50 
GRANT OF LANDS BY STATE OF TEXAS. 
nois, a railroad is now in process of location and construction through Little Rock to Fulton. 
At Little Rock it is met by a branch from Memphis. A road from Vicksburg and the New Or¬ 
leans and Shreveport road, along Red river, unite at Fulton; and these various lines connect 
at their eastern termini with the great chains of railroad which traverse nearly all the States 
of the Union. In this respect, therefore, this route seems to combine all the requisites or 
recommendations which seem desirable. 
But there is one element, of a consequence not to he overlooked in estimating the advantages 
of this route; and that is, the means now at hand without the aid of the government for build¬ 
ing it. 
The State of Texas has granted something more than ten millions of acres of land to any 
company which will undertake, under sufficient guarantees, to build a railroad along this route 
as far as the Rio Grande. The company have the privilege of selecting the lands thus granted 
from any unoccupied lands in the State; and to one who understands the value of the arable 
lands in Texas this grant seems altogether sufficient for the construction of the railroad. There 
can he no doubt, if the company which undertakes its construction can, upon this basis of real 
estate, borrow the funds necessary to complete the road before they are compelled to offer the 
lands for sale, that the grant will not only he sufficient to pay the cost of the road, but will 
make tbis company tbe richest corporation in America. 
By tbis munificent contribution of Texas in aid of a great national enterprise, tbe question 
of the Pacific railroad is reduced from tbe consideration of a line of 2,000 miles to one of 800 
miles ; and to dwell upon tbe importance of tbis fact seems alogether superfluous. 
I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant, 
JNO. POPE, 
Brevet Captain Top. Engs., in charge of Exploration. 
Hon. Jefferson Davis, 
Secretary of War. 
