WI: 1840's Colorado Gold Rush

The Republic of Texas generally made it's money selling land. And the mineral rights generally went with the land, otherwise how would Texas have had so many oil millionaires.
No. From It's owner ship by Spain until the Texas Constitution of 1866 The Right to extract minerals from beneath the surface of Texas rested solely with the Sovereign, unless granted to the surface owner by an act of congress. The government sold surface rights, not mineral rights. The Constitution of 1866 abolished this complicated legislation and would eventually allow the oil millionaires to pop up from 1901 onward. While I don't doubt that UT is funded by the property tax like all Texas institutions of learning, I do doubt that it's funded by oil royalties owned by the State of Texas. Most likely, wealthy alumni (via Oil royalties) have donated money to the university in the past and have buildings named in their honor. I know that is the situation at my own University, Texas State, and is the reason why our "Albert B. Alkek" library bears the name of a wealth oil tycoon.

Also the Republic of Texas was pretty much selling land at a loss for $.02 per acre. $.02 x $640 acre tract equals a whopping $12.80 in the Republic coffers. The real money maker of the RoT was the Galveston customs house earning nearly $2,000,000 in Profit from 1837-1846. It's a drop in the Bucket, but still significant.
 
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katchen

Banned
That, I didn't know. What about placer gold in the streams on the surface? Wouldn't that be finders keepers? And wouldn't that be enough to spark a gold rush--and tell Sam Houston what a bonanza he's sitting on if he can find a way to get the incentives going to extract it before the Union takes it away from him?
And how about that more detailed map?
Some of us (at least those of us familiar with Colorado) know where Creede and it[s goldfields are and that they will definitely be in Texas. No doubt, so will Westcliffe-Silvercliffe west of Pueblo. Beyond that, we're looking at a very messy strip. It LOOKS like Leadville, Fairplay and Breckenridge (yes, the ski town started out as a mining town) will be in the Texas strip, but what about the Front Range strikes such as Idaho Springs, Central City and Jamestown? Or the Western Slope strikes such as Silverton, Ouray, Telluride, Crested Butte, Aspen and Redcliff?
With Congress paralyzed by sectional issues, can a railroad be financed and right of way secured from St. Louis through the Chrokee or Chocktaw Nations to Texas and then up to the Panhandle via the Front Range or even Arkansas-South Park-Blue River-North Park Corridor, possibly lopping off a segment of the Oregon Trail ?
Fascinating TL and one that I was thinking of myself before you brought it up. :D:D:D
 
That, I didn't know. What about placer gold in the streams on the surface? Wouldn't that be finders keepers? And wouldn't that be enough to spark a gold rush--and tell Sam Houston what a bonanza he's sitting on if he can find a way to get the incentives going to extract it before the Union takes it away from him?
Yep, placers are yours to keep if you own the Property. I think that Houston would definitely see this as a top priority. but how will they get the Gold and Silver from Colorado to Austin without everyone and their dog walking off with a nugget? There are also the Gold mines in the Ortiz mountains of New Mexico, Anybody know anything about their operation or ownership?

With Congress paralyzed by sectional issues, can a railroad be financed and right of way secured from St. Louis to Texas and possibly the Oregon Trail?
Good Question, The US Railroad building boom is just starting to kick off. in 1840 the US had about 3,000 miles of track scattered from New Orleans to Bangor. By 1850 the amount of track had tripled but very few of the lines were connected and many in the South had a different of gauges of track than in the North. I think if a railroad is started in Colorado, Investors may choose narrow gauge due to lower start up costs and greater maneuverability. Railroads that initially connected Galveston and Houston also started as narrow gauge.

Fascinating TL and one that I was thinking of myself before you brought it up. :D:D:D
Great minds think alike, Amigo!
 
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