The True Issue (La Grange, Tex.), Vol. 9, No. 19, Ed. 1, Saturday, July 23, 1859 Page: 1 of 1
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THE TRUE ISSUE,
"PledgM to no party's arbitrary sway,
Wo follow Truth whcro'cr she loads tbo way."
X. -A. GKR-AJSrGKE :
SATURDAY JULY 23, I8.-.0.
HAIL ROADS.
A Committee) composed of I. L Hill,
A. M. Ijcwis, unci J do. P. Key, havo uJ.
dressed a letter to lliu "Citizens of Fay-
ette, Bastrop and Travis counties," on tho
subject of tho "Air Line" Hail road, and pub
lished the sumo in tliu Bicnham Enquirer.
To soma of thu fallacies and absuiditiesoi'
that letter, wo feel disposed to reply,
though its statements uro so cxtiavagnnt,
that thoy answer themselves to thu satis-
faction, doubtless, of every candid and re-
flecting mind.
Wo presume it is useless to say any-
thing on the subject of tho proposition of
tho Washington County Hail toad Compa-
ny "to furnish the same umnuut of aid in
tho extension of this road i'mui Urcnluim
to Austin, that muy bo furnished by I ho
citizens of Hast top, T rat is, and oilier coun-
ties above, iu tho construction of tho road
to Brenham." In tho first place, there is
no charter, nor tho piobability o( ono to
Austin, and in the second plut,c, they give
us no socuiity except tho piomisn of a
"soulless corporation," to refund tho mon-
ey wo might subsciibc. Unless a man
and his money arc easily ;wta7, then, ho
will not subscribe on that inducement
alone. Wo uro told that this company
have resolved to "uso all honorable moans
to obtain an extension charter fioui Bren-
hum to Austin." In reply to this, wo on-
ly say that if they uso none but honorable
mean to obtain s.ml ch irter, wo have lit-
tle to fear; for they aro honorably bound'
to uso no means whatever to obtain such
extension. Our meaning is this in order
to obtain 'their charter to Hi euhfun, alter
tho branching piixileo of tho Centiul
Road had been cut oil', they, through tho
Representatives who obtained said tlnuter
for them, pledged themselves neicr to seek
an cxtt nsfon l Austin. For tho tinth of
this statement, wo refer to thu Houotahla
Cfuuncy Shcpnard, Jno. Soylcs, and .las.
Shcppard, of Waiinmnn, Jas. J, tiuy,
Cof 9. 1. L. Hill and J. V. Dancy, oFFuv elle,
as well as thullepicscntutlvcsund Senators
from Bastrop and Travis. Tho gentle-
men from Washington, tho friends of tho
Brcnhum Tap, pledged themselves to the
gentlemen from this vulleyr who wiro op-
posed to any charter from thu Genual
Road to Austin, becauso it would injuru
our road, that if tho latter limned gentle-
man would lavor tho 13 re nli a m project, as
a county road, (honco its name,) they, tho
friends of this county road, would never
seek an extension. Wo do not wish to bo
incoriect in our statements, and if no arc,
wo hope tho gentlemen mimed will cor-
rect us. If wo aro conect, then wo sub-
mit to an honorable people, whether it
would now bo hone&t to violate thoio
pledges, made to obtain tho county road
charter, and without which they never
could havo obtuincd it. If it would, then
they must seek their lessons upon murals in
somo code to which wo ate a stranger.
They say "it is admitted that tho Air
Linoisbyl.tr tho cheapest loutc." But
who adonis it? No body except aftiend
of that famous project, whoso interest it is
to admit it., On tho contrary, thoso who
profess to know anything of tho character
of tho country through which that rood is
oxpecicd to run, must know that it will bo
a mora expensive roula than this. Tho
estimate muda by the Engineer Wentz of
312000 per milo to construct that mud, is
all humbug. Ono of tho coips of engin-
eers who assisted in running tho lino
through to Austin, says that the lino has
not been surveyed, and tho ptobablo cost .
computed that Wentz' guess is wido of
thu mark that (he road runs through tho
worst count ly ho has seen in thu State.
Ho has been over thu lino of this road
from Columbus to this place, and say t it
will not bo near eo costly to giadc as that.
They sny this route will bu 31 miles
longer than theirs. Let us multe thu fig-
ures. Their road from Houston to Austin,
is bytheirowu statement 15f miles. From
Hnrtisburg to Richmond it U 32 miles, to
Columbus 'IS miles, to Latrrungo 2G
miles, 11 ik) to Austin 5C miles, making 161
mile- fiom Ilarmburg to Austin. Add
thu distunco fiom Houston to HtirrUhurg
nu tliH Riyou, 15 miles, to thu distance
from Houston to Austin, 151 miles, and
wo havo 1GG miles, or 5 miles further fiom
Gahcston to Austin via tho Air Lino than
by this. So tho 31 milo3 difference dwin-
dles away, and there aro actually 5 miles
udvaulaeo on our route, to ay nothing of
thousands ot dollars which tlio country
must piy annually to get by Houston on
thu way to market, in tho shape of wharf-
age, Moruge, receiving .ind forwaidtng,
incntlagCy ueighoge. itttagc, etc., etc.
