The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1874-07-24


he published In August Mt The Office of
The Postolilco Gazette, Price twenty
I've cents, Address Judd q Detweltor
publishers Washington CITY, d. g.
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DALLAs AND WICHITA RAILROAD
In company with Alderman W. c.
Young we travelled, on "Wednesday
afternoon last along the llno of the
Dallas aud Wichita railroad from its
depot grounds Oh Mckinney street to
Joo's branch, the furthest point at
which grading Is now being done. ~
we have no Idea thatnino-tenths Of the
People Of Dallas know how far
work bus progressed on this road, ana
how rapidly II Is being pushed for
ward, we propose to give briefly al nc
count Of whit we saw, Near the de-
pot grounds we found small force en-
gagged In putting the finishing touches
on the entertainments and excavations
that had been made by previous con-
tractor, Proceeding further We came
to the contrast Of Captain Il. o. -
Howe. Captain Howe, whom we have
known for eight years, aud know to bC
an encrgctlcand tllorough-gclng work
or hns u contract to grade two miles
He has force of fifteen or twenty
teams ut work with serapcrs, and IL
rapidly giving things the appearance
Of n railroad,
Going ON TO the vicinity OF Joc's
branch, seven miles from Dallas, we
found another corps Of workers, OF
about the same number US Captain
llowc's, engaged In constructing an
embankmcnt with the dirt taken from
an excavation. The progress In com
pletlng The work Is rapid where all the
dirt removed from one place can be
utilized at another
The line of the Dallas and Wichita
road follows the valleys of the Trinity
river and Elm fork, slirtlng along at
tho edge of the timber and of the pruir'
les, ut grade above the reach of the
highest overllows. Where the line
passes through the timber the track
has been cleared out, aud the timber
that stood in the right of way all care
fully saved for the construction OF
bridges and other purposes. In this
way u considerable saving In the cost
of construction will be made We oh
served at several places where bridges
will have to be built the heavy timbers
hewn aud ready for use.
The calculation of those engaged in
the work IL that at the end of sixty
days from this time the grading and
bridging Of the first ten miles viii be
completed and ready to receive the
iron rails. The superintendent of the
road ~, we learn, IN 81. Louis at this
time for the purpose of negotiating foi
the iron and rolling stock. On maxi
ing inquiry, we nscertained that all
the obligations Of the company to its
contractors had been promptly met,
and that everything WINS paid up to the
10Th 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 cirinvestlgati- N, we Learned,
was that while the crossing that would
enable the company to establish n
depot where IL 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 to the company
the difference in cost between this
crossing and more northern one.
Ii is the purpose of President Calder
to 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 in the very confident hope
that the programmewill he carried out.
From the apathy, if not hostility,
felt in reference to the success of this
enterprise by many who are pecuniari-
~ tenlold more interested IN the pros
perity of Dallas than we are, and 10y
men, too, who we know are well posted
in all matters affecting their own inter
ests, we are sometimes disposed to
think that we are in error in attribute
ing so much Importance to this road
1t may be so. But we confess that we
look upon it as the sine ga non to the
continued prosperity of our growing
city.
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THE EXOUgSI0NISTS.