The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1877-11-15
RAILROAD CONVENTION.


Large CrOwd Ia Attendance DeIe- |
The railroad convention AT Cleburne
Monday, was an enthusiastic one, and
was largely atteLde by the best citI.
Gems Of johnson county, who are taxi
ing deep interest In the proposed
line.
A few delegates from Dallas were
present.
The convention was called 10 order
at ~ O'CLOCK, by Major Heath.
Judge Burroughs was elected 10 I'LL
the chair.
The chairman called upon Major
Heath TO state the object Of the meet
Ing, which he did In few brief aud
pointed rcmarkp, saying The. they had
come together 20 consider the PROPOSE
tioa made by the company 10 build u
railroad from Dallas to Cleburne,
He then called upon Major Oben
chain.
Major Obenchain responded and said
II was not necessary to occupy Time
by speech making ~ 10 whether the
people wanted railroad or not, for
we all agree upon that point, but the
thing to do iB to consider whether the
proposition that had been submitted
would be accepted or not. llo said he
saw other delegates from Dallas pres.
cnt aud would LIKE TO hear from some
Of them.
Mr.. Dauphcrty arose and said that
he had never heard Of any proposition
having been submitted, nor had he
ever heard of any company having
been organized 10 build this road, until
no arrived in Johnson county, aud
that he would like to hear who this
company was composed Of, aud what
they had proposed to do.
Mr.. HolliDgsworth said the com
pany was comp )sed Of Major Oben-
chain, himself and other gentlemen
of Dallas, with Major Obencbain as
president. He was very sorry indeed,
that the young man had never heard
Of II company that had been in exist
ance about year, with their articles
upon the records of the counties OF
Dallas and Johnson, and for the benefit
of the young man he would state the
proposition, though that had all been
stated to the people In meetings held
at AlVarado au1 Clcburne. He then
stated that the company had offered to
build the road II the people OF John.
son county would subscribe fifty thou
sand dollars, and the people OF Dallas
would give them twenty five thousand
dollars. They did not ask the people
Of Johnson county to pay anything
until ten miles was completed ready
for tho cars, at which time they would
give the people Of Johnson county q
mortgage on the ten miles completed,
aud ask them for ten thousand dollars, |
then they would complete ten miles |
more and mortgage as before, and re
ceive ten thousand dollars more, and
30 on until they reach Cleburne at
which time the people would pay in
the last installment.
Mr. Daugherty then said he did not
zee how IL was possible to build the
road with so little money, as Mr.. PowN
ell, who WAS practical civil engineer
had just come over the line, and gave |
il AS his judgment that the road would |
cost from S350,0O0 to S375,0O0 unless
they used the Texas and Pacific road
across the Trinity river and bottom;
and az they propose to give the first |
mortgage to Johnson county, that
stopped all possibility of raising mon
ey ON 1t abroad, and he would like to
hear how they would build 1t.
Mr. Hollingsworth answered by say
ing that is our business, and we do not
tell our business to other people cane
Mr. Dangherty bein .g4Gi fi'l unon to
Gs'selI!9lld DALLAS would do toward
I Building the road, replied: "rhat
Dallas was very anxious to see the road
built, and that under proper manage.
ment Dallas would contribute literally
to the ENTERPRISE, but under the man
agement of the company now making
the proposition, that he did not believe
Dallas would give anything, because it
was his opinion that the people of Dali
las did not have confidence in this
compaDy's ability to build the road
that Dallas was weariad with oompa.
MES trying to build road that were
not able to do 1t; that it was his opin-
ion that it would take the united effort
of Dallas and Johnson counties to
build this road, and that he thought
they should select the best business
men Of Dallas and Johnson counties
to place at the head OF it, 80 as to In
spire confidence in the people
OF the respective counties, and
II they had to go abroad to borrow
money that they would command the
respect of capitalists-which he did
not believe the present undertakers
could do.
Mr. Obenchain then arose and said
he must repel such an attack, and he
did not know what the gentleman
meant, but he supposed he and his
engineer friend felt sore because they
could not get into the Dallas and Wich-
| ita road and that they we're now trying