San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-17
MAY
GET FIGHT ON
RAIL MERGER
San Antonio Committee
Will Seek Legislation
to Prevent 1t.
HEAR OF VALLEY TRIP
Appoint Attorneys to Take
Case to House Of Rep
resentatives.
HEAR OF VALLEY TRIP


merger of the Gulf Coast Lines with
the International-Great Northern
Railway will be appealed 10 Congress
if necessary. according TO a decision
reached Monday morning by the exec
utive committee appointed through the
San Antonio Chamber of Commerce
10 prspare this city's case for hearing
before the state railway commission
in Austin on April Z.
Resolutions to proceed with the
fight TO its finish were passed by the
committee following the report of .,
II. Yandell, general manager of the
chamber, on his trip into the Rio
Grande valley in the interest of this
city's case, while kilograms from cham
bcrs of commerce from Brownsville
Dallas. San Juan. Donna and Edin
burg were read, showing that senti
mcIN in these localities is strongly
with the San Antonio chamber in il.
fight against the merger.
Following the adoption OF the reso
luton TO proceed with the fight OF
even larger grounds than were former
~ included. the committee appointed
Birkhead x Lang MS attorneys repre-
senting this city in its ease.
Restricts Development.
IF. we find it Necessary. we will
take our case To the floor of Congress
on the ground that the Esch-Cummins
act, while very good in some states
tends in sparsely settled states like
Texas, to restrict rather than To de-
velop agriculture and commerce" Mr.
Iandell announced after fhe executive
meeting. I'VE will appeal ut once T.
congressman John Garner and Harry
Nj. Wurzbach TO cooperate with u
in carrying our case to Washington
in the event that, such procedure is
necessary"
Mr.. Yandell further explained that
should this city need stronger assist
ance to win its case. the two congress
men representing the Rio Grande val
ley and Bexar county. respectively
will be called upon to attempt au
amendment TO the Esch-Cummins act
which will be the basis for the Gull
Coast railways contention that it is
entitled to the purchase of the l.-G. y
lines.
Dallas With Us in Fight.
In his report TO the committee. Mr.
Yandell stated that a telegram Ia,
been received by the chamber here
from the chamber of commerce i'll Dial
las. stating that Dallas is strongly N
favor of San Antonios effort, 10 OBJ
tain another railroad from this city to
the Rio Grande valley. and that Dal
las will cooperate with San Antonio
in an attempt to prevent monop0lleS
which would prohibit the construction
of competitive road. 20
Attention was called by Mr.. Yam
dell in his report to the fact that Jesse
III. Jones, director of the Internation'
al-Great Northern railway. has an
nounced his opposition to the merger
and that Mr.. Jones is at present call
ing upon the people of Houston, who
have been quoted as favorable TO the
sale, 10 oppose the merger on the
ground that it would operate 10 the
dctriment of the entire state.
The I.-G. y. should not be made
a pawn or chattel of another line.
independence of the road should be
people of Texas will be impaired il i
is reduced to the status of mere ad-
junct or subordinate
A Statewide Fisht.
MIR. va. lell told the committee that
this placed statewide aspect on the
fight as Texas with her comparative
ly sparse population needs competitive
railroad facilities, which cannot be
secured through monopolies which
sect TO Disseminate against certain
sections" Mr. Yandell stated. land
the entire state will be interested in
protecting its prosperity through ade-
quate and fair-minded transportation
between its respective communities.
The resolution adopted by the com
mittee specifies that the fight will
be continued, and that the data neces-
sary for completing this city's case
will be gathered and prepared, and
that the attorneys representing this
city's fight will be Col. Claude V.
Birkhead and Sylvan Lang.
A second resolution stated that in
ease of necessity. the city of San An
tonic will take its case To Washing
ton: and the resolution instructed Mr..
Iandell TO communicate ut once with
Congressman Garner and Wurzbach.
in order 10 prepare them to cooperate
with San Antonio in presenting an
an cndment TO the ch-Cummings act.
Endorsements Of this city's fight
have been received by wire from every
Rio Grandc Valley and coastal town
not reached by Mr.. Iandell during his
trip ~. 49,.