New-York tribune., 1870-09-29
ACROSS THE CONTINENT.
SOUTHERN TRANs-CoSrINENTAL RAILRoAD-AD-
DRESS or Ex-Gov. TmOCKMoRToS.


Fremont, Gov Goodwin Of Arizona, Gen. George p.
Buell. u T. A. Cen sherred, Gen. Hunter, U. 8. A., Col.
John w Forney Col saylor OF tho Texas Legislature
Gen L. W. Rice OF Iowa. Col John M. Daniels OF Texas,
tho Hon. T. f. Smith, Superintendent OF the Public
Schools OF Kentucky and President OF the Cumberland
and Ohio Railroad Col s. W Morton OF Kentucky, Gen.
George Nancy OF Tennessee, Col Smith OF Kentucky,
Major Corwin Of Washington, Judge j. M Tebbetts OF
Washington the Hon. j. b. Bowman OF Kentucky Geo.
l. Johnston OF Kentucky, Alex. whiting Of California
Major Gen. Corse OF Chicago, Marshall o. Roberts
Emanuel b. Hart of New York. and others. The meeting
was called TO order by Cen Fremont assisted by Cen
Morton c. Hunter of Indiana as VicePresident John d.
Defrees esq acting as Secretary. Gov Throcknorton
was apponed TO act as the representative of the corpo
ration in the Cincinnati Commercial Convention, 10 DE
holden Oct T. f. b. Hart, NJ. o. Roberts, John 7. De
frees Judge Tebbetts Gen. Nancy, and ]. b. Bowman
were appointed Committee for the collection Of sub
scriptOns
ADDRESS OF GOV. THRoCKMoRToS.
At the request of Col. John W. Forney ex-Gov.
Throckmorton furnished information In regard To the
resources Of the district through which the road Is TO
pass and the prospects of success for tho enterprise
After saying that he regretted that he had not had sur
cent time TO prepare CURES and present facts that would
doubtless be of more to those concerned and 10
gentlemen Of capital than anything that could he SAID IN
general way he stated for the information OF all VINO
felt in the OF the enterprise that the
peope of Texas felt the deepest Interest IN the
construction railroad 70 the Pacific ocean through
their state and believed It to be the shortest eRsapes
resenatve men of Texas-thOse who had specially ~
reeed their attention m % 10 'hS hS b made bE Cant
Marcy of the U. s. A. many years since when ne eva, wa
charged with this work by the War Department since
the days OF that report embodied by the then secretary
of War I'm his report TO Congress, cominerchi Inel
Texas the true line for great commercial mgh~ay
an early day in the legislation OF Texas upon this
through
Rusk passed setting aside two degrees OF the
Territory i'm Texas extending from the eastern To the
western border OF the State distance OF about 800
miles, and reservng the unappropriaed lands IN TINS
territory from location and entry ana granting twenty
sections of the to the mile for the purpose OF aiding
in the construction Of this great work Ralroadng NJ
that time was in its infancy in Texas and indeed not
developed and understood in any portion OF the
United States. Capital did not take hold OF the PROJECT
as was expected and the death Of Gen. Rusk tended
greatly dshearen those who had labored TO enlist
the aid of the general Government in its behalf and
there failure in the enterprise Subsequently the
Legislature chartered other lines with view 10 the ae
compishment OF the same end-one line TO eonnect
Vicksburg and the other through Northern Texas, 10
connect with Memphis To both these lines were granted
under general law OF the state 10 sectlons OF ana m
per mile, and TO the latter line, the Memphis and n
Paso a reservation OF the public domain OF 10
miles in width was granted out or ,wnlch
to obtain the lands given for its construction IL was
contemplated by the Legislature that these two lines the
one terminating at Nicksburg and the one az memphis,
would form connection after penetrating westwMdly
into the interior Of the state some 200 or 800 miles though
such was not expressed III the charter OF etho company
The people of Northern Texas organized the Company OF
the Memphis, E Paso and Pacific line, and unaded by
capital out of the state had before the war completely
graded 30 or GO miles OF that road had the cross
made contract obtaining the iron for the first so
miles, and portion of the rolling stock was delivered on
the road on account OF the war this was all lost Since
then strenuous have been used 10 resusctae the
work. and the charter under which the meeting OF the
t6e Iegatire of Texas at its recent session Il Is known