Will tho people of this valley turn wild,
and suffer themsetvc led blindly north
thiough thu sand hills, to teach u road,
mutely for the privilege of being fleeced
by Houston before they got to niiihet? It
is a slander to siy they have any idea of
doing any such thing. Tins sapient com-
mittee estimate tho cost of our road at 030,-
000 per mile. Wo never before know
gentlemen of intelligence to presume so
lar upon tho ignoiauco and gullibility of
a people.
Thuy irprescnt tho Harrisburg Compa-
ny as liming Mated that "four bridges
will have la bo constructed across tlu
Colorado, fiom Columbus to Au&tin."
Wu deny that tho company havo ever eaid
any such thing, uml ulcr tliu public to tho
c'uculnr recently jiublUhcd by tho compa-
ny, in which it is thounf tliul only (mo
bmlgo io actually in.cet.sary, piovided tho
uppi r terminm is mudo on tho opposite
bauk(nt Austin. Thu coinpiny havo not
jit deiermined on tho precise toute on
which they will run. Uut it is plain that
they can keep tho nlley and reach tho
opposite hank at Austin with but wiu
budge.
Again, they hay that it h impossible to
luu a road up this valley, jnid to do so, it
must eilher cioss the rher much oftencr
than four times, or run so crooked as to
greatly ihcnimo the distance. This looks
very much like cither uni cxtiemo igno-
iauco of iho geogiaphy ofthis valley, or a
dNpu-ilioii to mis-lead. ' For all who
know anything of ibis valley, know thnt
a load can be run nearly Uti tight up thu
nlley from Columbus to tliu ojtposito
bank at Austin, and oulyioss tho liver
oncu. Mofrnvor tho graJo of tho road,
wo aro satisfied, nnd so aro many others
mom experienced than vV, will cost fir
less than that of tho celebrated "Air Line,"
about which so much has taen of late said.
"Why do not the Hurri'burg Company
survey the route," Scci Because ihoy do
TisF latkjli tr lin m liti tlin 4.-tjrili-i fili1 lif
causo ihoy wish to uso ulfQthcir means to
complete a road to thu lugplands, accessi
Mo to f Iio produce ot tho
countiy. But
douo any such
what other company have
thin"; I iNntono vvljicu liaij
a charter. Tho
charter tells tho people wlvro tho road is
to run, und it is only loadsyvhich havo no
charier, that find it necoss
ry to go sur-
voting through tho woods
whero nothing
but ncorm will over be produced.
'If tho Harrisburccot ':
ipany wish to
i do so by pur-
avoid competition, they ca
suing tho direct routo to l
an Antonio as
f Their charter.
heretofore. How wisol
with its amendments, rcqv
ires them to go
to Austin, and they do no'J
wish to tollow
th$ examples of those modern Railroad
builders, who construct roads without
charters, on paper, by means of much talk
Tho freights on our road of tho narrow
guage, havo only to bo rolled fiom the cars,
a fqw feet onto tho steamer at Harrisburg,
without extra expense, whilst jours must
pus through the hands of a Commission
Muchant at Houston, und enrich him at
your oxponse. That "great town," Har-
rUburg, which tho biillhint imaginations ,
ofthis company have created, don't tax us
with icmrfagc, &toraget $r., as long as its
vtotfel mirchants thtnh uc can bear itt
"Tho Harrisburg Company voted many
times, but in no instance did they vote uny
of their funds to build tho road by sections."
Stuitliuglipropnltion tlmt. They htno 53 miles of
iuul maiitujr, nnd ocn will luu 0, ns It U now nil
nuuiy .gr.nlij'l, un.l tlio Iron nil purcliaecd tu Iny
down, Avhllbt ho truck lading U io'uy oinj; nn.
Now vlll thia comuiHtco, to v. hem all nn-st horcafttr
i;o fur inC'rmtlim, toll tlio iiiblio urWe money hnu
built tlio fcO uiilcfl tff roud? Why, q daio say wo
can nit mo n tinglo ctuclihoMcr In tlio Harrisburg road,
who I ne i'!d in more money In tho construction of
thit toad limn auy ten of tho itvrklioldcn of tho
unhlngton County roid hn e jinid into tliulrs. Alt
tlitir entn t ian4 ciirm'iijt" hav o been cxpomlcd ou tho
.extension, nnd yet vo uro tuld tlmt tho comjuny ncv-
trioto their iuntla to tstoud tho roid. Who aro tho
iv minu j ? Dock It not consist of (ill thoso viho laleo
ttock in tho rond? Who over heard of tho;o gentle-
men vrhnii) linmca nro heed in iho charter, conttruct-In-
n Railioad nloi o? If tho VT. C. Itoud had to do-
jieiid upni thopuri'ia of thoso thaitor memhera, how
many Uillcs of loiul would their ngcrogato wealth
huild? It U uhvns. contemplated l'iat the people
through itiooo midst a road ij toiun, fliall talvO etotk
and hccoiuo pnt of tho company. When they taku
etoth they nro tho company. When was a ro.id ever
oScrad a coubtry upon mora fnvorahb terms than la
ours? Wcaiors'.cJ to pay Iu no money until Iho
grading U done. Wo nro only ndccd to eubttiriho an
nmouiit BuRitieut to grado und tio tho rond, and tho
lhrcitorn, tho aenle und representatives of tho Block'
1 idUrs our npt wH and repmifi ntntlvcs when wo bo-coiaofctoclt-hohkiB,
iicjjotlato for Iho means to finish
tho rojd. In othtr wunl, they borrow tho money to
fininb tho road, the debt contracted therefor la the
dult of thu tompnny in their corjnrato capacity, nnd
that cominuy U composed of onrbelrcif. Whore olto
Ij tho money to como from, hut from tho country?
