64 
Transactions Texas Academy of Science. 
first two. On March 11, 1848, the charter of the Galveston and Red 
River Railroad was approved permitting the construction of a line from 
Galveston to Red River. This was the first line 'chartered in Texas that 
was actually built although it was not the first to begin construction. 
The Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and Colorado Railway was incorporated by 
act approved February 11, 1850, and was projected from a point on 
Buffalo Bayou between Lynchburg and Houston, west to the Colorado 
River, thence north to Austin, developing the very fertile valleys of the 
Brazos and Colorado rivers. This is the pioneer of Texas railways and 
though chartered subsequent to- the Galveston and Red River Railroad, 
was the first to construct and operate a line of railway in Texas territory. 
Work began on this road just 22 years after the first railway was in oper- 
ation in the United States. 
The above charters were followed by a large number of others for lines 
in different parts of the state, but all were forfeited except those given 
in the following statement, wdirch shows the number and mileage of lines 
in operation in Texas on October 1, 1859 : 
Name of Railway. 
When 
Chartered. 
Date work 
began. 
Miles. 
Galveston & Red River, (H. & T. C.) 
Mcll. 11, 1848 
1853 
75 
Buffalo Bayou, Brazoria & Colorado, (G. H. 
S. A.) 
San Antonio & Mexican Gulf, (G. W.T. & P.) 
Feb. 11, 1850 
1852 
65 
Sept. 5, 1850 
1856 
5 
Galveston, Houston & Henderson 
Memphis, El Paso & Pacific, (T. & P.) 
Feb. 7, 1853 
Feb. 7, 1853 
Mch. 1, 1854 
Feb. 1, 1857 
42.5 
Southern Pacific, (T. & P.) 
Aug. 16, 1856 
Feb. 2, 1856 
1856 
27.5 
Washington County, (H. &. T. C.) 
1857 
11 
Sabine & Galveston Bav, (T. & N, O.) 
Houston Tap, (see H. T. & B.) 
Sept. 1, 1856 
1858 
1856 
10 
Houston Tap & Brazoria, (I. & G. H.) 
Indianola, (G. W. T. & P.) 
Sept. 1, 1856 
Jan. 21, 1858 
1858 
1858 
36.5 
Total mileage October 1, 1859, 
272.5 
In addition to track in operation as noted, the above railways had be- 
tween 130 and 140 miles of line graded in advance and ready for track. 
To arrive at a clear idea of the development of the several railway 
systems of the state in detail, a brief history will be given of each in the 
order of their construction. 
Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway.— The Buffalo 
Bayou, Brazos and Colorado Railway, as before stated, was chartered by 
act approved February 11, 1850, and was the first company to begin con- 
struction in the state. Work began near Harrisburg in 1851 when the 
first locomotive ever brought into Texas, weighing twelve tons, was put 
on. Twenty miles of this line were completed by August 1, 1853, and by 
