was Eery good IN
| deed. Another thing that surprised me
very much was the remarkable indiffer-
| ence of the peoI le there 10 the attrnc-
tons OF the fair. They seemed TO know
or ut least TO care, nothing about it, and
! il so many of them were not looking after
their own affairs and making hay while
the sun shone, one would naturally infer
that they felt no interest whatever in il &.
1t is not creditabIe TO O people to have 1t
said of them that they lack the public
spirit TO second the efforts of euterpris-
ing leaders who are striving to give their
town reputation and character that
she can be proud of. 1t should be said +,
however. that the fair ground is four or
five miles from town, and that may
partly account for the nigghrdly attend
-.
that it is money making arrangement,
and other idle and frivolous talk is heard
against It.
''Why did the proposition TO buy the
waterworks fail, governor?''
because the people thought 81 600,
600 were more than they were worth. Be-
sides, Breckenridge is rich man, and
as such has number of enemies who
worked upon the preiudices of the masses
in way to defeat what they called
scheme to plumber the city, which 1t was
NOT
AUSTIN IS AWAKENING.
The failure of the San Antonians to
vote the purchase of the waterworks was
not hailed with Gladness in Austin. In
fact it was a tritle disappointing. az Mr..
Breckenridge, the owner of the San An
W
event OF his selling out to San Antonio,
to interest himself heavily In the Austin
dam project, and perhaps take up his
residence here, where more men of pluck
and capital are greatly needed. Those
who are pushing the dam assure me,
however, that it makes no sort of differ
ence, as number of good bids for the
bonds have already been received, and
that they will be sold on the 10th. They
also say that a score of contractors have
put in bids for the building OF the dam,
and that the work will be given out as
soon as the bonds are sold. This is how
the men talk who are engineering the
matter and who ought to know; but 9th
ers can be heard who talk differently,
and say that the bonds won't sell, etc.
The progressive men OF Austin feel
that If the town is ever TO amount 10
anything, Is ever to get out of the old
ruts, it must cease to depend for sus-
tenance on government pap. The nurs-
ing bottle must be put aside and the old
town made to rustic for living. A life
of dependence on Official salaries and
pIckings of various sorts has deadened
the commercial spirit and paralyzed en-
terprise. For that very reason Austin |
has lost number of active and public |
spirited citizens, who, finding little or
no opportunity here for the exercise of |
their talents and energy, have gone |
elsewhere. Fort Worth has caught al
goodly number of them, and reck onssE
them among the most progressive of her
business men. OF course her gain in |
khis respect is Austin's loss. Well, TO
Put an end to all that, to keep her native
Talent at home, and invite more from
abroad, few men have resolved to
carry out the project of damming the
COLORADO and furnishing system of i
w4k Pr poaer second TO none In the Union<f
10y fd that something must be dong
tSht Thugs can no longer stay as th(f3
az at there must be progress, that
&g1& iou means damnation and utter
lePe 1heuce-a very humliating situa-
ton TO them. The people a. a body
.ha3 these feelings, and therefore have
4 gjed deal of anxiety as the day ap-
pronches for the sale of the bonds.
CRIME DECREASING RAPIDLY.
Up to date Governor Ross has received
replies from l35 county judges who de-
clare under oath and official seal that
here has been a reduction in crime in
he state in the past four years amount
ng to 40 per cent. or course there are
ocalities in which this Is not true, and
places in which there has been no reduc-
ion; but analysed, the replies received
how a general average reduction OF 40
yer cent. in the time mentioned. This
s most important matter, and more
han anything else proves the march of
progress and respect for law and order In
he state. 1t shows that Texas Is rapidly
edeeming tho wild and woolly character
Which she has sported 90 long, and that
he 10 determined to put down the law
ess spirit that has ever been 30 ready TO
invoke the bowie-knife and the ak
hooter. The spirit is not yet dead-in-
eed In what state or territory 10 it dead2. u