ALsa Book GopyiigM}^?- COF/PJGHT DSPOSm A Complete and Comprehensive Description OF THE AGRICULTURAL AND STOCK RAISING RESOURCES OF THE TEXAS PANHANDLE COUNTRY, statistics in Regard to its Climate, J^tc. Compiled from the Latest Reports. Presented tuith the Complijnerits of ths Passenger ]3epartment, FOURTH EDITION. WOODWARD & TIEHNAN PRINTINS CO. ST. LOUIS. — T II E RESOURCES AND ATTRACTIONS The Texas Panhandle FOR THE Home Seeker, Capitalist and Tourist. FACTS ON CLIMATE, SOIL, FARMING, STOCK RAISING, DAIRYING, FRUIT GROWING, GAME AND FISH. VITH THE COMPLIMENTS OF THE PASSENGEK DEPARTMENT, FOURTH ilMlm EDITION. ST. LOUIS. Woodward & TIERNA^f rRiNTiNO Co., 309-319 North Third Street. 1893. A COMPLETE AND COMPREHENSIVE DESCRIPTION OF THE RESOURCES OF THE TEXAS PANHANDLE; ALSO STATISTICS IN REGARD TO ITS CLIMATE, ETC., COM- PILED FROM THE LATEST REPORTS OF 1892. Omaha, March 1893. Copyright, 1893, by E. L. LOMAX, General Passenger and Ticket Agent, Union Pacific System, Omaha, Neb. ^a°\\ ur<^ CONTENTS. General view of The Texas Panhaitole 7-8 Outline of Surrounding Country 8-10 Climate 10 Table Showing the Monthly and Annual Mean Temperature (in Degrees Fahr.) at Various Texas Stations 11 Rivers and Water-Courses 12-13 Timber Growth - - 13 The Soil 14 Remarks Upon The Panh^ 'jt»i^ Country Its Capabilities, Prospects, etc 15-33 Mild in Winter, Cool ii* Summer 17 High Elevation 17 Settling with Northern People 18 Climatic Comparisons 19 Water Supply, Rainfalls, Average Depth of Water, Springs. . . 21-23 Sheltering and Wintering of Stock 23-24 Government Lands 25 Cheap Homes 26 Wood and Fuel 27-28 Fodder 29-30 Experiments with Tree Growing 31-32 Resident Testimony 33-36 Fruit Culture 37 Stock Raising 37-38 Daikying 39 Lands and Land Laws 39 Prices of Lands 39 Public Lands 4X Unappropriated Public Lands 41 Homestead Donations 41 How to Acquire Lands 4^-45 i CONTENTS. Railways. Important Relation of the Denver, Texas & Ft. Worth R. R. to The Texas Panhandle 46 Shipment of Live Stock 46 Amount of Freight Forwarded and Received for Year Ending November 1, 1889 47 Educational Advantages 48-.55 Free Schools 48 Appropriations for Schools - 48 Sam Houston State Normal School 49 Prairie View State Normal School 49 Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas — Its Object and Present Policy 50 State University 53 Blind Asylum 54 Deaf and Dumb Asylum 55 Deaf, Dumb, and Blind Institute for Colored Youth 55 Asylums, Hospitals, etc. Lunatic Asylums ^6 North Texas Hospital for the Insane 56 Orphan Asylum 56 House of Correction and Reformatory 57 Minerals '. 57 The Panhandle by Counties 58 85 Tarrant County, City of Ft. Worth 58-60 Wise County, City of Decatur 61-62 Montague County 63 Clay County 64 Jack County, City of Wichita Falls 65 Wichita County 66-68 Archer County 69 Baylor County ". 70 Knox County 72 Wilbarger County, City of Vernon 73 Hardeman County? 78 Greer County 80 Childress County 81 Donley County 83 Wheeler County 84 Potter County 85 Hale County , 86 Crosby County 87 Oldham County 88 Unorganized Territory 90 Wealth and Progress , 90 CONTENTS. 5 Useful Information. Suffrage 91 Exemption from Taxation 92 Exemption from Forced Sale 92 Standard Weight of Farm Products 92 Legal Rate of Interest 93 Location of Colonies 93 Health and Pleasure 93 Hunting and Fishing 95 Wages and Cost of Living 97 Panhandle Towns g§ Through Texas. A series of interesting letters, giving a graphic picture of the Texas Panhandle 109-126 The Texas Panhandle. Texas is supposed to have derived its name from a small tribe of Indians oi the village Tehas, on the Nechee, signifying "friend." In 1680, LaSalle, che great French explorer, penetrated this immense southwestern country. On the part of the Spanish, Alonzo de Leon made the first attempt to settle Texas, and in 1691 a governor and troops were sent here by Spain. LaSalle called the country Louisiana, for Louis XIV. The Spaniards named it New Philippines, in honor of Philip V. San Antonio, the oldest European settlement in Texas, was founded in 1693 ; Goliad and Nacog- doches in 1717. The foundation of the Alamo was laid in 1744, and was denominated a mission. Prior to 1820 Texas was ruled by governors. In 1823, Stephen F. Aus- tin arrived with colonists, when the Mexican States of Coahuila and Texas constituted one government, with their capital at Saltillo, Complaints of failure by these to the Mexican government finally eventuated in the revo- lution of 1835. On March 2, 1836, Texas declared itself a free and inde- pendent government, adopting a constitution t>n the seventeenth of the same month. The first president was David G. Burnet. General Sam Hous- ton was made commander-in-chief of the Texan forces, and after terrible fights and struggles, the heroic band, only one-third in numbers of their enemies, gained the decisive battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836. Texas's annexation to the United States took place in 1845. The State seceded from the Union February 1, 1861. In 1870 it was re-admitted. No attempt will be made in the succeeding pages of this pamphlet to give a description of the imperial State of Texas as a whole — that mighty empire which covers 252,514 square miles of territory. But a few statistics may prove interesting— a few figures to show the extent and greatness of this majestic domain. There are in the State two hundred organized and forty-five unorganized counties-. The population in 1880 was 1,591,740; in 1890 it is 2,235,523. The cotton crop of 1889 amounted to 1,573,406 bales valued at $64,688,795 ; there were 15,1^0,592 head of live stock valued at $91,402,184 ; there w^ere 3,056 establishments, which gave a manufactured product of $40,321,026. There are 8,387 miles of railways in the State, em- ploying 27,644 men ; $2,205,000 were expended for education, and 12,000 teacher's are employed, and there are 565,672 children in the public schools. Texas has $700,000,000 worth of taxable wealth. Texas is the largest State in the Union, being six times larger than New York, seven times as large as Ohio, and 100,000 square miles larger than all 8 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. of the eastern and middle States, including Delaware and Maryland. Com- pared to the countries of Europe, it has 34,000 square miles more than the Austrian Empire, 63,000 more than the German Empire, and nearly 70,000 square miles more than France. The topography, like many other charac- teristics of the State, is but little understood, except in a general way. The country lying east of the 96th degree of longitude, and north of the 30th parallel of latitude, and known as " East Texas," is characterized by a long range of hills running in an irregular line from northeast to southwest, and containing large deposits of brown hematite iron ore. It is also marked by a heavy growth of timber, consisting principally of forests of pine, oak, and hickory. The Gulf Coast is thus described by Prof. Loughridge, of the United States Census Bureau: "The coast of Texas presents features different from those of any other State; for while in many other States the mainland coast is greatly cut up into large bays, extending many miles inland, it is here bordered by an almost continuous chain of islands and peninsulas (the latter having the same trend as the islands). The Gulf border of this chain is a very regular line southwest from the mouth of the Sabine River (or Lake) to near Corpus Christi, which occupies the highest point on the entire coast, and thence turns with a regular curve south and slightly southeast to Mexico." The territory east of the timber region and north of the Gulf Coast, as above outlined, is a vast open plain composed of gently rolling prairies- and gradual elevations. It is covered with a luxuriant growth of native grasses, and dotted by an occasional mott of timber, and extends to the Red River on the north and the mountain ranges of the west and northwest. The water-courses and ravines are usually fringed with a growth of hackberry, ash, elm, Cottonwood, pecan, walnut, and the various oaks. West and northwest lie the hills and mountain ranges of the State, which are continuations southward of the mountains of Mexico, New Mex- ico, and Colorado. In the extreme northwest, bordering Kansas on the south and New Mexico on the west, is the elevated table land formerly known as the Llano Estacado or Staked Plains. It is now designated as THE PANHANDLE OP TEXAS, Destined to be the best agricultural and stock-raising section of the State, and it is of this new and splendid region we shall attempt to treat. The Llano Estacado is an immense high plain. It is related that " the Fathers," in 1734, en route from Santa F6, visiting San Saba, set up "stakes-" with buffalo heads so that others might follow the trail, and hence the name "Staked Plains." This division embraces 75,000 square miles, or thirty- five per cent of the State's entire area. f _ AN OUTLINE OF THE COUNTRY. The country from Denver south to the summit of the Raton Range, a distance of 264 miles, is entirely in the State of Colorado, and the lands are in character very much alike, being high and rolling, except in the valleys THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 9 of the Arkansas and its tributaries. The valley of the Arkansas, being low and warm, is consequently too dry to produce crops without irrigation, but there is plenty of water for all such purposes, which may be utilized. On both of the divides — the Arkansas divide, between Denver and Colorado Springs, and the northern slope of the Raton Range — the country is suflBciently high to have a rainfall which will produce, without fall, good crops of rye, bar- ley, oats, and potatoes, and which will average, in the country mentioned, as high as any in the United States. Both of these divides are natural grass regions. Here the alfalfa flourishes; millet and sorghum make excellent fodder crops, and these sec- tions have already developed into excellent dairy regions. There are still Government lands on both of these divides, to be entered as homesteads by actual settlers. From the summit of Raton Range, which is the line between Colorado and New Mexico, the road runs through Northeastern New Mexico. The soil of this section is a black loam, and those who have seen the wheat lands of Oregon and Washington say that it is the only anal- ogous soil they have ever seen. Agricultural experiments in this vicinity have been somewhat meager, but those that have been made proved success- ful beyond anticipation. At the Texas State line we enter the Panhandle of Texas and run diag- onally in a southeasterly direction entirely through it, leaving the Panhandle in Childress county. This extensive region is a vast, undulating prairie, except w^iere it is broken by the Canadian River, which funs from west to east entirely through it; and it is as rich in soil as Illinois, and more fertile in promise than Kansas. Very little farming has been done in the upper Pan- handle, but there has been enough to justify the belief that it will be the great wheat-producing section of the United States, not surpassed if equaled by Oregon, Washington, or Dakota. The average altitude being some four thousand feet above the sea, makes it a country of extreme heathfulness. Consumption and kindred diseases do not originate here. It is above the zone of yellow fever, and malaria is unknown. It is destined to become the home of a healthy, hardy race of people, and that which is true of the human race applies equally as well to the health of all domestic animals. The nights are always cool, and the summers are thus more endurable here than in the northern States, while the winters, on the other hand, on account of its southern latitude, are mild, and there is no month of the winter In which the farmer may not follow his avocation without hindrance. The average rainfall in this section, as shown by the meteorological tables kept at Fort Elliott for the last eight years, has been 27.8 inches annually. From the upper Panhandle the precipitation Increases slightly as you approach the Gulf, until the average reaches some thirty inches annually at Dallas and Fort Worth. As twenty-four inches annual rainfall is considered all that is necessary, it will be seen that there is an abundance of rain all the way from Raton Range to the Gulf. From Childress county to Clay, the country has been improved for a few years, and it has been abundantly demonstrated to be a country producing large crops of wheat, oats, barley, sorghum, corn, Milo-maize, Egyptian corn, 10 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. alfalfa, Johnson grass, Bermuda grass, potatoes, sweet potatoes, root crops and vegetables generally. The altitude of this section is somewhat lower than the Panhandle proper, and is therefore slightly warmer; but the climate-is as inviting as the soil is rich and fertile. The surface of this portion of the country resembles the upper section in its general aspects, but is more undulating. Every variety of tree that has been planted, and every variety of fruit, including • apples, pears, plums, and grapes, are doing well. The wild grape aiid the wild plum flourish everywhere, and bear enormous crops. The next and lower section, from Clay county to Fort Worth, has been settled long enough to have thoroughly demonstrated its capacity as a grain, cotton, and fruit growing region. While the wheat crop in this section may not be as heavy as in the two sections above spoken of, the corn crop is large, equaling in acre-production that of Missouri and Kansas. The cotton of this region is equal in quality to any of the older States, and the average crop is larger than nearly all of them. This whole country will shortly be, without doubt, one of the finest fruit-growing regions, particularly for the culture of the peach and the grape, that there is in the whole United States. This country is partially divided into prairie and timber. The famous "cross-timbers" or " burr-oak openings " run through it from north to south. The people going into this portion of Texas are of the most intelligent and thrifty people in the United States. They are equal to the average in their aspirations and desire for a high state of civilization. Churches and school-houses are springing up everywhere, and are keeping pace with the rapid development of the country. Texas has the largest school fund of any State of the Union. Half of her lands have been set apart and devoted to educational and charitable purposes. In finance, Texas is pre-eminently in a prosperous condition. She has no public debt, and a large surplus of money in the treasury, a special session of the legislature having been called to disburse the money in an overflowing treasury. CLIMATOLOGY AND HEALTH. It will be seen that the elevation of this table land at once precludes the possibility of germ diseases. Consumption, fevers, malaria, and the like cannot originate at this altitude. Texas has variety in her climate as well as other things. A very lai'ge portion of the State is swept by the Gulf breezes, which dispense life to vegetation and health to the inhabitants wherever they reach. The long summers characteristic of this latitude are by them rendered not only endurable but enjoyable. So marked is the influence of the Gulf winds on the climate of the State that the average temperature along the Gulf coast and for many miles inland is much lower during the summer months than it is in the higher latitudes of the north. The same influence neutralizes the cold, and makes the winters of the southern and southwestern part of the State the mildest and most delightful of any State in the Union. Reports of the United States Signal Service show the mean temperature at different points as follows: — TCHE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 11 •83BI9AB ni papnio "I^nnuv •aoqraaDeo: •aoqraaAOM •jaqajoo •laqmajdag ■:>snSnv ■•^ 00 1-1 , TO ■* «« CO CO Co CO ?o t— CO ?o CO lo ao sj o in oo i-^ ro coco^ocot* lococo CO coco =ogo^ ojeoo oeo m QOOin lOiOCDi-t-Q CO-^l-- eOi-iCJOi35 9CC0C0 t- t- t- t^ t- t- CO I- CO L* l- COCOt-» IN-hOO CO oi IN cj O CO o 00000000 000000 QOCOOO T-ICOO 00O0?T}i-r-) t-O-H g'c^'co -r-iT-tos 0500050^-* ■^'-^r:! 0000 0000 1- t-t-i:-i.-00 I- GOOD cot- CO in 3ijcoco .-(■"iiiN OOOOOO 000000 005-* 0050* in CO o o uj OCJ5 0J t-^OOTjJ 00-00 00 t~ 00 t- t- 00 CO in 05 01 ojo ' (N-^in oo"oq6 00 00 00 00 I- 00 t- C00505 ocococot— oooo c<)oo OGoooin cocoo t- a 00 00 t- 00 t- 00 t- t- 00 INOt-; coco^ •^lOOO •-< U T| t-t-t- t-t-t-t 00 CO in COIN t-^ CO CO 00 05 05 00 05 CO T) in in in ^SS oooqo i-iojci eootoinco (NC0t)i^ Oco 2 S a> o bo--, 1-1 "O i-i o - bO nt-'o 5 rlO 12 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. The prevailing wind throughout the entire State is the south wind from the Gulf. The " norther " constitutes an important feature of Texas climate, but one by no means fraught with such portentous meaning as people abroad have been taught to believeby sensational writers, who thrive on extremes of every kind. The Texas norther is nothing more than what is elsewhere called a cold north wind. The long, unobstructed sweep across the prairies from the plains of the northwest heightens its velocity and increases the suddenness of its approach, and* these are about the only features that distinguish it from a cold wave from the north in other States. These winds are classed as "wet" and " dry " northers, according as they may be accompanied by rain or sleet, or come without either. The wet norther is the kind from which damage to vegetation and live stock is most feared. The duration of a wet norther is usually about 34 hours. Dry northers last from 48 hours to a week. The wind usually reaches its greatest velocity within 24 hours, and then gradu- ally subsides until the end, when it veers again to the south. The dry northers drive away all miasmatic poison, and are considered a very health- ful influence. Away from the bottom lands along the streams and low places sub- ject to periodical overflows, there is absolutely no cause for sickness, and there is no reason why the State should not become a health resort as well as a refuge for people seeking to escape the rigors of winter in the more north- ern latitudes. West and Southwest Texas have long since been recognized by some of the leading physicians of the United States as possessing a cli- mate the equal if not the superior of any in the world for persons with a tendency to or suffering from any pulmonary affections. Children born in this Panhandle region are strong and sturdy, and the diseases incident to childhood never assume a malignant form. Endemic and epidemic diseases are almost unknown. There are no low, swampy lands here, malaria cannot exist, and fever and ague have no foothold. Consump- tion, that "dread disease which medicine never cured, riches never warded off, nor poverty could boast exemption fi'om," which is the scourge and terror of New England and all other moist climates, is here either cured or so modified as to prolong life for many years. The dryness, purity, and antiseptic properties of the air have a tendency to counteract and reduce the excessive mucous collections, while its rarefaction makes necessary more frequent and deeper respirations, thus causing a wholesome expansion of the lungs. The bright, warm days are conducive to a cheerful and hope- ful feeling, which is a great aid in overcoming the disease, while the cool nights are productive of sound, invigorating sleep. These influences are no less effective in rheumatism, asthma, bronchitis, liver-complaint, dyspep- sia, and many other diseases. RIVERS AND WATER-COURSES. The Canadian River flows through the Panhandle country, as well as the Palo Duro, a fork of the Red River, the latter forming the boundary line between Texas and the Indian Territory and Arkansas. It has its source in the Panhandle country, and flows eastward through Arkansas and THE TEXAS PANHANDLE, , 13 Louisiana, emptying into the Mississippi, and draining about 29,000 square miles in Texas. The Big and Little Wichita are its principal Texas tribu- taries, and both are Panhandle streams. Trinity River has its source in Archer and Denton counties, the two forks converging in Dallas county. The streams of Northern Texas are pure clear water suitable for domestic purposes, and they usually abound in fine fish. Occasionally a deceptive stream is met with. The water is inviting to the eye, but it has become strongly impregnated with minerals, and is brackish to the taste and unfit for use. In any part of these Staked Plains water may be found of fine quality and in any quantity from 10 to 30 feet below the surface. This pure limestone water can be reached with unfailing certainty in the Panhandle country. [The reader will find a more particular detail of streams under the description of counties.] ^ TIMBER GROWTH. The area of timber in Texas is much greater than is generally supposed by persons not familiar with the country. By many people outside of the State it is regarded as a vast " treeless " plain; but this, like many other opin- ions of the State formed at a distance, is wide of the mark. In the prairie region the bottoms along the streams and ravines are skirted with timber, and in most places there is that kappy admixture of praiiie and timber land that so delights the heart of the farmer. Besides this, Eastern and South- eastern Texas is covered with a dense forest of fine timber, embracing nearly every variety grown in the South. The "Cross Timbers" is the name given to two irregular belts of timber varying in width and entering the State on the Red River on the north and running in a southerly direction across the prairie region. The "Lower Cross Timbers" run from a point on Red River north of Gainesville, in Cooke county, south to the Brazos River, in McLennan county, a distance of about 135 miles, and has an average width of from 10 to 15 miles, interspersed at irregular intervals with small prairies. The "Upper Cross Timbers" leave Red River at a point farther west, passing south through Montague county, at the lower, edge of which it divides, the eastern portion passing south through Wise and Parker counties to the Brazos River, the western veering farther west and extending south into Erath county. The timber growth of the Cross Timbers is principally post and black- jack oaks. On the streams and lowlands ash, hackberry, pecan, and cotton- wood trees are found. On the gray sand hills in Eastern Texas the timber growth is mainly scrubby post and blackjack oaks. On the black sandy land the timber is generally of the same kind but of more perfect growth. The red lands are covered with hickory, red and post oaks, with a few sweet and black gum and elm trees interspersed. Short-leaved pine, Interspersed with hickory and the various oaks, is found from Bowie county on the Red River south along the eastern edge of the State, finally merging into the long-leaved pine region. The area of 14 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. the pineries, both long and short-leaved, is estimated at 25,000,000 acres, capable of producing 64,587,430,000 feet of merchantable lumber. Along the streams, especially the larger ones, walnut and ash timber is abundant. In the southern part of the State near the Gulf, and west bordering on the plains, the live oak is a prominent growth. It is found singly or in clumps on the prairies and in the edges of the bottoms. The mesquite is a tree found more generally in the Panhandle than any other. It is a common growth on the prairies. A prairie with a growth of mesquite six or eight years old resembles a peach orchard very much in appearance. The mesquite is a small scrubby tree, and produces a bean similar in size and appearance to the common corn-field bean. It is very nutritious and highly prized as a food for horses aoid cattle. It has spread rapidly over the pi-airies within the last few years, and now furnishes fire-wood in many localities where a few years ago there was not a stick of any kind of fuel to be found. Cedar of stunted growth also forms a large part of the timber north and west of the Colorado River, and is usually found on the sides and apexes of the hills and mountains. The pecan tree, which produces the delicious pecan nut, is found on nearly all the streams, but more abundantly in Southern and Western Texas, where there are numerous pecan groves in the valleys and on the uplands. Gathering and marketing the pecan crop forms no inconsiderable adjunct to the industries of that sefetion. The pecan crop of 1887 was estimated at 9,000,000 pounds, valued at $540,000. West of the 100th meridian the timber growth is very limited, being al- most exclusively confined to the ravines and water-ways until the outlying ridges of the Eocky Mountains are reached. THE SOIL. Texas justly lays claim to a greater variety and richness of soil than almost any other State in the Union. The black waxy, black sandy, black pebbly, hog wallow, gray sandy, red sandy, sandy loam, and alluvial soils, are each to be found in the State, the majority of them in greater or less quantities in each Action. About the best svidence of the richness and fer- tility of these various soils that can be offered, is the fact that commercial fertilizers, now so common in the older States, and constituting as much a fixed charge on the agricultural interests of those sections as the seed necessary to plant the ground, are not used at all in Texas. Another fact worthy of mention in this connection is that there are thousands of acres in cultivation in this State that have been cultivated continuously for more than thirty years which now yield as much per acre as they did when first planted. The principal soils of Texas are the black waxy, black sandy, and alluvial lands of the river bottoms. The soil of the Panhandle country possesses probably more lasting qual- ities than that of any other section af the State. It is a chocolate-colored loam, underlaid with sulphate of lime (gypsum) and the common grade of limestone. This loam, resting upon such a basis for the renewal of its THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 15 nutritive qualities, is practically indestructible — it will not wear owt for centuries to come. ^ PANHANDLE AGRICULTURE. The future greatness of the Panhandle region as a wheat-producing dis- trict is well assured by the record of production for the past few years. The crop returns have been simply wonderful. In the detail of counties, which will be found elsewhere, statistics of the yield are presented, show- ing the peculiar adaptability of this altitude to raising heavy crops of wheat. We will for a time deal with some personal phases of ^farming here, showing the reader what has been done in this section, and present a series of reports from farmers now engaged in raising' crops. One of Iowa's shrewdest observers, the Hon. James Wilson, himself a practical farmer of thirty years' experience in the " Hawkeye" State, recently made a thorouglf examination of the entire Panhandle country. The result of his observa- tions are given carefully, thoughtfully, impartially. His report contains so much common sense and such strongly conservative ^timates that it is given herewith nearly entire. Mr. Wilson says: — "Thirty-three years of work in Iowa suggested a play-spell, — not exactly sick, nor ailing altogether, but tired a little. Can't go on incessantly, as of yore; and while our State /sposes under her white coverlet, I thought it well to run down below the snow Une and look at things. I may tell Iowa folks of agriculture and its advantages and drawbacks in sunnier States without danger of provoking jealousy. Iowa is secure in the intelligence of her people. With their religion, their morality, their thrift, and the excel- lence of their soil, they are happy in the advanced position she occupies among States in all respects; but one may speak of what he sees in other lands with an assurance of complacency among the Hawkeyes. I will look out of a farmer's eyes, and tell what I see pertaining to the different departments of the farm. It may be well for us to know of the leverages other people move things with, and the disabilities they work under. I started south, resolved to get out of snow if I had to go as far as the Gulf of Mexico. "I MIGHT HAVE GONE TO FLORIDA OR CALIFORNIA, And might have loaded up with oranges and apricots, but my taste is not that way. Besides, when a man goes fishing, he does not want a dozen land agents bothering and meddling with his bait, and deafening him about tak- ing an option on thousand-dollar-an-acre land, on which to raise pomegran- ates or lie in wait till a greener tenderfoot happens along to take a further option at fifteen hundred dollars an acre, twelve per cent interest, secured by bill of sale or otherwise. That's all well enough for people ^ho feel that way. " Furthermore, I could see little that I have not heard of or read about. Down here it is different. Iowa competes with this locality in meats, grains, horses, and other things. Between Kansas on the north, the Mis- sissippi River on the east, the Gulf of Mexico on the south, and the Rocky 16 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. Mountains on the west, is an empire — if I may use the terra — that I know little of, but which looks like our prairies, and which is doing the bulk oi the railroad building of the nation at present, preparing to enter the domain of interstate and international commerce entirely indepen^nt of the com- mercial systems to which we in Iowa are tributary, Questions that agitate northern people relative to hauling freight over the Alleghanies this local- ity' will not be interested in. The gulf and the sea will stand to it in the same relations that Chicago stands to Iowa. Distributing points will be at tide-water where competition may operate. ' I came to"find a genial climate, "SIXTY DEGREES IN THE SHADE IN JANUARY, And have reached it. Overcoats and overshoes, double mittens, and wrap- jJers for the throat, are of no use here. A winter resort in idleness is not best. There is much to learn in new agricultural countries, and vigor is as likely to come in pursuit of facts 'as otherwise. A territory lies to the northwest of Fortf Worth, known as the Panhandle, of which so many wonderful things are said that one is curious to verify them. Twenty-eight counties, thirty miles square, south of latitude 37, and west of the Indian Territory, a land of deep soil held at from $2 to $3 an acre, rising gradually to 5,000 feet above the level of the sea. Railroads are heading for it. The Denver, Texas & Fort Worth Division of the great Union Pacific System is completed through it, and others are surveying routes to this last great scope of cheap land. I will look into it. "THE PANHANDLE COUNTRY. "There is a sentiment that possesses one in seeing for the first time a part of our country never visited before: it is part of the United States, — of our country, — of my country. Every soul one meets may be a stranger, but they speak our common language. Much is common to us all. The fliag floats on some building, the names on the cars connect the extremes of our land, — Atlantic, Pacific, Chicago, Kansas City, Des Moines, Denver, Fort Worth. There's the telegraph, speak with home. There's the postofSce, U. S. A., write home. If you want the best hotel, ask the commercial traveler — he knows, and he is everywhere. Every part of our domain is fast assuming position in the great whole — one country, one people, one destiny. The man who neither reads nor travels has not taken full possession of his birthright. The man who reads but does not travel, can only speculate con- cerning the grandeur of his possessions in joint sovereignty. The American who travels abroad before he is familiar with his own country, must be about as interesting to foreigners as a child that gets lost and cannot tell where it strayed from. There is little to be seen abroad that is not excelled at home, except Lowell's ' old castles,' monuments of ruthless times. Every year our great missionary, the railroad, is adding to commercial America empires of great interest, particularly in the Southwest, that waited till the upper parallels of latitude were laid with steel and graced with civilization. Now its turn has come. It got much of the 12,000 miles of new road last THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 17 year, and will get more next year. An interesting country, now accessible, Is ihe Panhandle of Texas. From what I hear, it is just the place for a farmer to resort in winter. It takes a clever man to absorb half of our development. "MILD IN WINTER, COOL IN SUMMER. ," The unique features of the Panhandle country that make it inviting to northern men are its low latitude, which secures mild weather in winter, and its high altitude, which assures cool weather in summer. Where the Denver, Texas & Fort Worth Division of the Union Pacific System — known as the Panhandle Route — enters it near its northwest corner, it is 4,700 feet above the level of the sea. The country descends gradually to Fort Worth, elevated only 614 feet, a distance of 450 miles south. "The south line of the section of country known as the Panhandle is not arbitrarily located; but if we take the southwest corner of the Indian Terri- tory as the southwesfboundary, — and there is no good reason for it, as the land is very much the same for a long distance south, — we find the southern elevation is from 1,800 to 2,000 feet above tide-water. Spirit Lake, Iowa, is the highest point in our State — some 1,700 feet — and that is several hundred fegt lower than the southernmost part of this winter resort of mine. If I remember correctly, Des Moines is less than 1,000 feet elevation, as is most of the State of Iowa. The Mississippi River at Davenport and the Missouri at Council Bluffs are little if any more elevated than Fort Worth, while Fort Worth is in latitude 33° and Des Moines is in latitude 43°. "THE HIGH ELEVATION. "The center of the Panhandle has over 2,000 feet higher elevation than the center of Iowa. This is what makes this region entirely different from the old Texas We have been reading about. It is entirely above the range of the fever region of the coast. There is nothing to produce malaria in man or beast. Cattle driven or shipped north from it do not give the splenetic fever to others. So well is this understood, that Colorado and JJew Mexico do not quarantine against it, but to the south of it draw the line from below which cattle must not be taken. "A COUNTRY OF GRASS AND BEEF. "Here the cheap beef is raised that afflicts northern growers under con- ditions of which I am ignorant. Here grain-raising is only pursued in an indifferent manner, and yet the aggregates look ominous. I thought I would look into things a little, and take notes, and see whether we up north can safely rest secure in the advantages we have, of more thrift, if we are more thrifty; of better culture, if we cultivate better; and see how far we are ahead of the different departments of the farm, if we are ahead. 