The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-01-27
THRoCK MOTION AND CoRroEA
TEONS


of the Houston IcicgroHt has inter-
viewed the distinguished gentle
men, and liz reply to bein. ques-
toned upon the subject of his public
record in connection with works of
internal improvements, he said:
I'm so far as I am concerned. my
whole political record and public life
contradicts the insinuatiOn that ! am the
representative of railroads to the detri-
ment OF the people. 80 far a. my rail-
road record is concerned. he continued.
| aih proud of ii, and | have nothing 10
regret in connection with il. And there
is no Office within tue gift of the people
of Texas or their representatives. that |
would accept if it required that | should
stultily my record upon this question.
lie said further: Il was Il member of
the Legislature i'm 1851. Al that time
there had been but few railroad charters
granted by the Legislature of the State.
Among those early charters was one
known from Galveston, by Houston, 10
Clarksyille. That charter was brought
before the Legislature by EhenezerAllen,
who was then Attorney General of the
State. Its business was ut Clarksville, In
Red River county. | suggested TO Mr..
Allen that the terminus of that road
should be made within fifteen miles of
Preston. on Red River, in Grayson
county. At that early period there was
no plan determined upon by the State in
regard TO internal improvements. and per-
sons who felt an interest in these things
applied to the Legislature for charters
without any subsidy or encouragement
by the State, except the granting of the
charters. After this it became a question
in the politics of the State whether tt e
State should build the railroads, or
whether the State should adopt the Nir-
ginia plan, and take portion Of the
stock, and corpOratOrS the remainder Of
| the stock; or whether the State should
grant charters to cOrporators, and en-
courage, by donations of land and
| otherwise, the construction OF rail
roads. This became 4 great qucs
ton before the people of Texas, and
members of the Legislature were elected
| upon these issues. some in favor of tho
State building railroads, and some in IA
vor of the State taking portion OF the
| capital stock, and individuals the re-
mainder, and some III favor of creating
| corporate companies and aiding them by
| u loan of the school fund and donation of
| land. To this latter class belonged, and
| the policy Of the State lOaninS $4,000 to
| the mile of the school fund upon first
mortgage, with good interest after so
many miles had been graded, and upon
length of road not less than one hun
| dred miles, and the grant of sixteen Sec
lions of land to the mile, was finally
| adopted, Under this system the work
| of internal improvements in Texas began
and continued up to the time of the war.
And IL is worthy of note that the section
of country which represented in the
| Legislature was the last to be benefited
by this policy. for the reason that we had
no water communication of raiIrOd con-
" iph a
Of this policy until railroads We're con-
structed from the North. or the East or
the gulf, by which we could receive
railroad iron for cur projects. At this
period favored every project of internal
Improvement that was proposed from any
portion OF the quito the interior of the
State, or from our eastern border going
westward through The State. Under Il
general law any railroad company char
tered by The Legislature that constructed
a certain number of miles was entitled TO
borrow Of the State, upon the first mort
gage, $60ti0 of the school fund, and was
entitled TO sixteen sections of land TO the
mile, the company so ehttled being re-
quired to sectiOniZe their lands, and an
alternate section for the State. which.
under this law, was dedicated to the
common school fund. This system was
pursued until the conclusion of the civil
war; after that, only a grant of sixteen
sections Of land to the mile was cOntinu-
ed. After the war ana during the
administration of Governor Davis the
Legislature granted to the Intena-
tiOnal railroad a new charter and six mil
lion of dollars in State bonds to aid in the
construction OF that road, and also six
millions of dollars in State bonds to aid
in the Trans-Continental line and the
Texas and Pacific line to Ell Paso. The
Texas and Pacific and the TRANSFORMS
nj hn AIan
Paso) were TO connect east of the BraZos
river, aud westward TO he one line. I'm
der charters granted before the war, and
to the Trans-Continental as successor
10 the Memphis and FL Paso, these two
lines were entitled to sixteen sections of
land to the mile each, and the SIN mil
lions of bonds granted by the State to the
Texas and Pacific aud TRANSIT Continental
was an additional subsidy. But this
grant ofsiX millions of dollars was con-
tinued upon these twO,latter lines forming
a junction east of the BraZOs and adopt
ing q common line westward to FL PasO
At the time that the six millions of dol
lars were granted by the State this Texas
and Pacific aud TRANSIT Continental line
was under the control and management
of MIR. Marshall .. Roberts of New York,
he having purchased the controlling
interest from the parties interested. After
this Col. Thomas y. Scott purchased from
Marshall O. Roberts the controlling in
terest which he held in these projects. At
that time Dir, Scott consulted me in re-
gard TO the necessary legislation that
would enable him to construct the Texas
and Pacific through Texas to Ell Paso. l
informed Mr.. Scott that ! believed the
people of Texas would never willingly
pay the bonds which had been promised
by the act of the legislature heretofore
alluded TO. advised him to propose to
the legislature of Texas a REIMBURSEMENT
of any claim to the bonds. provided the
state would give his company eight sec
tiOns more 10 the mile than he was en-
titled TO receive under the generallaws of
the State and the special charters which
he held. In pursuance of the suggestion
made to Col. Scott, he authorized me to
represent the Texas Pacific Railroad
Company before the Legislature OfTeXaS.
To accomplish this placed before the Leg
iSlature of the State proposition TO ac-
cept from the State twenty-fOnr sections
of land to the mile in consideration of
REIMBURSEMENT on the part of the COM
pany of the six millions of dollars i'm
bonds or any other claims the company
might have touching the construction of
the Texas Pacific and Trans Continental
line and the main trunk to FL PaSO. In
obedience to the request OF Col. Scott.
who favored the suggestion had made,
and who desired to be in harmony with
the feelings of the people of Texas,
went to Philadelphia and there fully eX-
planned the act of the Legislature that
had been passed in regard 10 the con-
struetion OF the T. and =. railroad as TO
their rights and franchises in Texas and |
the desire of the people OF the State that |
this great work should be constructed, |
the stockholders of the company deter |
mined to accept the proposition made by |
the Legislature TO grant twenty mot |
as asked) sections of land to |
the mile, and relinquishing any claim that |
the company might have to the $4,000, 900 |
in the bonds of the State. IL has been |
charged that / was the agent and repre- |
sentative of the Texas and Pacific rail. |
road. and that Favored the advancement |
of that interest 10 the detriment of |
the interest of the people of Texas. |
Every man conversant with the history |
of our State during the time TO which / |
have alluded. knows that it was through |
my efforts in Texas and with the stock |
holders of the 4. and J.. railroad that |
these S6.0OO.000 i'm bonds authorized by |
an act of the Legislature octhe state were |