San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-02-15

L
committee met yesterday evening
In the rooms of the Board Of Trade,
to map out their work and organ.
ize for thorough canvass. There
was an earnestness and unanimity
about the work before the commit
tee that argued will for the enter
prize.
The general committee decided
to work in four divisions, and these
we're designated and = assigned
their work under their respective
chairmen, Messrs. ID. M. Poor, AL
exander Sartor, Otto KOehler and
Paul Meerscheidt. The city and
county tax lists were taken, and all
those whose property is listed at
or in excess of 100000 were in
cluded insthe first group to be So
licited. Then followed those of $780,
600 taxable property and over, up
to 100000. After these other
groups, until the whole field
is covered. The city was districted
and the committees agreed to go
to work this morning, which they
did.
Mr.. Slayden, chairman Of the So
liciting committee, presents the
following address to the citizens of
this city:
ADDRESS.
To the People Of San Antonio-A
plain and reasonable business pro.
position is made the people of San
Antonio. The projectors Of the San
Antonio Il Gulf Shore Railway
company bind themselves. If the
people Of San Antonio and BeXar
county will subscribe 100000 of
the capital stock of that company,
to construct and operate a railway
line, say from San Antonio to
Sutherland Springs, which road is
to be part of a through line to We
lascO.
Contractors from other states,
men used to large enterprises, are
now in San Antonio waiting the
will of the public in this matter.
Ii the shares are taken and the
terms of Mr.. Davis proposition
complied with, they say they will
build the road to Sutherland
Springs or farther, that is to say,
they believe that if Mr.. Davis and
his associates were absolutely with
out capital the 100000 subscrip-
ton by San Antonio, and such do
nations as have been offered along
the line of the road, supple
mented by the sale of bonds,
will build, equip and put in Oper-
alton a railway line between
San Antonio and Valasco. The
fertile country between San An
tonic and NelascO insures its con-
tinuous, and we believe, profitable
operation. Mr.. Davis, has all along,
in his public addresses and private
conversations, frankly stated that
il thrown upon his individual re-
sources, he could not build even
small fraction of the road. But he
has claimed to have strong back
ing, and the contractors referred to
above appear satisfied with it, and
are willing to risk quarter OF a
million dollars Of their money to
build the road to Sutherland
Springs, provided the San Antonio
public will invest 100000 in the
enterprise. In brief, we are offered
the benefit of railroad for $780,
600. We do not risk cent, for we
are not asked to pay a cent until
we get the road. 1t is fair and
attractive trade offered us. The
goods are to be delivered before
the bill will be presented. Your
committee believes that if the road
were built to Switzerland Springs
only it would still be a good in
vestment. A thoroughly good ma
cadamized road thirty-five miles
long would be worth $4,000 mile
to San Antonio. The city and coun-
ty would be compelled, how
ever, to maintain ma
cadam road by continuous tax
alton. The proposed railway line,
which will do us as much good,
will be kept up at the expense of
the corporation owning it and give
the county an income in the shape
of taxes. No one familiar with the
history of railroad building be-
lieves for a moment that it would
be allowed to stop at Sutherland
Springs or Yoakum. Unanswer-
able business arguments would
drive it on to the port OF Velasco
and, possibly, to Galveston. Should
there be deep water on the cost of
Texas in the next five years it will
most likely be at Velasco or Gal
weston, or both. This road by a