The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-01-29
REVIVAL IN RAILWAY BUILD
ING AND HOW 1T WILL AFFECT
TEXAS

REVIVAL IN RAILWAY BUILD
ING AND HOW 1T WILL AFFECT
TEXAS.
The country is inst now fairly enter
ing an era of great activity in railroad
building. For many years it has been
with difficulty that capital could be in
duced to invest in railroad securities,
and many projected lines Of railway, in
consequence thereof, have dragged
along with snail-lIke progress, while
the greater number have been forced
by such circumstances to move forward
not mile. This is changed, and capi-
tai without solicitation is now seeking
investment in railroad securities. A
feature of this revival in railroad build
ing is that 1t has been brought about
in the interest of lines of great impor-
tsnce, and, sInce their operation is ex-
pected to produce profitable returns, We
may be assured there is no probability
that calamities similar to those of 1873
will follow. Statistics show that in
1873 the total mileage of railroads built
In this country was 373s-surpassing
any year since 1878. Kansas was tie
leading State, being credhed with 49S
miles; then Minnesota with 394, Iowa
81, the Territory Of Dakota with 220,
Ohio with 2l3, Missouri with 1S8,
Texas with 1877, the Territory of Utah
with 121, Nebraska with I25 and the
Territory Of New Mexico with 1875. By
far the heaviest psrs Q! the railroad
building vas done 10 the West.
A feature Of the present revival IN
railway building is, that the money
necessary to prosecute these works OF
internal improvement is Z voluntary
private inyestment, unlike the forced
copt:ibu ions arising from government
subsidies that led TO the unhealthy re
suits of 1873.
In tais connection we naturally re-
fleet as to how TINS new era in railway
building is to affect Texas. We have
seen one gTaud enterprise in
this State, the Texas and Pa
cifc railway, IaDguishiug for
years, while Tom Scott, its manager,
was deyoting his time to plying Con-
Sress for enormous subventions, more
than enough to twice build the line
for which he has been asking aid.
Suddenly, along with this revival,
new men take hold OF It, and for
$50, 900 per mile, payable in first mort
gage bonds, the road is TO be pushed
on to the Rio Gfande to meet Hunt
ington's Southern Pacific. Private
capital does th,s, just as private
California capital has mounted
the Sierras of Southern California, and
as 1t has spanned turbid rivers dashing
from the Rocky Mountains to the Pa
clfc-preparing way for the iron
horse to dash onward in his mad ca
reer toward the Gulf of Mexico. Thus
private capital is to build in two years
for the Texas and Pacific Railway
Company, within the limits of
Texas, $50 miles of road bed. Pierce,
too, must build his road beyond San
Antonio, even to E Paso, to come in
for a share of the vast transportation
that must, ere long, pass between the
Texas gulf coast and the Gulf of Cali
fornia. He must build 600 miles of
road to make this connection. The
International, directly, will pass on to
San Antonio and fill up the gap at JEFF
ferson, and Gen. Barnes military road
must go from Sau Antonio to Ls-
redo, making 300 miles. The
New Orleans road, Lhis spring,
opens up fifty miles of new road
way in Texas, aud Paul Bremond's
little mustang railway goes scampering
on towards the eastern limits of the
State at the rate of forty or fifty miles
every year. The 81. Louis and Texas
Narrow Gauge is moving with rapidi-
ty, and in three years from the first
of January, 1880, will have at least 800
miles of completed road penetrating
Western Texas. In this time, too, the
East spd West Texas Narrow Gauge
will have passed the Colorado river,
and its little engines will be tug
ing along under the mountains
to the westward of Austin.
The East Line road will have
traversed the entire northeastern
portion of the State, and the Denison
and Pacific and the contractors of the
M. K. and T. will have acted upon the
nightmare vision of Hon. John
II. Cochran, and will have gone sweep
ing oyer western prairies. The Hous-
ton and T=xas Central railwsy will
have trsversed the gap of 200 miles be-
tweenWaco and the Texas aud Pacific,
on the upper line of Eastland county,
and its western branch, now ending
at Austin. will, no doubt, be extended
up the Colorado river. The Indianola
road will be forced to connection
with other roads, probably at San An
tonic, and the Gulf and West Texas,
now letting the building of fifty miles
of road bed, will have reached Laredo.
Besides these lines of railway, there are
others, not mentioned, in progress,
and others still are to be projected, and
we may safely calculate that, with
in the next three years, more than
5000 miles of railway viii be construct
ed within the limits of Texas, and then,
the magnificent railway system of this
empire state will be only begun.
mISAPPREHENSIO