The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-07-20
RIVAL RAILROAD ROUTES
GRAHAM GIVES GOOD GROUNDS
In Her Own Behalf for the Construction
of the Dallas a. Northwestern ona
Certain Line-Tho Trade
idea Illustrated, Etc

GRAHAM, July IL Editor HER ADJ
Certainly the construction Of the Dali
las u Northwestern Railroad il with
purposes TO suDserve and promote to
the best and fullest extent possible the
interests of Dallas. So far as | person
ally know and have been informed of
the topography of through route,
either to Albuquerque, Trinidad, or any
other point or place between the
routes, would re about equally feas-
able and about the same cost. But all
things pertaining to the first about IT'S
miles distance frsm Dallas of two
routes, the one via Aurora and Ora
ham We'll designate the valley route,
in ontradjstinction to any north of 1t |;
the north route, via or north of Deca-
tur and Jacksboro. For ABOUT the first
half OF the distance, l7j miles, the val
ley route would pass about midway
between the Clear Fork and the West
Fork Of the Trinity river; the other
half Of the distance, about midway
between the Clear Fork of the Brazos
and the mAin BrGzos river, the val
legs OF whose numerous tributaries
more than equal in extent the main
valleys-their course generally from
north and from south, along which are
the natural, tue best and the only
smooth roadwaye, and hence, in the
ratio Of three or more miles to one
for distance. This for all time, would
control over any railroads crossing
north and south, for to which roadway
would have TO cross these tributaries
and unayoidably over ups and downs.
They obviously would bo the recipient
Of tho entire traffic Of tho val
leye, whereas, on the north
route, restricted to that OF the north
valley and table, and divided with the
Fort Worth d Denver Railroad, south
Of which wholly surrendered to the
Texas IL Pacific Railway. For the
whole distance along tho valley route
10 scarcely pasture quito we'll settled
and developed and both actively going
on. Along the north route, at least
from the west line Of Wise County, is
almost continuous pasture, sparsely
settled by ranchmeu; moreover, over
this route it would cross ONLY anSrrOW
part Of the coal belt where the natural
outcrops, and That revealed from
shafts, show tie strRtas TO bs too thin
and the quality inferior, and thus fer,
without promise OF anything much
better, II ut al, than found aloug the
LtAhS ~ tNtut NAL ~ WHICH nave
not proved satisfactory, but regarded
and used rs a poor substitute. The
valley route would cross the same belt
south Of Bridgeport; also tie much
wider belt ia Young County, wher
the natural exposure shows in respect
to thickness Of strata and quality
much better than eny developed along
the Texas d Pacific Railway or elso-
where in Northern Texas outside Of
Young County, aud still much better
in shafts, where AZ inches is displayed
of good bituminous coal, without
trace of sulphur-the great objection
able feature to most all Texas coal.
1t is not doubted, but believed with
the fullest confidence, that ct several
points in the coal basin OF Young
County IS inches of good coal
will be found. II this coal could
DO mined out and hauled Mt the
rates now being paid in Kansas, Illi-
nois and Missouri, to-wit: Mining,
so cents per ton; hauling, y cent
per ton per mile, would not cost
Dallas moro than Sl50 per ton, or SO
per ton If double the rate was paid for
mining and hauling; and oven at this
last rate only about half to one-third |
the average cost paid to Jay Gould's
AAON lAAuih OAl az hNtldkO
do you pay per annum per ton? How |
many tons yearly are consumed by
the railroads and the city of Dallss? |
/ understand the price fluctuates there |
between So aud $40 per ton. How |
many tons per annum are now being |
used? If 100 per day at an average OF
" per ton-S70O, over q quarter million |
dollars per annum. To say the least |
OF II, half the sum would be annually |
saved TO Dallas by this railroad; but |
figure TO tho facts. The valley route |
would absolutely monopollZe agreater |
area of productive valley country than |
is controlled by anyolher road operated |
in Texas, aud this supplemented by |
the best coal in Texas, Parts of this |
valley route, ~ seen by the casual OBJ |
server passing near along the road
ways, would regard 1t beset with the
obstacles of high grades and expensive
cuts, which, however, is not the case.
It would mainly route over smooth
valleys and table, pass the summit of
the tablelande through ravlnes, which
exist on direct course, OF sufficient
length to admit OF tho average
grade over ordinary undulatins prsi-
ries. Their walls or sides, without
exception, are mainly fire clay, capped
WIN oAANRhl NNbhANA bAOANhI
have only to be rolled in place, on
which to bed the clay, to mako the
very best of ruadbed, If 10 pass over
the copper belt is prime considera-
tion to adopt the north route, why
then it would pass through only four
of the six counties; the valley route
through two Of the six and Just south
of the others. The orc abounds mainly
in sedimentary form, chiefly blending
in a substratum Of clay, and incor-
porated moro or less in the thin rock
next above and below the clay, but too
poor for profitable mining. Through
out the belt, however, are fragments Of
very rich copper ore and very easily
mined, being simply wood, copper
lied. This is found scattered over the |
surface, and occasionally much within |
Ahaiting-simply copperized trees-de'
nominated leads OF copper by the many |
who have shafted for the orc, thus
far tho only Kind OF leads found, and OF
course have invariably proved q delu |
sion. The miner striking ore, II work.
ing toward the butt, would report "the |
lead increasing" but suddenly reach |
ing the end would announce IL "played |
out;n then on re"erBe work would re.
port "the lead gradually lessons,"
finally sprays out into thin, flat |
pieces, the limbs of the tree. This ore
IL confined to what Is denomiustod |
the permlan formation, once under |
water and holding a strong solution of
copper, which had creator affinity for
wood than any other material Now |
perohance, at soue point or places, Is n
"drift iock"-a Judgement Of timber |
thoroughly copperiged. would be
found-not excepting those OF Lake
Superior which led abundantly Of
virgin copper ore, but to mlno which |
being impracticahlo except to cut IL
out, NJ great cost, Inc hest copper nil |
in the world, the ORC rangit & from %
to 10 per cent readily blasted, sledged
or picked, specimens OF which have
shown rich trace of silver. But such