Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-09-29
EN ROUTE.
A Trip TO the Falls Astride the Iron
Horse r History Of the Fort
Worth & Denver Road.
Personal Of Charles L. Frost, the Gen
eral superintendent-His Identity
With the Road,
A Stretch Of Pour Hundred Miles to
DO Built-Denver People Eager
for It's Completion.
speelal Correspondence OF the Gazette.

Special Correspondence OF hhe DhNettes
EN- ROUTE, Sept. 27.--"If l wanted
a stranger to get correct idea of the
beauty Of West Texas said a passen-
ger, ~ would have him take a trip over
this Fort Worth & Denver City rail-
way" With emphasis l agreed with
the speaker. Why shouldn't /? Is
there anywhere In Texas In the dis
lance of ia miles more beautiful val
leys and rolling land, timber and
prairie? AS we glided along over this
very good road small game seemed TO
spring from under tue very cars. Gov.
Roberts "rexian Hare skips nimbly
away and focks of quail
and doves Iise only to drop In
easy gun range. Not uncommon
is It that herds OF antelope grace these
fine hunting grounds and every train
party or two of bold hunters, and a
fine days sport they have.
TO stranger from wooded coun-
try the sight Of these beautiful prairies
must be peculiarly grateful and re-
freshing; great pillows Of rolling land
verdure clad, stretching away as far
as the eye can follow, aud
dotted with cattle OF a thousand hills.
It's a pleasant days run up to Wichi-
"a Falls and back; past the closely
built city Of Decatur, the modern but
enterprising town of Bowie, the away
frOm-the-depot town OF Henrietta, and
finally to the best advertised and most
sanguine town in Texas, Wichita Falls.
or course, numerous smaller towns
than those named are along the route,
hut these four are the more prominent.
In all Of them is there a hospitality
that inclines o prospector to seek
no further"
The people along this Fort Worth &
Denver road have cause to congratulate
themselves upon It's excellence. That
excellence Is mainly due to
the ability of one man,
and its origin and existence are due
his faith in the enterprise and the
tenacity with which he chung to the
project. He knows nothing about my
designs on his good name 80 while he
keeps close watch upon the many de-
tails of this pet road Of his, will tell
you something about him.
Charles l.. Frost began his
railroad career back In the six
ties. He was young then and
Is now-while he keeps that bald spot
covered. About 'G9 he was located at
Echo CANYON as assistant paymaster
for the Union Pacific Construction
company, and ranged about the terri
tories at large. IL IL not charged that
Capt. Frost was rendered an apostle
ship In the Mormon church, but he
was on speaking and paying terms
with the late Brigham Young,
- Hlf nj
tractor on the Union Pacific. Some
two years of exciting life were thus
spent with the Union Pacific when he
went to Boston on an important
mission for his road and there tarried.
When the Texas and California Con-
struction company was organized Mr..
Frost was appointed cashier of that
immense organization under Gen.
Dodge, with headquarters at Mar
shall. There he remained until about
1873; the panic of that year gave
n pause to the construction OF the
Texas Il Pacific road, hut Capt. Frost,
associated with ]. NJ. Eddy, w. II. H.
Lawrence, M. II. G0ble and Silas
Craighton, had originated the scheme
Of building q road from Fort Worth
through the Panhandle toward Den
yer. A charter was secured, but the
financial depression not only delayed
beginning the work, but all but Capt.
Frost seemed to have lost faith In
the enterprise. In 1850 the Pacific
Improvement company began build
ing the Texas Pacific westward from
Fort Worth. Frost was appointed
cashier of the Improvement company
with headquarters at Fort Worth
Later on the International Improve
ment company formed TO build south
from the Fort. Mr.. Frost was also ap
pointed cashier Of that company; anC
when the Texas Il Colorado Improve
ment company formed TO build the For
Worth II Denver City railway, h,
Thus he was cashier of three dfferen
companies and In that capacity faith
fully disbursed the large sum of IS,
100000 at even no cost for exchange
When these several companies had ac
complished their work Capt. Eros
was appointed In November, 1882, /,
the position OF general superintendent
of the Fort Worth & Denve
road, which position he still
occupies to the entire satisfaction o
all who come In contact with him
He IL an unassuming man In name
and dress; 10 Is doubtful III he ever
sports a nickel-plated watch, for Their
is no outward evidence of 1t. CourIe
Gus, quick and thorough, he has mad
for his road the reputation of being on
OF the best managed In the South
AS you might imagine.such a man sur
rounds himself with assistants VIII,
share his enthusiasm and perform
their duties with pride. Train Maste
II. Nj. Alvord was the first officer an
pointed on the road aud his youthful
figure scarcely indicates his ability bu
he has IL. The mustachios and i'm
perial OF Conductor All II. Bailey vii
beam upon you In concert with hi
other features provided your paste
board Is at once forthcoming, other
wise | would not venture to say wha
might happen.
Recently / had a talk with Col
Jas. Leonard OF Denver. He was OF
his way TO New Orleans as one OF tn
Colorado commissioners 10 the fair
He told me that Denver people are ex
eeedingly anxious tn complete rail
rOnd connection with Fort NVnrfh