18 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE "ANOTHER IOWA IN THE SOUTH. " This new country is as little settled as Western Iowa was thirty years ago. A strip twenty-four miles wide separates it from Kansas, known as ♦No Man's Land,' because it happened to be left out of all territorial or State jurisdiction. The face of the country is as fair as Grundy county, Iowa. What its agricultural possibilities are, I intend to investigate and inquire into. If it has plenty of water, will grow grains and fodders, trees and shrubs, there are natural advantages here that can only be competed with by northern farmers with the most approved methods of agriculture. Very little straight farming Is being done yet. The ranchman and long- horned steer have possession, together with the pioneer who follows the hunter, and the farmer who is just coming. Railroads have preceded the grain-grower instead of following him. Society consists of the villager and the cow-boy, with here and there a farmer who is making experiments. People talk about the town and the ranch. The papers speak of cattle, stock, ranches, and cows. Singularly, you hear nobody talk politics, nor do the papers discuss them. "SETTLING WITH NORTHERN PEOPLE. " Four-flfths of the. people in Fort Worth and north of it are northern men. All the States are sending people here. The cotton-growers from Georgia and other Gulf States are seeking the Panhandle to grow grain, with a hope of attaining some day to the ownership of good cattle and horses. "There are problems to be settled with regard to rainfall and the time of it, heat and cold, times of sowing and reaping, grains suitable and other- wise, that wait for intelligent minds to think out. The long-horned steer, with from ten to twenty acres of land devoted to him. makes in three to five years what a prime Iowa yearling will. Land stays below two dollars an acre holding up such steers. The active American is challenging the right of the long-horned steer to such a soil and climate as the Panhandle, with such returns. The northern farmer who builds sheds and barns, and grows fodder and grain, and imports the best the Old World has to improve with, is looking over the situation. The poor steer, as he travels long dis- tances to natural springs and back again to his mesquite grass, looks with suspicion at tanks being dug and wind-mills going up, and teams plowing; but his day is waning. "One thing I have settled now; that is, the existence, for certain, of the famed Panhandle appetite. Ham, beef, or pork, sir ? — Both, please. Which way will you have your potatoes? — By the pock. Tea or coflfee? — Coffee first. Apple pie, peach pie, mince pie, sir ? — Some of all kinds, please. Home oranges or apples, sir ? — Both. How will you have your oysters, did you say?— The raw first, then the fried, afterward the stewed. Keep bringing till you reach the tooth-picks. " Of my investigations into the practical things of water-supply, rainfall, and grain-growing possibilities, I will report in the several letters I shall write hereafter This country is a revelation to me, and I must tell the *mE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 19 people of Iowa about H in detail. Those who are looking for homes in a wanner climate, affording cheap lands, shoald investigate this region." CLIMATIC COMPARISONS. "The movement westward of population since 1860 has been principally north of the fortieth parallel. Railroad building, the building of towns, and the development of the Mississippi Valley has been principally in the Northwest, which has a climate varying little from that of the Eastern and Middle States. European Immigration has been mostly diverted w^estward on the upper parallels, and with congenial experience, as it came generally from the latitudes of Europe having similar customs. The conditions of human and animal life in latitudes where snow lies In winter have become second nature to people of the Northwestern States. Expensive provisions for winter for man and beast, strong food, abundant fuel and warm clothing for the former, and warm barns, grains and fodders for the latter, are con- sidered matters of course. The profits of labor in summer by families are largely consumea in winter in keeping out the cold; and the best senti- ments of our nature find free course in helping to feed, clothe, and warm our unfortunate fellows. The farmer has nice calculations to make in our upper latitudes regarding what it will pay to winter over. Some farmers feed half of the year; the most provident do not escape feeding a third of the year, when winters are unusually mild. " The opening up of the Southwest Is bringing Into convenient reac& sections where farming will be conducted under "MUCH MORE FAVORABLE CONDITIONS, Both as regards providing for the family and as regards the carrying over of stock. The Panhandle of Texas Is one of those localities that is now open to settlers. Farming operations are carried on there, or can be, simi- lar to much of Europe. Plowing goes on nearly all winter, as in most of Europe. Land is prepared for crops at much less expense, and it can be done in better shape than in the upper latitudes, where the soil freezes in early November, and stays frozen till April. " Everything must be done up north in a hurry. Man and beast on the farm must strain to the utmost to get in crops in season, care for them in season while growing, and harvest them in season, — all in the short summer months. Really we have but two seasons, summer and winter. "COLD AND WARM CLIMATES. " It is claimed, of course, that the man who lives in the cold climate of the North is the man for vigor, and the man who lives in climates having mild winters, loses force. Let us inquire into this. England, Scotland, Ireland, and much of Germany have winters so mild that farming opera- tions, such as gathering roots, sowing grains, plowing and harrowing, are carried on during the winter months. The people of these countries have as much vigor as is found among people of colder latitudes. We cannot 20 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. reason that northern men will lose their force should they go far enough south to find mild winters, provided they do not encounter too hot sum- mers. Location according to latitude does not altogether determine the climatic conditions of the country. The British Isles lie between 50 and 60 degrees of north latitude, more than 10 degrees higher than Iowa; but the ocean currents keep these islands warm. "THE PANHANDLE COUNTRY Is below 37 degrees, and is cool in summer because of its high altitude.- This no doubt applies to many other localities being opened up by rail- roads, but I can only speak of what I have seen. Industrial operations are practicable in the locality f. speak of, that are not possible farther north. Nor is it a mere corner that is presented to civilization by the Denver, Texas & Fort Worth Division of the Union Pacific System, where a few lucky farmers can till with light expense and plant crops at both ends of the year. It is a scope of country nearly as large as Iowa, within the State of Texas, much of the Indian Territory and New Mexico that I saw personally, and how much more I do not know. Northern men admit slowly the force of such happy combinations for farming operations even when they see them, and inquire for compensating drawbacks, the conditions are so different from those that circumscribe the northern farmer. The best results in stock-growing, in grain-raising, in dairying, in root culture, and in grazing have been found in countries that have open winters and mild summers. Good results in six months of frozen ground and four months of snow come in defiance of the conditions, and through unceasing energy. We must estimate the coming force of the competition of those southwestern States that "PLOW IN JANUARY AND SOW IN FEBRUARY, And harvest in May and June, that can grow fodders after August, where cattle would not prefer sheds one day in ten if they had them. I noticed a striking illustration of the ease with which stocJk is well wintered near the north line of Texas. The method is suggestive to us. A lot of late September calves had an open shed. They were fed cane fodder — our northern sorghum grown so thickly that the stalks were as fine as pipe stems. The little fellows were in as good condition as our calves that get some grain and all the good hay they want every day. They grazed on the mesquite grass also. That is making cheap beef. The mild weather made the fodder and grass ample. A large per cent of the feed was not required to shingle the calves against extreme cold. " DAIRYING Is not carried on extensively here at this time. A cow-boy will rope a cow, another will milk hei* — for coffee. But dairying can be conducted under the conditions that produce the finest goods in the favored districts of Europe. The dairy cow to be successful must be kept warm. She does her best with roots and vegetables, that require mild winters to enable the THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 21 operator to handle them with profit. The ranchmen will never turn dairy- men; but as competition in production demands economy, industries will gradually discover where they are most at home. Winter resorts here and yonder will be discovered where invalids can breathe easier, and live longer, where town lots and orchards bound the horizon. I am writing of the coming competition of the ' LOWER LATITUDES WITH THE UPPER, Where sunshine excuses the snow-dri/t; where the European-born farmer will find constitutions similar to those he was born amidst; [where coming millions below the thirty-seventh parallel in winter sunshine will produce for the same market the farm crops that are now manipulated in the colder latitudes of the north; where fuel is as abundaiit and convenient, but not half so much needed, as in the northern States; where winter rains and suns carry on the crops toward maturity before the hottest months of summer come to injure the growth farther north. A certain per cent of our poeple ean go to tropical latitudes to grow fruits. The millions will grow staple farm products. The first inquiry ever present is concerning something to eat. The farm is the natural place for the family, and Iowa people who will go south for a warmer climate can get homes in the Panhandle, where con- ditions for growing what it pays the farmer to raise are favorable." THE WATER SUPPLY "The question of 'how to get water' has become a leading one in all prairie countries in consequence of the drouth of the last two years. It has become evident that shallow wells will not furnish water in all seasons, and that the lower water levels must be reached so that the stock that find pasturage on a given amount of land may get water without the loss of flesh that follows long drives. No outlay of the farm has disappointed so much as that put in wells that have not been permanent. We have not knowledge that has become general concerning what is beneath us; consequently we have dug, tored, and piped, and tubod for water, each after his own ideas based on guesswork. There are few farmers who have not lost hundreds of dollars in sinking for water that are a dead loss. Exact information will come from experiments and publication of them. " The Panhandle country is similar to Icwa as far as water is concerned. While cattle in an open country have access to running water, they can only go three or four miles to drink, and thrive. I inquired into the water prob- lem of many men. but got little information to the point until I met Mr. George Findley, the agent of the Capital Cattle Company, an organization that owns 3,000,000 acres and 120,000 cattle, and has observed the necessity of putting water within the easy reach of all their animals Their ranch extends 200 miles north and south along the borders of New Mexico, and incloses part of what is seen on the map as the ' Staked Plains.' The Com- pany have bored and dug and made dams. They stop at 300 feet in boring, and have only failed in three instances in getting water at that depth while s!j the texa^ panhandle establishing'Tbighty wells The average depth of these wells is 132 feet, and • THE AVERAGE DEPTH OF WATER IS 35 FEET- " All of these wells supply 500 cattle each in the driest times, and many ' of them supply 1,000 head, which is considered as many as can find grass ' conveniently. Two of those wells on the Staked Plains flow without arti- ficial power to raise the water; the water is raised by wind-mills in tho 'Others, Tanks of 15,000 gallons capacity hold water to serve over calms, ^and cisterns of from 50,000 to 100,000 gallons are being constructed. They i have 20 dug wells not deeper than 30 feet, that have sufficient water to sup'^ ply the minimum of 500 cattle. They erect dams across the bottom of small ^amphitheaters to hold rain and spring water, a plan that is common in iSouthern Iowa. It is done simply by plowing and scraping up an embank- inent with three feet slope to one of rise on the inside, and two to one on the outside. After a season or two it becomes entirely water tight. Where sand or gravel is present, a trench is firs+ dug and filled with surface soil tramped tight. Many of these wells are in what has been known as the ' no- watei country' on the Staked Plains. Its grasses were not valuable until the welk were made, as stock could not graze in summer and go to the large streams to drink; but now it is as valuable as any similar soil in the Pan- handle. The water in all but five of those wells is good for man's use, and the five furnish water that agrees well with stock, while it is brackish to the human taste. I can see a remedy in all this for droughts. This country has an average of 253>^ Inches of rainfall. Some crops would need irriga- ting in extreme seasons. The dam and cistern and wind-mill would and will help over the extremity, as water would only be needed to eke out the natural rainfall in dry seasons. To what extent it is practical to irrigate crops by pumping, I do not yet kSow. "RAINFALL. " The rainfall in the Panhandle, as reported by the United States Signal Station in Wheeler county. Fort Elliott, from 1880 to .1887, inclusive, is as follows: In 1880, 16.79 inches; 1881, 16.16; 1882, 24.76; 1883, 28:31; 1884, -33.91; 1885, 37.05; 1«86, 21.65; and in 1887, 26.14,— an average of 25.58 inches. " THE AVERAGE RAINFALL "^Of this country is sufficient to mature crops on most of its soils, provided it comes at the right time. No country that depends on clouds for moisture is positively certain of this. In northern latitudes there is but one series of months in which to grow crops — from frost to frost; here there are two seasons. The questions to be determined in future will be the time of plant- ing, so as to take advantage of heat and moisture. Experiments are being made now by a few careful men, and success has been reached at both ends of the year, with different crops. People here have not yet learned that thorough culture takes the place of rainfall, or rather prepares the soil to *^extract moisture, as corn-growers in the north have discovered. First-class THE TEXAS PANHANDLE 23 farmers more and more defy the weather. The Panhandle has but few farmers of any kind, but some of the few are good ones One is struck with the small comparative expense necessary to winter stock here. There was a ' norther ' here in January, when the thermometer fell to zero and below in some places for a day or two; at the same time it was 30° below in Iowa. ■'SPRINGS. "The 'plains 'are the high table-lands covered generally with a deep chocolate-colored soil. The sources of the Red and Arkansas rivers are in the plains. Wherever the headwaters of those rivers have made valleys, springs come out, and until the advent of the spade and auger, stock found water at the rivers and creeks and springs that flowed from the great reser- voirs in the plains. There is plenty of water in the Panhandle. It does not come to the surface every few miles. The divides must be dug or bored for water before small farms can exist, but such is the condition since the drouths of 1886-7, all the way from Iowa to the Gulf of Mexico. The divides between the streams are dry on and near th6 surface in the State where the drouth operated. Iowa towns are at present boring artesian wells of great depth. Only the ranchmen in the Panhandle can afford the expense. " I have traveled already several hundred miles over this region and find that water can be frequently found in springs, or in shallow dug wells, and nearly always in bored wells of 100 feet. The water on some of the great divides, found in depressions that have no outlet — similar to the Wright county ponds, only on a much larger scale — is brackish, and they are called alkali lakes. Stock do well on it, and the people evidently do not suffer from the spring water and dug wells, as they seem rugged and healthy. "STOCK WITHOUT SHELTER Suffered here, but there was no need of it. A section is fenced with wire. There may be a ' break ' or ravine, and there may be none. Since I came here there has been no need of any protection. Stock graze on the natural grasses. If too many are in the pasture, they get poor. If not, they are as sleek as our Iowa cattle that get hay or shock fodder. If they only live till spring the operation is considered a success. They could be fattened, as many kinds of forage will grow well; but that has not been thought of. The grass in summer will fatten them if too many are not put on it, and there is not much difference between the long-horned range cattle and the unimproved Iowa cattle. Nor is there much difference in the prices for which they sell If the herd masters here should take it into their heads to provide shelter against the northers and rainy days, grow cane, and corn, and millet, to fatten with, and buy improved bulls to grade up with, the grower of the unimproved cattle in northern States would be surely driven to the wall. There is nothing to hinder the Panhandle people from grading up their horses, also 24 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. "IT SELDOM SNOWS, And horses can graze the year round. I have heard of stock farms that have imported draught horses, but the people have not used them anywhere I have traveled. The northern settler will, however, have improved horses, and I cannot imagine more favorable conditions of soil and climate to breed them The wild horse is here yet that has bred and reproduced him- self for centuries ' Better care and better food are all that is required to make him larger, Usage would malie him more gentle, but there is no necessity of beginning with him. 'All the Panhandle country is from two to three hundred miles nearer .the tide-water than Chicago is Practically the same freight rates obtain from New Orleans and Galveston as from New York and other eastern ports to European markets. The Gulf ports will reach New York on as favorable terms as the middle States The activity of Chicago reaches here for busi- ness. Lower cost of transportation from the Gulf coast will surely invite freight and capital and enterprise to handle it. The deepening of the passes at New Orleans made that city the second exporting point for grains in the nation, because grains could be moved more cheaply that way. Just as soon as the people of this part of the country insist loudly enough upon having a harbor on the coast that will admit the ocean-going steamer, they will get it. At present they are contending over points of location. " WINTERING STOCK. "The Iowa farmer's heaviest disability in raising stock is between grass ^ and grass — in the winter time. Where grass is eaten as fast as it grows, fodders must be furnished half the year Where fields are preserved dur- ing the summer so that stock can graze till sno\f falls and after it melts, the foddering season is shortened three and a half or four months in ordinary winters. Ev«n this is no small expense in stock-raising. A majority of stbck in Iowa grow none in winter. They weigh no more in spring than in the fall In considering the probable competition with us In stock-raising of the locality I have been describing; I observe that no fodders are fed, except in rare instances; but that does not argue that a better class of farmers will not manage differently. Cattle in the Panhan- dle evidently make no gain in winter; nay. more, they evidently lose much that they gain in summer. The best grass Iowa has for winter grazing is the Kentucky blue grass. I cannot hear of its having been tried in Texas anywhere. • It is very evident, however, that the native grasses would, if preserved, answer the same purpose in the Panhandle that the blue grass serves in Iowa The ranches are never over-stocked, at least, most of them. Where the buffalo grass has not been eaten, that furnishes fair grazing, not enough to fatten stock but to give them a fodder equivalent. I doubt if an acre of buffalo grass, preserved from pasturage, on the best lands, would equal an acre of blue grass; but stock can always get at it, and this is a great leverage they have in wintering stock down here, or rather, up here. Snow very rarely lies more than a day or two If we had the same conditions in Iowa, we could winter much cheaper. Some ranchmen THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 25 from the north are trying to finish their cattle with cane, and big stories are told. A Mr. Louiax, an Iowa man, fed a 680-pound half short-horn yearling on his ranch twenty pounds of cut sugar-cane a day for thirty days, and had a gain of fifty pounds. They are beginning to feed cotton-seed cake, which costs about the same as our flax-seed cake; the results are about the same with the latter as with the former. The British people buy the bulk of both kinds of cake made in the United States, so it will not much disturb beef values if the Southerner feeds his at home to the native steers. I am only speaking of possibilities, however. I know how slowly farmers get out of old ruts. What could be done here with mild winters, breezy summers, rich soil, and cheap lands, is quite a different thing f x'om what is likely to be done immediately." GOVERNMENT LANDS. •'The cheap, good lands of the United States that can be farmed with- out irrigation or fertilizing are becoming scarce. There are lands north of the corn belt that are good, but frosts often interfere with the raising of even small grains. Life is more of a struggle, and the past winter admon- ishes that severe penalties come to those who venture too far north. Hardy, Venturesorrfl people, however, will settle on those lands eventually, and learn by experience how to wrest a living from them. The new Southwest, coming into commercial relations with the world, offers the last cheap, good lands under genial skies on the continent. The Territories, and all the States except Texas, offer Government land under the various federal laws that apply to squatting, pre-empting, and homesteading of different kinds of land in varying quantities. Texas controls her own lands. The even- numbered sections are devoted to schools, making a more than liberal en- dowment. The State has disposed of her other lands. Three years' actual residence is required of purchasers, after which they can pay up and get title, at the rate of two dollars an acre for land not touching living water, and three dollars an acre for land that does. As much as 640 acres can be taken this way. A small payment is required at settlement of the land, and then forty years' time, at five per cent, is given if desired. All through the large ranches the settler on his section of land may be seen. "The ranchman must pay four cents an acre to the school fund, as rent, for all enclosed lands. The lease is at an end whenever a settler desires to purchase. In the southern part of the Panhandle, where population has become dense enough to require schools, and school sections are taken up to some extent, the funds are ample now to support the schools. It does not require a lively imagination to see what will be the result when all these alternate sections are taken up. Such a school fund will be provided, with reasonable care, that no taxes whatever need be levied upon the people to support schools, and what a relief it will be to an industrial community! Iowa people notice that about half their taxes are for school purposes. Just as fast as growing neighborhoods cause land to rise, the State will no doubt raise the valuation on the adjacent school lands, so that not only will the 26 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. different funds be provided for, but books may be provided, if it be not feared that it would enter the domain of too much coddling. It will be but a short time till people will discover this rare "OPPORTUNITY TO SECURE CHEAP HOMES On good farming land. The Panhandle was as inaccessible as Alaska till the Denver, Texas & Fort Worth Division of the Union Pacific System opened it up. A few ranchmen had bought up the lands that were for sale at very low rates by the State. Means more or less questionable were used some- times to get possession of school lands. The ranchman did not want settlers; of course it was too far from market to grow crops, 200 miles in many cases, so the country remained as Nature left it. All this is now changed, or rapidly changing. People who want good land from the eastern Gulf States, who have ruined their farms by growing cotton, or who find no profit in paying for fertilizers, are looking over the Panhandle. People from the low-lying river and coast districts, with bad livers, are seeking the high, healthy uplands of the Panhandle. People from the Northwest who have reached middle life, and suffer from severe winters, and do not want to bother with tOAVn lots in boomed localities, or meddle with fruit-growing, are looking over this new locality, and are generallyTiharmed with it. Heads ot families in the north who want more acres, so as to keep the young people about them, have heard of the low prices, and open winters, convenient seaports, and wide range of crops, from peanuts to winter wheat, and are looking the country over. A few years will settle up the Panhandle of Texas. "A MINGLING OF CROPS. " It has often been asked, 'What would have been the future of the New England States if the Pilgrims had first settled in the Mississippi Valley?' I suppose the shallower soils of New England would have waited till the deeper soils of the great river were occupied. The question now presents itself in kindred shape regarding lower latitudes where wheat and other cereals will grow well, and animal life develop well. Much of the very finest land on the continent within those latitudes has not been accessible, and much of it is not now. What we have all read about the desirableness of Oklahoma, within Indian Territory, applies equally id the Panhandle country and much of adjacent New Mexico and Southerfi Colorado. They all lie within the same latitude, but the Indian Territor* Is barred to white men by federal statutes assigning It to the aborigines, and \Yant of railroads has heretofore barred farmers from the territory on the west. " It Is interesting to see the grouping of the crops in this latitude, planted by men from different States of the Union. The Georgians and Mississippians and settlers from Alabama plant cotton, peanuts, and peaches. The Kentuckian plants tobacco. The settler from Louisiana plants ribboned sugar-cane and sweet potatoes. Northern settlers plant winter wheat, rye, oats, barley, millet, northern potatoes, beets, cabbage, THE TEXAvS PANHANDLE. r-r corn, apples and the like. The man from Upper Colorado sows alfalfa,, and talks of irrigating his garden, and does it, and gets such returns a.