San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-02-26
GULF SHORE ROAD.
The People Along the Line Want ii
Worse Than Political Pie.

II
The undersigned committee, rep-
resenting the sentiment Of more
than two thousand citizens, who
live contiguous to the proposed
route of the San Antonio and Gulf
Shore railway, as per their recent
survey, would respectfully call at
tention to the following facts:
The territory through which said
road is to pass, taking only that
part between the Cibolo and Quad
alupe rivers, and taking lines equi-
distant from the Southern Pacific
on the north, and the Arkansas Pass
on the south, gives an area of more
than twelve hundred square miles,
or nearly one million, (more than
three-fourths million), of acres of
land, as fine both for pasturage and
farming, as can be found in the
state, and perhaps a larger per cent
\ being susceptible of cultivation
than can be found in the world,
of a body of land Of that size
a conservative estimate placing
| the cultivatable land at ninety per
| cent. AS to it's fertility one bale Of
| cotton per acre is a not unusual
yield, and an annual yield Of one
| half bale per acre is considered an
average. While it is we'll watered,
there has recently been developed
along the route artesian water in
abundance, splendid quality and
pure, and is so easily obtained
that there is now at one place,
through which the road passes,
within a radius OF three miles,
of Rancho twenty-four flowing
wells at an average depth of less
than two hundred feet. While the
diversity Of soil fits it for every
kind of agriculture for this lati-
tude, the ease with which flowing
water can be obtained makes it
pre-eminently suitable for hOrti-
culture and market gardening, and
in proof of the increase in the
value of these lands, the average
price ten years ago was about two
dollars per acre today 1T is not
less than ten dollars, and advanc-
ing in price more rapidly now than
ever before. Now gentlemen al
low us to call your attention to
the following figures:
There was raised within the area
before mentioned for the year 1893
something near twenty-five thou
sand bales of cotton, over twelve
thousand tons of cotton seed, and
were driven to market, as estimat-
ed, more than twenty thousand
head of horses and cattle; hay, po-
tatOes, etc, in the greatest abund-
ance, but distances from railroad
too great to ship, hay costing six
dollars per ton to get it to the
road, cotton seed the same, corn
fifteen cents per bushel.
We would further say that our
situation as we'll as inclination
makes San Antonio our market.
Our trade naturally belongs there,
but we are debarred therefrom by
want of a road. AS an illustration:
One of this committee received
the other day from your city
casing for an artesian we'll, said
casing was shipped via the
Southern Pacific to Harwood,
Il distance One-third farther from
San Antonio than he lived, it was
Their changed to the branch to Con
| Zales-a distance of twelve miles
then hauled by wagon twenty-five
miles; the freight by wagon being
l double what freight on same would
have been direct from San Anto-
! MO by rail had we the road COM
| pleted. You see at once as situated
as at present, our trade must seek
| other markets, which it is at pres
ent doing, going to Seguin, Luling,
Gonzales, CuerO, Yorktown, Runge,
Karnes City and Floresville. This
section, embracing the villages of
StOCkdale, NOckenut, Union, Dew
vile, Riddleville, Rancho, Lees
vile, Monthalia, Smiley, Sedan,
Wrightsboro, Pilgrim Lake, Ho-
helm, WanstOr and LOrenZ, whose
annual trade amounts to more
than one million dollars, is now
knocking at your doors, begging
admission will you open? The
entire people along the proposed
line are united and enthusiastic on
the subject. They have given
money, lands, right Of way, town
sites, etc, in fact, they have
given what the road demanded of
them-will San Antonio second
+boir offorfcOY Na furtbor aSlE Won
to bear in mind that we have given
you facts from less than one-halt
! OF the proposed road from San An
tonic to Yoakum. The country
from Sutherland Springs, includ.