Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-05-31

and shipping in return all kinds o
goods needed in that country
General Joseph E. Johnston hap
pened to be in the place the da,
we were there, and was an object Q
interest at every turn he made
Some of his old soldiers approache,
him, and were all received mos
cordially. One old Confed W
noticed was quite affected ant
choked up. unable to say q word
General Johnston has not changed
much in ten years, and is yet activI
and strong. He is in the State oil
private business, but everywhere
has received marked attention from
all classes of people. The railroad
reached Fort Worth at a critical
time and under peculiar circum-
stances. The struggling village
has grown up like a mushroom,
and now claims a population Of
from five to ten thousand. The
former figure is perhaps about cor
rect. Ex-Governor Brown became
vice president Of the Texas ant
Pacific railroad in November, 1875.
and took active control in May
1876. The road was in a mos
critical condition at that time. A
land grant Of twenty sections t.
the mile was made in 1871 on sucE
stipulations that when Governor
Brown took control, the road wa
about to lose this splendid aid. The
conditions could only be complied
with by an extraordinary effort
The Northern line of the road from
Paris east to Texarkana, and the
Southern line west from Eagle
Ford to Fort Worth, a tota-
distance of Ill miles, had to be
completed in less time than the
same length of substantial railroad
was ever built in this country. The
feat was accomplished in the face
of appalling difficulties. The up.
per line was mostly graded, but
the lower one was not. The first
spike was driven on the 14th o.
June, 1876, and the last one on the
9th of August-1ll miles of first.
class railroad built in ifty-Six days.
besides sidings, houses and other
improvements. The State inspec.
tors passed over the entire line and
accepted it, and certificates for the
land we're issued accordingly, thu;
securing to the road a vast domain
of valuable territory adapted tc
farming, stock raising and fruit
raising purposes. Near Fort Worth
we passed over a splendid trestlt
1900 feet long, and another one 3O(
feet long. The timbers had to BIZ
brought a great distance, and {
wash in the Missouri, Kansas anC
Texas road, over which they had Il
come, threatened to be fatal to thu
completion of the line to For
Worth within the required time. i
was here that Governor Brown
fertility Of resource and ingenuity
came to his use most OPPORTUNITY
He diverged the line from the gra
ded course and went around til,
rayines by way of the old stage road
laying the c%ross.ties and track TEN
porarily in the middle Of the road
This unique and admirable piece O.
engineering answered the purpose.
was approved by inspectors wher
they rode over it and the lane
grant was secured forever. Gov
Brown, by the way, has developed
into a thorough railroad man in
remarkably short space of time. II,
has mastered the theories and de
tails with rare facility and brings t,
bear executive abilities of the high
est order. Old railroad men VIII
have been in the business twent,
years readily admit that he is tbI
peer of those brought up to til,
business, and we find that he i
quite as popular in Texas as il
Tennessee. But of this and of tn.
Texas and Pacific railroad NOR.
hereafter,
1t was at Fort Worth that W
met the traditional man who is op
posed to railroads.&c. least wher
they come too near his rancho. II
came into Governor Browns ca
and was introduced by Colone