The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-12-31
RAILROADS.

Sncr 1866 Texas has increased her rail
way mileage 1900 miles, and has over 9. 900
miles under construction, all of which will
he completed and in active operation inside
OF the next two years, and from FIVE lines
then there are now twenty-eight lines Of
railway in active operation. There have
been constructed during the past wear /, 634
miles, or line that would reach from Gal
weston to the city of New York, which, at
an estimate cost Of $l2, 900 per mile, shows
an expenditure of SIS, coo, 900.
These being trunk lines are specially
mentioned, while there are numerous other
lines that are being extended, all of which
are or will become potent factors in deyel-
sping the wonderful and varied resources
OF this grand State, whose superficial area
is 1904 square miles, or larger
than Austria by $4,000 square
miles, and than France by 63,SO0 square
miles. Besides these, ten other new lines
OF railway have been chartered, and are
either in course Of construction, or SURVEYS
are being made preparatory to the com
nencement of work, which will penetrate
various sections Of the State now without
railway facilities.
The tunnel of the Denver 4 South Park
Division of the Union Pacific Railway
through the main range of the Rocky
mountains, at an elevation of II ,525 feet,
has recently been completed. The length
oil the bore is ZIG feet, the height 10y feet,
and the width 10 feet. 1t is arched and
timbered with California redwood. Nearly
500, 900 feet OF this timber have been used
in the construction of the tunnel The cost
Of this wood, including the freight charges
upon the Central Pacific, was from $50 to
Sll0 per 600 feet. The formation through
which this tunnel was cut is
composed of slide-rock, bowlder,
and decomposed granite. The amount OF
false timbering used was not less than
100000 feet. This was hauled over the
mountain through over an average of seven
feet of snow, and "A few snow-banks from
fifty to sixty feet in depth. Last winter the
laborers had TO sink shaft thirty feet in
depth, through packed and frozen snow, 10
reach their work. During violent storms the
workmen, in going to and from their cabins.
were Obliged to move in gangs to avoid
being lost in the snow, and frequently their
clothes were frozen to their skins. The
contract cost OF the tunnel was $4,000.
The Railroad Gazette of the sd instant
contained Information of the construction
OF OI3 miles of new railroad, making a
total thus far this year of sos miles.
against 5,967 miles reported at the cores
pondlng time in 1880, 3,6l3 in 1879 2,2G2 in
1873 2Ol9 in lS77, 2,27S in 1876, /, 1888 in 1875,
| ,Si4 in 1874, 1880 in 1873, and 7,l60 in 1872.
JACKSONVILLE, FLA, December 27-Sir
Edward j. Reed, English capitalist, who So.
cured the controlling interest in the Florida
Central Railroad last week, was TODAY
elected President of the Florida Transit
Railroad, extending from Fernandina TO
Cedar Keys, in place Of H. r. Dickerson, of
New York, resigned.
;, The st. Louis, Tevas & Gulf of Mexico
Railroad, projected from Marshall to Sabine
Pass, has died natural death, and parties
holding claims against it are running at
tschments for all property to be found to
secure themselves.
A company has been organized at SPRING
field, with capital of S2,SO0,OoO, to build y
railway from East st. Louis to the Wabash
river.
The Erie Railroad is having constructed
MY new passenger cars. They are finished
ia natural woods and IRE exceedingly rich
and elegant. The capacity OF each car Is
sixty-four passengers.