At the fifty mile station, or near there, the town of Hempstead, has been laid off and lots are selling at a high rate.  This promises to be one of the best railroad towns in Texas.  From here the Brenham branch, which was chartered at the last Legislature, puts off.  This branch is already surveyed, and virtually under contract to Brenham. — From Brenham an extension is talked of to Austin.

Some ten miles above this, where the line of the road approaches nearest Washington, the Washington branch is in comtemplation.  This will be only four or five miles in length, and is designed to give the citizens of that flourishing town and country tributary to it an immediate connection with the road.

Near this same point the Anderson Branch is also projected.  This runs in an easterly direction to Anderson, Grimes county, and thence north-east to Huntsville.  When it reaches this point we are assured by the people of Houston, Anderson, and other counties north of Walker, that they are ready to carry it forward.

"Hempstead has been laid off.", The Weekly Telegraph (Houston, TX), Wednesday, February 4, 1857, p. 2, col. 3.

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