The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-01-09
Texas FIRST RAILROAD.
A History Of the Enterprise
and q Sketch OF Its
Founder.
~~~~~

tE. G. sentcr in Texas Farm and Ranch.
| The first railroad enterprise inaugu
rated in Texas was planned and placed
ON foot by General Sidney Sherman ON,
/ of the bodest and most forceful spirit,
connected with the Rounding OF the Repub.
lie of Texas. II was entitled the Buffalo
Bayou, Brazos and Colorado railroad anc
| was designed to run from Harrisburg, .
few miles south of Houston ON Buffalo
bayou, to the Brazos and Colorado rivers
where the largest cotton and sugar piapta.
| tons then in existenca In the State were
| located The demonstrations of time con
verted this pioneer railroad enterprise into
the Sunset system, which is the Texas dlvl
sion OF the Southern Pacific. Its present
official title is the Galveston, HARRISBURG
| and San Antonio railway which exten,s
from Houston TO FL Paso. and with It's
branches has track mileage OF $685.
miles.
The construction of the Buffalo Bayou.
Brazos and Colorado railway was com
menced In 1852, and by the end of the sue
ceeding year twenty miles OF road were
completed. liz that year the second loco
motive lan5ed west of the Mississippi
river and the first west OF the Sabine, was
brought TO Texas and used upon thie, road.
1t was preceded in the Transmisslssippi
service only few weeks by a locomotive
purchased by Tom Allen Tor use in 81.
Louis. The first Texas locomotive was
named General Sherman. In honor of the
founder OF the railroad. He was greatly
hampered by the lack of sufficient cap
ital, and the enterprise soon passed into
the hands of Colonel A. H. Pierce, a
wealthy citizen OF Boston, Massachusetts,
who owned line OF steamers plying be-
flpaa rsyt<
purpose 10 extend the limo southwark 10
Galveston and westward to San Antonio,
and by operating IL in connection with
bis steamers to divert the trade OF Texas
from New Orleans and New York to Bos-
ton. The troublous and uncertain condi-
tons that prevailed during reconstruction
made capital shy of Investment in all
Southern States. and work progressed
slowly Oh the road The Colorado river
was reachei in 1859, sIxty-flye miles from
the initial point In 1866 the road was ex-
tended to Columbus. After having been
through the mill of bankruptcy twice the
road was rechartered by special act
of the legislature IN 1870 ard San Antonio
designated as Ws objective point. II was
then nschristened the Galveston, Harris
burg and San Antonio railway, the name
Il now beers. The people Of Rexar county
voted q subsidy of 10000 In county bonds,
In aid of extension OF the road to San
Antonio, and II was completed to that city
on january IS, 1877. About the same time
the eastern terminus Of the ROAD was
changed from Harrisburg, which had de-
generate1 into an insignificant village.
to Houston.
The road took the benefit CT the land
grant measures of the State and thus
acquired large amount OF lands, mainly
adjacent to Its line. II Is related CT Colo
mel Pierce that be was once travelling over
the line OF the road with Colonel Converse,
bis chief engineer, and gazing intsruy out
Of the window of tbs car. remarked: Con
verse. who owns these lands?" The reply |
was tbnt they were some OF the tracts re-
oeived by the road from the State. After |
q short intenvslsof silence the same ques- |
lion was repeated and elected the same re-
ply; and for the third time the same |
m0noeyliabic conversation occurred. Colo
mel Pierce meditated for a few moments |
and saLil: Converse, I'm glad ! own these
lands, It's = pretty tough Job to keep |
else have. but don't think l. |
will be any trouble 10 hold these lands, |
lor ne not likely that ANYBODY else will
Tue fight between Tom Scott and Hunt |
ngton for control OF the Southern Trans |
continental route determined the destiny |
u the Sunset system. which up to that |
tme has been looking forward TO Mex
can port for IT. outlet on the Pacific, |
Wills Scott Nas laboring With congress |
o eecure FedI6sul aid IN TIE wny Of 8 i