The Dallas Daily Herald

The Dallas and Wichita Railroad.

Since the Legislature has granted an extension of its charter to this road, it seems that this is the proper moment to point out in a manner not heretofore done, in what respects the completion of this road will benefit North Texas and more particularly Dallas.

The future of this city, so often discussed in our papers, may, under certain circumstances, become very promising, among which the introduction and permanent establishment of manufactures may be reckoned as the most essential. However, manufactures do not wholly depend on capital alone, but much more on material and motive power, as the manufacturer will invest his capital only where the physical resources necessary for success are found in abundance and cheap. If, then, the question be asked, does Dallas present such resources? the answer will surely be in the negative. We have here neither any natural water power nor wood in sufficient quantity for the production of steam power, nor do we have stone-coal, which, in the absence of water power, furnishes the leading element in manufacturing, and its importation from other States is too expensive. There is no stone coal within easy reach of Dallas, and neither the Houston & Texas Central nor the Texas & Pacific railroad passes as yet through regions in which coal will, with certainty, be found. From certain scientific and geological facts and deductions, we are led to conjecture that there are extensive deposits of coal in many parts of this State, but at a depth of at least one hundred feet, which renders it practically inaccessible. It is true that coal has been discovered in many localities of Texas, and at no great depth; but this is not genuine stone coal, only a good kind of brown coal, and is deficient in quantity as it is found only in a stratum from one to seven feet thick.

At present it is only the region about the upper Brazos and Big Wichita which calls for the building of this railroad but in the future it will open up an immense territory, rich in all the minerals and metals as well as animal and vegetable products.

From what has been said the public can readily perceive that this road must not only be begun at once, but pushed to its completion as rapidly as practicable.