* Iowa 'people would only believe if they saw them. Extremes meet, the^ upper and the lower latitudes mingle crops and customs. Sententious, expressions result: ' We - can grow anything.' Enterprising breeders, are there with horses, cattle, sheep, and hogs from all the approved' breeders of Europe and Ainerica. I saw a pair of fine Berkshires in the Ritoo Blanco cailon fifty miles from a postolfice. I saw Polled Angus, Hereford and Short-Horns at Buffalo Spriijgs (managed by Mr. Farwell, a Powesheik man), 80 miles from Tascosa, the nearest postoffice. People up here want to improve the ' she cattle ' as they term them, and the conten- tion is quite as lively as in the northwest regarding favorite breeds.. " I might say incidentally, that "THE PANHANDLE HOG Is a natural concern. He has an old-fashioned face with a -nam toUy His neck has not been bred away. He has real, sure-enough legs, and only dies when he can't help it. I have two-thirds of a notion to bring some off them back to lowft. There is no hog cholera here. The hog is troubledl with nothing but appetite. When I saw him I remembered the experience; of a Pennsylvania breeder of Chester Whites who took a litter to a Norths Carolina State fair to sell. An adjacent pen of ' natives ' sold readily, while nobody asked the price of his. He inquired into the cause and was toLdi that nobody wanted a hog that a negro could run down. " There are few newspapers to the square league up that-a-way. Peo- ple from all over the Union meet and fraternize. SectioAal questions will' not be called up to disturb if interested parties wanting votes for something, will let them alone. The development of'the country is the all-engrossing, subject at present. Northern men are very much wanted because of their' knowledge of grain and stock-farming. At Fort Worth, a town of 30,000i people, northern men are elected to ofSce as mayor and aldermen in their fitness for the positions. If anybody thinks that Fort Worth people are; slow coaches, he will b5 mistaken if he acts on the belief in a business way.. Everybody seems conscious that the country will develop rapidly and values enhance as rapidly, and the hope of gain quickens the gait of the people. "As to the continuance of the ranchman, who owns much of the lands in the Panhandle, he cannot keep these lands for raising low-priced cattle after the settler offers him more per acre than the long-horned steer will pay interest on. They ask from .fl.50 to 13.00 an acre, bodies of land from 4,000 to 100,000 acr'fes being offered at these prices. Colonies could buy out ranchman and cattle together, or they could get the State school lands outside of the ranch fences, or inside of them. Settlers with the power of taxation understand the methods necessary to get rid of speculators in land, although the maximum levy is fixed by the State for all purposes at present. "FUEL AND WOOD. "Southwestern Texas is heavily wooded. The long-leafed or hard resinous pine abounds. It is used for nearly all the purpose? there for 38 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. which the soft pine of the North is used in the Northwest. It is quite cheap at the forests, as are most of the woods in the new Southwest. ' Bois (TArc (Osage orange) is the post timber down here. It is greatly preferred to red cedar, and is said to be practically indestructible. I observed a peculiar supply of firewood. The Canadian River drains the woody heights of New Mexico and Colorado. During freshets it brings down large quantities of trees, which it strews along its banks as the waters subside. Everywhere on the stream you will see the trees lying. Settlers go twenty miles and haul them out for fuel and other farm purposes. Very little firewood is needed, even in January, except to cook with, although a fire in the open fire-places of the adobe buildings is pleasant in the evening. Before the advent of the Denver, Texas & Fort Worth Division of the Union Pacific System, the Canadian Eiver banks were the source of supply for fuel on the upper reaches of the stream. Cottonwood groves are found on the river bottoms occasionally; even in Northern Texas, and occasionally other trees, giving evidence that trees woi^ld grow if they were planted, and prairie fires were kept out. Some streams have consid- erable wood upon them, but the Panhandle is a prairie country; and while I have no doubt that it will grow trees, as all prairie countries will, yet convenient timber for farm purposes in most instances is not to be had. It can be had inside of the State, which, in these days of dual jurisdiction in transportation matters, is a point worth noticing. Texas can control nearly all the transportation necessary to her people, independent of Inter- state Commerce. As near as I could learn, building lumber was selling in the upper Panhandle at about the same prices Iowa people pay at their railroad stations.- The farmers of a prairie country can, and many do, grow their own fuel. But many will not, and the distance to the coal fields is one of interest. Coal has not been found in the Panhandle that I could hear of. It lies immediately northeast, in Kansas, from which State a railroad now runs up to connect near the center of tire Panhandle with the Denver railroad. Coal in great abund9,nce will also enter it from Trinidad, on the northwest; so that for' all purposes to which coal can be put, it is practically as convenient as if within Texan borders. "The fuel question for this latitude is not to be compared in expense with snow-covered countries. Cold winds do extend down here, but their force is much lessened, and their continuance comparatively short. The great wood-piles and crammed coal-houses necessary to existence in north- ern latitudes are not needed here. People who dress in thin cotton clothing and live in tents, or houses built for summer convenience, get cold and suffer from it. Stock that have not enough to eat, and for a home only the shelter of a wire fence, suffer when the north wind blows, and die sometimes of low vitality. Climate will not take the place of woolens and beefsteak with a man, nor will it answer for fodder with a horse or cow; but northern clothing needs the help of but little artificial heat for man, and plenty of food would enable animals to weather any storm without anything further. "The primitive buildings made by the Mexicans were of sun-dried bricks, called ' adobe.' Open fire-places were all that were necessary for THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 29 heating purposes. The settlers now going on to lands build according to their means. The most modest dwellings seen are simply cellars roofed over, with windows in the end. Families with very little capital can make a beginning. In early days in Iowa we got sod corn from the new prairies, and settlers in the Northwest lately have sown flax on the newly broken prairies. Wheat is sown on the newly broken prairie in the Panhandle, and something immediate is gotten to tide over with. This is not farming; but one can only admire the grit that attacks fortune this way; and no doubt the poor settler thus addressing himself to Mother Earth for shelter and food, is grateful for the blessings he receives. Some very grand Americans were raised in a similar manner. In old times it was the log house. In Dakota, it is the sod house. In Texas, it is the semi-cellar, because there are but few trees to make log houses, the sod is too mellow to make sod houses, and so the courageous settler does the next best thing. Seven years ago Mr. A. T. Boger, of Vernon, began this way. 1 saw the old house. Last year he took the premium at the State fair for the best farm exhibit. His family now live in a nice frame building. He- is a supervisor or commissioner now of his county. His people henor him. I honor him. " Adobe buildings are comparatively expensive, and it requires the help of an expert to erect them. When any one is prepared now to go to the expense of an adobe building, the frame structure is preferred. So that style is going out of vogue. "There is a singular body of timber south of the Panhandle known as the 'Cross Timbers of Texasf It extends across the State from south to north. It is ten to twelve miles wide, and is similar to our burr oak, where I saw it, and is suitable for fence posts It will supply a world of fencing material to the new settlers, as the Denver and Fort Worth road runs through it. The soil seems sandy in the ' Cross .Timbers ' but, sure enough, the fellow who was raised in a ' timbered country ' is there, grubbing out the trees. I suppose the train would not stop to have these fools chased out, so they are there yet." FODDER. ■ "The future of the Panhandle country depends upon its ability to fur- nish fodder, among other things. The wild grasses that now sustain 1,500 head of cattle summer and winter, sometimes in an excellent, sometimes in an indifferent,, way, would continue to do so in the future; but it is scarcely worth one's while to inquire into that. The soil is capable of sustaining a dense population, provided nothing prevents it from yielding sustenance for man and beast. To what extent " IT WILL YIELD Timothy, the clovers, or other cultivated grasses that flourish in latitudes farther north, has not been demonstrated. Within a year or two some trials have been made that have not been very successful. Whether the trials were fair, and so timed as to give the crops the advantage of the best 30 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. months, is not known, as nobody yet knows what months are the best. It is not surprising that grass seeds sown in April or May of 1887, in Texas, should turn out a poor stand, as they almost utterly failed under like conditions in more northern States, where they are considered at home. It is interesting to note that the expedients to which Iowa farmers were compelled to resort during 1886 and 188 7, when fodders were scarce, have been adopted by peo- ple in the Panhandle as their most reliable and regular fodders. Sorghum and millet grow vigorously in all counties I have visited, from the latitude of Southern Kansas to that of Fort Worth. The high altitude and low lati- tude of this locality present a combination of conditions peculiar to itself. Between 23 degrees and 37 degrees there is a long season of growing warm weather after mid-summer, when fodder crops can be sown, grown, matured, and harve&ted; and at altitudes ranging from 1,000 to 5,000 feet the weather is comparatively moderate in which to work. Sorghum is said by all with whom I have talked to be a sure crop in a time of low average rainfall. I have examined the crop in different localities, and find that it is in excellent condition for fodder. Two hundred tons were grown on fifty acres on Buffalo Springs fai-m, within a mile of the neutTal land strip, or No Man's Land, at an elevation of over 4,700 feet above the level of the sea. Similar reports come from all (fver the Panhandle. It is planted in rows» like fodder corn, quite thickly, so as to secure a fine stalk. It is cut and bunched and cared so as to prevent souring, adding a little to the bunch as the curing process goes on. All kinds of animals eat the fodder eagerly, seed and butt, and thrive well upon it. If Northern Texas had no other fodder resource, this alone would enable the farmer on limited territory to provide for stock during the short winter and during a drouth in summer. I do not think that either Iowa or Texas farmers give this plant the atten- tion it deserves in seasons like the two past. It would help every steer on the ranges, no matter how wide his pasture. It would be a great help to the range calf during his first winter, to cows coming in, and to colts, and will no doubt come into general use. "SOME OTHER FODDERS. "Millet is also grown as a fall crop. Eighty tons grew on fifty acres on the farm where the sorghum I have spoken of was planted. It will make a crop if sown in the last days of August, as frosts rarely come before November, and are not heavy at any time as northern men understand frosts. However, the season for millet is over, of course, when frost stops its growth. Fall rains sufficient to sprout the seed regularly occur, I am told, and the best evidence of that is the presence of the millet. It has been tried as a spring crop with good results. It has not been irrigated, nor in- deed tried in any way generally but as a fall crop; but as such it gives great promise of ability to help change the Panhandle from a ranch country to a farming country. " Alfalfa grows vigorously in this region. Three crops were cut in the sea- son of 1887 without irrigation. The first trial was with the land in condition as it happened to be during the drouth of that year, and forty tons were cut THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 3i from thirty acres. The stand was too thin, evidently, but alfalfa seems to take a vigorous hold on the soil. It sends down its roots deep in the soil, and is evidently at home. " This same farm had thirty acres of oats that for some reason were a very light crop. Only eight tons were cut. The land, its condition, the time of sowing, or the kind of oats, or something, was wrong. The fodder was very good, however, what there was of it. Seventy acres of corn-fodder were planted in rows, from which 210 tons were cut. When it was in tassel it was cut for fear the prevailing drouth would injure it. "A farm in Huckley county, 200 miles from the north line of the State, reported "SIX HUNDRED BUSHELS OF CORN FROM TWENTY ACRES; In 1887, twenty-five tons of millet from thirty-five acres; one hundred tons of sorghum from fifty acres; eight acres of rice corn grew 216 bushels. " The above farming was done by ranchmen, in spells when they could leave ranch work. The stock were first in estimation and farming operations second. Some of the tools were good, and some were middling. Nobody had any experience with crops, and few ranchmen can be induced to plant anything. "There is farm after farm in Iowa conducted with all the experience that a quarter of a century of familiarity with soil and season has given, that did no better in 1887 than the foregoing showing. One needs to be careful in speaking of a new country, incidentallyj and the safest report is one con- sisting of facts. It is new to me to see cattle on a thousand hills live the year round on grass that never entirely loses its nourishing virtues, on soil that seems, from all that I can learn and observe, to be equal — much of it — to Iowa soil, in a climate that is as delightful in January as Iowa weather in June, where the growing season is long owing to its low latitude, and cool in summer owing to its high altitude; and I naturally inquire whether the conditions necessary to comfortable life are so favorable that men desiring homes in milder climates at cheap rates can live by cultivating small areas, and the requirements of a farm include fodders among other things. I think the Panhandle will grow them. I inquired concerning "EXPERIMENTS WITH TREE-GROWING. "The country here looks as Iowa looked thirty years ago, excepting the Iowa grove and the timber belts that skirted the streams. I asked for information respecting tree-planting of fifty men before I could hear of one attempt. The Buffalo Springs farm people have experimented with catal- pas, box elder, gray ash, black locust, alanthus, soft maples and black cherry. All have done well in the nursery except the black cherry, which utterly failed for some unknown reason, and the soft maple, which only did indifferently well. "The region is comparatively treeless, and it will be of the first interest to it to have tree-growing thoroughly tried. I have no doubt whatever that 33 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. trees of many kinds will thrive well here. The two years' growth of those mentioned promises very well indeed. Last year they all made two-feet growths, and are living to the extreme buds. They will be planted out in place as soon as land can be prepared for them on the average uplands, and will determine for coming settlers what can be done in this direction. There is no question about the farmer's succeeding here — and that, too without irri- gation — who can go to the expense of boring for water or making cisterns, or who can get control of one of the springs or localities where water can be reached within a few feet, and there are many such. " Water for stock is the prime consideration on the table-lands; and yet I think it will cost Iowa farmers as much to get water on the divides for large herds as it will in the Panhandle of Texas. The country has plenty of water at distances ranging all the way from ten to three hundred feet. No systematic efforts that I could hear of have been made to get flowing wells in northern counties. One near the line of New Mexico was sunk 1,100 feet; the water rose to within forty feet of the surface, and was rising as the boring went down, when the drill broke, and nobody here knows a way to get it out. "ABOUT GRASSES. "There are two southern grasses that deserve attention — the Bermuda and the Johnson. The Bermuda is said to occupy the same place in grazing economy in the South that blue grass has in the Northwestern States. It requires rich land to make hay, but the Johnson grass is the hay plant of low latitudes, as near as I can ascertain. It is said to be hard to kill when once it takes root, and on that account many speak of it with aversion. It sells at Fort Worth for twelve dollars a ton at present, and it is said to pro- duce so much to the acre, and can be cut so often in one season, that I hes- itate to give the stories. One thing I am sure of, if I were farming in the Panhandle I would devote a field to it. Hogs are said to live to some ex- tent on its roots. It ripens in the fall like a grain crop and is not a winter grazing crop. The farmer who successfully farms in low latitudes must study what nature attempts to grow, and improve upon that. Deep-rooting plants are nature's favorites here. The alfalfa goes down deep and has a large root. I believe the large red clover would also do well, but surface- rooting plants would have to contend with too much heat and too little moisture at times ; consequently I doubt if blue grass and white clover would succeed except on favoring locations. The southern farmer must find grasses to recuperate with. Until he determines what will improve upon the native grasses, he should be good to them and make the best of them. "Millions of acres have been ruined in the Gulf States by perpetual cot- ton-growing, just as wheat culture impoverished the northern valleys from the Geneseo to the Missouri. Graziers seeded them down and put on the cow, the sheep and the mare, and the land kindly returned to good heart and smiled again. The southern farmer is passing through a transition state. A consideration of the cotton-grower is foreign to this series of top- ics. He is moving westward, leaving barren fields behind him. THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 33 "THE TEXAS CATTLE MEN In the Panhandle are making beef under different circumstances from what existed a few years ago. Then they had free and abundant range. Now they pay rent to the State for their school lands. Heavier stocking has made it more difficult to pasture, and required fences to include great pastures, and wells to furnish water. The ranchmen are not excused from herding, although barbed wire fences have been erected. Men on ponies must ride the fences every day. The cattle break them often. These things make beef-raising on the ranch more expensive than formerly, while the beef brings far less, owing to the crisis through which the ranch is passing. The farmer is taking the place of the ranchman gradually. Long-horned steers may be tolerated where land has scarcely a value, but when it rises a very little in value, the Long-Horn will not pay interest. I think it would be luckless for this new country If exclusive grain-raisers should settle it. There are considerable portions that are only suitable for grazing — sandy stretches, gravelly sections, and the vicinity of rivers and creeks. The rich black, red, and brown levels that comprise a major part of the Panhandle country are a permanent soil. JAMES WlLSO^ff, ''Tama County, Iowa." RESIDENT TESTIMONY. Hon. J. D. Murdock of Clarendon says: " I own a farm seven miles from Clax'endon. Oats sown in February made 40 to 45 bushels per acre; millet sown in April produced 2)4 tons per acre; sorghum planted in May produced 6 to 8 tons of fodder per acre. Sorghum ripens well. I have raised 30 bushels of seed per aci'e. Milo-maize grows 11 feet high, and yields 25 bushels of grain per acre, which is equal to Indian corn for fattening horses, hogs, or chickens. Drilled in rows 4 feet apart, a peck of seed to the acre planted in July, Milo-maize made me 8 tons of fodder per acre, equal for feeding to the best of hay. Egyptian corn yields 20 bushels to the acre, planted May 1st. Sweet potatoes make a large crop, specimens weighing from 5 to 73^ pounds each. Onions, pumpkins, squash, melons, cucumbei'S, peas, beans, and beets grow a large crop." S. Morris, living in Wheeler county, near Fort Elliott, in the Panhandle, and about fifty miles north of Clarendon, says: "We raise 40 to 50 bushels to the acre. Never measured my sweet potatoes, but the yield is large, and size large, averaging 3 pounds each. Have made two crops of sorghum fodder in a year, cutting 3 tons each time. We have pea.ch and plum trees old enough to bear, and yield well; apples and pears are growing well, but not old enough to bear yet. Irish potatoes make about 150 bushels to the acre, and are ripe about July 1st. I have fed and fattened cattle on sor- ghum, and think the feeding iwid fattening of cattle will play out grazing, as more profitable." Mr. Graves, of Epworth, Hale county, came from Albany, N. Y., five years ago. He purchased a piece of prairie land, and put a portion of it under cultivation. His net cash profit, from the 40 acres he broke, after includ- U TfiE TEXAS PANHANDLE. ing his living expenses for his family, in the shape of food, fuel, etc., was , for the first year, $475; the second year's crop, under similar conditions as to living expenses, with 65 acres under the plow, netted him $980; the third year, with 50 acres under cultivation, netted him $1,500; while for the present year, with 50 acres under cultivation, he has fair promise of ah equal return for his labor. Mr. Graves states that the soil was easily worked after being broken the first time, and that there could be no ques- tion about the great richness and value of the lands in the Panhandle for agricultural purposes. In 1882, Mr. A. T. Boger went to Wilbarger county, within six miles of where Vernon now stands, with a span of mules, a wagon, his wife, two babies, and $150 in money, and commenced life in a dugout. In 1887, with his own labor, except extra help in harvest and threshing time, he raised 500 bushels of wheat, averaging 33 bushels per acre; 3,500 bushels of oats, averaging 60 bushels to the acre; 1,700 bushels of corn, from 35 acres; 20 tons of millet, {rom 11 acres, and 115 bushels of sweet potatoes. Besides this, he had hogs,- chickens, butter, and vegetables to use and sell. In the year 1885, which was a very fruitful year, he had a better crop still. He has now a good house of five rooms, a barn, outbuildings, a well, 800 acres under fence, a good young orchard, and owes no man anything. In 1888, Mr. Boger, with the labor of a boy sixteen years old, raised 10,000 bushels of grain, the wheat averaging 35 bushels per acre, the oats 85 bushels, and the corn 35 bushels. This is the greatest amount of grain ever produced in one season, by two pair of hands, upon the face of the earth. All this happened in the great Panhandle country ! Mr. Boger is a native of Northern Georgia, and is not afraid to work. William Dick, Newport, Clay county, raised 240 bushels of peanuts per acre. W. C. Wilson in the same neighborhood raised 500 bushels of sweet potatoes and 400 bushels of Irish potatoes to the acre. C. C. Horn, Esq., resides two and a half miles from Wichita Falls, Wichita county, Texas, and is sixty-three years old. He cultivated sod ground with the following result: 14 acres of corn, 480 bushels; 75 acres of wheat, 1,500 bushels; 42 acres of oats, 2,500 bushels; 3 acres of sorghum, 8 tons; ^ acre Egyptian corn, 25 bushels; 1 acre of rye, 15 bushels; on X acre of melons he had thousands. He had two horses and hired help to the amount of $57.50. J. Q. Morrison, Wichita Falls, states that he has examined the crops raised by Mr. Horn and estimates the yield of wheat at 25 bushels and oats at 75 bushels per acre. H.J. Stanley, residing one mile south of Harrold, Wilbarger county, Texas, purchased 640 acres in July, 1887. Qe planted 100 acres in wheat, which yi^ed 2,100 bushels; 100 acres in oats, 5,500 bushels; 55 acres in millet and sorghum, 600 bushels of millet and 40 tons of hay; 60 acres of corn, about 1,500 bushels. He had the help of two men . He reports the amount realized as follows: Wheat, $1,380: oats, $1,375; millet seed, $450; hay, $400; corn, $750; sorghum, $150; total from sod ground, $4,505. THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 35 McArthur Bros., six miles southwest of Vernon, hiave 750 bushels of wheat from 25 acres, and 2,860 bushels of oats from 25 acres. Columbus Waller, residing three miles from Wichita Falls, raised on 93 acres of sod laud, 2,737 bushels of wheat — 29^ bushels per acre. J. Miller, residing near Doan's postoffice, Wilbarger county, raised 35 bushels of wheat per acre. The oats crop of A. T. Bayner, same place, ran 50 bushels to the acre. The average for wheat has been 21 bushels, oats 30 bushels, millet 2 tons, sorghum 4 tons per acre. M. J. McDonald, four miles from Quanah, Hardeman county, raised 2,825 bushels of wheat on 100 acres — 28J^ bushels to the acre; and 3,450 bushels of oats on 75 acres — 46 bushels to the acre. J. S. Harper, living five miles east of Quanah, raised 24)^ bushels of wheat per acre on 40 acres. W. J. Good & Son report IIX tons Johnson grass per acre. James Killigrew, 26 bushels of wheat per acre. Rev. W. D. Wear, 24^ bushels of wheat per acre. William Hunter, 26 bushels of wheat per acre. In 1888 Wilbarger was the frontier wheat county; in 1889-90 it is Harde- man; next year it will be Childress county; and so the wheat belt is moving on toward the northwest. The expense and profit of opening up 160 acres of land in the center of this wheat belt, have been figured out as follows: Good average land costs per acre, f6.00; breaking same, $2.00; seed-wheat, $1.00; putting in, $1.00; cutting and threshing, $2.00; marketing-, $1.00. Total cost of land and crop for first year, $13.00 per acre. Average wheat crop, 25 bushels; average price received this year (1889), 80 cents. Results of first year, $20.00 per acre, leaving net earnings, covering the cost of the land, $4.00 per acre. The following later reports from farmers show the crop results in Wichita County : J. Reed, living three miles north of Wichita Palls, made 902 bushels off from 28 acres of land, — an average of 32 bushels per acre. J. G. Hai'din (from Crockett county, Tenn.), whose farm is ten miles from Wichita Falls, made an average of 27 bushels per acre. M. Dodson (from White county, Tenn.), who lives ten miles from Wichita Falls, made 32 bushels and 3 pecks per acre. S. P. Hawkins (from Crockett county, Tenn.), whose farm is on Red River, ten miles from Wichita Falls, had in 44 acres, and harvested 1,350 bushels, making an average of 29 bushels per acre. F. W. Longbine (from Missouri), also of Red River Valley, made 25 bushels per acre on 30 acres of land. E. Rexford (from Illinois), living nine miles from Wichita Falls, garnered 1,128 bushels off 40 acres, making an average of 28>^ bushels per acre. B. P. Willis (from Illinois), of Gilbert Creek, harvested 840 bushels from 30 acres of land, making an average of 28 bushels per acre. J. S. Moody (from Arkansas), an old man 57 years old, living three miles from Wichita Falls, with but little hired help, cultivated about 100 acres of land. From 40 acres he threshed, by actual mes,surement, 1,380 36 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. bushels of wheat, an average of 343^ bushels to the acre. He also had 35 acres in oats and 25 acres in corn, which made 60 bushels to the acre of the former and 50 bushels of the latter. W. H. Hazzard (from Missouri), of Gilbert Creek, sowed 23 bushels of wheat and harvested 705 bushels. F. M. Davis (from Alabama), sheriff of the county, made 1,500 bushels of wheat on 50 acres of ground. J. H. Barwise (from St. Charles county, Mo.), postofiBce address, Wichita Falls, had in cultivation 270 acres; 160 acres in wheat, average 21 bushels to the acre; in corn 60 acres, average of 35 bushels to the acre; oats 30 acres, average 40 bushels to the acre; spring barley 10 acres, average 20 bushels to the acre; sorghum 10 acres, cut twice for feed, yield 80 tons. ■- D. J. Calkins (from Muskingum county, Ohio) who lives five miles south — address, Wichita Falls — has 100 acres in corn, average 40 bushels to the acre. U. R. Evans (from Jefferson county, N. Y.), lives one mile from town — address, Wichita Falls. Has 27 acres in wheat, which made 29 bushels to the acre. B. F. Hooks (from Iowa), who lives 12 miles from Wichita Falls, came to the county late in the fall of 1888, and did not get his ground ready until December. He broke and put in 45 acres, however, and threshed oujt 800 bushels of wheat as the result of his- labors. A. A. Parmer (formerly from Missouri), who has a large farm, had this year 700 acres of ground in cultivation, as follows: 120 acres in wheat, from which he realized 2,500 bushels; 275 acres in oats, from which he made 10,000 bushels; 60 acres in corn, from which he made 2,000 bushels; and 225 acres in sorghum, from which he cut 1,000 tons. The gross proceeds of his- crop were $7,000, his expenses were $1,500, and his net proceeds $5,500. His land cost him about $4 per acre. Ed. Wilson (formerly from Illinois) had an average wheat yield of 32 bushels to the acre; lives one mile from Wichita Falls. T. M. Bingham (formerly from Nunan, Ga.), has 150 acres in culti- vation; wheat averaged 26 bushels to the acre, corn 35 bushels, and oats 40. Ed. Roe, six miles from Wichita t'alls (from Missouri); corn, 45 bushels to the acre; wheat, 28; oats, 42. W. C. Heath (from Dallas county, Tex.); 600 acres in cultivation two and a half miles from Wichita Falls; wheat averaged 29 bushels; oats, 45; corn, 40. A, Dickinson (from New York State) lives two and a half miles from town; wheat, 27 bushels to the acre; oats, 42. THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 37 FRUIT CULTURE. Fruit culture promises to become a leading and important industry in the lower Paniiandle country. Last year (1889) over $360,000 worth of peaches, apricots, apples, pears, plums and grapes have found a market, iargely in Colorado, from the counties of Wise, Montague, and Clay. Low rates of express and fast freight give this locality great advantage over Souihern California, and will in a short time drive every other fruit-pro- ducing section out of that market. Peaches. — In no section of the United States do peaches bear a larger and finer average crop than in the counties between Ft. Worth and Wichita Falls. In size they are remarkable, some measuring 11>^ inches in circum- ference. In flavor they are superior to anything grown in California. Apples and Pears. — These fruits are promising remarkably well in every county north of Ft. Worth where they have been planted. The trees are as yet too young to speak positively of the yield, but for quality and flavor they now compare favorably with other sections where they are a staple crop. Plums. — This is the native home of the Chickasaw Plum, which grows luxuriously and bears abundantly. Qrapes. — All varieties of grapes grow well and yield enormously, includ- ing the American varieties. Hybrids and foreign varieties, the latter only requiring slight winter protection, just as they do at Messilla and Las Cruces, New Mexico, and Pasa del Norte, Mexico, now famous for grape culture. Vegetxibles. — All kinds of garden vegetables are cultivated, and pi'oduce abundantly without fail. The entire country traversed by this line of rail- way will without doubt become the great market-gardening section for sup- plying the markets of Colorado and the mining regions with early vege- tables, particularly root crops and melons. Siveet Potatoes. — There have been grown as high as 350 bushels of sweet potatoes to the acre in Clay county, which may be considered the center of the best potato region. Good crops have been grown as far north as Wheeler county. STOCK-RAISING. It is almost superfluous to speak of the prospects for stock-raising in the famous Staked Plains of Texas. A report giving statistics for twelve years of the Chicago live stock trade, and published in February, 1890, will give the reader some idea of the immense number of cattle sent from Texas to one city alope. 