Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-12-25
THE FORT WORTH & RIO GRANDE

THE fort WORTH 6 RIO GRANDB.
The Importance OF the construction OF
this line OF road TO the commercial inter-
ests OF Fort Worth can scarcely be over
estimated. IL would be the one remain
ing road essential to the prosperity OF the
city, and establishing beyond controversy
the supremacy of this city as the railroad
center of the state. With its completion
Fort Worth would be to Texas what
Atlanta is to Georgia, and Indianapolis TO
Indiana. Then Fort Worth would have
direct railroad communication with oil
portions Of the state and to all points Of
the compass. 0urpeople are alive to the
Importance and necessity of the road, and
when solicited Will extend 1t substantial
aid in the way of donations Of land and
money. The construction of the road
would also pay handsome dividend on
the capital required for its construction.
survey and profile of the line has been
made, which shows that, in comparison
with other lines running from Fort Worth,
With but two exceptions, and these for
short distances, the topography of the
country admits of light grades, with but
little rock to be moved in the construc-
ton of the road-bed. The trestles would
be short and OF slight altitude, and with
the exception of the Brazos river, there
would be no expensive bridges necessary.
Along the line beyond the BraZos river
there is plenty of timberof good quality
and in sufficient quantity for ties, small
bridges and trestles, which would be a
great saving in the cost of construction,
There can be no doubt of the demand
for the road, even now, to an extent
which will render it a paying investment
from the moment it is ready for business.
The immense herds of cattle, sheep, horses
and hogs already in the country and fast
increasing in numbers and value and
which are nov compelled to be driven to
other and distant railway lines for ship
menu to the markets OF the North and
East, the enormous crops OF wool pro-
duced in this vast eXpanse Of country I'M
der consideration, the not less than l00,-
600 bales of cotton, and great quantities
of wheat, seeking a market, only through
the slow and tedious wagon trains, to-
gether with the constant stream of mer-
chandise pouring into the country, and
the heavy immigration, all point to the alb
solute necessity of the quicker and
cheaper means of transit to and from the
markets afforded by railways and at the
same time give undoubted evidence of
the propricty and certainty of the required
investment.
1t is line of railway which can be con-
structed as cheap if not considerably
cheaper than any other line in the state,
with the exception of the first twenty-five
miles out from Fort Worth. The country
through which il passes to Brownwood,
and $50 miles beyond Brentwood, will
furnish all the necessary ties, piling, tres
tie and bridge timbers for use in con-
struction, and at prices far below the cost
of such material to any other road in the
state Material for masonry, of the very
3eSt character, appears all along the
route in great abundance. There are a
number of quarries already opened in
Hood, Erath, Comanche and Brown,
where there is obtained excellent auali-
ties of building stone, consisting of mag
nesian, grey and blue limestone, and in
some places very superior quality of
brown sandstone. These quarries must
inevitably add greatly to the traffic of the
road when built. The character of this
material is such as will find a market in
other portions of the state, when the
means of transportation are afforded.
A glance AT the map of Texas, and hay
ing in view the Fort Worth & Rio Grande
railway line, starting at Fort Worth
which is to-day railway center, thence
in a southerly direction through Tarrant
Hood, Erath, Comanche, Brown Cole
man, Concho, Tom Green, Crockett
Pecos and Preside Del Norte, ON the Rio
Grande river, it will be seen that no pres
ent line of road, at least, occupies posi-
ton as competitor for the trade of belt
OF country ranging from thirty to ninety
miles in width and over four hundred
miles in length.
The Fort Worth & Rio Grande road,
when built, must inevitably become the
northern and eastern outlet for not only
the counties heretofore named, through