Dallas to Houston High-Speed Rail Environmental Impact Statement: Harris County

Map of Harris County depicting the route of a proposed high-speed railroad connecting Dallas and Houston.
Date: 2014
Creator: Texas. Department of Transportation.
Object Type: Map
System: The Portal to Texas History
1978 Houston-Galveston and Texas Gulf Coast vertical-control surveys (open access)

1978 Houston-Galveston and Texas Gulf Coast vertical-control surveys

Comparisons between leveling surveys of different epochs are used to determine vertical displacement of permanent bench marks. Displacement of bench marks usually represents the movement of the surrounding area. In this report, the 1978 Houston-Galveston and Texas Gulf Coast releveling surveys are compared to the 1963, 1973, and 1976 releveling results. The changes in elevations of bench marks common to two or more epochs are tabulated and plotted in Appendix A. From these differences, contour maps were prepared for the 1963 to 1978 and 1973 to 1978 epochs in the 2/sup 0/ x 2/sup 0/ area of maximum subsidence. Annual subsidence rates computed for the 1973 to 1978 period are about 25% less in the maximum subsidence area than the rates computed for the 1963 to 1973 period.
Date: November 1, 1980
Creator: Balazs, E. I.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Observations of heavy energetic ions for upstream from comet Halley (open access)

Observations of heavy energetic ions for upstream from comet Halley

On March 25, 1986, the ICE spacecraft came within 28 x 10/sup 6/ km of the nucleus of comet Halley. For several days around this time, bursts of heavy ions were observed by the ICE energetic ion experiment. These bursts were observed only during periods when the solar wind velocity was considerably higher than its nominal value. We examine the characteristics of these ions, in particular their anisotropies. Using the well known formulae for transformation of distributions from the solar wind frame of reference to the spacecraft frame, we examine the angular distributions expected from either protons, or heavy ions from the water group, and show that the measurements are consistent with heavy ions, and not with protons. We discuss other sources of heavy ions and conclude that the most likely source of these ions is comet Halley. 9 refs., 5 figs.
Date: January 1, 1986
Creator: Sanderson, T. R.; Wenzel, K. P.; Daly, P. W.; Cowley, S. W. H.; Hynds, R. J.; Richardson, I. G. et al.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Attachment for Penholders. (open access)

Attachment for Penholders.

Patent for a simple and effective attachment for penholders. It is "readily and easily attached to a penholder, and which is adapted to protect the fingers of the hand and prevent them from coming in contact with the pen or with the inked portion of the holder" (lines 15-19).
Date: November 12, 1895
Creator: McDonald, Michael Shaw
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Apparatus for Heating up Locomotive-Boilers. (open access)

Apparatus for Heating up Locomotive-Boilers.

Patent for an "apparatus for kindling fires in locomotives; and it is intended to provide an improved apparatus by which the fires may be rapidly and economically kindled and steam may be gotten up without much of the tedious delay now ordinarily incident to raising steam in a cold locomotive-boiler." (Lines 13-19) Includes instructions and illustrations.
Date: January 21, 1896
Creator: Connor, John T.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Attachment for Bicycles. (open access)

Attachment for Bicycles.

Patent for a package-carrying device that attaches to the frame of a bicycle. Includes instructions and illustrations.
Date: June 29, 1897
Creator: Saunders, David Robert
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Safety-Razor. (open access)

Safety-Razor.

Patent for new and improved safety razor, which will be similar to an ordinary razor, and "can be used either in its safety form or in the ordinary manner" (lines 15-16) including instructions and illustrations.
Date: July 20, 1897
Creator: Bradley, Richard Sherman.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Baling Press. (open access)

Baling Press.

Patent for a new and improved baling-press. This design has for its object "to provide a press in which the material to be baled can be compressed into bales of the desired sizes, and then emptied from the baling-box by tilting up the tail-board, which is provided with angle irons to catch under the bale" (lines 15-20).
Date: August 7, 1888
Creator: Hoop, Friedrich W. J. & Isaac, Joseph
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cattle-Guard. (open access)

Cattle-Guard.

Patent for a simple and inexpensive cattle-guard that has comprising rollers which can be independently and easily replaced. The bars that hold the rollers can also be easily removed.
Date: January 30, 1894
Creator: Lefléve, Louis
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cattle-Guard for Railroads. (open access)

Cattle-Guard for Railroads.

Patent for a cattle-guard for railroads that is "a series of plates or slates mounted with the capability of partial or complete rotation on axes substantially parallel with the rails and between the said rails and on either side of the track so as to span the road bed or space between the ends of the fence" (lines 25-31). The plates have longitudinal flanges with serrated edges.When the cattle step on the guard, they will experience pain and avoid the spot.
Date: February 6, 1894
Creator: Lee, Jacob M.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Apparatus for Washing and Scrubbing Gas. (open access)

Apparatus for Washing and Scrubbing Gas.

