San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-11-27
THE BROWNSVILLE ROAD.
W. H. BROKER GIVES A FEW FACTS
ABOUT 1T.
General Freight and Passenger
Agent Martin, of the Sap, Has
Word to Say About His Line.
Otker Railroad News.

| to that place and asked his views
on that subject. He said:
The onward move to Brownsville
was no new sound to the ears OF the
LIGHT readers. All new projects of
this kind are surrounded by more
or less hobbies often by persons who
get bounty proposed, then try to
sell out, and by such means retard
and often thwart the real object of
the project. Those who know the
lower Rio Grande country know
how difficult it would be
for a standard guage railroad
to pay fixed charges from its earn
ings, for a considerable time, say
three to five years. This great
sink hole must be guarded against.
fnot, the whole enterprise would
prove total wreck to projectors.
/ went in company with those who
represent capitalists that are will
ing to invest in safe enterprises in
the southwest. We were informed
reliably, that Brownsville and
Cameron county had raised bonus
OF 100000 to aid in building a pro-
posed line of rail from Corpus
Christi to Brownsville, which they
offered to any road that would
build to Brownsville. We went on
the ground ready to begin imme-
diate construction from Browns
vile to Northern connections and
proposed to the people of Browns
Vile, if they would raise the cash
bonus, we would begin work
at once and never call on
them for a cent of the money
till we had completed the no ad
in sections of ten miles, with o.
pound steel rails, depots, water
tanks, ETC., aud then only call on
them for their pro rata OF the
amount whenever ten miles of
the road was thus completed; and
our proposition, so far as the
county Of Cameron was con-
cerned, was $4,000 less than
the bonus raised for the
Corpus road. The committee
informed us that the principal
amount of the bonus to the other
road was in lands at $3.50 per acre.
AS we were not in the land bust
ness, we told them we wanted our
aid in cash. So the matter hung fire.
The committee then said that 9TH
ers had offered to build the roa d
for them, if they (the citizens)
would grade and tie the road bed.
/ then asked the committee il they
would grade the road bed and tie
it in first class manner, ready for
the steel rails, if we would equip
the road? they replied, mo"
It seems that the land feature Is
the greatest incentive in this move
on to Brownsville. When others
visit the country as we have they
will learn the obstacles in the way.
There is no good reason why the
contemplated road should not be
built at an early day, but those
along the line, the great landed
identity, and the citizens OF San
Antonio, won't put up the cash to
fasten the enterprise over the "sink
holes" of annual losses for three or
four years. 1t is beautiful to
hear land owners laud the
early advance in the price of
such lands donated to railroads,
| We have learned that the advanc-
ing, or best lands are always re-
served for the owner. The people
that [ went to represent on the
field, have the money to construct
the line in toto. Their representa-
tive had with him New York ex'
change sufficient to begir
and carry on the work
Our offers were made in good faith
we were ready to begin work a
once. There is vast d difference be
tween a bonus based on cash anC
one on land at $3.50 per acre. 4
proper and reasonable bonus raised
in cash, and guaranteed to be paid OF
sections of ten miles completed
and equipped road, and rendered
a the work can be begun when sucl
bonuses are raised, and the con
struction carried on to completion
: rapidly. Without it the country will
3 be, far off on the lower Rio Grandt
hard to reach in travel, and tn
lands inherited for many genera
tions to come without increase il
: value or resources"
WHAT MR.. MARTIN SAYS.
MIR. E. J. Martin, general freigh
: and passenger agent Of the Sa
Antonio and Arkansas Pass, wa
seen by reporter for the LIGH
this morning and said:
Il 81 wish to correct the statemer
:; made by Mr.. w. II. Weiss, Of th
q A. B. Frank company, in a pull
" liahnd intnrrrin,u In, tho EXnrnaa 1