38 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. MONTHLY RECEIPTS OF RANGE CATTLE FOR NINE YEARS. Months. 1889. 1888. 1887. 1886. 1885. 1884. 1883. 1882. 1881. _ I Ranerers. 528 7,215 J'luuary JtSs 3,460 3,521 710 2,056 750 106 20 February jxexlns.' 1,924 4,100 1,780 3,720 320 1,940 960 880 140 380 March iTexiL: 1,975 3,943 468 8,145 694 34,295 a35 67,482 1,817 91,570 21,250 96,200 91,334 64,385 100,258 63,251 36,515 68,210 6,310 38,390 3,945 560 342 1,064 1,080 3,662 3,450 103 500 April jSns." 7,992 6,124 ' 24', 774 53', .500 994 69,5;)0 12,490 92,130 67,224 63,200 101,822 61,120 67,145 54,274 12,100 52,600 5,620 1,410 11,050 445 38,440 8,116 56,926 30,800 55,330 71,460 43.106 84,734 49,915 39,520 33,928 3,900 31,100 4,380 281 1,980 ■*^*y 1 Texans. ju- i?Ss"- July j?tS" August j«Ss^- September ) «-|-- October jSnT- November ] f-f-' ^-ember ] f Ss" 33,242 69,614 4,090 88,843 13,651 95,238 55,240 90,605 67,100 115,307 18,415 77,342 1,900 31,215 6,640 4,860 38,500 1,900 67,540 13,400 76,140 33,340 56,700 09,440 44,420 77,100 83,910 34,430 33,390 2,100 3,920 36,786 1,364 49,300 36,420 69,440 65,585 49,460 76,144 41,552 28,230 39,240 2,945 14,124 38,980 4,340 71,940 27,855 60,681 56,343 48,523 90,636 50,800 51,340 62,600 1,420 18,040 20,100 3,250 48,900 31,080 46,200 53,130 25,740 74,950 56,140 34,330 41,580 9,50 13,690 13,500 6,100 40,000 33,900 41,000 56,340 22,800 7S,040 9,300 22,360 16,840 3,800 6,160 Total for j Rangers, the Year — | Texans. 160,396 616,757 369,509 547,185 361,275 485,538 240,695 330,830 302,040 298,188 231,734 357,574 176,680 256,340 220,700 346,300 193,540 148,100 Mr. Wilson, in his admirable letters before mentioned, pointed out that the reign of the cow-boy would be shortened, and his prediction is verified to-day. The results which have obtained in Wyoming and Colorado are reappearing in the Panhandle country. The number of cattle kings diminishes yearly, and the herds of stock are becoming smaller and more equally distributed among the population. The stock interests, instead of remaining in the hands of the few, now become an adjunct to the farm, and not the governing industry of the country. The great cattle ranges are being broken up into farms, and their number grows less every year. The fertile plains where grow perennial grasses skirted by living streams of good water, and bordered by storm-sheltering forests, make this State of "magnificent distances" and cheapest lands, the State of all States for the stock-raiser. The recent ofificial report shows a return as follows: 1,518,167 head of horses and mules, valued at $38,552,167; of cattle, 7,378,203 head, valued at $45,290,729; of sheep and goats, 4,772,721 head, valued at $5,786,197; of hogs, 1,440,750 head, valued at $2,135,336. Cattle are now valued at from $6 to $15 per head, and lands are leased at merely nominal figures of a few cents; and where it costs so little to feed and herd them, it takes but little to rear and flesh a beef for the eastern markets. The Long-Horns of Texas, however, are being rapidly bred out by the infusion of the Durham and Devonshire blood, and the dairy interests will soon succeed to prairie pastures, and model farms and creameries will keep Texas cotton seed, corn, oats, and hay at home. If there is a clear profit in the East in raising cattle on land worth anywhere from $60 to $150 per acre, there is certainly a " small margin " i© THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 3& a, stock farm in the Panhandle country, where land can be had for from $2 to $5 per acre, where no barns are necessary, where food is cheap, and where there is no bad weather. Horses and Mules. — Horses and mules can be raised profitably anywhere on the line of the Panhandle Route, between Ft. Worth, Texas, and the Colorado line. The central and upper portion of the Panhandle country is best adapted for pasturing and fodder-raising, while the land is at present much cheaper than farther south, hence will offer the best inducements to those wishing to engage in stock culture. Bermuda grass will, without doubt, take the place of the native wild grasses, being adapted to the alti- tude and climate, and will endure close grazing and heavy trampling with- out being killed out. Blooded Stock. — What has been said of horses and mules will apply equally well to blooded stock of every kind. ^ DAIRYING. This industry offers superior inducements to all who will embark in it. The markets are good, and the product will always command the highest prices, whether sent to the mountain region of Colorado or to the seaports on the Gulf Coast. Potter county is now considered a remarkably fine county for dairying. It is also profitably conducted in the older settled counties contiguous to Ft. Worth and the cities of the South. LANDS AND LAND LAWS. So much has been said of the great agricultural resources of the Panhandle country of Texas, a region 450 miles in extent, stretching from Fort Worth to Texline, that many seem to have lost sight of the fact that it is one of the most inviting fields in America for successful invest- ment. While it is true that it is the best wheat country in the United States, and one of the best, if not the best all around, farming regions, it is equally a splendid place for investments. Large profits can be made in lands, town sites, town lots, in building mills and elevators and in establishing banks. Lands in the last two years have made an advance on an average of 100 per cent, while in some counties, such as Wichita and Hardeman, lands have advanced even 200 per cent. Investments in towns have done equally as well. Perliapstown property on the line of the Panhandle Route has advanced in two years as much as 300 per cent, some towns like Quanah, Claude, Childress, Salisbury, and Amariilo, scoring from 200 to 500 per cent advance. We know of no reason why the same country does not offer the same inducements to investors for the year 1890. One thing can be said in its favor, — prices are yet low for good farming lands. Good lands can yet be bought at from $3.00 to $10.00 per acre, according to location. [In the " Description of Counties" the reader will find the price of land in each county.] 40 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. These lands are owned by the State of Texas, and may be purchased for bomesteads by actual settlers on forty years' time, with interest at five per cent, at from $3 to $3 per acre. Here is an empire in extent in which are, as yet, millions of acres of cheap land that will respond to every effort. The climate is all that could be desired — no long, cold winters. The average altitude being some three thousand feet above the sea, makes it a country of extreme healthfulness. Consumption and kindred diseases do not originate here. It is above the zone of yellow fever, and malaria is unknown. It is destined to become the home of a healthy, hardy race of people, and that which is true of the human race applies equally well to the health of all domestic animals. There are springs of pure, clear water, and living streams for those who first occupy the beautiful land where flowers bloom perennially, and the grass lives through the entire year. Is this the kind of a home you seek? If you do, there is danger in delay. This beautiful land is awaiting occu- pation to-day, but will not be vacant many months. Aside from the adaptability of these lands for agricultural purposes, there is a mild climate throughout the entire year, where farmers are not, from necessity, compelled to expend the whole earnings of the summer to provide for the necessities of the winter. There are transportation facili- ties affording advantages with reference to established and permanent mar- kets, where both the cost of production and consumption are much reduced, when compared with that of the older-settled States between the lakes and the Missouri River, and where the great questions of lumber and fuel sup- ply are solved, whereby the coal fields of Colorado and the pine forests of Southeastern Texas, are rendered accessible at reasonable cost. The histoi'y of the pioneer farmers who settled and developed the great country west of the Mississippi River, in acquiring lands at two or three dollars per acre, and having them enhanced ten and twenty fold within a few years, thus creating wealth while enjoying the comforts of a life of industry, will be repeated in this new field, and with quicker results than have ever been realized in the past. The person who seeks a home in the Panhandle, and expects to find it a paradise without effort on his part, will be disappointed here, as elsewhere. Neither should the man who has nothing but his own energy and muscle to depend upon, expect to realize the full extent of his hopes. " To him that hath shall be given " is as true to-day as it was eighteen hundred years ago, even though his possessions be limited in extent. It is essential to the fullest measure of success in this, as in any new country, that a man have at least supplies to carry him through one season, while he is learning to adapt his previous farming experience to the differ- ent requirements of this climate. He should have good teams, a few cows, and sufficient means to acquire his land and build his home, no matter how humble. For the man whose condition is such, there is no reason for a moment's hesitation. Stock farming — which means some attention to stock in connection with crops — is the true method of agriculture in the Panhandle of Texas. The man who has the good judgment to agree with this idea, and the intelligence to understand the conditions of the climate and THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 41 resources x)f the soil, can find no fairer field in the entire universe. That man will in a very few years have an independent income, a lordly estate, increasing herds and flocks, waving fields of golden grain, bursting grana- ries, blooming orchards, convenient markets that can never be overstocked, and a home of happiness and contentment which he has had the satisfaction of arranging for himself. Where there are a number of families in a neighborhood who desire to emigrate to a new country, they should organize into a colony, and settle to- gether. By this method they take with them an acquaintanceship, and will be thus enabled to hold together and carry their peculiar views in regard to church and school management. In a financial way, colony organiza- tions can procure concessions and inducements from owners of town sites or large bodies of land, 'vho will often make large donations for special pur- poses to secure their location, and thus assist in a more rapid development of the adjoining country. This is even more important to the colonists themselves, as it gives them a settled community at once, where otherwise it would require years. General R. A. Cameron, Commissioner of Emigra- tion, Ft. Worth, has had a large and varied experience in colonization, and is ready to assist any people who desire to form colony organizations, and explain the best methods of conducting them. The following is a digest of the Public Land laWs of the State of Texas: — PUBLIC LANDS. Under this head is included all the lands owned by the State or held in trust for any of its public institutions. UNAPPROPRIATED PUBLIC DOMAIN. There are about 5,000,000 acres of unappropriated public domain belong- ing to the State. This land may be acquired by the provisions of the law re- lating to homestead donations. HOMESTEAD DONATIONS. How AcQtriEED. — Every head of a family without a homestead shall be entitled to receive a donation from the State of 160 acres of vacant, unap- propriated public land, and every single man of the age of 18 years or up- wards shall be entitled to receive from the State 80 acres of vacant and un- appropriated public land. The applicant must apply to the surveyor of the district or county in which the land is situated, in writing, designating the land he claims, stating that he claims the same for himself in good faith, etc., that he is without any homestead of his own, that he has actually settled on the land, etc., and that he believes the same to be vacant and unappropriated public domain. The survey to be made within twelve months after date of application. When the terms of the law have been complied with, and proof of such fact, together with the proof of thiee years' continuous occupancy, is filed with the Commissioner of the General Land Office, patent will issue to the claimant or his assignee. (Title LXXIX, ch. 9, Revised Statutes.) 42 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. APPROPRIATED PUBLIC LANDS OP NOT MORE THAN 640 ACRES IN ORGANIZED COUNTIES. How Acquired. — By virtue of an act passed March 39, 1887, and amended April 5, 1889, "To provide for the sale of siich appropriated public lands situated in organized counties as contain not more than 640 acres," It is provided thJbt any person desiring to purchase any of such appropriated lands situated in any of the organized counties of the State as contain not more than 640 acres, appropriated by an act to provide for the sale of a portion of the unappropriated public land, etc., approved July 14, 1879, may do so by causing the same to be surveyed by the surveyor of the county in which the land is situated. The person desiring to purchase shall make application in writing, describing the land by reference to surrounding sur- veys. The land must be surveyed within three months from date of applica- tion; and within sixty days after said survey the surveyor shall cei-tify, record, and map the same in his oflSce, and within said sixty days return the same to the General Land Office, together with the application. Within ninety days after the return to and filing in the General Land OflBce the applicant miTst pay into the State Treasury the purchase money at the rate of two dollars per acre; patent to be issued by the Commissioner of the General Land Office when the Treasurer's refceipt is filed in his office. Failure to make the payment within ninety days forfeits the right to pur- chase, and the applicant cannot afterward purchase under the act. (Chapter 80, Acts of Twentieth Legislature, pp. 61 and 63.) COMMON-SCHOOL, UNIVERSITY, AND ASYLUM LANDS. The act of April 1, 1887, and the act amendatory thereof of April 8, 1889, provide for the sale of all lands heretofore or hereafter surveyed and set apart for the benefit of the public free schools, the university, and the sev- eral asylums, amounting in all to about 30,000,000 acres. Classification. — All lands under this head must be classified by the Commissioner of the General Land Office into agricurtural, pasture, and timber lands, and valued according to classification before being placed on the market. When classified and valued, the Land Commissioner is required to notify the county clerks of the counties where the lands are situated, of the value of each section of land offered for sale in their respective counties and counties attached for judicial purposes, which notification said clerks must keep on record for public inspection. To Whom and in What Quantities Sold. — Lands classified as agricult- ural are sold to actual settlers only, in quantities of not less than 80, and in multiples thereof, not more than 640 acres, provided that where there is a 'raction of less than 80 acres of any section left, such fraction may be sold. Where two quarter sections are purchased they must constitute a given half of some section. Lands classified as purely pasture lands and without per- manent water thereon may be sold in quantities not to exceed four sections to the same person. Parts of two sections cannot be purchased without taking the whole of one section. No sales arie made to a corporation, foreign THE ^EXAS PANHANDLE. 43 or domestic, and all sales to a settler are made on express condition that any sale, transfer, or conveyance of such land to a corporation, either immedi- ate or remote, shall ipso facto terminate the title of the purchaser and for- feit the land to the State. No watered portion of any section shall be sold unless there is permanent water on or bordering on the part of section remaining unsold. Minimum Price op Land. — The minimum price of lands sold under this act is $3 per acre. Lands having permanent water thereon or bordor- ing thereon are sold at not less than $3 per acre. Timbered lands are suld at not less than $5 per acre. By timbered lands is meant lands chiefly valuable for the timber thereon. The timber on such lands may also be sold at the discretion of the Commissioner of the General Land Office for $5 per acre cash, except jwhere land is sparsely timbered, then for not less than $2 per acre, ihe purchaser to have five years from the date of purchase to remove the timber therefrom, after which, If not removed. It reverts to the State without judicial ascertainment. Terms of Sale. — Agricultural and pasture lands are sold on 40 years' time at 5 per cent per annum interest. One-fortieth of the aggregate pur- chase money must be paid in advance, and an obligation duly executed, binding the purchaser to pay to the State Treasurer, on the first day of August each year thereafter, until the whole is paid, one-fortieth of the purchase money and the interest on the whole of the unpaid purchase money. Within one year next after the expiration of three years' residence on the land the purchaser must make proof by his own affidavit, corroborated by the affidavits of three disinterested and crofQlble citizens of the county, certified to by some officer of the court, that he has resided on the land three years. Upon receipt of the fortieth payment by the Treasurer, and the affidavit and obligation required to be filed with the application for the land, the sale is held effective. All purchasers have the option of paying in full after they have resided on their lands three consecutive years, proof of which must be furnished the Commissioner of the General Land Office. Purchasers may sell their lands any time after three years, the vendee or subsequent vendees to become sub- ject to all the conditions of sale to the original purchaser. If the Interest due on the first day of August of any year is unpaid, the purchaser shall have until the first clay of January thereafter to pay said interest, and for said default shaM pay fifty per cent penalty on said inter- est past due. Failure to pay said past due interest and penalty on or before the said first day of January of any year, works a forfeiture of the land without the necessity of re-entry or judicial ascertainment, except where the pur- chaser dies, in which event his heirs have one year after the first day of August next after such death in which to make payment. Timbered lands are sold for cash. Applications for Land. — All applications for the purchase of land must be forwarded to the Commissioner of the General Land Office, at Austin, accompanied by an affidavit stating in effect that the applicant jiesii'es the land for a home, and has in good faith settled thereon, that he 44 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. is not acting in collusion with others, for the purpose of buying the land for any other person or corporation, and that no other person or corporation is interested in the purchase save himself Leases. — The Commissioner of the Land OfiSce may, at his discretion, lease any of the public lands not in demand for actual settlement, for a period of not over five years, at four cents per acre per annum in advance. Applications to Lease. — Applications to lease shall be made in writ- ing to the Commissioner of the Land Office, and shall specify and describe the land desired. If satisfied that it is not detrimental to the public interest, the Commissioner may execute under his hand and seal, and deliver to the lessee, a lease for the time agreed upon of any land applied for. Conditions of Lease. — Grazing lands are not subject to sale during the term of the lease. Lands classified as agricultural shall be leased subject to sale, the lessee to give immediate possession when such lands are sold, and allowed a jw'o rata credit upon his next year's rent, or the money refunded to him by the Treasurer, as he may elect; provided that no such sale shall be effected of a section where the lessee has placed improvements of the value of $100 thereon; and, provided further, that no actual settler purchasing land within a leasehold shall be permitted to turn loose therein more than one head of cattle or horses for every ten acres of land pur- chased by him and enclosed, or in lieu thereof four head of sheep or goats. Each violation of this proviso subjects the violator to a fine of one dollar for each head of stock so turned loose, and each thirty days' violation con- stitutes a separate offense. Failure to pay the annuahrent due for any year within sixty days after the same shall have become due, subjects the lessee to forfeiture at the discretion of the Land Commissioner. The State retains a lien upon all improvements on leased land to secure payment of rents. Leaseholds are exempt from taxation. Unlawful, Use. — It is unlawful for any person to fence, use, occupy, or appropriate by herding, line-riding, or other means, any portion of the public lands, and the Attorney-General is authorized to bring suit for the recovery of such land, and damages for its use and occupation, and such suits may be brought in the District Court of Travis county. Gateways. — Fences on grazing lands must not be constructed for more than three miles lineal measure running in the same general direction, with- out a gateway in the same. Issuance of Patents, Fees, Etc. — Patents to lands are issued by the Commissioner of the General Land Office when the receipt of the State Treasurer (to whom all payments are made) for all payments due on the land is presented at the Land Office and the patent fees thereon paid. Patent Fees are as Follows: — 320 acres of land or less $5 CO Over 320 acres of land and up to 640 acres 6 00 Over 640 and up to 1,280 acres 10 00 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 45 Over 1,280 acres and up to one-third of a league $12 50 Over one-third of a league and up to one league and labor 15 00 One league and labor : 20 00 Each set of field notes filed fbr less than one league and labor 1 00 Each set of field notes filed for more than one league and labor 2 00 Location of School Lands. — The number of acres of school lands located in each county is given in connection with the statistics of the coun- ties, and represenis the amount of unsold public school land in the county July 4, 1888. County School Lands. — Four leagues of school land have been set apart for each county in the State, to be used for educational purposes. Said lands aije in the control of the commissioners' courts of the several counties, to whom purchasers should apply. Many counties have already leased or sold their lands. Blank Applications to Purchase or Lease Lands. — Any person desiring to purchase or lease public lands can procure blank applications suitable for each class of land for sale or lease by applying to the Commis- sioner of the General Land Office at Austin. Spanish Land Measurement. — Divisions of land in this State are made according to Spanish land measurement, by varas, labors, and leagues, and distances are given in linear varas. 1 vara 33X inches. 1 acre 5,646 square varas=4,840 square yards. 1 labor 1,000,000 square varas=177 acres. X league 8,333,333 square varas=l,476 acres. 1 league 25,000,000 square varas=4,428 acres. 1 league and labor, 26,000,000 square varas=4,605 acres. To find the number of acres in a given number of square varas, divide by 5,646. There remain unsold of school lands in the State 981,760 acres, and of university lands unsold 2,098,578 acres. The following is a list of unsold common school lands in some of the Panhandle counties: — Armstrong 239,797 Archer 64,160 Baylor 58,160 Briscoe 839,967 Crosby 140.480 Castro 190,720 Childress 220,640 Collingsworth 286,080 Cattle 118,080 Clay 480 Dallam 171,726 Deaf Smith 260,480 Douley 228,450 Floyd 299,520 Gray 174,400 Hartley 170,880 Hardeman 250,560 Hale 297,600 Handsford 271,360 Hall 257,400 Jack 22,597 Knox 96,960 Labbock 2:33,560 Lamb 22,440 Moore 284,480 Motley 285,120 Montague 4,979 Oldham 156,160 Ochiltree ._,. 256,680 Potter 253,280 Randall 233,600 Swisher 282,560 Sherman 296,160 Stephens 29,340 Tarrant 166 Wilbarger 1.58,744 Wheeler 201,120 Wichita 28,821 Wise 1,186 THE TEXAS PANIIANULK. RAILWAYS. When we come to speak of the benefits derived from railways, there is but one road to name in so far as the Panhandle country is concerned. The Denver, Texas & Ft. Worth was the pioneer road through this region, the, first and best friend to the country. The completion of the road made possible the settlement of the Panhandle; and* the railway has In a lai'ge sense wrested those beautiful Staked Plains from under the dominion of the cow-boy, and transformed them into as grand a wheat district as can be found anywhere in the world. There is no second opinion among Tex- ans as to the great and lasting good accomplished by this pioneer railway. In 1890 the Union Pacific leased the line for a term of years. From Henri- etta a branch will be completed through the rich and fertile counties of Clay, Archer, Baylor, and Knox, terminating at Benjamin, in Knox county. Archer, Seymour, and other rising towns and villages are on this branch. In the annual report of the condition of the Denver, Texas & Ft. Worth Railroad made by the directors in October, 1889, the following paragraph occurs: — "In October, 1887, there were but few farms north of Wichita Falls, and shipments of farm products from north of that point were not known; but after the line was opened, the country was taken up so rapidly that we shipped of the crop of 1888, from points in the territory mentioned, about 150,000 bushels of grain, and have and will ship of the crop of 1889, more than 500,000 bushels; and from the acreage sown and from the present indi- cations, the crop of 1890 will be increased more than 200 per cent over that Df the present year. The Panhandle is the most productive small grain portion of the State, and second to none in the United States, as will be seen by the fact that in 1888, it averaged 21>^ bushels of wheat, and for the year 1889, 25 bushels of wheat, per acre; and in each year the result was from sod land to a very great extent, and from sod altogether in 1888." As the railway is the all-important factor in opening up and developing a new country, so its traffic statistics are valuable as illustr£>,ting the growth of the new region, and upon these returns may be predicated an opinion as to the value of the virgin territory acquired. Bearing in mind the para- graph quoted above, and remembering fux'ther that the line was completed in March, 1888, note the following live stock shipments for year ending October 31, 1889:— No. Cars. No. Head. North bound 6,623 198,335 South bound 5,781 163,555 Total 12,404 361,890 TOTAL STOCK SHIPMENTS. Cars. Cattle. Horses. Sheep. Hogs. Total. 