| Engineers Office |
| Houston Nov 21, 1863 |
|
|
| W. A. Alston |
| Capt & AAG |
| |
|
Cap,
|
| Having been absent from this city on duty,
your communication of the 19th ult only reached me upon my return this
morning, and I now hasten to furnish the information therein asked
for. I have to state |
| 1st |
That the road way or track of the Houston Tap
& Brazoria road (from this city to Columbia) is in
tolerable good order. |
| 2d |
That they have but very little rolling stock,
much of which is nearly worn out. This Company owns but Two
Locomotives of the most inferior kind, one of these having
totally given out, is now in the Shop undergoing repairs
consequently there is but one Locomotive in Service. |
| 3d |
They have but 17 Flat Cars, 4 Box Cars, 1 first
Class Passenger Car and 1 Second Class Passenger Car. |
| 4th |
The guage of this road is four (4) feet Eight
& a half (8 1/2) inches, and corresponds only with that of
the BBB&C {Buffalo Bayou, Brazos
& Colorado RR} Railroad, the guage of all the other
roads being Five (5) feet Six (6) inches |
| 5th |
Seventeen (17) Flat, Four (4) Box and Two (2)
Passenger Cars will carry Seven Hundred and thirty (730) men
with their Camp Equipage. This is equal to two loads for one
Locomotive. |
|
| The BBB&C Railroad the only road of
the same guage, has four Locomotives, two only of which are in good
order. They have Thirty (30) Flat, Sixteen (16) Box and four (4)
Passenger Cars in good order. |
| Very Respy Yours &c |
| E. L. Heriot |
| Cap& Insp Engr of Railroads |
|