Patent for a washer-scrubber that cleans gas from "tarry matter, ammonia, sulphureted hydrogen, carbonic acid and other impurities" (lines 14-16). The machine divides gas into streams, sprays it with washing liquor, spreads it over reticulated and perforated plates.
Date: March 7, 1893
Creator: Fitzgerald, John H.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Apparatus for Stamping Envelopes (open access)

Apparatus for Stamping Envelopes

Patent for "a means whereby with one motion a stamp will be supplied from the'apparatus, moistened, and placed in position upon a letter, wrapper, or parcel adapted to receive it, and wherein a number of stamps may be consecutively placed when and as desired" (lines 10-15).
Date: September 24, 1889
Creator: Helland, Hans & Matzow, Frantz
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Automatic Fan (open access)

Automatic Fan

Patent for mechanical improvements in "automatic fans intended especially for use on beds, whether in houses or in sleeping-cars" (lines 7-9).
Date: December 17, 1889
Creator: Comminge, Frank
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Air Compressor for Deep Well Pumps. (open access)

Air Compressor for Deep Well Pumps.

Patent for a new and improved air-compressor. This design "relates to improvements in air-compressing mechanism for the purpose of pumping for forcing from deep wells and performing similar work; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of a larger and smaller air-cylinder, and the combination therewith of mechanism to force the air from the larger into the smaller cylinder to increase the air-pressure in the latter" (lines 22-30).
Date: August 2, 1887
Creator: Adams, John R.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Apparatus for Making Soap. (open access)

Apparatus for Making Soap.

Patent for a new and improved soap-making machine. This design "consist[s] of grease and soda tanks, the latter tank having a diaphragm . . . a register-tank, pipes leading from said grease and soda tanks to said register-tank, a pivoted converter, a rotary shaft in said converter and blades, a shaft journaled in uprights attached to said converter and provided with a crank and a bevel wheel, the latter gearing with a bevel-wheel on said rotary shaft in the converter, and removable furnaces for said grease tank and converter" (lines 21-32).
Date: September 20, 1887
Creator: Grant, William A.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Baling Press. (open access)

Baling Press.

Patent for a new and improved baling press. This design "relates to certain improvements in portable and stationary baling-presses more especially designed for baling hay; and the invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts" (lines 6-10).
Date: December 16, 1884
Creator: Hampton, John Andrew
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Axle. (open access)

Axle.

Patent for improvement in axles by using a “combination of a bar, two skeins and means for holding the skeins in place upon the bar,” (lines 17-18) includes illustration.
Date: March 31, 1891
Creator: Stewart, John A.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Combined Satchel and Pillow. (open access)

Combined Satchel and Pillow.

Patent for a new and improved combined satchel and pillow. This design consists in "[t]he combination, with a valise or satchel, of an airbag permanently incorporated in the same to form one of the sides thereof, and having a mouthpiece upon the exterior of the valise, whereby the bag may be inflated without opening the valise" (lines 62-67).
Date: August 19, 1884
Creator: Kiam, Benjamin
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Combined Tent and Bed. (open access)

Combined Tent and Bed.

Patent for improvements in the construction of a combined folding bed and tent.
Date: June 19, 1883
Creator: Perez, Mitchel
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Bale Tie. (open access)

Bale Tie.

Patent for a new and improved bale tie. This design "consists of a short thin plate of metal having two tongues . . . fronting each other, said plate being pivoted at one end to the bale-hoop . . . the other end of the bale-hoop being passed under the tongues and drawn tightly around the bale, the expansion of the bale on the hoop causes the respective ends to pull on the respective ends of the tie-plate . . . so as to grip the edges of the end passed between the tongues and hold it firmly" (lines 7-19).
Date: July 24, 1883
Creator: Arnold, Abbott
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Spark-Arrester. (open access)

Spark-Arrester.

Patent for the "construction of a spark-arrester adapted to the smoke-stack of any locomotive" (lines 12-13) detailing a new and better combination and arrangement of plates and screens.
Date: February 10, 1880
Creator: Wiggin, John E.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Spark-Arrester. (open access)

Spark-Arrester.

Patent for concepts and designs used to improve performance of Spark-Arresters used in the smoke stacks of locomotives with illustrations and instructions.
Date: April 6, 1880
Creator: Wiggin, John E.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Car-Coupling. (open access)

Car-Coupling.

Patent for "construction and arrangement of arrow-shaped draw-heads and lever-bars adjustable upon rack-bars for the purpose of raising and lowering the draw-heads" (lines 16-20)including instructions and illustrations.
Date: April 20, 1880
Creator: Gray, John D.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Apparatus for Retailing Shot. (open access)

Apparatus for Retailing Shot.

Patent for a new and improved round dispenser. This design "consists in a receptacle or multiple bin the several compartments of which are provided with valves controlling exit-openings, whereby any desired quantity of shot, descending by gravity from the appropriate compartment, may be directed into the scale-pan of a scale without the necessity of lifting the receptacle or bin or any part of its contents" (lines 35-43).
Date: September 21, 1880
Creator: Stokes, Micajah
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History