Summary Information Title: Houston, East & West Texas Railway Payroll Book Collection Number: 2001:004 Creator: Houston, East & West Texas Railway Company Collection Dates: 1921 January Extent: 1 volume, 14”x17”x1” Language: English Repository: The History Center 102 N. Temple Diboll, TX, 75941 936-829-3543 http://www.thehistorycenteronline.com/ Author/Processing Information: Processed by Matt Gorzalski on April 21, 2010. Biographical/Historical Note: The Houston, East & West Texas Railway Company was chartered on March 11, 1875, to build a narrow gauge railroad between Houston and Texarkana and to connect Houston with Corpus Christi and Laredo through Victoria and Goliad. Branch lines were projected to Tyler and Waco and from Goodrich to a point on the Sabine River. Only the line east of Houston was built, and then in the direction of Shreveport, Louisiana, rather than to Texarkana. Paul Bremond was the first president of the railroad. The initial directors of the company were Bremond, F. A. Rice, S. C. Timpson, Henry Fox, W. D. Cleveland, Abraham Groesbeeck, and John Shearn. It was the first through-line railroad providing access to East Texas, which greatly aided in the development of the East Texas lumber industry. Lumber towns such as Diboll, and other places such as Lufkin and several county seats were either established or revitalized by their proximity to the road. The railroad was nicknamed the "Rabbit” due to the bumpy ride and tendency to jump the track in the early days of operation, and the company's initials were said to stand for "Hell Either Way Taken.” By April 1877 twenty miles had been completed. Cleveland, forty-three miles, was reached in the fall on 1878 and Livingston, seventy-one miles, a year later. The rails were laid toward Lufkin, 118 miles, in 1882 and to Nacogdoches, 138 miles from Houston, by May 1883. The remaining fifty-three miles to the Sabine River were built by December 1885, and on January 26, 1886, the bridge was completed and the HE&WT Railway Company Payroll Book The History Center, Diboll, TX Page 1 of 32 first train crossed between Texas and Louisiana. At the state boundary the 191-mile HE&WT connected with the affiliated forty-mile Shreveport and Houston Railway Company, and the two railroads formed a through line between Houston and Shreveport, Louisiana. Bremond died on May 8, 1885, and his estate requested that the HE&WT be placed in receivership. A receiver, M. G. Howe, was appointed on July 8, 1885, and it was during the receivership that the line was completed to the Sabine River. However, the Union Trust Company of New York, which had purchased the first and second mortgage bonds of the HE&WT, intervened, and the railroad was sold under foreclosure to Elbert S. Jemison on August 2, 1892. This transaction ultimately resulted in the transfer of the railroad on May 6, 1893 to a newly organized HE&WT. On July 29, 1894, the entire line between Houston and Shreveport was converted from three foot gauge to 56½ inch gauge, which is commonly called standard gauge. In October 1899 the Southern Pacific Company gained control of the HE&WT by purchasing 19,064 out of 19,200 shares of its common stock. At the same time, the SP purchased the majority of the Houston & Shreveport stock. At this time, the SP already owned the Texas and New Orleans Railroad (T&NO). The HE&WT railroad continued to be operated by its own name until March 1, 1927, when it was leased to another SP affiliate, the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway Company. In 1934 both roads along with the Houston and Texas Central were merged with the T&NO, which became the SP’s operating company in Texas. Southern Pacific Company was purchased by the Union Pacific Railroad Company in 1996, which continues to operate the historic HE&WT line through East Texas. Collection Scope and Content: This collection consists of a single payroll volume documenting wages paid to railroad employees and attorneys of the Houston East & West Texas Railway and the Houston & Shreveport Railroad Company for January 1921. The records pertain to employees primarily of the Shreveport Division, broken down into departments such as the telegraph department, transportation department, and maintenance and way department. The entries list employee name, occupation, rate, miles, time, amount, deductions, other, and balance due. The forms include verifying signatures of the time clerk(s) and superindendent. Also included is Form 177 entitled “extra labor payroll,” and provides a brief description of work performed. The employee names, occupation, and station where they worked are listed under the collection inventory. They are not alphabetized and instead are listed in order of appearance within the payroll. Because the volume’s pages are not numbered, artificial numbers have been assigned by the archivist to assist researchers in locating names. The first page is designated as page one, and