San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-15
YANDELL BACK
SAYS VALLEY
j.. IN RAIL FIGHT
Business There Opposes
Discrimination Against
Another Road.
PLAN FOR HEARING
Executive Committee to
Meet and Arrange Facts
for Fight.
PLAN FOR HEARING

Following the return Of C. Il. YAM
dell, general manager of the San An
tonic Chamber of Commerce, froIi
his trip in the Rio Grande Valley
and towns in the coastal region OF
Texas. a meeting of the executive
committee representing the Greater
San Antonio Committee and the four
teen organizations that pledged their
support in the San Antonio chambers
fight on the merger of the l-G. y.
Lines with the Gulf Coast railway.
will be called at 10 80 on Monday
morning, March II, with A. III. Half,
chairman of the executive committee.
presiding. The meeting will assume
the nature of |. conference with, NJ.
Yandell, summarizing, the results %f
the valley trip into survey which
will be used in the chambers hear
ing, which has been reverted by the
Interstate Commerce Commission from
March 81 to April >. ut the request
Of the Greater San Antonio Commit
tee.
Regarding the result Of his trip
into the Rio Grande Valley. Mr..
Yandell stated Saturday morning that
he is well pleased with the co-opera-
tion and enthusiasm shown in the val
ley by its business men, Hho realize
that they must make common cause
with San Antonio in trying 10 secure
adequate transportation facilities in
order 10 {; care of the rapid devel-
opiDent Of that section. Tile resolu-
ton adopted at Weslaco, stating that
the valley would not favor any meas
ure which would prevent the construc-
ton Of another railroad from San
Antonio to the valley. expressed the
attitude Of the entire Rio Grande
region. according TO Mr.. Yandell. ms
the chambers of commerce of all val
ley towns were represented at the
Weslaco meeting.
Valley TO Develop.
"The valley is thoroughly alive to
the fact that its further Development
is dependent upon additional trans
portation facilities Mr.. Yandell
stated. with its present 20 per cent
development scheduled to increase
within the next two decades at the
rate of twice its present volume OF
years. The valley is also out of
sympathy with the discriminating pol
icy practiced by the Gulf Coast Lines
in granting facilities TO Houston and
other cities producing the long haul.
as opposed to San Antonio which is
the valleys logical trading market"
Mr.. Yandell stated that more than
100 business men of the valley towns
told him during his trip that when
they sought Pullman reservations TO
San Antonio. they were told that there
was no space left in the San Antonio
car. and that the- would have to wait
from one TO five days for accommoda-
tions. but that there were an abund-
ance Of Pullman spaces on the Hous-
ton. cars. TO be had without delay.
People of the Rio Grande Valley
are vitally interested in getting crude
oil for consumption in their pumning
stations" Mr.. Yandell said. They
are now getting fuel for these plants
from Houston, at the rate of from
ST. 81 to 81 per barrel, whereas a road
that would tap the Miranda field
would give them, an abundance of
crude oil. not to exceed 81 per barrel.
The valleys present consumption of
fuel oil is half a million barrels. This
saving is only one instance demon
strated to them during my trim, illus
trating one example of benefits that
would follow the construction of an
other line into the valley
Cite Case of Seattle.
In his several speeches TO business
men representing valley chambers OF
Commerce. Mr.. Yandell stated that he
nOinted out the case of the Northern
Pacific Railroads fight on all lines
seeking to provide additional trans
portation from st. Paul, Mimi, to
Puget Sound.
"In 1882. the Northern Pacific took
a determined stand against allowing
lines to be built from the
river TO Puget Sound. ON
territory controlled by the Northern
Pacific until that time. The fight
included the Great Northern and the
Chicago. Milwaukee & st. Paul Rail
WAYS. on the ground that the roads
were not needed. just as the Gulf
Coast Lines are contending in the
Dresent case with reference to add
tiOnal railroads in the Rio Grande
Valley" Mr.. Yandell stated. The
fact was pointed out 10 valley bust
ness men that following the construc-
ton of additional railroad facilities
in this wide territory. Seattle grew
from a place of $4,000 people to a city
Of $4,000 within twenty years, and
a fact was repeated that the entire
world knows today-transportat IA
rilities converted q wide stretch OF
American wilderness into what is now |
referred to as the bread market OF
America Following the building of |
connecting railroads in that territory. |
DEVELOPMENT of the country added 10 |
rather than took away from the earn
ngs of all lines. II was facts such |
IS these that helped in winning our
light in the valley. in spite Of the |
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