The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-21

! grant was made evidently upon the as
| sumption that 1t was to the interests Oh
/ the State to consolidate these various
/ short roads into one important system,
! thereby affording better service anu
/ stronger competition to the people OF
/ Texas.
/ 1t is true that after the consolidation
| was granted the Missouri, Kansas and
Texas Railway company OF Texas, when
I became the purchaser of the lines, extend
! ed the line from Boggy Tank to Houston,
and now. through track arrangements,
runs its trains into the port of Galveston
| and affords a through service from the
north line of the State to the gulf. ANA
| 1t may not be amiss to say that II the
right to consolidate had never been grant
| ed the extension and the completion OF
| these important lines would never have
| been made.
| In 1895 a bill was passed by the legis-
lature and permitted by Governor Gull
berson to become a law Especial Laws
1885, p. 81 authorizing the consolidation
I of the La Porte. Houston and Northern
I railroad. the North Galveston, Houston
and Kansas CITY railroad and the Hous-
ton Belt and Magnolia Park railroad as
one line and changing the name of the
consolidated railroad to the Galveston, La
Porte and Houston Railway company
\ ~
AT the same time another act was passed
which became law authorizing the Texas
Transportation company, a short line Of
road from the city of Houston to the town
of Clinton, down Buffalo bayou dis
lance Of about eight miles, to sell Its line
CT road, tracks franchises, etc, Ito any
railroad company owning or that may own
line or lines of railroad extending into
the city of Houston and which owns tracks
that connect or that may hereafter con-
meet with the tracks of said Texas Trans
portation company"
In 1897 an act was passed by the legis-
lature which became a law, authorizing
the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway
company to purchase the Texas Louisiana
and Eastern railroad, extending from
Conroe, in Montgomery county, to a point
on the Trinity river in Liberty county
At the time of the passage of this act, this
line connected with the Santa Fe at Con-
roe; also the International and Great
Northern at the same point, and in its
course to the Trinity river crossed the
Houston East and West Texas railway at
Cleveland. And, as will be shown by the
map, all three of these roads with which
1t connected, entered Houston two of
liiNlu JULIE uittCl llntb lD LUdl punt. tGIlP-
eial Laws 1897, p. 93.)
At the same session bill was passed,
which became a law, authorizing the Texas
Central Railroad company to purchase,
own and operate the line of the Waco and
Northwestern Railroad company the
Texas Central al that time extending from
Ross in McLennau county, in a north
westerly direction to Albany, in Shackel-
f1rd county and the Waco and North
western railroad, extending from Ross, in
McLennan county, in a southeasterly d-
rection to Bremond, in Robertson county;
and both of these roads in their course
connected with and crossed other import
ant trunk lines in this State, to-wit: The
Houston and Texas Central, the Missouri,
Kansas and Texas, the San Antonio and
Arkansas Pass, tho st. Louis and South
western, the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe,
the Fort Worth and Rio Grande and the
Texas and Pacific roads
AT the same session another bill was
passed which became a law, authorizing
Inc Galveston, La Porte and Houston
railway company, which had already been
consolidated with other lines under the
authority of an act heretofore rected
passed in 1895 to consolidate with the Gal
weston and Western Railway company and
TO purchase or lease all OF the rights,
privileges and franchises of the same.
Especial Laws 1897, p. 24g)
At the same session of the legislature
another act was passed, which became a
law, auth rizng the Houston and Texas
central Railroad company to buy IN and
consolidate with the Waco and North
western Railroad company and the Texae
Cehtral railroad company, extending from
Bremond' in Robertson county. to Albany,
in Shackelford county, a distance of 23t
miles and connecting with and crossing
IN us course the lines Of the San Antonio
ana Arkansas Pass, the St. Louis and
southwestern, the Missouri Kansas and
le%as, the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe
IN ne Fort Worth and Rio Grande and the
texas and Pacific Railroad companles'
In all of these bills there was contained
no obligation to build a single mile NJ
road, and the consultations were no Doubt
upon the theory of better service
to the people by the purchase ownership
ana operation of the weak and inefficient
mes ny the strong and powerful lines
which were better able to successfully on,
crate them and give the best service ana
competition to the public.
Eaeh OF the bills passed by the present
legislature, with a single exception MO
vlue Tor the building of more or less rail-
uau within specified time, and the grant
70 consolidate is upon the express condl- |
, l ', that II the road, as snecified In each
pll, is not constructed within the time
feited suai' pe lot
These These bills will effect the connection OF
4 uliect line from Dallas TO Sabine pass
.pGhlng up a large territory now withonf
,alIoad facilities and an extension NJ tbo
al'ssSuri Kansas and Texas To Shrevenort
~ 'he east and San Antonio on the ,9as.
auu the extension Of branch road az ~ |
lioustoh and Texas Central on its western
ny ny 10 me town OF Lampasas. giving nov, |
'oaa iaellitles and Increased comnati'
,iou ana better service to all points ~ AZ |
a'a1e, which these sections can ~, - tne
Ind e sHeeps by the operation of these bills !
nv u~ s s',s TO the State the build. |
nfles I'm Two years, of more than 4oo |
.nnnS, VI railroad, and the consen,ient |
r. pe"uihg IN the State and Distributes ~
., ~ Woney necessary to build ana 60
~ w 'hese lines. as wall ts affordJno
- pl'yheht to large number NJ naoris
" M . considerable period of time 0P's
-, nv grading and Ties of these roo5e o1on
Yer, ~, more than $4,000 mile and |
vent Of this money will ba snent ~ ~
n s"te 70 people in the State. ami ,as,
Ter cor,n, " enter into the arteries az
lon e anu through general distrjbn-
N eyer. Us We enect viii necessarily be Ieft
section Of the State.
aw st pace under the stock and bond