West offered the San Antonio, Uvalde and Gulf Railroad $100,000 and a free easement through his land to build to George West. West had made his fortune on cattle drives but knew that the future rested with the transport of the animals on a train. He purchased some 120,000 acres in Live Oak County and held 26,000 cattle. A drought had caused such losses that he sold half of his acreage. Other ranchers tried to sell property at that time, and prices dropped to low levels.