The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-04-21
DAM BOATS.
PROSPECTUS OF THE LAKE NAvIGA'
TON COMPANY FOR AUSTIN.
What Our Lake Really Means and How II
Can Be Gloriously Utilized-It Can
Be Best Done Alone in
this Way.

purpose of "buying, constructing
leasing, owning, operating and con
veying all kids OF steamships, yes
sells and any kind of water craft"
The immediate, and probably the
sole purpose of the company is to own
and operate steamboats, on the lake
above the great dam at Austin,
Texa..
The company has been organized
and franchise has been obtained
from the city Of Austin.
Two small steamboats, have been
purchased and one of them is now
being used as a pleasure boat on the
small lake already created by the par
TALLY built am.
In addition to the two small boats
already procured moderate sized
side.wheel steamer is now being
built near the site of the dam.
This steamer will be finished
and ready for her trial trip on or
about August |, 1892, and will have a
carrying capacity Of twelve hundred
people.
Tnr capital stock of the company i
at present fixed at $4,000, divided
into shares of 500 each.
A part of this stock has been sub
scribed, but it is desired that the citi-
Zens of Austin should become person
ally interested in this enterprise, and
the remainder of the stock is now
offered for sale.
The present officers Of the company
are Captain A. r.. Shepard, an old
and experienced steamboat captain
and builder, president; Chas. s. Morse,
vice.president, and Burt Mcdonald
secretary.
AS soon as all of the stock is taken
the company will complete its organi-
zation by electing treasurer and two
more directors.
That the enterprise will be success
full there can be no doubt. AT an eX-
pense of less than one-eighth the cost
of twenty miles of railroad, and Oper-
ated at minimum expense, the boats
of this company will do all the carry.
ing trade for a country that cannot be
penetrated by a railroad, and the Lake
Navigation company presents to the
public an opportunity for safe invest
ment, with large profits, such as can
not be offered by any other company
or corporation.
The boat now under construction is
intended to be used not only as an eX-
cursion steamer, but also for freight
and ferry purposes, and will visit all
parts of the lake.
All of the material that will
be used in improvements
along the borders of the lake and for
miles on either side, as we | as the
provisions and other supplies used by
citizens living near the lake, which
must necessarily be obtained in the
city, will be transported by boats, and
the products of the farms in the same
localities will be brought back by
boat to the city. Farmers living near
the lake will be enabled to bring their
produce to market in their own wagon
and return home the same day. They
will thus be able to carry double the
quantity at each load that they can
by travelling over the rough mountain
roads, besides saving the wear and
tear of their wagons and teams, and
will not consume two or three days in
making the round trip, as they do
now. This easy method of reaching
the city will attract to Austin trade
that is now going elsewhere.
When the dam is completed and the
full lake is formed the fertile valleys
along its shores will be transformed
into market gardens and orchards.
The soil cannot be surpassed in rich
ness and a sub-irriga,ion will be
constantly going on. Such
gardens will supply, not
only Austin, but other cities less fav-
orably situated with vegetables. The
presence of the large body of water
will prevent frosts, and the finest
qualities of fruits and strawberries can
be successfully raised in abundance
and the market supplied. With the
Transportation facilities offered by the
Lake Navigation company, Austin
will become the shipping point for
vegetables and fruits. now being
brought here from other places. Fuel,
which is such an important item, can
be brought from points that are now
almost inaccessible at such rates as
will greatly reduce the price to con-
sumers.
Another important feature from
which the Lake Navigation company
will derive profit will be the passen-
ger travel and excursions on the lake.
The Chautauqua now being eslab-
lished a few miles above the city on
one of the lovlieet of spots, will an
nually call its thousands of visitors to
our city, who must all patronize the
boats.
The Santa Monica springs, which
are mentioned in the traditions OF the
early Spanish explorers, and whose
waters are pronounced by eminent
chemists to be almost identical with
those of the celebrated Carlsbad
springs of Germany, are situated some
ten or twelve miles above Austin and,
with suitable passenger facilities by
steamer, will become great health
resort and attract many visitors.
The State Encampment grounds are
located but half-a-mile from the bor-
der of the lake and every assembling
of the citizen soldiery will bring to
Austin hundreds Of friends of every
company, and excursions on the lake
will he the order of the day.
The State University, already a
great institution, is rapidly growing
IN importance and attendance, and is
destined to become before many years