The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1911-12-28
nEN SOUTHWEST TEXAS
RAILROAD IS PLANNED
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t,an Antonio. Texas. Dse Is ~
/ Contracts have hern aligned aHa
vura nlii be herun February 1,
llpfa. on The erpnsituction ei = ne"
rnilread so extend from San Auionio
north 20 eenneciiun at San Angelo
with the Kansas Cits. Mexico q
tirleut Railroad. aud south 90 Crow
Their. In the northern part of Me-
Mullen county. distance about thirty
miles. from wheer the road viii
hreach, one line extending Go deep
water az Roekpoft aud Arkansas
HaTbar, and the other line extend.
Ing into ihe lower Rio Grandc Val
Icy at point near the town or Mis-.
sion Crossing the Rio Grande
this point. the line will be extended
through the ancient city OF Mata-
moras aad on to the great oil fields
OF Tamp,co. where much English
money is invested
British capital Is behind the pro-
ject. which has been under con.
sidcration for more than year. but
only an intimation of It's extent was
given 10 the public geyeral months
ago when the charter of the San
Antonio, Rockport q Mexico Rail
road was filed, and later when the
Rockport a. Port Arkansas Company
made application 10 purchase l,200
frontage on the harbor on Harbor
Island.
The syndicate proposes taking
over and developing the Crowther
oil and gas fields, that are said tc
be far richer than the public has yet
been advised The oil will be trans
ported to the sea coast at Rockport
and the gas will be used for manu-
featuring purposes and to light all
trains running over the new road.
If the conditions warrant II the gas
VIII be piped to San Antonio and
neigh boring points. The develop
ment purposed for the Crowthcr oil
and gas fields will alone involve an
expenditure of more than $4,000.
900.
The cost of the whole project,
estimated at about $40,000,000, Ia
said to Justify the claim that no
single development ever preached in
San Antonio or Southwest Texas has
approached this In magnitude
While the parties interested decline
to discuss It. the belief prevails that
the same British capitalists that
backed Arthur Stillwell In the ORR
ent railroad are behind this project.
Negotiations looking to the con-
structlon of the railroad were en-
tered into last February between A.
l.. Matlock, an attorney of San An
tonic and British capitalists repre-
sented, by Edward Cowpen-Thwalte
OF London, who Is now in san An
tonic Mr.. Matlock first took Up the
matter by letter with friends IN
London and persuaded Mr.. Cowpen-
rhwaIte to come here. The latter
spent all of last July and part of
August In San Antonio and south
west Texas, and largely on the fay
orable report he made, the capital
lists he represented agreed to put up
The money TO back the project
Construction VIII be begun early
next February TO the north and TO
the south at the same time, Tho en-
tire road Is to be rock balIasted,
viii be laid with 90-pound steel
and viii have equipment as good as
may be found on any railroad In
the country. II is purposed TO main
tain "a up1zpr,ppr gpryicu that viii
put San Antonio within four and
one-half hours ride TO and from
the coast, and also to maintain d.
rect and fast communication with
the lower Rio Grande Valley. The
actual survey for the railroad has
not been made. but the course TO
be followed has been definitely
outlined
Included In the total estimate OF
$40, 100000 is sum between ST.
100000 and s4,000,000 that will be
expended on the docks and wharfs
on Harbor Island This is said to be
one of the important factors in the
whole project and Of special inter
est to San Antonio for II will not
only give this city deep water
port near at hand, but 1t will af-
| ford direct communication between
san Antonio and the ports OF the
world, for another part Of the pro
| Ject Is the maintenance OF line ol
| coastwlse steamers and steamship
| line to operate between Rockport
land EurOppan portg