TI.o argument nainst this modo of ral'lrs tho mon-
tyvtlth nhkli ti build a ltallroad, If arnim.ntlt
cojld ho tailed, la ton pucrllo to rcqulro refutation.
"Uiulst thepo (hampitnit of tho Washington County
ltn id, complnl thai cur company hn o ta till on the
pcio tor t'io inoi cy ultli tvIUcii to build i)nr rond,
they norir onto lnttmnto where the money U to come
fiou v Uh which ti build their?. Wu cnppteo they
will luild it without hioitfi, nnd without & charter,
nnd belu ot Austin nnd build hnckwurdE, on tho Air
Lino, tho uuteii'il lor lonstmilion, ga.
TIda LommUtco hac nm wild. They tnlk about
thu touipin vinting tho pcoplo of this county to
build ii road of their own to Latlr.idgc, "thnt will ro-
I'dt hi n tap of tho llaiiisburg ltoad." Who cvir
hear I of tho l.ko. Wo of thia county hog to bo de-
Ineiud fiom this tallroadcoromUteo. They will havo
it bdlldiojr n nud wi'liout a charter dncclly. They
e;cm to ignore charter altogether, nnd will soon havo
thia SUto nil co ered o cr with "air lino" ro-uhf, wIUi
out (.hnrtci", nnd independent of tho Stnto, 'ihoy are
ujiloricua tlio. They nro going to havo their "nir
I no thu grcit haso lino of all tho road, und have in-
nuincrnMo little- "air lines" by way of "short tupa"
connecting therewith. Uhey say their "air lino" will
cost vi f Milliuu ilutlar lot than oar road. Wo bo-
Hsvolt. 1'or all tuolrs will coat will bo n few thou-
tnnd to pay conuuUtoea to indito newspaper nrtlvlea.
to pay fur running a compass lmo through tbo woods
und bhiiing somo troca, and a low others to "bloah
about'' geneinlly nnd raako a fua. They want tho
people of this vnltcy to unite with them, for what rea-
son wo can not toll. Of couno thoy don't vrunt us to
piy any money, Lccauao they (.empfain, nnd uiako "a
great to-do" over tho fact that tho Harrisburg Com-
pany wish ua to anbsenbo atock. Of tourso thoy
would not ask us to do u thing, which they condemn
others for asking. Wo aro thcrtforo at loss to conjec-
ture Tiby they want us to unito with them. Eut the
rnout amusing question Ihoy ueU ua la thia t "Wilt you
ray u milUou dollars mori for a road from a poLit on
llufnto Uijou, with nil the intonvcnlenco and cost of
unavoidable ro-shlpment of up and down freights f '
Wonnrwcr Nol Thcro vrill ho no million to pay.
Hut admit our road should bo a million dollttn moro
Coctty than yours, we shoull mnko money by tlio op-
eiatlon. It would bo aa excellent investment. We
bhonld get it hack in a few years Wo should aavo a
preat dual of it In freight. To go by Brcnham, wo
chouM havo to run over that Central road, which coat
2fl,')C0 dollars per niilcj oura coat only 12,000 dollara,
Tho law permit3 the company to deelaio 12J per cent
dirjdent only, A hen our country Kittles an and bo-
incsii increases, tho freights on our rond vrill bo neces-
sarily less than half thoee on tho Central road, In order
to pay tlio dl Idcnt allowed by law. That would soon
saveua a million. Eut wo bhould Boon enve sev-
eral millions In ehnpe or wlurfuye, ttorayt, receiving
aud foiwanliiiif, ratagt, &c , at Houston, llut we
havo followed thia committeo too fur already, nnd
must desist Wo wish them all success possibto in
their laudable efforts to buddtni and paper railroads,
without auy nieiseinco from tho people of the coun-
try. They aro the benefactors of their race.
W
.
ts
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The True Issue (La Grange, Tex.), Vol. 9, No. 19, Ed. 1, Saturday, July 23, 1859, newspaper, July 23, 1859; La Grange, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth48624/m1/1/: accessed May 1, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.