Include "MapBasic.def"

Declare Sub Main
Declare Sub ReadTextFileToArray(ByVal txtFilePath as String, myArray() as String)

Sub Main()
Dim myArray() as String    '// create an array to store the table paths
Dim tabName, tabPath, txtFile as String
Dim i as Integer

'// test file
txtFile = "List.txt"

'// Open file to merge to
Open Table "merged.tab" as merged

'// create your list of paths text file... then:

Call ReadTextFileToArray(txtFile, myArray) '// populate your array with the table paths from the text file

For i = 1 to UBound(myArray)
    If right$(myArray(i), 3) = "TAB" then   '// check that this is a tab file path
        tabPath = myArray(i)    '// get path from array
        Open table tabPath      '// open table
        tabName = TableInfo(0, TAB_INFO_NAME)   '// Get Table name
'       Alter table tabName(modify elev_text Char(4))   '// Perform function
		Insert Into merged ( COL1, COL2, COL3, COL4) Select COL1, COL2, COL3, COL4 From tabName DropIndex Auto
'        Pack table tabName  Graphic Data    '// pack table
    End if
Next    '// go to next element in array
Commit Table merged Interactive
End Sub

Sub ReadTextFileToArray(ByVal txtFilePath as String, myArray() as String)

Dim i as Integer

    i = 1

    Open file txtFilePath for input as #1   '// open text file for input (to read) as #1
    Do Until EOF(1)             '// do until the end of file #1 is reached
        Redim myArray(i)        '// resize array to i
        Input #1, myArray(i)    '// read value from text file
        i = i + 1               '// increment i
    Loop                        '// return to Do Until...

End Sub