1888 1889 7,295 12,404 192,318 337,571 2,858 4,942 14,294 17,878 149 1,499 209.619 361,890 Increase, 1889 5,109 145,253 2,084 3,584 1,350 152,871 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 47 The statement which follows shows the amount of freight in pounds forwarded and received for the year ending November 1, 1889. It is inter- esting to examine the commerce of these towns, remembering as we must that many of them were not in existence three or four years ago. This report embraces the towns in Texas only on the line of the Denver, Texas & Ft. Worth Division of the Union Pacific System. STATIONS. Fort Worth.... Hodge Saginaw Calef Khorae ..« Kirkland Detatur Alvord Sunset Bowie Bellevue Henrietta Wichita Falls. Iowa Park Rutherford .... Harrold Oklaunion Vernon Wheatland .... Chillicothe .... Jivans Quanah Childress 612,692 655,008 933,009 4,839,856 317,742 940,291 857,144 022,441 731,675 559,996 017,237 569,650 446,638 444,985 ,237,551 ',164,375 753,891 092,281 259,154,748 2,726,548 3,915,253 27,000 4,841,073 400 15,880,991 4,959,578 4,742,717 11,438,991 4,458,695 12,592,394 23,525,989 3,622,345 2,440,241 6,153,532 115,210 42,034,537 3,171,306 474 13,698,474 9,252,608 STATIONS. Salisbury.... Giles Clarendon , Goodnight.. Claude Washburn .. Panhandle Pullman Aniarillo .... Field Ady Newlin Tascosa Cheyenne .. Rivers Duncan Hartley Twist." Matlock Farwell , Texliue Beaver Frederick.... Freight Forwarded, Pounds. 73,318 741,160 4,886,508 32,976 80,290 377,204 6,072,183 36,868 5,061,106 1,144,770 859,738 169,470 81,040 2.59,214,760 Freight Received, Pounds. 2.?S^),'.I.V, l,^;:n (.:7 ll,2ir,.v.;i 814,508 1,436,049 2,777,094 9,719,936 14,407,677 20,000 1,987 4,742,714 1,551,668 2,810 371,780 3,230 505,194 430,612,692 20,400 116,296' rpf-f j,i„ f No. Tons. ^°^*^'^ "-• ■• 1 No. Pounds. Same 12 Months Last Year 0o- pg^nds. Increase i ^'*5- Tons. '■^'^•■^^^^ I No. Pounds. 414,264 828,528,527 847,624 695,247,495 66,641 133,281,032 414,264 828,528,527 349,624 695,247,495 06,641 133,281,032 COMPARATIVE GRAIN STATEMENT FROM JULY 1st, TO DECEMBER 31ST, 1890-91. STATIONS. Cars, 1891. Cars, 1S90. lu- cre 'sp De- cre'se 1 STATIONS. Cars, 1891. Cars, IS90. In- cre'se De- cre'se 63 12 1 7 63 11 141 1,328 292 478 177 26 258 76 84 35 1 115 1,070 210 389 142 Decatur 1 10 4 1 Alvord 9 i" 1 Chillicothe 3 Bowie Bellevue 3 50 352 344 .20 376 3 50 289 384 14 263 Salisbury 1 25 25 Wichita Falls 63 60 6 113 Giles Rutherford * Total Harrold 3,664 738 2,937 11 * Closed December 20th. FLOUR SHIPMENTS. Statement showing the flour shipments from points on this line, from July Ist, to December 81st, inclusive, 1890 and 1891. ' MILLING POINTS. ' 1890. 1891. Increase. Fort Worth 1,658,433 2,264,530 600,097 Wichita Falls 594,600 10,639,175 10,044,575 Iowa Park 164,765 164,7f)5 Vernon 1,190,254 2,648,377 1,458,123 Quanah .-. : ;...;,...;...;.;;;.. 28,500 461.380 432 ,880 Total ;..>........; ..:. 3,471,787 16,178,227 12,706,440 48 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. PUBLIC EDUCATION. (From the report of the Commissioner of Education.) FREE SCHOOLS. Under this topic are included: — 1. The Common-School System. 2. The Normal Schools. 3. The University of Texas. The Common-School System embraces: (1.) Rural Schools, (3.) Independ- ent School Districts (cities and towns). Theruralschoolsareorganizedin two ways: (a) Districts, (b) Communities. The districts are formed by the commissioners' courts, have geographical boundaries, and may vote a levy of local school tax not exceeding two mills. One hundred and five counties are thus districted, and about three per cent of the districts levy local taxes. In 87 counties the schools are operated on a peculiar plan called the " community system." The community has no geographical boundaries, and enrollment on the community list is a matter of local enterprise. Local taxes can be levied in community counties, but the plan is cumbrous and rather inefficient. The cities and towns of the State may be constituted independent dis- tricts on a majority vote of the people of the municipality. Independent districts may vote a levy of local school tax not exceeding five mills. These districts are independent of the county school officers, and receive the State apportionment direct. THE STATE ENDOWMENT Of the common schools is large. About $7,000,000 in interest-bearing bonds, more than $10,000,000 in interest-bearing land notes, and about 28,000,000 acres of unsold lands, constitute the State endowment. Of the unsold -school lands 7,000,000 acres are leased at 4 cents per acre, and the funds thus derived added to the annual available school fund. Besides the State endowment fund, each county has been granted by the State four leagues of land, which constitute county endowment. As these lands are sold, the funds received are invested under the authority of the county commissioners' court, and the interest on the investment is applied annually to the support of the schools. A considerable portion of these lands is leased for varying terms of years, and the rental applied as the rental of the State school lands. These lands are under the exclusive con- trol of the county authorities. Seven hundred and sixty-eight leagues have been thus granted to counties, and a reservation has been made from the public domain for the unorganized counties. In addition to the Interest on bonds and land notes and rental from leases, the State levies an annual ad valorem school tax of one and one- quai'ter mills, devotes one-fourth of the occupation taxes and an annual poll tax of $1 to the available school fund. The entire amount of available THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 49 apportioned school fund for the year 1888-9, was $3,112,440, and the total receipts by local treasurers, including balances from the previous year, were $3,308,000. The disbursements for the same year amounted to $2,776,000. SAM HOUSTON STATE NORMAL SCHOOL. Jn 1879 the Normal school was established by the State of Texas for the purpose of training competent teachers for the public schools. Regarding the Normal school as the lieart of the public school system, it was decided to name the proposed institution the "Sam Houston Normal Institute," in honor of the hero of Texas independence. Houston had spent the evening of his eventful life in Huntsville. Here was his neglected grave. As an everlasting monument to the honored dead the Normal school was located at Huntsville. On the first of October, 1879, the Institute opened. The school is strictly professional, and its aim is to qualify teachers in the best possible manner for the work of the school room. No effort has been made to secure large numbers, but rather the best material for making efficient teachers. None are admitted under seventeen years of age, or who do not possess a good knowledge of the common branches. All students sign a pledge to teach in the public schools of the State. The standard for admission has been steadily raised as the educational agencies of the State have become more efScient. The aim is to make this strictly a professional school for preparing trained teachers for llie public schools of Texas. Academic instruction is given only as far as it is absolutely necessary, and this necessity steadily diminishes from year to year, as the public schools, high schools, and colleges of the State become more thorough in their instruction. The new building will be a model school building, with all the modern appliances, and will furnish ample accommodations for 500 students. This institution is under control of the State Board of Edu- cation, composed of the Governor, Comptroller of Public Accounts, and Secretary of State, who appoint a local board for its immediate supervision. PRAIRIE VIEW STATE NORMAL SCHOOL. This institution is located six miles east of Hempstead, in Waller county. It is a branch of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, and under the government of the Board of Directors of that school. Originally it was designed for an industrial school, but the lack of education among the colored people of the State, and the pressing need of trained teachers for the colored schools, led to a change of object, and it was therefore converted into a normal school for training colored teachers. The constant and steadily increasing patronage it has since received, is the best evidence of the wisdom of the change — the session of 1887-88 having the largest attend- ance and being the most prosperous in the history of the institution. Since its establishment, 757 teachers have received more or less profes- sional training, and a large number of them are occupying influential and profitable positions in the public free schools of the State. The teachers 50 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. are all colored people^ who have thus tar governed the school with credit to themselves and to the entire satisfaction of the Board of Directors. The Institution is supported by direct appropriations from the general revenues of the State, and one State student from each senatorial district and fifteen from the State at large are admitted and taught free of charge » AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE OF TEXAS. The Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas was foi'mally opened 'or the reception of students October 4, 1876. The Constitution of Texas provides that taxes may be raised for the maintenance and support of the college. It is situated at College Station in the county of Brazos, five miles south of Bryan, and ninety-five miles northwest of Houston. Its govern- ment is vested in a Board of Directors, consisting of five members appointed by the Governor of the State. They are " selected from different sections of the State, and hold office for six years, or during good behavior, and until their successors are qualified." In November, 1866, the Legislature formally accepted from Congress the gift of 180,000 acres orpublic l,and for the endowment of an agricultural and mechanical college. This land v/as sold for $174,000, which sum was invested in 7 per cent State bonds. As under the act of Congress neither principal nor interest of this money could be used for other purposes than the payment of oificers' salai'ies, at the time of the opening of the college there was an addition to the fund, from accumulated interest, of $35,000. This was invested in 6 per cent bonds of the State, thus furnishing an annual income of $14,280. The county of Brazos also donated to the college 2,416 acres of land lying on each side of the Houston and Texas Central Railroad. OBJECTS AND PRESENT POLICY. The act of Congress which established the State Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges defines their objects. But under that act there have been founded as many different schools as there are States. These Institutions have presented a variety of educational schemes which have embraced nearly all gradations from the classical and mathematical college to the manual labor industrial school. In view of this fact it is proper to state as definitely as possible the interpretation given to the act of Congress by the authorities of this college, and the manner in which they are endeavoring to carry out its provisions. The general object of this college is to excite and foster in the minds of the people an enthusiastic appreciation of the attractiveness and value of those pursuits by which the material development of the country is advanced. It Is the business of this college to turn the attention of our young men from the over-crowded " learned professions '' to those occupations which have brought abundant wealth and power to other States, and which are begin- hing now to attract and well rcoay the services of trained young men lil Texas. These objects arc sought to be attained: — THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. SI (1.) A thorough course of instruction in mathematics and natural science, with continual application of principles to work in the shops, fields, gardens, vineyard, orchard, pastures, dairies, and other laboratories. (3.) By relying upon text-books as little as possible, to lead the students to seek information directly from observation and experiment. (3.) To inculcate the dignity of intelligent labor — banishing the idea that the farmer or mechanic who is worthy of the name need be any less learned than the professional man. (4.) To induce in the mind of the student an enthusiastic love of nature and the study of natural laws, whereby agricultural and mechanical processes become invested with absorbing interest, and are pursued in a spirit which leads to progress and success. To enter the college an applicant must be in his sixteenth year, or at least must have attained a degree of physical and mental advancement cor- responding to that age. He must be free from contagious or infectious dis- ease, or any deformity that would unfit him 'for the performance of his duties as a student of this cellege. He may be required to furnish evidence that he has not been dismissed from another institution of learning, and that his moral character is good The mental attainments necessary for ejitering upon the courses of study comprise a fair knowledge of arithmetic as far as proportion, of descriptive geography, and of elementary English grammar and cbraposition. The regular courses of study lead to the degrees of Bachelor of Scientific Agi-iculture, Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering, Bachelor of Civil Engi- neering, and Bachelor of Scientific Horticulture. Thorough instruction, theoretical and practical, is given in the depart- ments of Mathematics, Agf iculture, Mechanics, Civil Engineering, Horti- culture, Chemistry, English, Veterinary Science, and Drawing; courses in Modern Languages; special short courses in Agriculture, Horticulture, Dairying, Carpentry, Blacksmithing, Machinery, Chemistry, Drawing, and Surveying. Total expenses for session (exclusive of books and clothing), S140. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION OF THE AGRICULT^ URAL AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE OF TEXAS, COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS. In 1887 Congress made provision for establishing, equipping, and sup- porting Agricultui'al Experiment Stations in the several States, the stations to be placed under the supervision of the Boards of Directors of the State Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges, where such colleges have been estab- lished. The act of Congress appropriates .^15,000 per annum from the United States Treasury, to each State, to equip and support the stations. Owing to some technical defect in the bill as passed, additional legislation was required to make the fund available. By recent enactment the appropriation is placed at the disposal of the several States, and the stations are being organized. 53 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. The purpose for which the Agricultural Experiment Station Bill was passed, is clearly set forth in section 2 of the Act, which reads as follows: — " It shall be the object and duty of said Experiment Stations to conduct original researches or verify experiments on the physiology of plants and animals; the diseases to which they are sev-erally subject, with the remedies for the same; the chemical composition of useful plants at their different stages of growth; the comparative advantages of rotative cropping as fur- nished under a varying series of crops; the capacity of new plants or trees for acclimation; the analysis of soils and water; the chemical composition of manures, natural or artificial, with experiments designed to test their comparative effect on crops of differeiTt kinds; the adaptation and value of grasses and forage plants; the composition and digestibility of the different kinds of food for domestic animals; the scientific and economic questions involved in the production of butter and cheese; and such other researches or experiments bearing directly on the agricultural industry of the United States as may in each case be deemed advisable." The bill further provides that reports of the progress made in experi- ments shall be published from time to time, one copy of which shall be sent to each newspaper published in the State where such station is located, and one to each individual actually engaged in farming who may request the same, as far as the means of the station will permit ; all such reports to be carried in the mails free. These Experiment Stations were placed under the supervision of the Boards of Directors of the Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges, not for the purpose of assisting the colleges, but because it was thought the fund would be most judiciously expended under such control, and it was believed that a portion of the equipment of said colleges, in the way of land, stock, implements, etc., might, without detriment to the work of the colleges, be used to some extent in experimental work. It was thought also that men employed at the colleges, many of whom have become skilled in experimental work, would be able to give part of their time to the station. In accordance with the Act of Congress, the Board of Directors of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas have established this station, and have made provision for beginning the work. The station is located at the college, and is made a department of the college. Such part of the college farm, buildings, and other equipments as may be deemed necessary for experi- mental work will be assigned to the station department by the Board of Directors, who desire to make the work of the station of as much value to the agricultural interests of the State as may be possible. The work will be conducted at all times with special reference to giving information of value that may be of some practical use to the farmer. To enable them to carry out this policy, all associations having the advancement of agriculture in view — the Grange, Alliance, Stock-breeders, Fruit-growers, and other organizations — will be invited from time to time to appoint delegates to meet with the Board of Directors and the Council, and consult and advise with them in regard to the work of the station. Suggestions will be gladly received at all times from any one who is interested in advancing the agri- THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 53 cultural interests of the State Following is a list of the most important investigations so far undertaken by the station: — A study of the disease of the cotton plant known as " blight," or " root rot," and experiments to find a preventive for the same; jointly with the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station, a study of the cattle disease- Texas fever — to determine how the disease is transmitted, what parts of the State are free from it, and experiments in disinfecting to prevent cattle from spreading the disease when Texas cattle are shipped north, and inocu- lating cattle to protect from the disease when brought into the State; testing different fertilizers; growing a variety of forage plants, including silage crops; fattening cattle on different rations to determine the most economical method of feeding; testing a variety of food stuffs for the production of butter; testing tile drains on land used for growing farm, fruit, and vege- table crops; testing a variety of grasses, fruits, and vegetables; operating a creamery for investigation in dairy work. Bulletins are published from time to time, giving in detail the work of the station, and sent free to any applicant in the State. Information in regard to construction of silos, farm buildings, creameries, with plans for the same, and list of machinery and estimates as to cost, will be supplied upon request. STATE UNIVERSITY. The University of Texas owes its existence to the wisdom, foresight, and statesmanship of the founders of the Republic of Texas, who made the most ample provision for its establishment and maintenance in the legislation of that period. By an act of the Third Congress fifty leagues of land were set apart as an endowment for the University. The Legislature of Texas, by an act approved February 11, 1858, added to this S100,000 in United States bonds, then in the State Treasury, and every tenth section of land granted or that might be thereafter granted to railroads or the Brazos and Galveston Navigation Company, which was to be used as an endowment and for the pur- pose of putting the University into operation. This act was, however, never carried out, doubtless on account of the intervention of the civil war. The Constitution of 1876 reappropriated all grants before made, except the one- tenth section, and in lieu thereof set apart 1,000,000 acres of the unappro- priated public domain- for the University. The Legislature, by an act approved March 30, 1881, provided for the location, organization, and government of the University of Texas, and in obedience to that act an election was held the first Tuesday in September, 1881, to determine where the institution should be located, resulting in favor of Austin, the capital of the State. The buildings are situated about three-quarters of mile north of the State Capitol, on an imposing site in the center of a forty-acre tract of land set apart by the Third Congress of the Republic of Texas for that purpose, and were opened for tlie reception of students September 15, 1883. Thus was the long-cherished desire of the fathers of Texas, and the wishes of the people as often expressed in the various State Constitutions, at last attained. 54 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. The University is governed by a Board of Regents composed of eight citizens, residents of different sections of the State, who are appointed by the Governor, and confirmed by the Senate. By an act of the Legislature approved April 10, 1883, 1,000,000 acres of the public debt land were added to the permanent University fund. Of the various land grants riiade to the University there now remain unsold 2,032,978 acres. The graduates of approved high schools will be admitted to the Univer- sity without examination, provided they have reached the required age, and provided they present themselves for admission at the beginning of the scholastic year next succeeding their graduation from the high school. If, however, a graduate of an approved high school is not sixteen at this time, he will be allowed to enter when he attains this age. The session begins the fourth Wednesday in September, and closes on the third Wednesday in June, and is divided into two terms. Co-education is a feature of this institution. Young women have equal advantages with the young men, and the course of study is the same for both. Tuition in the University is free to all residents of the State. BLIND ASYLUM. The State Asylum for the Blind was establisliwi September 2, 1856, and has for its object the education of blind persons. It is not an asylum where the indigent and helpless are cared for at the public expense, but a school in which the blind receive such general education amd training in industrial pursuits as will aid them to become self-supporting. When the course of study prescribed has been completed, the pupils return to their homes, as do the pupils of other schools, and, like them, are no longer a charge upon the State. In short, the only difference between the school for the blind and a public school is in the amount of money the State expends on them. Sighted persons only receive free tuition, while the blind are fed, clothed and transported to and from school at public expense. The course of study is as follows: — Reading by Touch in Point and Line Print, Writing in New York Point, Arithmetic, Mathematical and Physical Geography, English Grammar, Etymology, Elements of Ancient and Modern History, Natural Philoso- phy, English Literature, Elements of Chemistry, Physiology and Hygiene. Of the trades, piano-forte tuning, broom making, aad upholstering are taught to the young men The young ladies receive Instruction In crocheting and bead work, and learn to sew by hand and machine. The young men excel sighted persons as piano tuners, and become very proficient at making brooms, mattresses, pillows, and bottoming chairs with cane and rattan. The bead work and crocheting done by the young ladies would reflect credit on sighted persons. The physical development of pupils is promoted by regular daily exercises in calisthenics, with dumb-bells, Indian clubs, and rings. THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 55 Pupils whose sight can be benefited by operating on their eyes receive treatment from a skilled oculist connected with the institution. About twenty-three persons have in this way been 'restored to sight within the last twelve years. All blind persons, or persons who cantibt see to read ordinary newspaper pi'int, between eight andtwenty years of age, will bo admitted to the institu- tion. The school is located in Austin, and in number of teachers, size of the buildings, the amount of philosophical, chemical, and astronomical appara- tus, maps, globes, and appliances for the school room, variety of musical instruments, etc., is the largest in the South. Number of pupils enrolled during 1888, 138. DEAF AND DUMB ASYLUM. The State Deaf and Dumb Asylum is situated at the State Capital, on a commanding height south of the Colorado River, and is justly regarded as one of the most beautiful and healthful locations in the city. During the session of 1888-89 196 pupils were enrolled, and were in actual attendance. The health of the institution has been exceptionally good, and only one death occurred during the year. It is the purpose of the State in establishing such institutions to give to the students a practical education, and as far as possible rescue this unfor- tunate class from helplessness and dependence. In addition, therefore, to the instruction usual in such schools, a printing office, book-bindery and shoe shop have been established for the purpose of teaching those trades to such of the pupils as have the ability and inclination to learn them. Skilled workmen, experts in their business, are in charge of each of these depart- ments, and the progress made by the students under them has thus far been very encouraging. An art department was inaugurated October 5, 1887, and is now one of the most interesting and attractive features of the school. Some of the pupils acquired such skill in crayon work before the end of the session that they were offered profitable employment at work of that kind during vacation. The conditions of admission to the institution are few and simple. The age at which pupils are received, and the length of time they are kept, are matters left to the discretion of the superintendent. Persons not suscepti- ble of receiving instruction will not be received at all. Parents are required, to furnish transportation if able to do so, otherwise it will be provided by the State. The school opens the first Wednesday in September, and closes the first Wednesday in June, of each year. Pupils are required to return to their homes during vacation to give opportunity to renovate and repair the buildings. DEAF AND DUMB AND BLIND INSTITUTE FOR COLORED YOUTH. The Deaf and Dumb and Blind Asylum for Colored Youth was estab- lished by an act of the Twentieth Legislature, which provided for the appointment of a board to select a site neat the city of Austin, and appro 56 THE TEXAS PANHANDLBi priated $50,000 for the erection of buildings and the purchase of furniture. An admirable location, about two and a quarter miles northwest of Austin, was selected for the buildings, and the institution first opened for the recep- tion of students October 1, 1887. On December 31. 