The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1912-02-02
TEXAS
claim State Leadership 10
The Miles Of Rails
That We're Put DOWG In 1911
For Traffic

Dallas, Tex, Feb. I'm 1911 rail-
road mileage in Texas was increased
to 1894 miles, leading all states in
rail construction. This represents an
investment of S15,OOO,OOO anu adds at
least s40,0O0,O00 in value to property
contiguous to the right of way as
well as giving a perpetual value to
products by affording market facili.
ties.
The foregoing statement is fea-
ture of the Commercial Secretaries
and Business Mems Associations re-
view Of development work in Texas.
The fact that 1t Is the first time in the
history of the state where railroad
construction has been conducted al
most wholly by trunk lines is en-
phasized. The associations state
ment follows:
while our progress In railroad con-
struction during the past year, com
pared with our opportunities and ne
cessities, is far below what might be
expected, our increase under the cir
cumstances is most gratifying. The
record for the past 18 months IN con-
struction work is somewhat marred by
the abrupt abandonment OF several i'm
potant projects and the disappoint.
ment is further aggravated by the
fact that we now have only one rail.
road construction gang at work in
Texas-the Kansas City, Mexico and
Orient, between Granada and Alpine
but there is a ray of hope Frightening
the New Year in the roster OF pros
poets that are announced for 1912.
"The Railway Age credits US with
423 miles and the Manufactures Rec
ord with APT miles, but as detailed re-
ports for Texas are not furnished in
either instance, we are unable to To-
cate the discrepancy between their re.
ports and the figures we submit. The
railroad commissions report shows
SOC miles put In operation from June
90, 1910, to June 80, 1911, while the
mileage shown by us covers actual
construction during the calendar year
1911. The information upon which
this compilation was made was OBJ
tanned from officials of railroad, COM
mercial secretaries, county judges and
certified reports.
East Texas Is coming to the front In
/ vail hail fvSar nrnxx f~n Inn
north and south through the popula.
ton centers near Waco, In McLennan
county, We find four projects under
way with a total mileage of IS and
on the western half 10 projects have
been built, making new mileage of
524. Drawing line east and west of
lines have been built north of the CEN
ter with a mileage of 251 and seven
lines with 384.4 miles constructed
south of the center line. The bulk of
the construction has been in Central
West Texas.
"The construction during the year
| Idpo lSllilC d6lISuAluld al iC6iOho anu
brings within easy reach OF the mar.
ket 100000 acres of virgin soil, an
area largely in excess of the total
area of either New Hampshire, Yer
mont, Massachusetts or Maryland.
We no longer have farm lands $50
miles from the railroad The great
est distance from any given point in
Texas to railroad at date CT Jan. /,
1912, is 60 miles, in Sutton county.
The following counties have during
1911 heard the first whistle of loco
motive: Collingsworth, 550,40O acres;
Crosby, 629,76O; Crockett, 1920, 900;
Menard 56S,S2O; Reagan 761,6O0 Up
ton, 500