▁the ▁late ▁ 1 8 5 0 s , ▁the ▁build ers ▁of ▁the ▁C airo ▁and ▁F ult on ▁Rail road ▁were ▁pushing ▁their ▁line ▁stead ily ▁across ▁Ark ansas . ▁By ▁ 1 8 7 4 , ▁they ▁had ▁crossed ▁the ▁Red ▁River ▁and ▁had ▁reached ▁the ▁Texas ▁state ▁line . ▁Between ▁February ▁ 1 6 ▁and ▁March ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 1 8 7 4 , ▁trains ▁ran ▁between ▁the ▁Texas ▁border ▁and ▁the ▁Red ▁River , ▁wh ence ▁passengers ▁and ▁fre ight ▁were ▁fer ried ▁to ▁F ult on ▁to ▁continue ▁by ▁rail . ▁The ▁Red ▁River ▁Bridge ▁opened ▁on ▁March ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 1 8 7 4 , ▁and ▁since ▁then , ▁trains ▁have ▁run ▁directly ▁from ▁Tex ark ana ▁to ▁St . ▁Louis . ▁ ▁Ke en ▁rival ry ▁existed ▁between ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 0 s ▁rail road ▁build ers . ▁The ▁Texas ▁and ▁Pacific ▁Rail road ▁reached ▁across ▁Texas ▁to ▁the ▁Ark ansas ▁state ▁line . ▁The ▁border ▁was ▁the ▁logical ▁place ▁for ▁the ▁different ▁rail ways ▁to ▁connect . ▁On ▁December ▁ 8 , ▁ 1 8 7 3 , ▁the ▁Texas ▁and ▁Pacific ▁sold ▁the ▁first ▁town ▁lots ▁for ▁the ▁future ▁city . ▁The ▁first ▁to ▁buy ▁was ▁J . ▁W . ▁Davis , ▁who ▁purchased ▁the ▁land ▁where ▁today ' s ▁Hotel ▁McC art ney ▁now ▁stands , ▁opposite ▁Union ▁Station . ▁ ▁Who ▁gave ▁Tex ark ana ▁its ▁name ▁is ▁not ▁known . ▁A ▁person ▁who ▁survey