1889, the attendance had reached sixty, twenty-five of whom were blind, and thirty-five deaf and dumb, children. The same general rules of government and conditions of admission in force at the institutions for the blind and deaf and dumb for the whites, obtain in this institution. The text-books and system of instruction are also the same. STATE LUNATIC ASYLUM. The State Lunatic Asylum is situated about two miles north of Austin, on a beautiful plateau of ground adorned and beautified by flowers, plants, summer-houses, and forest trees, the latter constituting a splendid park, upon whose grassy lawn the patients are permitted to take exercise and get fresh'air and sunshine. The buildings are capacious and elegant, though somewhat crowded owing to the rapidity with which the insane population Increases. In connection with the institution there is a large farm and garden where patients are permitted to work with a view of diverting the mind and affording exercise for the body. For the same purpose concerts, music, dancing, and other amusements are indulged in once a week. Most patients enjoy the farm work very much, and look forward with great interest to the return of the day appointed for the weekly entertainment. In this way their minds are pleasantly occupied with new subjects, and in many cases ultimate recovery is thereby made possible. NORTH TEXAS HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE. This institution is located at Terrell, in Kaufman county, and was first opened for the reception of patients July 15, 1885. It was established in obedience to a general demand for additional asylum room for the accom- modation of the hundreds of insane persons then confined in jails and on poor farms throughout the State. The buildings are constructed on the latest and most improved plan of hospitals for the insane, and contain all modern conveniences for the treatment of the insane. STATE ORPHAN ASYLUM. The creation of an Orphan Asylum was contemplated and provided for by the founders of the State government, who gave it the same land endow- ments bestowed on other charitable institutions. The establishment of this institution was required by an act of the Twentieth Legislature, ap- proved April 4, 1887. The Governor was required to appoint three commis- sioners to select a site for the asylum. Competition between the various towns in the State for the location of the institution was invited, which resulted in the selection of Corsicana, in Navarro county. The site on THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 57 which the asylum is located and the surrounding scenery are unsurpassed by any place in the State for their beauty and adaptibility for such an insti- tution. The buildings, which are constructed on the cottage plan, and have a capacity of about 200 inmates, were completed and the institution formally opened July 15, 1889. Up to September 30, twenty orphan chil- dren had been received, and a considerable increase in that number was expected during the fall months. The asylum is governed by a board of managers, who are appointed by the Governor, and have power to prescribe rules and regulations for the admission of inmates, and control of the institution. All orphan children under the age of 14 years shall be admitted, subject only to such restrictions as the board deem necessary to the welfare and good government of the asylum. The superintendent is required to keep a list of the names and ages of all children, with such data as may be obtainable concerning their history, subject at all times to public inspection. He is also required to see that their pro rata of the public school fund is set aside, and to provide them with proper educational facilities. STATE HOUSE OF COREECTION AND REFORMATORY. By act of the Twentieth Legislature, approved March 29, 1887, a State House of Correction and Reformatory for youthful convicts was provided for, and the Governor required to appoint a commission to locate the same. The institution was located two and one-fourth miles northeast of Gates- ville, Coryell county, and the necessary buildings erected there during the past summer. All persons under 16 years of age convicted of any felony, the punish- ment for which does not exceed five years* confinement, are sentenced to the Reformatory. The trustees are required to "see that the inmates are taught habits of industry and sobriety, some useful trade, and to read and write, and are also supplied with suitable books." The white and colored inmates of the institution are required to be kept, worked, and educated separately. The Institution is conducted on the "cottage" or family plan. The buildings are heated by steam and lighted by electricity. Since the institu- tion was opened, a farm of 200 acres and a garden and orchard — about 600 acres — have been put in cultivation. THE USEFUL MINERALS. Hon. E. T. Dumble, State Geologist, says: — "The mineral deposits, like many other features of Texas, are so wide- spread and of so diversified a character, that it is difficult even to attempt to describe them. The geological survey has only been in existence a year, and although much work has been done, scarcely an impression has been made on the problem before us. It has determined, however, that coal, limonite, hematite, and magnetic Iron ores, copper, silver, lead, cement materials, kaolin, potter's and fire clays, glass sands, salt, gypsum, natural gas, petroleum, and many varieties of building stone exist here in sufficient 58 TUk TEXAS PANHANDLE. quantity to warrant their profitable woiking; but there has not yet been time to investigate any of these deposits in detail. This is a matter that will require some time, as there is much preliminary work to be done, in order to obtan a proper basis for investigation." SOME PANHANDLE COUNTIES. It will be impossible to give a detailed description of every county in the Panhandle country, or all of those lying contiguous or tributary to the Den- ver, Texas & Fort Worth Division of the Union Pacific System. In some instances these counties are very young, — barely past oi-ganization,— and reliable data cannot be procured this year. The statistics presented for the older counties are derived from official sources, and may be relied on as thoroughly accurate. Starting from Fort Worth, the present terminus of the Union Pacific System in Texas, a description will be given of those counties on either side of the line from Tarrant county north to the State line. TARRANT COUNTY Is situated in Northern Texas and joins Dallas county, which forms its eastern boundary. It is also bounded by Johnson county and a narrow strip of Ellis on the south, Parker on tne west, and Denton and Wise counties on the north. It was created in 1849 from Navarro county, and named in honor of an old citizen of that section. Gen. E. H. Tarrant. The county is abundantly watered. The Trinity River enters the county at the northwest corner, and, running in a southeasterly direction to about the center of the county, makes an abrupt turn and passes out about centrally through the eastern part of the county. Besides the Trinity River the county is watered by Big and Little Bear, Village, Rush, Deer, Denton, Henrietta, Mustang, Wal- nut, Indian, Sycamore, Big and Little Fossil, Mary, Silver, Maine, and Rock creeks and a number of smaller streams, and Hurst, Calloway, and Park lakes. This is a farming and stock-raising county. The soil is well adapted to agriculture. It varies from a red sandy to a black waxy, the latter soil prevailing. All the cereals grown in the best black land sections are pro- duced in abundance here. The general surface of the county is high and rolling. The water- courses are timbered with oak, ash, pecan, elm, and hackberry. The east- ern portion of the county is traversed by the belt of timber known as the Lower Cross Timbers. This timber consists largely of post oak, blackjack, and hickory. Fort Worth is the county seat, the popul3,tion being estimated at 23,076. The other principal towns in the county are : Grape Vine, population 442 ; Arlington, population 664; Mansfield, population 418 ; Crowley, population 150. Value of Pkopebty.— The assessed value of all property in 1887, $11,261,838; in 1888, $12,516,021; in 1890, §18,817,816. THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 59 Lands. — Improved lands sell for from $8 to $20 per acre, unimproved for from $3 to $10 per acre. The average taxable value of land in the county is $6.20 per acre. Acres State school lands in county, 6. Schools. — This county has a total school population of 8,086, with 68 school houses, and gives employment to 146 teachers. Average wages paid teachers: White— males $68.83, females $49.23 ; colored— males $53.75, fe- males $47.50. Total number of pupils enrolled during the year was 6,623, average attendance 1,845, and the average length of school term 157 days. The estimated value of school houses and grounds is $60,275, school appara- tus $4,800, making the total value of school property $65,075. The total tui- tion revenue received from the State was $32,344. The farmers of this county purchased during the year 153,700 pounds of bacon, 24,970 pounds of lard, 26,791 bushels of corn, 16,455 gallons of molasses. PKODUCT AND VALUE OF FIELD CROPS FOR 1889. CROPS. Product. Value. Cotton, bales Corn, bushels Wheat, bushels Oats, bus)iels -. Barley, bushels Eye, bushels Potatoes, sweet, bushels Potatoes, Irish, bushels Peas, bushels Beans, bushels Hay, cultivated, tons Hay, prairie, tons Millet, tons Sugar cane, barrels sugar Sugar cane, barrels syrup Sorghum cane, barrels molasSes.. Sorghum cane, tons Tons cotton seed produced 22,989 33,652 23,865 8,712 153 48 222 47 4 13 676 3,389 1,642 4,521 630,881 277,325 186,879 3,830 397 15,341 5,449 70 105 1,589 3.960 2,688 4 257 48 16 495 138 2,260 $201,706 186,979 153,421 43,113 1,885 295 10,794 3,128 95 137 8,435 15,641 15,080 395 8,047 955 18,080 Bees.— Stands of bees 1,000; pounds of honey 30,103, value $3,170. Wool. — Number of sheep sheared 1,469 ; pounds of wool clipped 4,899, value $1,034. Live Stock. — Number of horses and mules 14,719, value $445,125 ; cattle 38,673, value $223,824 ; jacks and jennets 93, value $8,460 ; sheep 2,629, value $2,655 ; goats 1,874, value $1,175 ; hogs $8,870, value $14,650. County Finances. — The rate of county tax on the $100 valuation for 1889 was 65 cents. On December 31, 1889, there was a balance in the county treasury of $17,307.86. The indebtedness on December 31, 1889 : Outstand- ing court house bonds $6,000, jail bonds $75,000, road and bridge bonds $65,365; total bonded indebtedness $146,365. Total county indebtedness $146,365. The county expended during the year $6,000 for repairing public build- ings, $31,504.05 for roads and bridges, $4,675.75 for support of paupers, $25,000 bonds redeemed, $2,312 for grand jury, $9,223 for petit jury. Total limount expended for the support of the CQunty government $34,900, 60 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. Miscellaneous. — There are in the county 100 lawyers, 12 dentists, 45 physicians, 460 mercantile establishments, 6 wholesale liquor dealers, 40 beer dealers, 4 flour mills, 3 ice factories, 1 fire brick and tile manufactory, 1 can- ning establishment, 50 retail liquor dealers. THE CITY OF FORT WORTH. Fort Worth, the county seat, is situated 30 miles west of the city of Dallas near the center of the county, on a plateau overlooking the Trinity river. It is young, vigorous and enterprising, and is making rapid progress toward complete success as a city of commercial and manufacturing impor- tance. By general consent it stands unrivaled as a city of pluck and push, and it has been marked by a steady progress, changing only as the great tide of business depression or activity swept over the country, and now it is busy with vast undertakings by its railroad and other corporations, and by l^rivate individuals. Fort Worth has long been the principal distributing point of the live stock trade of the great Northwest and the Panhandle country of Texas. It is the general headquarters of the stockmen of these sections, which has very materially assisted in building up and maintaining the city. When the Texas & Pacific railroad reached Fort Worth in 1876, it was a small frontier village with less than 1,200 inhabitants. Immigration poured in. The fertile lands around the city were rapidly taken up by a thrifty and intelligent class of people. The efiect was marked and the increase in wealth and population went steadily forward, and in three years it had gained a population of 5,000. The United States census of 1880 gave a popu- lation of 6,663 ; in 1888 the population was estimated to be 24,000, and in 1890, was 23,076. Assessed values in 1880, 11,992,891 ; in 1890, $18,817,816. Fort V/orth is situated in the northern portion of the central artesian water belt of the State, and has within its limits about 200 artesian wells^ which supply water for public and private enterprises. These wells vary in depth from 114 to 806 feet. The first well was dug in 1879, and there is no diminution of the water-flow. The water from these wells, in most instances, is wholesome, and is used also for drinking and domestic purposes. The manufacturing establishments now in operation and being con- structed are testimonies of Fort Worth's prosperity. They indicate what is in store for a city with such enterprise and financial backing as is possessed by Fort Worth. The city has eight national banks with a combined capital of $2,500,000. Fort Worth is a great railroad center. The following lines form a junc- tion here : Texas & Pacific, the St. Louis, Arkansas & Texas, the Fort Worth & Rio Grande, the Fort Worth & Denver City, the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe, the Missouri, Kansas & Texas and the Fort Worth & New Orleans. The shops of the Fort Worth & Denver City, the Texas & Pacific and the Fort Worth & Rio Grande railroad companies are located here. The business and principal residence streets are macadamized. The city has an electric street car line, and a good system of sewerage and drainage. THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 61 WISE COUNTY Is one of the square counties, and is bounded on the north by Montague and Cooke counties, east by Denton, south by Tarrant and Parker, and west by Jack. The county is well watered. West Fork of the Trinity river flows nearly centrally through it from northwest to southeast ; Sandy creek enters the county near the northwest corner, and enters into West Fork of Trinity river near the center of the county. There are running streams of pure water, fed by numerous springs issuing from the banks along their courses. Timber in the county is plentiful. The county was created in 1856 from Cooke county, and named in honor of Governor Henry A. Wise, of Virginia. The surface of the county is generally rolling. The soil varies. There is the reddish or gray sandy soil of the timbered section, the black waxy of the prairies, and the dark loam or alluvium of the valleys, which give to the county land adapted to almost every conceivable purpose. The prairie land is particularly adapted to wheat, barley, oats, and corn, while the valley lands are of the highest order of fertility. Fruits and vegetables are also raised in abundance. Stock-raising and farming constitute the principal industry of the people. Coal of fair quality and in considerable quantities has been found in the county. The Denver, Texa? & Ft. Worth Division of the Union Pacific System passes nearly centrally through tjie county from*the northwest to the south- east. This railroad has a mileage in the county of 39 miles. The county was organized in 1856, and contains an area of 900 square miles. Decatur is the county seat, population 2,500 ; has water works sys- tem, electric lights, ice factory, canning factory, capacity of 10,000 cans per day ; ten miles graded streets ; the Northwestern Texas Baptist College, 140,000 building ; a fire department well equipped ; a public school building, cost $16,000; church buildings, all denominations. The other principal towns are : Alvord, population 1,000; Aurora, 500; Chico, 500; Greenwood, 300; Crafton, 200; Boonville, 200; Paradise, 250; Rhome, 200; Audubon, 200. Value op Property. — The assessed value of all property in 1887, $4,664,- 810; in 1888, $4,378,653 ; in 1890, $5,158,162. Lands.— Improved lands sell for from $5 to $20 per acre, unimproved for from $1.50 to $5 per acre. The average taxable value of land in the county is $4.26 per acre. Acres State school land in county, 656. Banks. — There is one national bank in the county, with a capital stock of $50,000 and a surplus of $25,000. Newspapers.— There are four weekly newspapers published in the county. Schools. — This county has a total school population of 5,212, with 48 school houses, and gives employment to 117 teachers. Average wages paid teachers: White— males $63.25; females, $37.61; colored females, $27.50. Total number of pupils enrolled during the year was 5,089, average attend- ance 3,202, and average length of school term 136 days. The estimated 62 THE TEXAS PANHA-NDLIO. value of school houses and grounds is $35,500; school apparatus, $7,000; making the total value of school property, $42,500. Churches. — The Catholic, Methodist, Christian, Presbyterian, Seventh- Day Adventist, Baptist and Episcopal churches are all represented. PEODTTCT AND VALUE OF I^ELD CROPS FOR 1890-1891. CROPS. 1890. Acres. Product. Value 1891. Acres. Product. Value. Wheat, bushels ^ Coni, bushels Oats, bushels Barley, bushels Rye, bushels Potatoes, sweet, bushels Potatoes, Irish, bushels Cotton, bales Hay, cultivated, tons Hay, prairie, tons Millet, tons Sorghum cane, tons Sorghum cane, barrels molasses Cotton seed, tons Gardens Pears Plums Apples Peaches Grape vines, number Melons 6,188 46,875 9,314 69,808 1,320,615 229,504 I 44,115 307,557 53,924 28 470 266 47,327 887 1,599 1,354 180 376 668 ■21 77 94 1,872 140 97,716 45,439 17,962 1,987 1,744 2,530 678 772 8,981 285 15,499 25,904 21,779 790,260 10,759 8,601 13,522 3,095 14,376 71,848 70,894 183 1,COO 1,900 50,089 2,047 14,958 3,943 36,406 4,322 30 2 140 86 48,699 534 1,994 97 14,430 495,387 96,838 740 15 24,230 14,567 15,096 1,048 1,251 107 2 536 87 87 1,515 6,980 45,500 213 f 14,305 357,106 66,225 568 15 12,438 7,684 668,296 8,518 6,104 806 57 61,840 54,860 100 1,500 1,845 1,140 9,940 STOCK REPORT. 1890. Value. Number. Value. $487, 325 15,083 5561,015 257,835 41,951 223,890 9,975 138 18,140 23,340 10,123 12,905 2,265 549 545 408 1,970 213 2,780 Number. Horses and mules 13,637 Cattle 41,036 Jacks and jennets 82 Hogs 9,418 Sheep 2,477 Pounds of wool clipped 2,028 Stands of bees ...'. The county expended during the year $500 for repairing public build- ings, $5,800 for roads and bridges, $820 for support of paupers, $10,500 bonds redeemed, $648 for grand jury, $1,920 for petit jury. Total amount expended for the support of the county government $17,262.29. Miscellaneous. — There are in the county 18 lawyers, 3 dentists. 111 mercantile establishments, 9 retail liquor dealers, 1 beer dealer, 2 flour mills, 1 ice factory, 2 canning establishments, 1 electiic light plant. THE CITY OF DECATUR. Decatur is situated in the southeastern part of the county on a com- manding eminence, on the divide between the West and Denton forks of Trinity river. It is prosperous, and is steadily growing in population and wealth, and has a bright future. It is suf rounded by a prosperous farming district. Excellent coal and fine building stone are found in the county, andihe developing of these is adding greatly to the wealth and importance of the city. It is on the Denver, Texas & Ft. Worth Division of the Union Pacific system, and is an important point for the shipment of grain and live stock. It had a population of 300 in 1870, of 1 ,500 in 1880, and an estimated population of 1,746 in 1890; the assessed values have increas^)d from $50,000 to $714,000 durina; tlie same period. THE TKXAR PANHANDLE 6ii MONTAGUE COUNTY Was formed from Cooke county in 1858. It is one of the group of the Red River counties, and is bounded on the east by Cooke, south by Wise and Jack, and on the West by Clay. This county contains 891 square miles, and is particularly an agricul- tural county, in which industry the people are largely engaged. The soil is' a rich loam and highly productive. Cotton, corn, oats, wheat and other small grains and vegetables and fruits yield abundantly. The general surface is undulating, being about equally divided between prairie and w^oodland. The county is well watered. Sandy, Brushy, Denton, Clear, Mountain, Cottonwood, Farmer, Salt, and Belknap creeks flow through the county, watering every section. Improved breeds of live stock are raised with profit. The Methodist (Northern and Southern), Christian, Baptist, and Pres- byterian churches are each represented by church organization. Montague is the county seat, population 795. The other principal towns in the county are: St. Joe, population 710; Bowie, population 1,486; Burlington, population 500 ; Sunset, population 375 ; Belcher, population 516. Value of Property. — The assessed value of all property in 1887, $3,- 683,785; in 1888, $3,944,488; in 1890, $3,298,475. Lands. — Improved lands sell for from $4 to $12 per acre, unimproved for from $1 to $8 per acre. The average taxable value of land in the county is $4.25 per acre. Acres State school land in county 4,499. Banks. — There is one national bank in the county, with a capital stock of $50,000 and a surplus of $3,006. Newspapers. — There are five weekly nev/spapers published in the county. Schools, — This county has a total school population of 4,312, with 68 school houses, and gives employment to 86 teachers. Average wages paid teachers: Whites — males, $73.50, females $41.50. Total number of pupils enrolled during the year was 4,190, average attendance 2,106, and the average length of school term 130 days. PRODUCT AND VALUE OF FIELD CROPS FOR 1889-1891. CROPS. 1889. Acres. Product. Value Acres. Product. Value. Cotton, bales Corn, bushels Wheat, bushels Oats, bushels Barley, bushels Rye, bushels , Potatoes, sweet, bushels Potatoes, Irish, bushels Peas, bushels Beans, bushels Hay, cultivated, tons Hay, prairie, tons Millet, tons Sugarcane, barrels syxup Sorghum cane, barrels molasses Sorghum cane, tons Cotton seed, tons Crop grass, tons Ground peas, bushels 31,452 31,596 6,473 8,799 20 216 354 154 14 6 1G7 742 1 303 165 467 1 13,015 «22,370 58,295 204,338 424 1,951 G0,S:^,2 19,493 311 22G 221 1,207 977 2 629 572 G,507 426 111 5615,268 193,770 41,221 42,740 185 1,0C1 14,147 8,555 219 170 1,105 5,644 4,695 38 10,342 2,286 52,056 1,748 141 42,894 35,980 7,464 6,186 5 93 347 197 592 3,562 583 203 25 15,730 397,750 35,563 117,756 49 675 34,432 13,400 729 1,818 660 408 72 ,000 $628,303 287,581 33,670 66,125 25 699 14,914 13,400 4,213 12,504 4,741 60,480 9>33 64 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE, Fruits and Garden. — Acres in pears 1%, value |33 ; in plums 38, value |65; in apples 3453,4, value |2,092; in peaches 1,580, value |3,880; in grape vines 2"%, value |1,371. Live Stock. — Number of horses and mules 14,213, value 1517,316; cattle 41,601, value |293,297; jacks and jennets 99, value $10,175; hogs 13,162, value $20,972 ; sheep 408, value $479. Number of pounds of wool clipped 2,040, value $255. ^ County Finances. — The rate of county tax on the $100 valuation for 1889 was 67 cents. Miscellaneous.— There are in the county 15 lawyers, 2 dentists, 1 beer dealer, 3 flour mills, 1 saw mill. • CLAY COUNTY Was made in 1857 from Cook county, and named in honor of the distin- guished statesman Henry Clay. This county was originally organized in 1860, but the organization was soon abandoned, and the county was not reorganized until November, 1873. It contains an area of 1,122 square miles. It is separated from the Indian Territory by the Red River on the north. It has Wichita and Archer counties for its western, Montague for its eastern, and Jack for its southern boundary. The general surface of ' the county is rolling, with wide and level valleys along its numerous streams. The soil is well adapted to agriculture, which with stock raising forms the principal industry of the people. The Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Cumberland Presbyterian, Christian, Catholic, Lutheran, and Dunkard churches are each represented by church organizations in the county. The Denver, Texas & Ft. Worth Division of the Union Pacific System runs through the county. Henrietta is the county seat, population 2,100. Other principal towns in the county are : Newport, population, 200 ; Belleview, population, 300 ; Charlie, population, 50 ; Post Oak, population 200. Value of Property. — The assessed value of all property in 1887, $3,- 286,874; in 1888, $3,363,966; in 1889, $4,169,035. » Lands. — Improved lands sell for from $5 to $10 per acre, unimproved for from $4 to $6 per acre. The average taxable value of land in the county is $3.05 per acre. Banks. — There is one private bank in the county, with a capital stock of $50,000; national bank, capital stock $35,000, making two banks in the county, with a total capital $85,000. Newspapers. — There are 2 weekly newspapers published in the county. Schools. — This county has a total school population of 1,236, with 28 school houses, and gives employment to. 27 teachers. Average wages paid teachers: White— males, $09.16, females, $42.50; colored — males, $35. Total number of pupils enrolled during the year was 1335, average attend- ance 580, and the average length of school term 110 days. THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. PRODUCT AND VALUE OF FIELD CROPS FOR 1889. 65 CROPS. Cotton, bales Com, busliels Wheat, bushels Oats, bushels Barley, bushels Rye, bushels Potatoes, sweet, bushels Potatoes, Irish, bushels Peas, bushels Beans, bushels Hay, cultivated, tons Hay, prairie, tons -.r^. Millet, tons Sorghum cane, barrels molasses.. Sorghum cane, tons ,. Sorghum seed Cotton seed, tons Broom corn, tons Johnson grass, tons Acres. ,223 ,719 ,346 18 415 216 36 7 4 797 5G1 ,817 1.77 ,569 379 Product. S.i'Sl 364,510 02,055 125,665 354 6,761 69,740 3,350 130 153 1,330 3,628 3,916 275 5,157 5,783 1,740 9 258 Value. $174,050 109,353 35,849 37,699 212 4,732 34,870 3,350 130 306 6,650 l.S,140 19,580 4,420 25,785 34,698 13,920 540 1,290 Bees. — Stands of bees, 14 ; pounds of honey 170, value $33. Wool. — Number of sheep sheared, 4,500 ; pounds of wool clipped 25,440, value 14,579. . Live Stock. — Number of horses and mules 6,269, value $160,015; cattle 56,017, value $498,236 ; jacks and jennets 33, value $2,900; sheep 2,172, value $2,174; goats 152, value $129; hogs 1476, value $3,722. County Finances. — The rate of county tax on the $100 valuation for 1889 was 60 cents, Miscellaneous. — There are in tlie county 25 lawyers, 8 physicians, 3 dentists, 45 mercantile establishments, 4 flour mills, 2 saw mills. JACK COUNTY Was formed from Cooke in 1856. It is one of the second tier of counties from the Red River, being separated from it by Clay county. Its inhabi- tants are engaged in farming and stock raising. The soil is about equally divided between sandy loam and black waxy. The surface is rolling prairie land and low valleys. The West Fork of the Trinity River passes through the north center of the county in a southeasterly direction. There pass through the county a number of smaller streams tributary to this and the Brazos River. Building stone of superior quality is plentiful in the county. A large deposit of gray limestone, or blue marble, is being quarried. There is a mineral well located in Vineyard City that is highly recommended for various diseases. The Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist and Christian churches are each represented by church organization. The county was organized in 1857, and contains an area of 870 square miles. Jacksboro is the county seat, population 751. The other princi- pal towns in the county are : New Hope, population 60 ; Antelope, popu- lation 80; Erysin, population 50; Post Oak, population 75; Vineyard, population 40. G6 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. Value op Property. — The assessed value of all property in 1887, $2,200,- 791 ; in 1SS8, |2,269,194; in 1890, $2,641,8GG. Lands. — Improved lands sell for from $5 to |10 per acre, unimproved for from |2 to $5 i^er acre. The average taxable value of land in the county is $2.72 per acre. Acres State school land in the county, 14,055. Newspapeks. — There is one weeklj^ newspaper published in the county. Schools. — This county has a total school population of 2,178, with 34 school houses, and gives employment to 5G teachers. Average Avages paid teachers ; White — males |46, females $38 ; colored — males $38, females $30. Total number of pupils enrolled during the year was 2,196, average attend- ance 1,190, and the average length of school term 86 days. PRODUCT AND VALUE OF FIELD CROPS FOR 1889. CROPS. Acres. Product. Value. Cotton, bales Corn, bushels Wheat, bushels Oats, bushels Barley, bushels Kye, bushels..., Potatoes, sweet, bushels Potatoes, Irish, bushels Peas, bushels Beans, bushels Hay, cultivated, tons Hay, prairie, tons Millet, tons Sorghum cane, barrels molasses.. Sorghum cane, tons :.. Tons cotton seed produced 10,^45 13,111 2,341 2,640 9 46 IGl 37 77 1 692 184 734 107 497 5,012 850,915 30,856 66,278 77 436 32,197 . 5,130 1,252 46 1,383 196 1,094 184 2,015 2,506 S225,529 105,274 21,599 16,883 77 436 9,659 2,565 1,252 46 6,915 980 5,475 3,326 10.075 20,048 Fruits and Garden. — Acres in peaches 544, value $14,553; in apples 1, value $91 ; in plums 2, value $158; in pears 1, value $64; in melons 12, value $590; in garden 240, value $18,519; number of grape vines 2,500, value $561. Bees. — Stands of bees 28 ; jjounds of honey 450, value $57. Wool. — Number sheep sheared 3,025 ; pounds of wool clipped 13,842, value $2,518. Livestock. — Number ot horses and mules 9,530, value $234,060; cattle 45,008, value $325,351; jacks and jennets 23., value $3,337; sheep 11,494, value $14,195; goats 2,445, value $2,560; hogs 4,588, value $6,873. County Finances. — The fate of county tax on the $100 valuation for 1889 was 65 cents. Miscellaneous. — There are in the county 7 lawyers, 2 dentists, 29 mer- cantile establishments, 3 beer dealers, 1 flour mill. WICHITA COUNTY. Is one of the tier of the Red river counties, having for its boundaries the Red river on the north, Clay county on the east, Archer on the south, and Wilbarger on the west. It was formed in 1858 from Bexar county, and takes its name from the river which flows through the southern portion of the county. It is more particultuly a stock-raising county, although farms THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 67 are being opened and lands put in cultivation at a rapid rate, and in a few years the agricultural interests will surpass all others. The soil is well adapted to the growth of cotton, corn, wheat and other cereals commonly grown in the State. It is principally a red and chocolate loam. The gen- eral surface is level, though there are rolling and broken portions. The county is M'ell watered. The Red river and its tributaries water the north- ern portion, and Wichita river and Beaver creek and their tributaries water the middle and southern portions. The Denver, Texas & Ft. Worth Divi- sion of the Union Pacific System passes through the county from southeast to northwest. The Methodist, Baptist and Episcopal churches have church organization. The county was organized in 1822, and contains an area of 589 square miles. Wichita Falls is the county seat, population 1,987, and rapidly increasing. Value op Property. — The assessed value of all property in 1887, $1,828,- 495 ; in 1888, $1,844,647 ; in 1890, |3,578,300. Lands. — Improved lands sell for from $5 to $10 per acre, unimproved for from $2 to $4 per acre. The average taxable value of land in the county is $3.10 per acre. Acres State school land in the county, 28,821. Banks. — There is one private bank in the county, capital stock $25,000, and one national bank, capital stock $72,800. Schools. — The county has a total school population of 434, and 5 school houses, and gives emi>loyment to 13 teachers. Average- wages paid teach- ers : White — males $60, females $44.50. Total number of pupils enrolled during the year 384, average attendance 264, and the average length of school term 144 days. PRODUCT AND VALUE OF FIELD CROPS FOR 1891. CROPS. Cotton, bales Corn, bushels Wheat, bushels Oats, bushels Barley, bushels Rye, bushels Potatoes, sweet, bushels ... Pottitoes, Iri.sh, bushels Hay, prairie, ton,s Millet, tons Sorgbunx cane, tons Tons cotton seed produced Acres. Product. Value. 960 311 $ 1.364 3,974 117,1S.5 60,586 35,970 719,100 503,580 9,462 87S,4S0 94,620 118 1,360 612 52B 15,000 12,.'552 16 1,931 1,7.'^7 12 2,.SS0 2.&i0 960 1,440 15,S40 360 720 7,200 72 252 2,520 160 1,230 Wool. — Number of sheep sheared 3,125 ; pounds of wool clipped 15,515, value $2,325. Livestock. — Number of horses and mules 1,598, value $48,865; cattle 10,041, value $81,435; sheep 6,873, value $8,201; goats 975, value $1,463; hogs 203, value $434. County Finances. — The rate of county tax on the $100 valuation for 1889 was 65 cents. Fruits and Garden.