Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1872-07-27
CENTRAL RAILROAD.

The following interesting letter from
Paul Bremond, Esq, of Houston, was in
tended TO be read on the occasion of our
great Barbecue last week, but for some
reason failed to reach here in time. We
take pleasure in laying it before the read
ers of the HERALD:
TO The Mayor and Corporate Aathorihes Of
DdllaS.
GENTLEMEN 1t is with regret that
business prevents my being with you, in
compliance with the kind invitation ex-
tended to myself and colaborers by your
Corporate Authorities, to attend the Bar
becue given in honor oe the completion of
our railroad to Dallas.
1t is now twenty years ago, since first
conceived the necessity of building rail-
way to accomodate the rapidly increasing
business of the country. AT that time, We
had no charter, and, in order to awaken
an interest in favor of tho enterprise, We
formed Railroad associations in several
counties. Soon afterwards, the late Col.
Ebenezer Allen presented us with char
ter, under which we organized and are
now working.
The line, when first surveyed, pointed
in northwes;erly direction, toward the
city of Austin, which line we intended
first to complete, but the Buffalo Bayou &
Colorado Company, also building in that
direction, caused the managers, after
reaching the terminus of tho fifty mi lie
station, to turn northward.
,la l,o,,
ing made my usual calls of friendship,
that invited T. ". House, Esq, with his
son, to accompany me to the edge Of the
belt of timber surrounding our city, 10 as
sist in breaking ground and after turn
ing myself few sods, handed the spade
to my companion, who did right good SER
vice, and after delivering a brief speech,
in which | prophesigd the great future Of
Houston and the State, all of which prophe-
sy is rapidly becoming verified, we returned
determined that the road should be built,
and the very next day, under the direction
of our then Engineer in chief, Theo. Kos
sc, Esq, was placed n force of thirty men
TO grade, while he surveyed the first line
across the prairie towards Austin. In this
way was laid the foundation Of the great
Central Railroad, q road, tha. by the time
its main trunk aud branches will be COM
pleted, will have cost thirty millions of
dollars, verifying once more the old adage,
"from little acorns tall trees grow" 1t
was our fervent faith in the ultimate sue
cess of tine enterprise which carried us
over many rough places, and enabled US
to contend with the many difficulties We
had to encounter; for at its commence
ment, | was engaged in active mercantile
business, paying our firm twenty thousand
dollars per amman, which business was
abandoned by me, in order that | might
devote my whole time and attention to the
grand work | comtem plated, the benefits
of which our people are now enjoying.
The work, at first, progressed very slowly,
although steadily our merchants and
planters had but little surplus capitol be-
yond the necessities of their own trades to
invest in the enterprise, and during the
first thirty days, was in the greatest
tribulation to know where TO get the mtn .
ey to pay the engineering party and small
force Of graders, who were airea ~ on the
road. | had with my own means, to pay
all preliminary expenses, but with the aid
of Messrs. House and Hutchins, who both
contributed one hundred dollars, succeed
ed in satisfying my worSmen, and in
creased the force TO fifty men, aad thus
achieved great triumph, as it was con-
sidered by all, to be able to pay promptly
the first months labor, and inspire conf
dence in the undertaking. Elated by this
first success, | instructed the engineer to
string his men along the distance Of a
mile, SO that the teamsters and travellers
could spread the news in all parts of the
State of the actual building of the road,
and that the people of Houston were in
earnest. 1t was 1866 before we were ena-
bled to reach Cypress Creek, a twenty-five
mile station, and 1858 before we reached
the town of Hampstead, fifty mile sta
ton, having experienced n delay of sever
al month by the failure Of the Company
TO secure d contract for extending the
road northward. Having then collected
my assets, was offered the contract, which
I undertook for the building Of thirty tw o
and half miles, completing the same
within the limits of time specified, and by
which the valuable land bonus was saved
| to the Company. But all this was not ac-
complished without great labor and sacri-
flee to myself personally, paying, as | was
|
lars gold for the service of two men, Messrs
Kyle and Terry, for thirteen days labor
VII ose hands were brought out Of their cot
ton and sugar fields at an expense to N c
Of three. dollars day, coin, for each.
was finishing up the work at the time.
In 1861 the Southern States set up for
themselves, and during the next six years
the road made but little progress. Then
the Company reorganized, and commenced
again to show symptoms of vitality; steps
we're taken which brought Wm. E. Dodge
ESQ.,, Of New York, into our Directory
throu' b whose instrumentality, together
with his friend Moses Taylor aud others,
our bonds were placed, making large ad
vances, by which means the road has been
rapidly extended TO meet the Missouri )
Kansas road on our State line. Muct
credit is due 10 our people for sustaining
this pioneer road Of our State, by contri
! buting their means TO its construction
From this humble beginning, the various
enterprises centering in our city have beer
broughs into being, among which are thu
Texas & New Orleans road, the Houstof
Tap of the Colorado & San Antontio Road
the Coiumbis road, leading South TO th'
sugar belt Of country the great Northern
connecting with the international, Will
the now great Houston Texas Centra
road, with one arm stretching west to III
city of Austin, another about TO embrae
Waco in its folds, ard still another linl
towards Clarksville, all Of which line
will intersect with the Southern Pacific
now commencing under the leadership o
the great rsilwad King, Thcs. W. Scot
Our road has just reached your dooi
which fact you are now celebrating, an
BIZ which means the company will be eua
bed 10 deliver the iron and material :
the Southern Pacific, building both Eai
aud West as soon as the surveys are con
ris,sd. II vail he we'll for your citizen
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