The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1874-07-25
DALLAS AND WICHITA RAILROAD.


Young we Travelled, on "Wednesday
afternoon last, along the line of the
Dallas and Wichita railroad from its
depot grounds on Mckinney street to
Joe's branch, the furthest point at
which grading is now being done. AS
we have no idea thatnine-tenthso of the
people of Dallas know how far
work has progressed OH this road, and
how rapidly it is being pushed for
ward, we propose to give briefly an ac-
count of what we saw. Near the de-
pot grounds we found a small force en-
gagged in putting the finishing touches
on the embankments and excavations
that had been made by previous con-
tractor. Proceeding further we came
to the contrast of Captain Il. .. >.
Howe. Captain Howe, whom we have
known for eight years, and know to be
an energetic and thorough-going work.
er, has a contract to grade two miles.
He has a force of fifteen or twenty
teams at work with scrapers, and is
rapidly giving things the appearance
ola railroad. 81 f.t. 80
Going on to the vicinity OF Joe's
branch, seven miles from Dallas, We
found another corps of workers, of
about the same number as Captain
Howes, engaged In constructing an
embankment with the dirt taken from
an excavation. The progress in COM
pleting the work is rapid where all the
dirt removed from one place can be
utilized at another. a. H}
The line of the Dallas and Wichita
road follows the valleys of the Trinity
river and Elm fork, skirting along at
the edge of the timber and of the prair-
les, at grade above the reach of the
highest overfows. Where the line
passes through the timber the track
has been cleared out, and the timber
that stood in the right of way all care
fully saved for the construction OF
bridges and other purposes. In this
way considerable saving in the cost
of construction will be made, We OBJ
served at several places where bridges
will have to be built the heavy timbers
hewn and ready for use. .f ..
The calculation of those engaged in
the work is that at the end of sixty
DAVIS from this time the grading and
bridging of the first ten miles will DE
completed and ready to receive the
iron rails. The superintendent of the
road is, we learn, in st. Louis at this
time for the purpose of negotiating for
the iron and rolling stock. On maxi
ing inquiry, we ascertained that all
the obligations of the company to its
contractors had been promptly met,
and that everything was paid up to the
18th of the present month. During
our ride we met President Calder and
Chief Engineer Mclaughlin, who had
been out on the line examining the
several crossings of Elm Fork, for the
purpose OF determining which was the
most desirable crossing to adopt. The
result oftheir investigation, welearned,
was that while the crossing that would
enable the company to establish
depot where it would best accommo-
date the people of Grapevine and adj
Joining settlements, would be the most
expensive, still, those settlements be-
ing among the richest and most pros
porous of the many thriving settle
ments west of the Elm Fork, would
more than make up 10 the company
the difference in cost between this
crossing and a more northern one.
II is the purpose Of President Calder
70 have the road constructed across
Elm Fork in time to secure the cotton
and lumber carrying Of next season,
and from the rapidity with which the
work is going ahead, we are induced
to indulge i'm the very confident hope
that the programmewiIl be carried out.
From the apathy, if not hostility,
felt in reference TO the success Of this
enterprise By many who are peeuniari-
is tenfold more Interested in the pros
perity Of Dallas than we are, and ly
men, too, who we know are well posted
in all matters affecting their own inter
ests, we are sometimes disposed 10
think that we are in error in aitribut-