^ — Acres in peaches 7, value $375; in garden 11, value $785. 68 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. WICHITA FALLS Is one of the rising young towns which Ijest illustrate the surprising growth of the Panhandle country. When this division of the Union Pacific was opened, the town was scarcely past the age and appearance of a frontier village. To-day it is one of the brightest, busiest towns in Texas,'with a population of from 2,500 to 3,000 and increasing every month. No town in Northwest Texas has a brighter future than Wichita Fallsi The location is all that could be desired, being the county seat, and having the trade of several of the best wheat-producing counties in Texas, and it is destined to be a city of importance. The trade of the great valley of the Wichita and Red rivers — to say nothing of that of the counties of Archer, Baylor, Knox, Throckmorton, and a good portion of Clay, Young and all of Wichita — gives this point a large territory to supply and draw from; in fact, no town in Northwest Texas possesses the advantages that Wichita Falls is favored with. The town has good free schools. If children are not educated in Texas, it is the fault of the parents and not that of the State. There are four churches in Wichita Falls, — Baptist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, and Methodist, and other denominations will soon build. Churches and school houses are erected in the country as needed. The receipts of Wichita Falls have grown from S4,500 per month in 1885 to $35,000 per month in 1890, and are steadily increasing each month. This in itself speaks volumes for the country and the enterprise and work of the people, and is proof positive that Wichita Falls is well located for business and has a productive country to draw from. The Wichita Valley Railroad branches off the Fort Worth & Denver City Railroad, at Wichita Falls, and runs through the best agricultural region in Texas. The country adjacent to this road contains all the elements necessary to promote successful farming, and affords a rich field for the acquisition of wealth for the tiller of the soil. Tracts of land can be had at prices and on terms that render it accessible to industrious poor men in search of homes. Dundee, a station and small town of great promise, on the railroad twenty-eight miles southwest of Wichita Falls, is the principal trading point, next to Seymour, the terminus of the road, which is also the county seat of Baylor county. The soil is a red or chocolate loam and is exceedingly deep and mellow ; it possesses all the vital ingredients of the black waxey and hog-wallow lands of north-central Texas with none of their drawbacks ; it is undei'laid with sulphate of lime and the common grade of limestone, which furnishes such a basis for the renewal of its nutritive qualities that it can never be impoverished. There is no better winter wheat growing country to be found anywhere, it ia equally adapted to the growth of rye, oats, barley, and all the other small grains, as well as corn, millet, sorghum, vegetables of every description and all kinds of fruit and berries. The sod is very easily broken and produces the first crop nearly as good as succeeding ones. THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. «9 ARCHER COUNTY. Is bounded by Clay and Jack counties on the east, Wichita on the north, and Young on the south. It is in the midst of a fine agricultural region, though stock-raising is the principal industry of the people. Fsirms are becoming more numerous yearly as the agricultural resources are developed. The soil is a rich loam. The general surface of the county is a rolling prairie. There is no timber belt, but a few small groves of trees appear in the south- eastern portion of the county and along the water-courses. Big Wichita River flows across the northwest corner of the county, Little Wichita River flows through the center of the county, West Fork of the Trinity River flows through the southern portion of the county. These streams with their tributaries water nearly every portion of the county. The Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Christian churches are each represented by church organization. The county was organized in 1880, and contains an area of 900 square miles. Archer is the county seat, population 475. Value of Propekty. — The assessed value of all property in 1887, $1,130,- 577; in 1888, 11,169,932; in 1890, $1,898,789. Lands. — Improved lands sell for from |7 to $12 per acre, unimproved for from $2 to $5 per acre. The average taxable value of land in the county is $1.48 per acre. Acres State school land in county, 39,221. Schools. — This county has a total school population of 159, with 11 school houses, 3.nd gives employment to 10 teachers. Average wages paid teach- ers : White— males $40.21 ; females $38.75. Total number of pupils enrolled during the year was 212, average attendance 85, and the average length of school term 120 days. PRODUCT AND VALUE OF FIELD CROPS FOR 1889. CROPS. Acres. Product. Value. Cotton, bales Corn, bushels Wheat, bushels Oats, bushels Barley, bushels Rye, bushels Potatoes, sweet, bushels Potatoes, Irish, bushels Beans, bushels Peas, bushels Hay, cultivated, tons Hay, prairie, tons Millet, tons Sugar cane, barrels sugar Sugarcane, barrels syrup Sorghum cane, barrels molasses. Sorghum cane, tons Tons cotton seed produced 125 1,112 2,271 1,618 40 92 11 4 10 71 129 469 39 519 66 43.366 39,420 75,142 1,051 1,244 1,205 610 280 161 231 614 8 2,294 11,908 38,342 13,268 475 583 499 285 195 892 1,131 4,154 1,286 18,570 264 70 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. Fruits axd Garden. — Acres in peaches 13, value $415; in apples 6; in melons'?, value ?375; in garden 16, value $622; number of grape vines 500, value $400. Bees.— Stands of bees 1 ; pounds of honey 50, value $10. Wool. — Number of sheep sheared 9,222; pounds of wool clipped 44,545, value $8,879. Live Stock. — Number of horses and mules 3,440, value $59,267; cattle 62,100, value $341,215; jacks and jennets 14, value $350; sheep 22,458, value $22,458; goats 1,952, value $1,952; hogs 361, value $365. County Finances. — The rate of county tax on the $100 valuation for 1889 was 60 cents. Miscellaneous. — There are in the county 6 lawyers, 2 physicians, 3 mercantile establishments and one retail liquor dealer. PRODUCT AND VALUE OF FIELD CROPS FOR 1891. CROPS. Cotton, bales Corn, bushels Wheat, bushels Oats, bushels Barley, bushels Rye, bushels Potatoes, sweet, bushels Potatoes, Irish, bushels Hay, cultivated, tons ... Hay, prairie, tons Millet, tons Sorghum cane, tons Acres. 1,223 1,841 4,49:2 4,081 37 28 11 33 14 92 462 140 Product. 87 9,328 41,334 15,107 637 119 917 309 9 51 SO 165 Value. $■'5,918 6,874 27,534 12,617 542 171 487 308 30 249 1,069 1,112 Garden.— Acres 90, value $21,200. Live Stock. — Horses and mules 5,033, value $99,938; cattle 59,976, value $456,278; jacks and jennets 35, value $1,235; hogs 945, value $1,146; sheep 16,487, value $16,487. Wool.— Number of pounds clipped 30,000, value $8,251. BAYLOR COUNTY Joins Archer county on the west, and partakes largely of its character of soil and climate. The occupations of the people are similar. It is watered by the Brazos river in the south and the Wichita in the north. There are a number of smaller streams which distribute the water supply in every THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. n section of the county, affording ample supply to stock at all seasons of the year. The county is thinly settled ; but the people who have found lodg- ment there are industrious and law-abiding, and are using their energies to make known the resources and wealth of the county. They extend a most hearty welcome to all new settlers. The Baptist, Presbyterian, Christian and Methodist churches are each represented by church organization. The county was organized in 1879, and contains an area of 900 square miles. Seymour is the county seat, population 700. Value op Property. — The assessed value of all property in 1887, $1,- 763,597; in 1888, $1,792,361; in 1890, $2,179,473. Lands. — Improved lands sell for from $5 to $10 per acre, unimproved for from $2 to $4 per acre. The average taxable value of land in the county is $2.50 per acre. Acres State school lands in county 51,962. Banks. — There is one private bank in the county with a capital stock of $25,000. Newspapers. — There are 2 weekly newspapers published in the county. Schools. — This county has a total school population of 307, with 7 school houses, and gives employment to 11 teachers. Average wages paid teachers: Whites — males, $77.50; females $48. Total number of pupils enrolled during the year was 328, average attendance 204, and the average length of school term 130 days. . PRODUCT AND VALUE OF FIELD CROPS FOR 1889. CHOPS. Acres. Product. Value. Cotton, bales ., Corn, bushels Wheat, bushels Oats, bushels Barley, bushels Kye, bushels Potatoes, sweet, bushels Potatoes, I"ish, bushels Pea.s, bushels Beans, bushels Hay, cultivated, tons Hay, prairie, tons....„ Miflet, tons Sugar cane, barrels sugar Sugar cane, barrels syrup Sorghum cane, barrel molasses. Sorghum cane, tons Tons cotton seed produced 68 1,310 5,532 1,845 ICO 80 28 28,880 72,980 64,575 3,200 800 155 14 8 1,150 14,440 43,788 18,372 1,280 750 320 775 112 Fruits and Garden. — Acres in peaches 35, value $250. Wool. — Number of sheep sheared 7,245; pounds of wool clipped 30,025, value $4,638. Livestock. — Number of horses and mules 2,804, value $64,988; cattle 17,974, value$129,421 ; jacks and jenneis 5, value $1,075; sheep 5,348, value $6,683; goats 236, value $118; hogs 241, value $488. 72 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. County Finances. — The rate of county tax on the |100 valuation for 1889 was 107>2 cents. Miscellaneous. — There are in the county 6 lawyers. 3 dentists, 2 phy- sicians, 9 mercantile establishments. KNOX COUNTY Was formed from Bexar county in 1858. It is one of the 'second tier of counties from the Red river, being separated from that river by Hardeman county, which bonds it on the north. It is one of the square counties in Northwestern Texas, and is otherwise bounded by Baylor on the east, Haskell on the south, and King county on the west. It is well watered. North and South Wichita rivers flow through the northern and central parts of the county. The southern portion is traversed by the Brazos river. These, with their numerous tributaries, furnish abundant water for all purposes. This is a farming and stock-raising section. Farming is carried on successfully, the soil being a black waxy and sandy loam and highly productive. Stock-raising is the more important industry of the two. The general surface is rolling prairie, which peculiarly adapts it to grazing. There is also considerable rich bottom land in the county. Tim- ber sufficient for all purposes is found. There is a ledge of sandstone extending nearly the entire length of the county from north to south, about four miles west of the center. In the western portion gypsum is found in inexhaustible quantities. ■ There are surface indications of other minerals, especially of copper. The Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian and Christian churches are each represented by church organization. Benjamin is the county seat, population 500. Value op Property. — The assessed value of all property in 1887, $1,703,- 055; in 1888, $1,657,688; in 1890, $2,552,902. Lands. — Improved lands sell for from $4 to $10 per acre, unimproved for from $1 to $5 per acre. The average taxable value of land in the county is $2.22 per acre. Acres State school land in county, 86,400. Schools. — This county has a total school population of 159, with 7 pchool houses, and gives employment to 8 teachers. Average wages paid teachers: White — males |75, females $35. Total number of pupils enrolled during the year was 194, average attendance 139, and the average length of school term 120 days. THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 73 PRODUCT AND VALUE OF FIELD CROPS FOR 1889. CROPS. Acres. Product, Value. Cotton, bales Corn, bushels Wheat, bushels , Oats, bushels Barley, bushels Rye, bushels Potatoes, sweet, bushels Potatoes, Irish, bushels Peas, bushels Beans, bushels Hay, cultivated, tons Hay, prairie, tons Millet, tons Sugar cane, barrels sugar Sugar cane, barrels syrup Sorghum cane, barrels molasses.. Sorghum cane, tons Tons cotton seed produced 238 1,270 407 969 77 30,082 5,528 23,747 $ 3,538 15,197 3,493 7,219 461 519 118 254 519 118 69 125 93 83 95 154 678 735 1,531 11 273 27 955 522 4,916 304 Fruits and Garden. — Acres in peaches 12, value $70 ; in melons 28, value $2,909 ; in garden 14, value $967. Bees. — Stands of bees 4 ;_ pounds of honey 200, value $20. Wool. — Number of sheep sheared 1,700; pounds of wool clipped 8,550, value $1,623. Live Stock.— Number of horses and mules 2,966, value $65,163; cattle 31,296, value $274,365; jacks and jennets 7, value $505; sheep 1,200, value $1,500; goats 2, value $2; hogs 196, value $513. County Finances. — The rate of county tax on the $100 valuation for 1889 was 67)^ cents. Miscellaneous.— There are in the county 3 lawyers and 8 mercantile establishments. WILBARGER COUNTY Joins Wichita county on the west, and has the Red river for its northern boundaiT. It is separated from the Indian Territory by the main stream of the Red river, and from Greer county by Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red river. The county is otherwise bounded by Wichita on the east, Bay- lor on the south and Hardeman on the west. It was created from Bexar county in 1858, and named in honor of Josiah and Mathias Wilbarger. The county is well watered. The Red river with its many tributaries on the north, Pease river in the west central, and Beaver creek on the south, furnish nearly every portion of the county with an abundant supply of water. Some of the streams, however, are impregnated with salt, gypsum and lime, rendering the water unpalatable. The general surface is level. There are, however, large bodies of undulating prairie. The timber of the county is confined mostly to the water-courses, and consists of a growth of mesquite, cottonwood, elm, willow and hackberry. About three-fourths of the area of the county is suitable to profitable cultivation. The soil is a 74 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. red and sandy loam. Cotton, corn and the common cereals are raised with profit. Fruits and vegetables also grow well. The Denver, Texas & Ft. Worth Division of the Union Pacific System passes about centrally through the county from southeast to northwest. The Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Christian and Baptist churches are represented by church organization. The county was organized in 1881, and contains an area of 1,170 square miles. Vernon is the county seat, population 2,857. The other principal towns in the county are: Harrold, population 250; Doans, population 200. Value op Property.— The assessed value of all property in 1887, $2,300,- 076 ; in 1888, |2,332,773 ; in 1890, $4,949,956. Lands. — Improved lands sell for from $5.50 to $15 per acre, unimproved for from $4.50 to $10 per acre. The average taxable value of land in the county is $8.25 per acre. Acres State school land in county, 69,421. Banks.— There are two National banks in the county, with a capital stock each of $100,000. Newspapers. — There are three weekly newspapers published in the county. Schools — This county has a total school population of 2,000, with 40 school houses, and gives employment to 50 teachers. Average wages paid teachers : White — males $60, females $45. Total number of pupils enrolled during the year was 700, average attendance 400. PRODUCT AND VALUE OF FIELD CROPS FOR 1890. CROPS. Cotton, bales Corn, bushels Wheat, bushels Oats, bushels Barley, bushels Rve, bushels Potatoes, sweet, bushels Potatoes, Irish, bushels Peas, bushels Beans, bushels Hay, cultivated, tons Hay, prairie, tons Millet, tons ■ Sugar cane, barrels sugar Sorghum cane, barrels molasses.. Sorghum cane, tons Tons cotton .seed produced Egyptian corn Acres. 2,116 10,200 77,400 22,215 410 161 38 14 1 1 81 310 1,683 92 410 Product. 1,058 006,000 1,548,000 888,600 16,400 2,415 3,800 1,400 35 15 86 252 1,930 62 1,327 Value. $ 47,610 122,400 1,393,200 222,150 14,760 1,497 1,000 980 120 15 846 1,705 12,646 1,159 5,530 10 .• 20 Fruits and Garden. — Acres in peaches 2, value $150; in melons 75, value $3,580; in garden 6, value $3,455. BEES.^Stands of bees 7 ; pounds of honey 40, value $8. Wool. — Number of sheep sheared 14,504; pounds of wool clipped 93,754, value, $14,499. THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. ri Livestock. — Numloer of horses and mules 3,118, value $95,478; cattle 15,6(51, value $9G,G86; jacks and jennets 5, value $310; sheep 13,437, Vidue ^13,234; goats 123, value |159; hogs 203, value $434. County Finances. — The rate of county tax on the $100 valuation for 1889 was 80 cents. Miscellaneous. — There are in the county 33 lawyers, 9 physicians, 3 dentists, 60 mercantile establishments, 1 flour mill, 1 fire brick and tile manufactory, 6 retail liquor dealers, 3 beer dealers, 2 ice factories. Wilbarger county has proven to be one of the healthiest counties in the State. No malaria, no yellow fever, no cholera, no mountain pneumonia, no consumption, no asthma. It is claimed that this is the best all-round farming country in all America, and particularly has it proven to be the country where the best average wheat crop is grown ; the truth being that while Dakota has had , 60-bushel crops, she has also 2% bushel crops. The government report , some two years ago gave to Colorado the belt for the greatest average crop (21 bushels) in the United States. The closest figures give Wilbar- ger county a number of bushels more than this for an average of many years, extending over the driest years. The average rain-fall of twenty-eight inches is sufficient to insure good ■crops. The soil is a chocolate sandy loam, underlaid witli a strata of clay ; . -the soil resting on such a basis for the renewal of nutritive qualities is practically'inexhaustible. The general surface is level, with large undula- ting tracts. Timber abounds along the streams, consisting of Cottonwood, elm, mesquite and hackberry. Wilbarger is the largest wheat -lyroducinrj county in the State of Texas, and stands second in oats. For 1891 she has raised — Wheat 1,548,000 bushels. Oats 888,000 Corn 306,000 " Barley , 16,400 '.' Besides there is raised all kinds of fruits and vegetables in paying quanti- ties. There is no section in the United States where farming can be cai- ried on at so small an expense as in Wilbarger county. No extra ex- pense is required to build barns for the protection of stock in winter. The soil requires no fertilizing, no inconvenience of rocks, no frost to prevent plowing any month in the year, and one man can cultivate two hundred acres easily without anj' help except in harvest. The expense of putting in a crop per acre, harvesting and hauling to market, is $6.75, where in the Eastern States it would cost $11.75 per acre. Unimproved lands can be purchased from $5 to $10 per acre ; improved lands from $8 to 520 per acre, governed by the distance from the county seat. Many a farmer has bought a farm in this county, paying from $7 to $8 per acre; and the first year's crop has paid for the same, leaving a balance clear of from $500 to $1,000, deducting his own labor and time. 76 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. There are hundreds of farmers who realized frota $2,500 to $3,000 on their wheat crop for 1891. A large number realized from $5,000 to $8,000. Only eighteen per cent of the county is under cultivation. Wilbarger county can accommodate 4,000 more farmers. The following shows the cost of keeping sheep and the returns in Wil- barger county : EXPENSES. Shepherds and wages at $11 per month and rations $250 00 Shearing and sundry expenses at shearing time 77 00 Dipping for scab, 4 cents per head 44 00 Sheep dip for worms 5 00 Extra labor 20 00 Total $396 00 RECEIPTS. 1,100 sheep at 5 lbs. per head, equal pounds wool 5,500 At 20 cents per pound 20 Cash receipts $1,100 00 $1,100 00 80 per cent increase, 880 head at $3 2,640 00 . $3,740 00 Less expenses $ 396 00 Interest on $5,000 at 12 per cent 600 00 Rent. of place 100 00 $1,096 00 $1,096 00 $2,644 00 VERNON. Vernon is situated on the Fort Worth and Denver City Railway, 162 miles from Fort Worth, 500 miles from Galveston, 548 miles from Kansas City, 1,000 miles from Chicago, and 648 miles from Denver. Vernon is the largest shipping point on the Fort Worth and Denver City Railway, a supply point of 25 miles of country east and west, and 100 miles north and south. One cannot help being impressed on visiting Vernon, with her well- built business houses, all of which are built of brick and stone in the modern style of architecture. This city has all the public improvements and accommodations that may be found in any city three times her size. There are established here 2 ice factories, capacity 6 tons per day each ; 1 flour mill, capacity 225 barrels per day; 2 elevators, capacity 260,000 bushels ; Holly system of waterworks ; a fine fire department ; 2 banks, First National and State National, with capital of $100,000 each; the largest opera house between Fort Worth and Trinidad ; a beautiful Masonic Temple; the finest court house in the Panhandle ; 3 good hotels; a well- THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 77 equipped street car line ; 3 brick yards ; 4 livery stables, well stocked ; a well patronized electric light plant ; 3 weekly newspapers, with large cir- culations ; 6 churches — Methodist, Baptist, 3 Presbyterian, and a Christian, with a membership of 975 ; a fine High School, having enrolled over 600 pupils ; 3 ward schools ; 1 private school, and the Wesleyan University, making Vernon the educational center of Northwest Texas. Vernon has had a wonderful trade during the past year in farm im- plements. No town in the United States has sold more farm imjjlements direct to the farmers, considering the amount of country developed. It is considered by all manufacturers of farm implements that she stands first on the list for 1891 as a distributing point. The following are a num- ber of leading articles sold by eight business firms dealing in farm supplies : >.. Binders 547 "Walking Plows 810 Sulky Plows 4^6 Gang Plows 108 Harrows 479 Cultivators 61 Drills 260 Corn Planters 45 Threshers, horse power 38 Threshers, steam 9 Wagons 515 Barb Wire pounds, 1,527,000 Binding Twine " 309,000 The freight shipped to and from Vernon amounted to over 72,150,000 pounds in 1890. It required 1,600 cars to haul the wheat that was marketed at Vernon, and 1,900 cars from the county, this year, and during tne months of July and August wheat buyers from all over the Northwestern States were here for the first time to take advantage of the great crop. During the months of August and September, 1891, the Vernon banks paid out to the farmers of Wilbarger county for wheat $666,531.92. The Wilbarger County Confmittee on statistics report the following statements of facts : "In 1881 the county had a population of 152; in 1891 it had 9,291. Vernon had 35 ; it now has 3,823. "In 1881 there were no churches — a circuit preacher held forth occasion- ally on the square; now you have seven churches and eighteen preachers, and a total membership of 1,988. "In 1881 there were no organized societies ; now you have one lodge of Freemasons,' with 105 members ; one Royal Arch Chapter, 25 members ; one lodge Knights of Pythias, 101 membei-s ; Knights of Honor, 30 mem- bers ; Knights of Labor, 40 members ; Odd Fellows, 17 members ; Grand Army of the Rebublic, 21 members ; 13 lodges of the Farmers' Alliance, with 260 members. 7S THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. "In 1881 there was one school, with a box house 1-ixlG, L. N Perkins teacher, and 14 scholars ; you now have 40 school houses, valued at |56,0U0, erne superintendent and 50 teachers, and 2,026 scholars in the public free schools and four private schools, and an available school fund of $20,618. "In 1881 there were 51 voters; at the last general election there were 1,650 votes cast. "In 1881 there were three post offices, with a weekly mail; now you have 10 post offices with daily juails, and postal earnings of about |11,000 annually. The Vernon office in July, this year, sold money and postal orders amou^iting to |4,895; the Harrold office for the same month, $2,099. "In 1881 there were no public improvements; you now have two elevators, valued at $52,000 with a capacity of 260,000 bushels; one flouring mill, capacity 225 barrels per day, valued at $26,000; two ice factories, capacity 12 tons, and valued at $24,000; electric light plant, 600 lights, value $16,000; water works, value $33,000; planing mill, value $6,000; street railway, value $9,000; marble works, value $4,000; three brick yards, value $10,000. "In 1881 there were two hotels, built of logs; there are now 12 hotels, valued at $70,000, "In 1881 there was one blacksmith shop; there are now 26 shops. "In 1881 there were no banks ; now there are two National banks, with a capital of $200,000, doing a business of between six and seven million dollars per annum. "In 1881 there were three stores, with a capital of about $3,000; now there are 54 stores, with stocks valued at $303,000; six livery and sale stables, valued at $50,000 ; eight wagon yards, valued at $12,000. "In 1881 you had no county buildings; you now have a court house valued at $47,000; a jail, valued at $10,000; five iron bridges, valued at $60,000, and other bridges, $5,000. "In 1881 there were nine farms, with about 160 acres in cultivation; you now have 523 farms, with 128,700 acres in cultivation, which produced this year 1,548,000 bushels of wheat, and all other crops in proportion; "In 1881 you had no newspapers; you now have four, with a home circulation of over 4,000." HARDEMAN COUNTY Was made from Clay county in 1858. It was named in honor of the two brothers, Bailey and Thomas J. Hardeman. It is one of the tier of the Red river counties, having the South Fork of the Red river for its north- ern boundary, which separates it from Greer county. The principal industries of the people are farming and stock raising. The soil of the county is a sandy loam, and the surface is generally level. Pease river runs through the center of- the county from west to east, which, with Prairie Dog Town River, Groesbeck, Wanderers', Beaver, Good, Paradiset and several other smaller creeks, furnishes ample" water supply for all THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. purposes in ordinary seasons. Tlie Denver, Texas & Ft. Worth Division of the Union Pacific System passes through the north center of the county from east to west. The Methodist, Baptist, Christian and Presbyterian churches are each represented by church organization. The county was organized in 1884, and contains an area of 1,180 square miles. Tlie principal towns in the county are: Quanah, population 2,000; Chillicothe, population 50 ; Kirkland, population 15 ; Yampareka, popula- tion 20. In explanation of the agricultural report being small as compared with previous years, it is proper to say that Hardeman county was divided in March, 1891, the south half being now a part of Foard county. That part was also the oldest agricultural portion of Hardeman county. A large portion of Hardeman county being owned by railroad companies— the land is not on the market. The following summary shows the status of the vigorous young town of Quanah, county seat of Hardeman county ; population 2,000: Temrorary Court House, cost $20,000 Quanah Hotel. 30,000 Roller Mill, capacity 50 barrels 15,000 Elevator, capacitv 30,000 bushels 8,500 Public School Building, valuerl at 1,500 Lone Star Cement Works, capacity 240 barrels 30,000 Planing Mill and Cotton Gin 2,700 County Jail 6,000 Quanah Female College 3,500 Two churches. Thirteen stone and brick business houses. Two stone and brick banking houses. Three lumber yards. Two livery stables. Two newspapers. L,710,- Value of Property. — The assessed value of all property in 1887, -4; in 1888, $2,436,874; in 1890, $8,517,403; in 1891, 4,037,403. Lands. — Improved lands sell for from |3 to $7 per acre, unimproved for from $1.25 to $5.50 per acre. The average taxable value of land in the county is $2.20 per acre. Acres State school land in county, 174,825. Newspapers. — There is one weekly newspaper published in the county. Schools. — This county has a total school population of 355, with 9 school houses, and gives employment to 11 teachers. Average wages paid teach- ers: White — males $57.5(i, females $35. Total number of pupils enrolled during the year was 309, and the average length of school term 110 days. PRODUCT AND VALUE OF FIELD CROPS FOR 1890 AND 1891. CHOPS, Wheat, bushels Corn, bushels '.... OAts, bushels Barley, bushels Rye, bvxshels Potatoes, sweet, bushels... Potatoes, Irish, bushels Cotton, bales Hay, prairie, tons Millet, tons Sorghum cane, barrels molasses Sorghum cane, tons Broom corn, tons .. Cottonseed, tons f890. Acres. Product. | Value. 6.419 619 2,244 174 26 V5^i 67,S52 4, 60S 37,528 2,633 253 845 5 I 3 430 I 328 356 475 ,824 .491 ,113 ,428 140 562 45 ,877 212 ,y93 1891. Acres. Product. Value. 19,000 1,200 4,488 350 26 15 10 85 15 500 550 40 275,000 10,000 8:^,820 5,266 253 2.000 500 15 13 600 ,187 20 8206.250 5,000 33,528 3,159 140 1,400 500 375 160 4,180 5,986 1,600 45 80 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 1890. IS'.lI. STOCK REPORT. . " ■ ■ ' ;-- — • Number. Value. Number. Value. ffir -'^ -'^^- ;■•:■:::.:=::::: ilS HIS ii:m IPoS Jacks and jennets v.:.:-:::::::::::: 250 m m IS Qheeo '. 