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Transactions Texas Academy of Science. 
authority to purchase the M. E. P. & P. Ry. and Jefferson Branch of 
same. 
An act “to encourage the speedy construction of a railway from Texas 
to the Pacific Ocean” was approved May 24, 1871, which granted to the 
the S. P. Ry. Co. and the S. T.-C. Ry. Co. each $3,000,000 in state bonde 
on condition that said railways would extend their lines west to a junc- 
tion not east of the eastern line of Shackelford county. Also said act 
authorized the consolidation of the S. P. Ry. and the S. T.-C. Ry. under 
name of the Texas and Pacific Railway, a company incorporated by act 
of congress, March 3, 1871, provided the stipulated conditions above 
mentioned were complied with. An act of November 11, 1871, amended 
above act to provide that the S. P. Ry. and the S. T.-C. Ry. might form a 
junction near the junction of the West and Clear Fork of the Brazos 
river; also that they should complete the branch line between Texarkana 
and Marshall ; also that the State should have the right to substitute 24 
sections of land per mile in lieu of the bonds authorized. Construction 
was rapidly pushed on both of these lines and by May 31, 1874, 300 
miles were in operation. In 1878 the Texas and Pacific Railway operated 
mileage as follows 
Shreveport to Fort Worth 222 miles 
Texarkana to Sherman. 154 miles 
* Texarkana to Marshall 68 miles 
Total 444 miles 
The northern line was extended west from Sherman, via Whitesboro, 
to a connection with the southern line at Fort Worth. On September 1, 
1880, the T. & P. Ry. had 504 miles in operation and by September 1, 
1881, 922 miles. By January 1, 1882, connection was made with the 
G. H. & S. A. Ry. at Sierra Blanca, making a through line from east to 
west across the northern part of the State. At present the T. & P. Ry. 
operates about 1040.31 miles of railway in Texas. This system received 
land donations from the State as follows : 
M. E. P. & P. Ry 258,399 acres 
Southern Pacific. 562,560 acres 
Texas and Pacific 4,911,314 acres 
Total 5,732,237 acres 
Texas and New Orleans Railroad. — This line was chartered by act 
approved September 1, 1856, under name of the Sabine and Galveston 
Bay Railroad and Lumber Company, from the Sabine river in Orange 
county, via Beaumont, to Galveston Bay. An act approved December 24, 
