From the Annals of the Trans-Texas Corridor or Something Like It –  In 1839, the Republic of Texas chartered the Houston and Brazos Rail Road with authorization to build railroads and turnpikes from Houston to the Brazos River.  The effort began more than a year later with an auspicious ground-breaking ceremony.  In July of 1840, the celebration began at the Presbyterian church in Houston.  A procession of volunteer companies, members of the bar, medical faculty, army and naval officers, citizens, county officers, mayor and aldermen, Odd Fellows, Masons, the president and directors of the railroad company, the committee of arrangements, orator, and officiating clergyman formed at the Church and marched to the planned spot for the beginning of the railroad.  Unfortunately, the company never came close to actually constructing the railroad and soon lost its charter privileges.  Rick Perry knows how they felt.