those present and to the whole country, that the
war efeetuay in these matters, and the recent
Legislature has been the first legislative body In the
=, tha at baa hfeu "A
press the voice OF the people of the state touching TINS
question of such vast Importance 70 them It may not
unnteresng to the gentlemen present 10 learn some
thing of the fertility of the country It's mineral resources
and productive capacity through which the ,ne OF the
County the first 40 or so miles is covered by inn
forests OF pe an Sa wants of be eat al prae R
ions Westward to FL Paso In the neghborhood OF JET
fersOn there large deposits of iron ore believe
chased by those qualified to judge thebrown hems-
lite. Already has this ore been tested, and to-day
smelling works in operation supplying the demands
OF the country with pot metal In tho region OF Parker
and Palo Pinto Counties other deposits OF iron ore exist
which have been examined and pronounced OF superior
quality and inexhaustble in quantity This Is region
aboundng in limestone rock ana IN the same locality
and extending up the Brazos River to Fort Beknap ex
deposits OF bitmnous coal are known TO exist
These deposits OF coal and iron have been examined and
Going still further west along the line OF the road springs
supplies Of salt North Of the line Of the road distant
from TO so miles, are the copper mines situated IN Arch
this city and Baltimore and pronounced very rich III
known to Texans that these mines can be cheaply
worked but owing TO Indian depredatOns no, effort has
been made to do The country between the PecOs
River and FL Paso is said to abound in great mineral
with that region have no doubt.
The first 800 miles of the line from Red River to the
BrazOs and the clear fork of that stream for 80 60
miles further, IN my Judgment there no more desirable
or o. net country nj on t En9%n
Beside its productiveness as cotton country, corn,
wheat barley Vegetables, and fruits are produced IN
capacity OF that region for produetveness will mention
that in the county in which reside comprising terrific
en1arq mil IL
that not table and of the richest quality Of soil Let
some one who has the time estimate the number OF acres
pose half OF this in cotton and the production
each, and then this at 10 cents specie per pound,
and see the result, which | believe Will be over
onesxth Of the country was planted IN corn at an aver
age of 80 bushels acre. and thus at Is cents per bushe
sixth in wheat average yield of is bushels acre,
81 per bushel and there Is realized over an0ther %
600 and after this there is still left for fruits gardens
pastures &c. $1,000 Of land When the estimate is
made onehaf bale OF cotton per acre, ana 80 bushels
of corn and bushels Of wheat II B not 80 done because
the soil produces more for the fact is otherwise but
to be within and below the actual truth SO viii be
seen that in this one county alone, not estimating the
immense resources OF wealth desirable from the rearnS
Of mules horses beef and wool which at the present
t6 arc among the most remunerative Of the industrial
nnTsnits of our peope the sum OF more than
might be realized from the productive capacity OF the
county alone when there is sufficient labor to produce
it, and railroad facilities TO transport sueh surplus pro-
duce 10 market Multiply these figures by the number
Guiding the Counties OF Davis, Marian, Bew Titus, Red
River Somer Hopkins, Hunt, Hannin Collin, Brayson,
Cook, Denton, Parker Wise Jack, Montague, Young,
Stephens, &c. and you may begin to comprehend the
resources of the immediate section OF country that would
be dependent on the Southern Tansconnenal Road 10
say nothing Of the immense fertile region Of cOun-
try north Of and adjacent TO Red River,
from Fulton 20 the mouth OF the Wichita River.
would not be understood saying that all the country
mentioned rich in soil as the county, but ii Us
sufficiently so TO sustain the figures presented West
the region spoken OF there s broad belt OF fer
tile country and beyond almost the entire distance To
E Paso where not susceptible of cultivation the grasses
ahO
OF note that estimated 10000 head Of cattle have
been driven from Texas this season to the Northern
the beeves 10 the Southern markets by the way OF
Gulf and Red River These immense droves OF cattle have
IN tnfT TeX Air