The Texas Almanac, for 1860, with Statistics, Historical and Biographical Sketches, &c., Relating to Texas. Page: 203
[327] p. : ill. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this book.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
ARANSAS RAILROAD COMPANY.
ARANSAS RAILROAD COMPANY.
Under the supplemental charter, passed February 10th, 1858, the road-bed
has been opened across Live Oak Peninsula, in anticipation of the grade be-
ing made through the shallow water which separates the mainland from the
deep water of Aransas Bay. Some delay has occurred in making this levee,
or road-bed by the unexpected long detention of Hawley's excavator in fin-
ishing the channel between Aransas and Matagorda Bays. On the 10th of
August, 1859, the grading was commenced by one of Hawley's powerful ma-
chines, when the work was inaugurated in the presence of the President,
Treasurer, some stockholders and the Engineer. The grading has since rapidly
progressed, and the Company hope to be able to get that most difficult part
of the track ready for the iron in time to secure their charter, which requires
five miles of road to be completed by the 1st of January, 1860. T, t done,
they have six years more in which to complete the road to the Rio Grande ;
but they confidently expect to run the cars to the borders of Mexico long be-
fere that date.
.It would seem that the proper dispositions to be made for the commerce of
Aransas Bay and its tributaries would be to provide wharves and warehouses
on the shore-side of the deep water within the bar, where sea-going vessels
may discharge and load, and whence lighters may run to the more interior
points. Should vessels approach the bar, of too great draft to cross it, they
will find good anchorage outside, within four wiles of the wharves, and may
be discharged and loaded by lighters. Should the bar be deepened beyond
eight feet, vessels of corresponding depth may come to these wharves, but
cannot go beyond, towards any of the tributary bays. This then must be the
head of any large commerce. To connect this point with the mainland by a
levee through shallow water (with a bridge over Corpus Christi bayou,) is
the special object of the Aransas Road Company. From the terminus of this
levee on the mainland, it is designed to extend roads in different directions
towards the interier. The most important of these is the railroad to the Rio
Grande, the right to make which was given by the supplemental charter of
February, 1858. Through it the trade of half of Mexico will be drawn into
Texas, and will be distributed along its coast and interior towns, or passed
onward to other States and to Europe. The navigation by the interior bays
will be thus immensely increased ; but despatch will require ere long the con-
struction of a railroad from this same point around the heads of the bays to
meet the railroads now running west from Houston, and stretching thence to
the east and the north.
There is yet a more important connection. The railroad from Aransas to
the Rio Grande is apart of the most facile route for a railroad from the Atlan-
tic States to the Pacific; and the Aransas Road Company is now acting in
concert with a company formed in Washington City, under a contract with
the Supreme Government of Mexico, to extendthis work to the Pacific Ocean.
These two roads together form what has been aptly termed " The Central
Transit," which is indeed central to Mexico, midway between the snows of
the north and the heats of the tropics, the furthest south that gives a connee
tion with the railroad system of the United States, the furthest north tha
gives a short line from ocean to ocean, the only one that traverses a wooden
and settled country, and that alone which can be built by private capital. Th.,
impediments heretofore existing to the construction of this road arising out of
the disturbed and unsettled condition of Mexico, it' is understood, will be
speedily removed by the interposition of the Government of the United States,
when the company have assurances of abundant capital to construct the
whole work.203
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This book can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Book.
The Galveston News. The Texas Almanac, for 1860, with Statistics, Historical and Biographical Sketches, &c., Relating to Texas., book, 1860~; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth123766/m1/205/: accessed June 8, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.