The Texas Almanac for 1873, and Emigrant's Guide to Texas Page: 33
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RAILROADS OF TEXAS. 3<
GALVESTON, HOUSTON AND HENDERSON RAILROAD.
Although the charter of this road authorizes its extension from Galveston,
via Houston, to Henderson, in Rusk county, yet it never has been extended
beyond Houston. In our last Almanac we alluded to the pending litigation
in which this road had been involved for several years. Since then, how-
ever, a compromise has been effected and the law-suit terminated. It is now
in the hands of Mr. Thos. W. Pierce, of Boston, and several of the citizens
of Galveston, the former having the controlling interest. Considerable has
been said about the necessity of laying a third rail or a second track on this
important trunk road, and Galveston voted a subsidy of half a million dollars
on condition this should be done, in order thereby to expedite the heavy
transportation required during the business season. This, however, has not
yet been done, and, as a consequence, there is a considerable loss of time, and
additional expense in the moving of freight between Galveston and interior
points in the State, by the re-handling of freight at Houston, on its transfer
from and to roads of different guages. This heavy loss falls upon the con-
sumqrs of the country, without benefit to anybody. It is to be hoped that
some measures will be taken by the several railroad companies interested, to
remedy this evil. Up to this time this is the only road in this part of the
State connected with a seaport, and, therefore, all the roads terminating at
Houston have to depend on this road and the boats of the Direct Navigation
Company for their freights to and from this seaport; and the vessels trading
to it from other ports embracing, probably, nine-tenths of all our trade beyond
the limits of Texas. The present extension of the Central road from
Houston to Red river, about 350 miles, and the rapid construction of several
others, which before another year will, probably, reach the northern boundry
of our State, where they will have connection with roads coming towards
our State from St. Louis, Cairo, Memphis and Vicksburgh-all these roads
diverging from Houston, which, with their connecting' roads, must aggregate
considerably more than a thousond miles within the present year; will cer-
tainly double, and, probably, quadruple the present amount of the trade, and
it must continue to increase from year to year. We can not, therefore, sup-
pose that all this trade will long be subjected to the present expense and
delay for want of direct access to and from its point of shipment, or proper
connection with ocean transportation.
The present chief officers of the Galveston, Houston and Henderson Rail-
road Company are:
THOMAs WV. PIERCE, President,
JOHN SEALY, Vice-President,
GEORGE B. NICHOLS, Superintendent,
H. B. ANDREWS, General Passenger and Freight Agent.
STATIONS AND DISTANCES.
From Galveston to Virginia Point,....... miles
Highland Station,. .14 "
Dickinson Bayou,... 20 "
Clear Creek,........ 27
" Summit Station, ....35 "
Harrisburgh........ 45 "
Houston,...........50
EARNINGS OF TIHE G., H. & H. R. R.-rWe have taken some pains to ascer-
tain the amount of business done by this the only railroad now coming to
Galveston. The business has been steadily increasing for some years.
The earnings of the G, H. & H. R. R., from December, 1871, to December,
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The Texas Almanac for 1873, and Emigrant's Guide to Texas, book, 1873~; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth123778/m1/35/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.