The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-21
RAILROAD CONSOLIDATION IN TEXAS.
History Possible Effects OF inc
novement-LegsIative the Subject

In relation to the various railroad con-
soIidation bills passed by the present SEES
sion OF the legislature, the public may
not be generally informed upon the subject
as these matters have heretofore not at
tracted considerable attention; but rail-
road consolidation is by no means a new
tning In Texas. Such lines as the Hous-
ton and Great Northern from Houston to
Tyler, and the International from Tyler
west, now extending to Laredo. have been
consolidated by special legislative author
ity. The Texas and Pacific now extend
ing from Texarkana TO I'll Paso. and the
Iranscontinental, extending from Texar-
kama TO Fort Worth, which is one OF the
points on the Texas and Pacific road have
been consolidated; and in the early days
many such consultations will be found
upon the books. And it will be found
by examining the special laws of former
years, that many grants have been made
10 one railroad corporation to purchase
all the rights and property of another.
indeed, this custom has never been sus-
pended, as ii would be difficult TO find a
section whose history did not show some
sort OF special authority for railroad con-
solidatlon.
An investigation of the special acts of
the legislature from the beginning of state
mood to the present time will show that
during every administration. except the
years OF the war. there were passed and
approved various acts authorizing the con
solldation of more or less miles of rail-
road, and that one or more such acts
were passed at every session. 1t is not
deemed necessary, however, to particu-
larize as to these, except for the past eight
years during which time we have had a
railroad commission.
~
In 1891 Governor Hogg approved an act
authorizing. the Missouri, Kansas and Texas
Railway company. together with nine other
companies named in the act to sell ali
their rights, property and franchises to
some railroad company to be thereafter
chartered Tor that purpose. This act viii
pe FOUND 10 the SPECIAL laws of the Twenty
second legislature, page 100. 1t recites
that the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Rail-
way company has constructed several lines
IA the state, and caused others TO be CON
structed; and further that there is a sur
pending against the Missouri, Kansas and
ieSas Railway company, in the name of
the state, to forfeit the corporate rights
powers, privileges and franchises granted
10 1t by special act OF the legislature, as
one among other necessities recited for the
passage OF the act
Al the same session a general law was
passed authorizing the charter and forma-
ton OF a railroad company for the purpose
OF buying up lines of railroad in the state;
ana while appearing to be a general law.
IL Is evidently intended to reach the mar
Llcular case OF the Missouri, Kansas and
Texas Railway company
The act then proceeds to confer upon the
company thereafter to be created and
upon the other companies named the
power to buy and sell, and In the future
to own and operate nine separate and dis
tinct lines of railway, covering a large
portion of the State, and comprising about
800 miles of railroad already constructed,
and aces not contain any obligation to
construct single mile of railroad And
the act expressly valves all causes of for
feture heretofore existing against the
lines named; and, in effect, dsmisses the
suit heretofore brought by the State for
that purpose. The lines authorized to be
so purchased and consolidated are as fol-
lows:
- A line from Red river to the city OF
Denlson in Grayson county, and thence
through the counties OF Grayson, Cooke,
Montague and Clay Ia the city of Henrietta
~ llub from the Guy OF benson
through the counties of Grayson, Fannln.
Hunt, Rains and Wood to the city Of
Mineola.
80. A line from the city OF Denison to
the city of sherman IN Grayson county.
"a. A line from the city OF Greonville
in Hunt county through the counties or
Hunt Collin, Roclwail and Dallas to the
city Of Dallas in Dallas county,
IS. a limo from the city Of Dallas to the
oit q ina ~
&c. a line from the city of Dallas through
the counties of Dallas, Ellis and Hill, to
tho city of Hillsboro in Hill county.
~. A line from the city Of Fort Worth .
in Tarrant county through the counties
of 1arrant, Johnson. Hill, McLeunan, .
Fails, Bell and Williamson to Taylor with 1
a branch from Echo. a point on the main
line to Bolton in Bell county
IS. \ line from Taylor, through the
of Williamson, Travis. Bastrop,
Fayette and Colorado to Boggy Tank in
Colorado county. and a line from San Mar
cos in Hays county through the counties
OF HAYS and Caldwell to Loekhart in
Caldwell county, together with the Sc
cured rights of way and partially con-
structed lines of road between Lockhart
and Smithville in Bastrop county and
between Boggy Tank and the town OF
Sealy in Austin county.
80. line from Trinity In Trinity coun-
w. through the counties or Trinity, POLK
and Tyler to Colmesneil In Tyler county,
10. The interest of the Missouri. Kan
sas and Texas Railway company In the
lines between Whltesboro in Grayson
county. now being jointly operated with
the Texas and Pacific Railway company,
And the following are the names of the
companies herein referred to. other than
the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway
company. towit /, The Denison and Pa
cihc railway, q The Denison and South
western Railway company or the Mis-
SQUIRT, Kansas and Texas Extension Rail-
way company. 3. The Sherman, Denison
and Dallas Railway company, 4, The
Dallas and Greenville Railway company
!, The Dallas and Wichita Railway COM
1any The Dallas and Waco Railway
company T. The Taylor, Bastrop and i
Houston Railway company s. The Trim
~ and Sabine Railway company; and O.
rhe Gainesville. Henrietta and Western
Railway company"
These lines In their course touch or
ross nearly all the trunk lines and many
II the branch lines in existence in the
State of Texas; aud extend from Denison
IN the north to Doggy Tank in Fayette
county on the south, with branches in