BETA
Chapter 1
The river that fooled everyone
Chapter 2
The great railroad heist
Chapter 3
Financing the oil boom
Chapter 4
The airport built on a truce
YOUR GOAL
Master of The city built on nothing
Ch 2 · The great railroad heist
gertrude Dallas Railroad Heist
We slipped a little spring into a secret law, And built the richest crossroad that you ever saw.
gertrude The intersection of two major railroads transformed Dallas into a massive inland cotton market.
gertrude Dallas citizens raised massive funds to bribe the Houston and Texas Central Railroad to build through the city.
Fun Fact
The secret law: The 1871 railroad law specified a crossing near Browder's Springs, a water source Dallas leaders kept secret from competitors.
Glossary
charter (noun)
A written grant by a legislative power defining the rights and privileges of a company. In 1873, a legislator snuck a secret clause into a railroad charter to force tracks through Dallas.
A written grant by a legislative power defining the rights and privileges of a company. In 1873, a legislator snuck a secret clause into a railroad charter to force tracks through Dallas.
Quiz
Which politician secretly added the Browder's Springs clause to the 1871 Texas railway bill?
Quiz
What secret location was written into the 1871 Texas railroad bill to force a crossing in Dallas?
Quiz
By how much did the Dallas population multiply between 1870 and 1880 due to the railroads?
Quiz
What did Dallas give up to the railroad in 1872 that was also its primary water source?
Quiz
How much cash did Dallas citizens raise in 1872 to attract the Houston and Texas Central Railroad?