Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1872-11-30
Dallas and Wichita Railroad

President OF tho company, DR.. j. W. Cal
der, we were present at the breaking Of
ground for tho Dallas and Wichita Rail.
road, at tho depot grounds In the north
crn part Of the city. On arriving on tho
grounds We found quite IN nssemblnge
of the prominent citizens Of Dallas.
The location Is about half q mile from the
Public Square, just to the left Of tho old
Mckinney road, and north Of the Dallas
Branch. Here is where the depot grounds
are to be, but the road Is designed to con-
meet with the Texas and Pacific Railroad,
at or near the local depot Of the latter
road.
The ceremonies were inaugurated by
the President Of the road, Dr.. W. Calder,
who announ ced the object Of the assem-
blage, when the first spadeful Of dirt was
thrown up by Col. Jno. Neeley Dry m,
the first settler Of the town Of Dallas.
Brief remarks were made by Col. J. @.
Mccoy, Vice-President Of tho road Hon.
Jno. Henry Brown, and Mayor Ben. Long;
after which the party assembled around
table supplied with IN abundance of
sparkling wine, when Hon. Jno. Henry
Brown was called upon for the first toast.
lie briefly sketched the Importance of the
proposed railroad from Dallas to the min
eral and grain lands of the Wichita upper
Red River and upper Brazos counties
characterized this ns but one Of the great
links to connect New Orleans with Color
ado Territory-the other two links being,
first, road from Dallas southeasterly to
meet the New Orleans and Houston road
(soon to DO completely, on the lower Sa
biue, or at Lake Charles, in Louisiana.
the whole length Of which would be
through as fine body of timber as exists
in the Southern States, the lumber bust
ness of which would annually amount to
many millions of dollars. The second
link would be from upper Red River to
Denver, Colorado. The Importance of
such through line, said the speaker, can
only be conjectured by unknown millions
of dollars. He therefore proposed ns a
toast, "Success to the enterprise we have
this day inrugurated-may its manage
ment be wise, honorable end successful,
and may it prove to be but the central
link in great trunk line connecting New
Orleans, through Dallas, with the rich
placers of the Rocky Mountains
Col. Mccoy then paid feeling and just
tribute to the character of him who broke
ground for this road, Col. Jno. Neeley
Bryan, the founder of Dallas.
Ex-Mayor, Henry S. Ervay, toasted the
City of Dallas, with its new city govern
ment, which was very appropriately re-
isponded to by the new Mayor, Mr.. Ben.
Long.
DR.. J. W. Calder, President of the road,
responded to the varions kind expressions
towards the enterprise, and promised that
the work should 60 on 10 completion.
Judge Burford, DR.. A. NJ. Cochran, Capt
j. Adams, Mr.. Colbert, of Wise county,
q gentleman recently from California,
whose name we did not learn, as we'll as
several other gentlemen, made brief ad-
dresses expressive Of their sympathy in
behalf of the proposed road. The remarks
of Capt. Adams were eminently practical
and pointed. The crowd was large, the
feeling en- thusiastic and the fe tivities in
tcrspersed with too many pleasant Incl
dents to DO related in detail.
At the conclusion, Col. Bryan, the orig
inal pioneer Of Dallas county, and the
founder of the town, was taken in charge
of by few friends, brought into town
and made the recipient of slight testi
monial of the esteem in which he is held
in this community.
We must not omit to state also, that Mr.
Haldeman, of the Imperial, and Messrs
Fendley & Miller, of the Office, were duly
remembered and complimented for theii
liberality in furn ishing the adjuncts o.
the occasion, in the form Of delicious
sparkling champaign, and cigars.
We may add in conclusion, that thu
road has been surveyed as far as the vi
entity Of Elizabethtown, Denton county, Q
distance of 40 miles, and six miles per
mnnently located. The contractors fol-
grading have now commenced work, ant
will push tho work as rapidly as possible
This road we need not add, ID one Of grea
Importance to our city, and or people
should give it all the encouragement il
their power, both pecuniarily by subsCrib
ing for stock and by their countenancs ant
support in other ways. The following il
a list of the present officers Of the COM
pany;
| J. W. Calder, President; J. G. Mccoy
Vice. President; F. NJ. Hammond, Seere
tary; 7. G. Jordan, Treasurer; W. H
Wentworth, Chief Engineer; ]. W. Calder
C. wegefarth, H. s. Ervay, 1. B. Calder
D. Conoly, Directors.