The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-01-05
RIGHTLY RECOMMENDED.
TWO GOOD THINGS FOR TEXAS
The Necessity for u State Railroad from
Dallas to Sabine Pass, and the Es-
tabliShmeHt of Reforinato-
ry Logically Presented

RUsK, Jan. g. Editors HERALD.l-I
have been reading for some time, and
with great interest, the articles in ref
erence to the best plan to work or util-
ize the convict labor of the peniter-
tiares. Your suggestion for the state
to build railroad with this labor is Just
what ought to be done, and locate the
reformatory on the line of it. | have
had the superintendency of the manu-
featuring industries at Rusk for nearly
year and have tried to acquaint my
self with what is for the best interest of
the taxpayer. A few suggestions may
not be out OF place. Let the legislature
authorize the purchase of the Texas
Trunk rail DAD, or, if that line cannot be
bought, build railroad from Dallas to
Sabine Pass via Rusk, so as to get the
benefit o. the fine iron and timber and
TO get the use of the machinery here
with about $50 -power-lathes, en-
gines and planners, i'll fact, nearly all
the machinery necessary for first-class
locomotive and car-shOps. With the
lifetime men, all the rolling stock could
be built and the short-time men could
build the road and keep it up, and Just
as soon as The road was fin shed to Sa-
bine Pass we could get soft coal, brought
in as ballast, laid down at the Rusk iron
works at about $3.50 or $275 per ton. We
could then make all our rails and
wrought iron as well as cast iron.
l would here state that there is no
better car wheel of iron in the United
States than the Rusk wheel, and there
is now being made as good box
stoves in Rusk prison as ever came to
Texas. Inside the walls OF Rusk prison
are as fine mechanics as can be found
in any OF the railroad shops north. We
can build our own saw-mills TO manu-
iacture our own lumber. The first
move necessary is to make q connection
with the Texas trunk railroad and the
Rusk prison, so as TO put the 55S pris.
oners to work in putting up fiat cars,
box and stock cars, pole cars and crank
cars for section men. Inside is n ten
ton foundry, for car wheels, etc. After
this road is built aud equipped from
Dallas to Sabine Pass, then strike right
out from Dallas for SOcoro or Albu-
querque, New Mexico. There is stone
coal and iron enough in the Panhandle
Of Texas 10 supply the United States.
| found fine leads of copper and silver,
the specimens OF which | now have
Just think for one moment. You would
haul no dead weight on this road. The
great prairies of the west will require
all of our finer pine, oak, ash, walnut
hickory and other kinds of wood grow.
ing along the line of this great projected
railroad-the peoples railroad, the tax
| payers railroad, the railroad to develoI
this great state. Our representative
Prof. X. f.. Hendry, has, in his canvas
through this county, made n good inn
preston, and is heartily Endorsed il
reference TO the establishment of re
formatory for the bear dless boys in oul
prisons. The people will bless the
HERALD for the noble fight IL is
making for this reiOrmatOry. Lei
there be built good one. Their,
Is surplus of machinery al
Rusk, or nearly enough 10 equip tn,
shops, and what is lacking can be made
here. Employ competent master me
hauic and first class professor /,
take charge of those boys. Don't pu
stripes on mothers dear hayward boy
No, mol Put on him uniform and haV,
him under rigid discipline, and whel
that boy goes from there give him
diploma. The finger OF scorn can not 10
pointed Mt him as Il is now when h
leaves the penitontiary with adischarg
in his pocket.
] send you a piece of crude petroleum
think that 10y boring well fifty feet
petroleum will flow. There is strOn
evidence of plenty of bituminous coal a
THIS point. AS soon as the weather Sc,
ties will more fully develop the coal
etc., aud report to the HERALD. Re
specttuily, j. NJ. BRosIUs.