Year: 1867

kOute Ol INC TcAaS CeHtrdl hall'


road.


The routes of railroads are often
determined by apparently trivial
circumstances. A great road, like
the Texas Central, should have in
its management, especially in the
determination Of its route, wise and
far seeing sagacity. In country
like Texas, vast as is its extent
sparce as is its population as yet-a
ruling consideration in the location
of the railroads that first penetrate
the interior should be to reach the
occupied and productive portions of
the State. For due regard to this
important consideration will affect
Immediately and permantly the
earnings of the roads Slight diver
gencies from straight lines, there
fore, to secure a heavy and impor-
tant carrying trade will be wise and
iudicious for where the staple
comodities of the country are pro
duced in the greatest amount will
be found also the population and
local commercial centres, from which
together, tho chief revenues of rail
roads are derived. There is no
doubt that the most profitable route
for the Texas Central Railroad, and
the most advantageous too, to every
public interest, will be a line touch
ing the banks of the Brazos river as
high up as cotton is largely cultiva-
ted. SO soon as the road reaches
the southern boundary of Falls coun-
ty, the wheat producing region be-
gins. Every mile ofadvance north
ward penetrates towards the heart
of the wheat growing country of
Texas. In McLennan county cot
ton is raised largely The Brazos
bottom lands are open and employed
in the culture of this great staple
only short distance above the
county seat of McLennan. This
county has the best quality of parai-
rie wheat land, to the extent of
half its area. For two years past,
the production of wheat has steadily
increased. The quality of. the
wheat is unsurpassed, and the a.
mount produced is becoming SO
great as to rival cotton as an ex-
porting product. Excellent mills
have been built, and the -four man.
ufactured in that county fully
equals in quality that of the world
renowned "Plant" of st. Louis, or
the "Howard Mills" of Richmond.
Such a divergence of the Central
Railroad as to touch the Brazos riv-
er at or near Waco, will give the
cotton carrying trade of the whole
Brazos valley to that road, and will
reach sooner than any other route a
well developed portion of the wheat
growing and flour manufacturing
part of the State, meeting the two
prominent objects of the Railroad
Company in its original organiza-
ton.


There are reasons too, in favor of
the route suggested, of a Topographic
cal character that should ba allowed
to have due weight in determining
a question of such Importance. The
longer the road can adhere to the
line of the river, the more assured
will be an abundant and unfailing
supply of wood and water. A route
opposite Waco, and following the
direction of Tchuacana creek and its
sources, will continue to make avail
able to the road the great advan-
tage of abundant wood and water
for twenty-five or thirty miles north
of the Brazos-clear up to point
where the head streams of Richland
creek and the small tributaries of
Chambers, and that stream itself,
again afford like advantages. Thence
at convenient intervals, are the tim
Der and water of Waxahachie, Grove,
Red Oak, Five Mile and Ten Mile
creek, distributing these Rtural
aids to the very edge of the Trinity
bottom near Dallas. By this route
also. rock and lime in inexhustable
quantities for building culverts,
tanks, &c, is found Then the
whole line from the Brazos the
Trinity, is accessible to the cross
timbers where the heavy, hard and
durable post oak grows to perfection,
and which will furnish crossties for
Railroads TO generations yet un-
born.


From Sterling to Dallas, the route
indicated will not elongate the road
over ten or fifteen miles, as compar-
cd with the route by Horn Hill
We know the country familiary-|
have passed over every part Of it
and, in our judgement, it is the best
route for the corporation and the
country.