follow in numerical order thereafter. These numbers are bracketed in the lower right corner of each page. Subject Terms: Topics • Railroads -- Texas, East • Railroads -- Employees -- Texas, East • Wages -- Railroads -- Texas, East • Timekeeping -- Texas, East • Hours of labor -- Texas, East Corporate Names HE&WT Railway Company Payroll Book The History Center, Diboll, TX Page 2 of 32 • Houston, East and West Texas Railway Company • Houston and Shreveport Railroad Company • Southern Pacific Company • Southern Pacific Railroad • Texas and New Orleans Railroad Company Genres • Payrolls -- Texas, East • Business records -- Texas, East Occupations • Lawyers -- Texas • Lineman -- Texas • Supervisors, Industrial -- Texas • Porters -- Texas • Brakemen -- Texas • Locomotive engineers -- Texas Locations • Texas, East • Louisiana Access and Use Access Restrictions: No restrictions. Acquisition Information: Received annonymously on January 31, 2001. Citation: Houston, East & West Texas Railway Payroll, 1921, 2001:004, The History Center, Diboll, TX Related Materials: Texas South-Eastern Railroad Records, 1903-1993, 1993:022, The History Center, Diboll, TX Copyright: Permission for publication is given on behalf of The History Center as the owner of the physical item and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained. Bibliography: • Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. "," http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/HH/eqh14.html (accessed April 21, 2010). • Maxwell, Robert S. Whistle in the Piney Woods: Paul Bremond and the Houston, East and West Texas Railway. [S.l.]: Texas Gulf Coast Historical Association, 1963. Collection Inventory Page 1 Shepherd, Jr., J. L., Local Attorney Feagin. German & Feagin, Local Attorney Davis & Davis, Local Attorney Stevens & Stevens, Local Attorney Russell & Seals, Local Attorney Mantooth & Collins Local Attorney Hospital Dept. HE&WT Railway Company Payroll Book The History Center, Diboll, TX Page 3 of 32 Page 2 Dooley, M. J., DF&PA Grubbs, S. O., Travel Agent in Traffic Department Tenny, H. O., Chief Clerk Janes, Mrs. B. F., Stenographer Page 3 Parker, D .F., Lineman Page 4 Alexander, H. G., Foreman Breed, J. S., Assistant Foreman Matkin, G. C[?]., Lineman Reynolds, Dan, Lineman Fynn, Tim, Lineman Kelley, O[?], Lineman Delancey, J. C[?]., Lineman Hipp, E. L., Lineman York, W. E., Groundman Lonuire[?], D. A., Groundman Alexander, O. K., Groundman Gill, Dwigh, Groundman Oliver, W., Groundman Massie, Doc., Groundman Jones, J. H., Groundman Sauford, Kennie, Groundman Ross, Clinton, Groundman McDougald, Omer, Groundman Morris, Elijah, Groundman Witt, Lennie, Groundman Peoples, B. F., Groundman Witt, S. P., Groundman McCloskey, H. H., Groundman McKeown, W. G., Groundman Whatley, L. B., Groundman Grant, C. S., Groundman Laneaster, J. J., Groundman Page 5 Hospital Association Watson, J. P. Page 6 Walker, R. T., Supt. Kuykendall, A. L., Asst. Supt. Rentzel, W. F., R of E Gorr, J. A., Division Engineer Sloan, E. G., Assistant Division Engineer Bell, H. L., Assistant Division Engineer Morgan, William, Ch. Clerk Morganstern, L. W., Inst.[?] HE&WT Railway Company Payroll Book The History Center, Diboll, TX Page 4 of 32 Allen, R. B., Maintenance of Way Clerk Powell, P. B., Rodman Thompson, F. R., Mech. Mayfield, F. P., Tie Inspector White, Mrs. A. Y., Stenographer Convillon, Mrs. Mary, Stenographer Stockton, Miss Beth, Stenographer Bussey, Miss Ida, Stenographer Dowdle, Miss Bernice, File Clerk Page 7 Parks, A. E., Div. Acct. Gebhard, Miss M. K., Asst. Acct. Francis, H. R., Head Time Keeper Rather, A. B., Asst. Time Keeper Tucker, H. C., Store Clerk Glispin, Miss L., R/A Clerk Joachim, H. M., V/B Clerk Rosenzweig, Miss S., Utility Clerk McCullough, E. H., Store Clerk Metton, A. T., Asst. Chief Disp. Morse, C. S., Disp. Thompson, S. A., Disp. Caughlin, S. P., Disp. Williams, R. F., Disp. Page 8 Norwood, A. J., DSK[?] Adams, J. D., Counterman Brookshire, W. A., Counterman Brookshire, M. K., Counterman Williams, L., Counterman Page 9 Van Nou[?] Interstate Co. Page 10 Estes, O. R., Agent Humble Station Ham, A. S., Cashier Jackson, W. S., Op. Ck. Jackson, W. S. Op. Ck. Jackson, W. S., Op. Ck. Matt, J. P., Op. Ck. Tribe, J. R., Op. Ck. Wuidom, Ben[?], Porter Fears, Frank, Porter Davis, J.C., Agent Operator New Caney Station Kennedy, O. H., Agent Cleveland Station Rice, R. C., Cash Ck. Smith, Bartley, Op. Ck. HE&WT Railway Company Payroll Book The History Center, Diboll, TX Page 5 of 32 Boothe, Troge[?], Porter Kennedy, Preston, Mail Carrier Page 11 Craig, R. S., Agent Operator Shepherd Station Walters, V. I., Op. Ck. Powell, C[?]. T., Op. Ck. Coward, L. J., Operating Agent Goodrich Station Walters, George Agent Urbana Station Blalock, P. H., Agent Operator Livingston Station Ross, G. W., Op. Ck. Carlisle, C. C.[?], Op. Ck. Polk, A. P., Op. Ck. Queen, A. O. M., Op. Ck. Wright, Miss Edna, Clerk White, J. W., Porter Page 12 Houston, W.