The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-12-04
LAST NIGHTS GRAND JU-
BILEE AT TIE OPERA
HOUSE.
GREAT ENTHUSIASM PREVAILED.
8,eauty and Chivalry We'd to Make the
Meeting a Success -Eloquence In
termingIed with Liberal
Donations.

Austin was the scene OF music and
innocent revelry Wednesday night 1t
was the occasion when the first step was
TO be taken towards making the I'M
surpassed resources and magnificent
possibilities of the City OF Hills
known to the outside world, and every
well-wisher of Austin rejoicad with an
exceeding great gladness In conse-
ouence thereof. By 1870 O'Clock the
Capital City band was parading the
principal thoroughfares discoursing
seductive strains OF music, and by
s o'clock the opera mouse
was TANNED from pit to
dome with men, women and children,
ali of whom we're thoroughly imbued
with the Importance of the meeting.
Enthusiasm ran high and it was plain
TO be seen that Austin's population
was there for business and not child's
play. DR.. Swearingen was unanl-
nouslv elected chairman and MIR.
Thos. F. Taylor secretary. After ez-
planning that the object OF the meet
ing was to arrange for the
advertisement of the city,
DR. SWearingen said: awe are all
here to rejoice over our past triumphs
and to formulate plans for still greater
achievements in the future"
MAYOR MDoNALD
Was introduced to the audience. He
said his time was limited to ten min
utes. which was as much as
to say that he could tell
all he knew in that time, but
that he had been properly sized up;
He spoke of the increase of
Austin's population during the
last decade and said it was
certainly a very aattering show
inc. He said the increase in wealth
we're fully as great as that OF popula-
ton. He spoke of the boom that
tarried here during the building OF
the capitol, the staguation that toi-
lowed its completion, etc. he said
numerous schemes for the advance.
ment of Austin were then talked OF,
hut that there was no unanimlty OF
feeling and action and nothing was
done. Then the dam agitation COM
menced. A canvas was made WIN
the proposed dam as an issue, and the
neople expressed themselves at the
ballot box as being almost unanl-
mously in favor of damming the Coi'
orado. The bonds we're then sold
the contract let and WORK
commenced at once. 1t had proved
the hest advertisement the city had
ever had, as people were talking ABOUT
the "dam city" all over the country.
Chairman Swearingen stated thai
according to the program Hon "A: w
Terrell would be the next speaker
hut as it was impossible Tor tna'
gentleman to be present ne woulo IN
troduce
HON. A. P. WOODBRIDGE,
the next speaker, to the audience,
Mr.. Woodbridge said he was expected
TO "attack the railroad problem" and
as he had but few minutes IN whlch
to do so, he would proceed to the sub
iect at once. He spoke OF the Houston
T. Texas Central and the Inter
national & Great Northern rail-
roads and what they have
done for Austin. He referred to the
narrow gauge and then proceeded to
show the necessity OF securing still
better railroad facilities for Austin.
He referred to the various railroad
projects which had been talked OF and
had not been consummated. But he
,said the Lano extention was the pro-
iect which was of vital Importance TO
= Austin. The gap between LamPasa'
. and Rurnet must also be closed. ne
smoke of the failure to raise $3o,ooo
subsidy to secure road which was OF
vital Importance to the city, and said
that after a thorough canvasslng Out
.S1 ,UUU was TdiScu Wy VIZ a,
He referred to several other
roads which, he SAID Aus
1in people ought to think OF faVoraoly
Among these was a road from Austin
to McGregor, road connecting north
vest Texas with the timbered regions
of east Texas and road from this
lection to the mouth of the Brazos
He thought, however, that after the
Tlano extension the next most I'M
nortant road to Austin was the San
Antonio and Arkansas Pass IRON
1,ockhart and Luling 70 Austin. ne
woke of the magnificent subsidy
which Austin had once raised Tor tal'
nroiect, which, through no fault o
hers, fell through. He sad CO..
breckenridge had proposed u
furnish the iron to build INT
Arkansas Pass extension to Aus
tin il the city would BRUCE the COZ,
o C He didn't believe Austll
would now raise that SlOo ,ooo suoSlI'
that she had once raised: but that tod n
did believe that she would raise SSo,
OJO. which, with the assistance OF Cn,
Rraekenride, would secure the roao