Selections From The Splinters - Volume 7
Capt. R. B. Harris Galveston, Texas Asst. Engineer & c 1 September 1874 Dear Sir:
You will proceed with your party as soon as the necessary arrangements are perfected to make a preliminary examination of the route for the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway from Galveston, via the Caronkaway Reef on West Bay to Columbia in Brazoria County - Take your departure and datum from the city grade at the intersection of Bath Avenue and Avenue N, thence along the latter to the city limits and then as near as practicable on the ridge along the Island.
Crossing at Caronkaway, you will run a direct course as near as may be to Columbia. There you will make a reconnoissance of the Brazos River with a view to bridging. All other things being equal, it may be better to cross that river on the north of the town near the corporate limit, and thus be freed from any embarrassment in passing through or around it in our departure.
The line after leaving Columbia as you will observe by the Charter swings along the divide between the Brazos and San Bernard; the next objective point being Caldwell in Burleson Co. In passing from Fort Bend into Austin Co. you are restricted to a neck of land less than five miles in width. Taking the middle of this as a point a line as near straight as practicable may be run thereto, and another thence to the next point Caldwell. Your present examination will probably terminate at or near the north boundary of Washington County; but further instructions will be given on that point.
As the country over which you pass is mostly prairie and level, your work will be light and simple and your progress should be rapid, say eight or ten miles a day.
Full side notes will be kept giving a general description of route, water, timber, soil, settlements &c, & c. To one of your experience I need not dwell on the importance of detailed information, under these heads to enable this office to prepare a full and satisfactory report to the Board of Directors.
Your present examination being only preliminary to location, it may not be necessary to impress on you the importance of not allowing any one to compromise you or your party by using outside this office any data of the survey. Nothing can be decided or known as to location until acted on by the Board of Directors, and nothing but mischief can come of such imprudence.
You are authorized to suspend or discharge any of your party when efficiency or discipline may require.
Take ten days provisions and forage to last to Columbia. There you can replenish.
Communicate with this office whenever occasion may offer.
Very Respectfully (Sgd) Braxton Bragg Chief Engineer
Volume 7 Splinters pages 134-135 transcribed in altered form for the web by Johnnie Welborn, Jr.
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