1.000 1,000 850 850 Poun^'sof wool clipped 6,000 900 5,100 765 County Finances. — The rate of county tax on the $100 valuation for 1889 was 92}^ cents. Miscellaneous. — There are in the county 11 lawyers, 4 physicians, 1 dentist, 18 mercantile establishments, 2 beer dealers. GREER COUNTY Was formed in 1860 from Clay county. It is situated in the forks of the Prairie Dog Town Fork and the North Fork of the Red river. The former is claimed by the United States government as the boundary between Texas and the Indian Territory, the latter by the State of Texas as the correct boundary. The boundary question is still a disputed one, both the State and the National Government claiming the territory. The county contains large bodies of agricultural land of a rich soil. It is a black and chocolate sandy on the uplands, and a dark loam on the river and creek bottoms. It is one of the best watered counties in the State. The interior part is wat- ered by the Elm Fork of the Red river, North and South Forks of Elm, North, South and Little Turkey, Frazier, Boggy, Sandy, Bitter, Bull and Station creeks, and a large number of smaller streams, which flow in a southeasterly direction. The northwestern portion of the county is moun- tainous. There are, too, a few abrupt elevations on the North Fork of the Red river. The balance of the area of the county is level or slightly rolling. The Baptist, Primitive Baptist, Christian and Methodist churches have church organizations in the county. The county was organized in 1886, and contains an area of 2,462 square miles. Mangum is the county seat, population 300. The other principal towns are : Navago, population 75 ; Frazier, population 50 ; Quartz City, population 25. Value of Property. — The assessed value of all property in 1887, $1,110,- 266; in 1890, $1,205,732. Lands. — The average taxable value of land in the county is 57 cents per acre. Schools. — This county has a total school population of 514, with 14 school houses, and gives employment to 13 teachers. Average wages paid teachers, $44.64. Total number of pupils enrolled during the year was 386, and the average length of school term 80 days. THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. PRODUCT AND VALUE OF FIELD CROPS FOR 1889. CROPS. Product. Value. Cotton, bales Corn, bushels Wheat, bushels Oats, bushels Barley, bushels Rye, bushels Potatoes, sweet, bushels Potatoes, Irish, bushels I'eas, bushels Beans, bushels Hay, cultivated, tons Hay, prairie, tons Millet, tons Sugar cane, barrels sugar Sugarcane, barrels syrup Sorghum cane, barrels molasses. Sorghum cane, tons Tons cotton seed produced 15 5,977 1,834 3,716 30 48 60 33 75 14 115 1,238 99 1,550 11 111,109 ■29,2-58 65,065 400 323 7,761 1,800 829 361 193 1,912 110 5,295 5 8 408 43,342 21,599 19,141 300 191 3,304 1,950 1,138 364 601 12,576 2,258 3,910 40 Fruits and Garden. — Acres in peaches 18, value $725 ; in apples 9, value $263; in melons G3, value $2,903; in garden 35, value |1,678; number of grape vines 1,000, value $50. Bees. — Stands of bees 9; pounds of honey 50, value $7.50. Wool. — Number of sheep sheared 15,300 ; pounds of wool clipped 129,000, value $10,700. Live Stock. — Number of horses and mules 4,231, value, $120,720; cattle 65,014, value $456,671; jacks and jennets 8, value $1,150; sheep 10,628, value $10,628; goats 405, value $405; hogs 302, value $1,019. County Finances. — The rate of county tax on the $100 valuation for 1889 was 65 cents. Miscellaneous. — There are in the county 8 lawyers, 4 physicians, 18 mercantile establishments, 1 ice factory, 2 retaij liquor dealers. CHILDRESS COUNTY Was named in honor of George 0. Childress, the author of the Declara- tion of Texan Independence. It was made in 1876 from Fannin county. It is one of the newly organized counties, and is situated west of and adjoining Greer county. Prairie Dog Town Fork of Red river, which is claimed by the United States government as the boundary between Texas and the Indian Territory, passes through the county near the center. The South Fork of Red river and the tributaries of Pease river water the southern portion of the county. The Denver, Texas & Ft. Worth Division of the Union Pacific System runs through the county from east to west. The general surface is undulating prairie land with forests of timber on the water-courses. The people are engaged in farming and stock raising, which is the chief source of wealth in the county. The climate of the 82 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. county is finely adapted to the successful raising of stock, while all farm products are grown with marked success. The soil is a black and red loam and is highly productive. The Methodist and Baptist churches are each represented by church organization in the county. The county was organized in 1887, and contains an area of 758 square miles. Childress is the county seat, population 300. Value of Property. — The assessed value of all property in 1887, $1,- 045,964; in 1888, $1,434,402; in 1890, $1,729,310. Lands.— Improved lands sell for from $2.50 to $5 per acre, unimproved for from $2 to $3 per acre. The average taxable value of land in the county ia $1.86% per acre. Acres State school land in county, 123,640. Schools. — This county has a total school population of 102, and gives employment to three teachers. Average wages paid teachers : White- male^ $75. The average length of school term was 75 days. PRODUCT AND VALUE OF FIELD CROPS FOR 1889. CROPS. Cotton, bales Corn, bushels Wheat, bushels Oats, bushels Barley, bushels Rye, bushels Potatoes, sweet, bushels Potatoes, Irish, bushels Peas, bushels Beans, bushels Hay, cultivated, tons Hay, prairie, tons Millet, tons Sugar cane, barrels sugar Sugarcane, barrels syrup Sorghum cane, barrels molasses.. Sorghum cane, tons Tons cotton seed produced Milo maize Acres. Product. 326 273 395 1 IS 3 1 1 1 135 683 ........ 3,810 2,491 5,075 5 140 225 28 8 4 184 1,173 i'-i" Value. «1,921 2,03tf 2,178 5 39 262 33 1,678 217 5,906 Fruits and Garden. — Acres in melons 2, value $25; in garden 1, value $10. Livestock. — Number of horses and mules 657, value $23,960; cattle 36,647, value $1,306,865; jacks and jennets 5, value $245 ; goats 300, value $225; hogs 39, value $155. County Finances.^ — The rate of county tax on the $100 valuation for 1889 was 65 cents. Miscellaneous. — There are in the county 3 lawyers, 2 physicians, 8 mercantile establishments. THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 83 DONLEY COUNTY Was made in 1876, from Bexar county, and was named in honor of Stock- ton P. Donley, one of the early sui:>reme judges of Texas. It is situated west of Greer county, from which it is separated by Collingsworth county. The people are engaged largely in stock raising. There are a few farms in the county, however, on which are raised the cereals common to the State. The county is watered by the Middle Fork of Red river, and Car- roll, Barton, Whitefish, Sadler's, Mulberry, Hall, Lake, Oak, Kelly, ■Skillet, Reckerd, and Allan creeks. The Denver, Texas & Ft. Worth Division of the Union Pacific System passes through the southwestern portion of the county in a northwesterly direction. The Methodist, Episcopal and Presbyterian churches each have church organizations in the county . The county was organized in 1882, and contains an area of 900 square miles. Clarendon is the county seat, population 949. The other princi- pal town in the county is Old Clarendon, population 100. Value of Property. — The assessed value of all property in 1887, $815,- 325; in 1888, $1,286,905; in 1890, $1,703,927. Lands. — Improved lands sell for from $5 to $10 per acre, unimproved for from $2 to $3 per acre. The average taxable value of land in the county is $1.57 per acre. Acres State school land in county, 205,120. Acres of land subject to pre-emption, 2,000. . Banks.— There is one private bank in the county, with a capital stock of $20,000. Newspapers.— There are 2 weekly newspapers published in the county. Schools. — This county has a total school population of 103, with 1 school house, and gives employment to 2 teachers. Average wages paid teachers: White— female $69.37. Total number of pupils enrolled during the year was 114, average attendance 60, and the average length of school term 180 days. PRODUCT AND VALUE OF FIELD CROPS FOR 1889—1890. 1889. 1 1890. CROPS. Acres. 1 Product. 1 Value. Acres. Product. Value.. Corn, bushels Wheat, bushels 80 679 $ 359 140 92 145 24 25 4M nt 2,215 1,472 2,212 390 25 4.54 65 «1,146- 1,216. 1,065 Oats, bushels 13 300 120 Barley, bushels Rye, for bay, tons z..... :::... 275' 150 Potatoes, sweet, bushels Potatoes, Irish, bushels 4 95 110 567 115 1 12 207 57 7 219 10 21 389 72 16 394 30 240 2,375 655 400 2,600 Hay, cultivated, tons 11 12 130 Millet, tons Sorghum cane, bbls. molasses... 274 109 2 892 926 40 5,337 855 35 Peaches 108 Melons 2i^ 3,395 ■■ i 84 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 1890. 1801. STOCK REPORT. . ^ . . -^ Number. Value. Number. Value. Horses and Mules 828 8 26,315 1,453 8 40,330 Cattle 28,436 230,090 30,196 254,269 Dairies 2 3 Jacks and Jenuets 1 150 4 130 Hogs 153 -730 229 902 County Finances. — The rate of county tax on the f 100 valuation for 1889 was 57)^ cents. Miscellaneous. — There arein the county 6 lawyers, 3 physicians, 10 mercantile establishments. WHEELER COUNTY. Joins Greer county, and has the Indian Territory for its eastern boundary. The county was formed from Bexar and Fannin counties in 1876, and named in honor of Royal T. Wheeler, the second Chief Justice of tlie Supreme Court of Texas. The face of the county for the most part is rolling prairie. The North Fork of the Red river and Sweetwater creek flow from west to southeast through the county. The water-courses are marked by a growth of timber. The soil irs a rich sandy loam and very productive. Stock-rais- ing is almost the exclusive industry of the people. Very little farming has been done, and only in connection with stock-raising. The Methodist (Northern and Southern) and Presbyterian churches are represented by church organizations. The county was organized in 1879, and contains an area of 900 square miles. Mobeetie is the county seat, population 700. Value op Property. — ^The assessed value of all property in 1887, $921,- 365; in 1889, $838,118. Lands. — Improved lands sell for from $3 to |10 per acre, unimproved for from $1 to $3 per acre. The average taxable value of land in the county is 11.62 per acre. Acres State school land in the county, 201 ,120. Acres of land subject to pre-emption, 6,400. Banks. — There is one private bank in the county, with a capital stock of 125,000. Schools. — This county has a total school population of 315, with 4 school houses, and gives employment to 8 teachers. Average wages paid teachers : White— males $51.66, females $40. Total number of pupils enrolled during the year was 115, average attendance 83, and the average length of school term 67 days. PRODUCT AND VALUE OF FIELD CROPS FOR 1889. CROPS. Corn, bushels Oats, bushels Potatoes, Irish, bushels. Hay, prairie, tons Millet, tons Sorghum cane, tons Cottonseed, tons 2,0!0 686 50 564 848 958 Product. 10,200 0,530 .500 3,000 2,256 2.680 7,202 Value. $8,643 6,530 900 27,000 20,294 26,800 57,619 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 85 Fruits AND Garden. — Acres in melons 25, value $300; in garden 75, value $1,500. Wool. — Number of sheep sheared 3,300 ; pounds of wool clipped 16,500, value 12,476. Live Stock.— Number of horses and mules 927, value $32,036; cattle 19,309, value $173,574; jacks and jennets 1, value $300; sheep 2,158, value $3,983; goats 15, value $15; hogs 122, value $460. County Finances. — The rate of county tax on the $100 valuation for 1889 was 60 cents. Miscellaneous. — There are in the county 5 lawyers, 2 physicians, 9 mercantile establishments, 3 retail liquor dealers, 2 beer dealers, and 1 ice factory. POTTER COUNTY. Is one of the newly organized counties of the Panhandle. It was formed in 1876 from Bexar county, and named in honor of Robert Potter, Secretary of the Navy during the government ad interim. It is situated in the north- western part of the State, on the line of the Denver, Texas & Ft. Worth Division of the Union Pacific System. The southern portion of Potter county consists of slightly undulating plains, known as the plains of Llano Estacado. It has a rich fertile soil of great depth, varying from a sandy to a black loam, which is well adapted to the growth of grain. The county is well watered. The Canadian river flows through the northern portion. This stream is augmented by several tributaries — Amarillo, Bonita, and Turkey creeks being the most important smaller streams traversing the county. There are several lake's of fresh water in the county, some of which are filled with water throughout the year. Farming as a distinct calling is not followed, there being less than 100 acres cultivated in the county. Stock- raising engrosses the attention of the people. The INIethodist, Presbyterian and Cliristian churches are each repre- sented by church organization. The county was organized in 1887, and contains an area of 900 square miles. Amarillo is the county seat, population 1,900; has $40,000 brick court house, 12 miles of water inains, $30,000 stone board of trade building, 4 churches, 2 national banks. Government observatory, $40,000 hotel. PRODUCT AND VALUE OF FIELD CROPS FOR 1891. CROPS. Acres. Product. Value. Wheat, bushels Corn, bushels Oats, bushels Potatoes, sweet, bushels Potatoes, Irish, bushels. Hay, cultivated, tons .... Hay, prairie, tons , Millet, tons Sorghum cane, tons Sorghum, molasses Broom corn, tons 28 500 50 900 200 700 :10 2,100 10 400 300 3,000 5i)0 3,500 300 300 1,500 100 gal. 40 400 8 500 540 892 1,100 400 i^(> THE TEXy\8 FANHAJS'DLK. , =—— 1 SaO. ■ ^ 1891. . Number. Viilm".-, Number. Value. Horses ..„ 1,407 $;'.(;, li:! 1,907 $ 4G,443 Mules ISO IS.OOO Oattle 27,2iit 2;;'.i,r.:!i> 27,261 2:ii),552 Jacks aiidJennets -M ;i'.)5 jfiO 4,800 Hogs : 200 1,000 Sheep ]:,0 l.JO 150 150 Pounds of wool clipped 115,000 Value of Property. — The assessed value of all property in 1887, :|342,700; in 1888, |1,458,526; in 1890, $1,465,912. Lands. — Improved lands sell for from $4 to $7 per acre, unimproved for from $1 to $3 per acre. The average taxable value of land in the county is ;|2.01 per acre. Acres State school land in the county, 189,480. Acres land subject to pre-emption, 1,280. Fruits and Garden.— Acres in melons 30, value $500; in garden 50, value $1,500. County Finances.— The rate of county tax on the $100 valuation for 1889 was 80 cents. Miscellaneous. — There are in the county 9 lawj^ers, 2 physicians, 1 den- tist, 6 mercantile establishments. HALE COUNTY. Is situated in the center of the Llano Estacado, or Staked Plains, and is one level prairie from center to circumference, almost every acre of which can be cultivated. It has no rivers, creeks, hills, mountains or forests. The only water-courses of any kind are from slight depressions called "draws," which trend from the northwest to southeast, and one of which, the Run- ning Water Draw, is a beautiful bold spring branch for twenty miles, where it sinks. The drainage consists of successions of saucer-shaped basins, varying in size from one to one thousand acres, and so situated as to form the most perfect drainage and yet retain every drop of rainfall. On this account a small rain does as much good here as a large rain does in a country where most of the water is carried away by creeks, branches, etc. Many of these basins hold water the year round, and hence are called surface lakes. In any of these draws water can be had by digging to a depth varying from 10 to 20 feet, as pure as any spring, and a never failing supply. The same class of water can be had anywhere on the highest points at from 25 to 60 feet. The soil is a very rich chocolate or dark sandy loam, and easy of culti- vation. It ranges from one to three feet deep, and is underlaid with a stiff red clay. The only natural product is a very luxuriant growth of mesquite grass, with now and then a fine crop of wild rye in the basins, Tjvhich makes very good hay. Some farming is now being done, but the principal industry is stock raising, stock remaining fat ten months in the year on the grass. Fruits and vegetables of alrnost every kind do well. Some irrigation is being done by means of wells and wind mills, which is proving very satisfactory, as it is very cheaply and easily done. The county was organized August 5, 1888, and has a population of between 600 and 600. Plainview is the county seat, population 350. ^ THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 87 Lands. — Acres State school land in county 278,400. Acres of land sub- ject to pre-emption, 49,926. Schools. — This county has a total school population of 88. PRODUCT AND VALUE OF FIELD CROPS FOR 1889. CROPS. Acres. Product. Value. Corn, bushels Wheat, bushels Potatoes, sweet, bushels Potatoes, Irish, bushels Peas, bushels Beans, bushels Hay, cultivated, tons Millet, tons Sorghum cane, tons Sorghum cane, barrels molasses.. Sugar cane, barrels sugar 820 10 815 25 3.3 30 1,870 \bO 3,150 25 93 Fruits and Garden. — Acres in garden 1, value $75. Wool. — Number sheep sheared 4,850; pounds of wool clipped 22,500, value 14,125. Live Stock. — Number of horses and mules 809, value $17,937 ; cattle 16,777, value $142,692; jacks and jennets 5, value $240; sheep 4,100, value $5,962 ; goats 2, value $42 ; hogs 25, value $105. CoX'XTY FiNAXCES.— The rate of county tax on the $100 valuation for 1889 was 62 cents. Miscellaneous.— There are in the county 2 lawyers, 5 mercantile establishments. CROSBY COUNTY Was created in 1876 from Bexar county, and named in honor of Stephen Crosby, at one time Commissioner of the General Land Office. It is one of the group of small counties in Northwestern Texas. It is distinctly a stock- raising county, although farms are numerous and the agricultural products of the county form an important part of its wealth. The soil is a chocolate loam, and suited to the growth of field crops, veg- etables and fruits. The general surface of the county is prairie, with hills and valleys along the water-courses. White and Yellow House Forks, prongs of the Brazos river, furnish the water supply of the county. The county is settled by a thrifty and law-abiding people. Crime is almost unknown. ■ The Quaker atid Methodist churches are each represented by church organization. The county was organized in 1886, and contains an area of 900 square miles. 88 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. Estacado is the coanty seat, population 238. The other principal towns in the county are : Mt. Blanco, populatron 53 ; Silver Falls, population 20. Value of Property. — The assessed value of all property in 1887, $777,- 345; in 1890, $1,386,529. Increase, $609,184. Lands. — Improved lands sell for from $4 to $10 per acre, unimproved for from $1.50 to $5 per acre. The average taxable value of land in the county is $2 per acre. Acres State school land in county, 137,640. Acres of land subject to pre-emption, 16,269. Newspapers. — There is one weekly newspaper published in the county. Schools. — This county has a total school population of 120, and gives employment to 3 teachers. Average wages paid teachers : White — males $46, females $45 ; colored — males $45. Total number of pupils enrolled dur- ing the year was 71, average attendance 44, and the average length of school term 120 days. PRODUCT AND VALUE OF FIELD CROPS FOR 1889. CROPS. Acres. Product. Value. Wheat, bushels Corn, bushels Oats, bushels Rye, bushels Potatoes, sweet, bushels Potatoes, Irish, bushels Hay, cultivated, tons Millet, tons Sorghum cane, tons Sorghum cane seed, bushels Rice corn, bushels 84 26 2 2 3' 42 486 87 y^ 80 798 500 65 315 10 3 40 1,418 216 970 SlOO 798 500 65 470 25 22 450 7,302 dZA 917 Fruits and Garden. — Acres in peaches 10, value $350 ; in melons 9, value $650 ; in garden 4, value $350. Live Stock. — Number of horses and mules 827, value $26,225 ; cattle 41,264, value $336,988 ; jacks and jennets 22, value $110 ; sheep 4,187, value $6,280; goats 31, value $46; hogs 26, value $107. County Finances. — The rate of county tax on the $100 valuation for 1889 was 25 cents. Miscellaneous. — There are in the county 3 lawyers, 2 physicians, 9 mercantile establishments. OLDHAM COUNTY Takes its name in honor of Wilhamson S. Oldham, deceased, a distin- guished jurist and orator of Texas. It is situated on the northwestern limit of the State, with New Mexico as its western border. It is also one of the third tier of counties from the northern limit of the State. It was formed from Bexar county in 1876, and contains an area of 1,477 miles. The Canadian river flows through the northern part of the county, THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 89 and with its tributaries furnishes water the whole year. The general sur- face of the county is undulating, with broken cliffs and ravines on the border of the streams. The soil of the county is variable, its red and black loam predominating. Agriculture as a distinct business is not engaged in, stock-raising being the principal industry. The Denver, Texas & Ft. Worth Division of the Union Pacific System passes across the northeast corner of the county, having a mileage of 21 miles in the county. Tascosa is the county seat, with a population of 400. Value of Property. — The assessed value of all property in 1887, $592,- 446; in 1890, $1,561,672. Increase $969,226. Lands. — Improved lands sell for from $2 to $5 per acre, unimproved for from $1 to $3 per acre. The average taxable value of land in the county is $1 per acre. Acres State school land in the county, 154,400. Acres land subject to pre-emption, 20,830. Newspapers. — There is one weekly newspaper published in the county. Schools. — This county has a total school population of 105, with 1 school house, and gives employment to 1 teacher. Average wages paid teachers: White — males $75. Tot^il number of pupils enrolled during the year was 62, average attendance 37, and the average length of school term 100 days. The estimated value of school houses and grounds is $500, school apparatus $250, making the total value of school property $760. Total tuition revenue received from the State, $420. Farm and Crop Statistics. — There are 10 farms in the county ; 18 farm laborers were employed on the farms of the county during the year, average wages paid being $25 per month. PRODUCT AND VALUE OF FIELD CROPS FOR 1889. CROPS. Product. Value. Corn, bushels Potatoes, sweet, bushels Hay, cultivated, tons.... Hay, i)rairie, tons Millet, tons Sorghum cane, tons Corn fodder, tons 22 1 120 698 119 1,075 50 190 20 420 1,043 146 1,155 71 «ia5 40 5,040 10.:-;10 1.660 9,300 426 Fruits and Garden. — Acres in peaches 1, value $200; in apples 1, value $25; in plums 1, value $10; in pears 1, value $10; in melons 5, value $600; in garden 10, value $800. Live Stock. — Number of horses and mules 1,329, value $39,881 ; cattle 71,753, value $539,118; jacks and jennets 20, value $200; sheep 45, value $67 ; goats 12, value $18; hogs 26, value $130. County Finances.— The rate of county tax on the $100 valuation for 1889 was 65 cents. Miscellaneous. — There are in the county 4 lawyers, 2 physicians, 6 mercantile establishments, 4 retail liquor dealers. 90 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. UNORGANIZED TERRITORY. In addition to these counties already noted, there is an immense tract of rich farming countiy as yet unorganized. There are in the Panhandle country thirty-two counties unorganized, containing an area of 32,600 miles — room enough for millions of people. Of course under present conditions the gathering of statistics has been impossible. But the Cmmissioner of Agriculture estimates that at the close of 1888 there were in these oi^tlying districts 450,000 sheep, and that the wool clip for that year amounted to 2,070,000 pounds. WEALTH AND PROGRESS. In the preceding pages has been given a brief history of several Pan- handle counties and their status in wealth at the present time. But this showing does not tell the story of the wonderful development or the start- ling rapidity with which these counties leaped at a single bound from obscurity to prominence— from nothingness, as it were, to wealth and pros- perity. And this story is best told by dry figures, and figures, it is said, are sometimes eloquent; these are, certainly. If you can picture to yourself a county which was represented on the assessment rolls by a blank line from 1871 to 1879, and then in that year was put down at a total valuation of $4,147, you can see where one county stood a short ten years ago. But that same county had, according to the State Comptroller, at the close of 1888. $1,844,647 of taxable property. That is Wichita county, one of the grand- est counties in the Panhandle. It is submitted that the details of increased values which follow are not, nor have been, equaled in any portion of the Union for the same period of time. Tarrard county, 1871, $2,424,879; 1888. $12,516,021; 1890, $18,817,816. Wise county, 1871, $657,883;.. 1888, $4,378,653; 1890, $5,158,162. Montague county, 1871, $372,785; 1888, $3,944,488;' 1890, $4,819,769. Clay county, 1871, ; 1874, $99,256; 1888, $3,363,966; 1889, $4,169,035. Archer county, 1871, ; 1876, $3,250; 1888, $1,169,932; 1890, $1,898,789. Baylor county, 1871, ; 1874, $10,248; 1888, $1,792,361 ; 1890, $2,179,473. Knox couniyylSll, ; 1874, $18,972; 1888, $1,657,688; 1890, $2,552,902. miharger county, 1871, ; 1874, $35,500; 1888, $2,327,773; 1890, $4,949,956. Hardeman county, 1871, ; 1874, $61,720; 1888, $2,436,874; 1890, $3,517,403. Greer county, 1871-1880, ; 1881, $78,600 ; 1888, $615,211 ; 1890, $817,577. Childress county is one of the Panhandle wonders ; it was represented in the Comptroller's report bv a blank hne from 1871 to 1882, and in the last named year showed a valuation of $2,600. The assessed valuation of the county for 1888 was $1,434,402; 1890, $1,729,310. Donley county, l^n-19,m, ; 1881, $92,868; 1888, $1,286,905; 1890, SI 703 9*^7 ' Ai^strong county, \%n-\%m, ; 1881, $104,951; 1888, $563,615; 1890, %\ 721 869 ' Poker county, Wl, ; 1879, $68,190; 1888, $1,458,526 ; 1890, $1,465,912. WxcUta county, 1880, $117,860; 1890, $3,578,300. Randall co^inty, 1871-1880, ■; 1881, $21,800; . 18S8, $230,994; 1890, $696,212. Hale county, 1871-1882, ; 1883, $25,150; 1888, $223,574; 1890, $880,376. THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. pl Oroshy county, 1871-1878, ; 1879, $26,215; 1890, $1,192,810. Oldham county, 1871-1878, ; 1879, $163,921 ; 1890, $1,500,483. Jack county, 1880, $1,125,501; 1890, $2,641,866. Examples might be multiplied, but the foregoing might be sufficient tcp show any intelligent reader of statistics that the newly stimulated growth^ in population and wealth in Texas between the periods named, advanced more rapidly in the Panhandle country than in any other portion of the State. Where a county is set down as having reported , or "nothing," if is meant that the county within the dates fixed was unor- ganized, had no taxable wealth within its borders, could scarcely be called inhabited, and was used only for the sustenance of herds of cattle, or was given over entirely as a wilderness. The emerging of vast tracts like these from frontierism into the order and symmetry of organized government, the building of towns and cities, the raising of abundant crops, and all within the lapse of so few brief years, partakes somewhat of the marvelous, and calls for solid, sub- stantial facts in support of the assertions made regarding this extraordin- ary country. The facts presented are official and reliable. But the half has not been told of the country and its magnificent possibilities. SOME RANDOM NOTES. It has been asked by a few nervous souls, "Are we going to be safe in Texas if we go?" Safe from what? The same political equality exists there and under as vigorous protection as it do^fes in Iowa. No man will question your right to speak and vote as you see fit in so far as your polit- ical principles are concerned. There has been some small amount of feeble objection urged against this great empire because of its well-known pronounced political status ; but to imagine that every new-comer is called upon to declare his faith, and be ostracised if he does not agree with other inhabitants, is a mon- strous perversion of the truth, and an insult to those gallant Texans whose pride in their State amounts to an idolatry. You will find men there from almost every Northern State, engaged in every department of trade and commerce ; and if you have a particular "ism" or "ology" you can preach and practice it with as much freedom in Texas as you could in Vermont. "Tell the people," said that well-be- loved executive, Governor Lawrence S. Ross, while speaking to the writer of these pages on this point, — "tell the people of the North they are wel- come to Texas, and that in finding here a new home they shall lose nothino of their liberty, their free speech, nor their right to their political faith. I myself am from Iowa." SUFFRAGE. The following classes of persons are prohibited from voting in this State:— 1. All persons under twenty -one years of age. 2. Idiots and lunatics. 91' THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 3. Paupers supported by any county. 4. Persons convicted of any felony. 5. Soldiers, marines, and seamen in the service of the United States. Every male citizen twenty-one years of age, subject to none of the fore- going disqualifications, who has resided in the State one year next preced- ing the election and the last six months within the district or county where he offers to vote, is a qualified elector. EXEMPTIONS FROM TAXATION. Farm products in the hands of the producer, and family supplies for home and farm use. Household and kitchen furniture to the value of $350, including a sew- ing-machine. All annual pensions granted by the State. All public property. Lands used exclusively for graveyards, or grounds for burying the dead, unless held by persons or corporations for profit. Buildings and lands attached thereto belonging to charitable or edu- cational institutions, and used exclusively for charitable or educational purposes. EXEMPTIONS FROM FORCED SALE. A homestead worth $5,000 exclusive of improvements, if in a town or 3ity; if in the country, 200 acres, including improvements and crops grow- ing thereon, except for part or all of the purchase money thereof, the taxes lue thereon, or for material used in constructing improvements thereon, and in this last case only when the work and material are contracted for in writ- ing, with the consent of the wife given in the same manner as is required in tnaklng a sale and conveyance of the homestead. All household and kitchen furniture, and all provisions and forage on band for home consumption. Any lot or lots in a cemetery for the purpose of sepulture. All implements of husbandry, and all tools, apparatus, and books belonging to any trade. The family library and all family portraits and pictures. Five milch cows and their calves, and two yoke of work oxen, with neces- sary yokes and chains. One gun, two horses and one wagon, one carriage or buggy, and all saddles, bridles, and harness necessary for the use of the family. Twenty head of hogs and twenty head of sheep. All current wages for personal services. WEIGHTS OF FARM PRODUCTS. By an act of the Eighteenth Legislature, approved April 10, 1883, the following was established as the legal weight per bushel of farm products: — Wheat, 60 lbs.; corn, shelled, 56 lbs.; corn on ear, husked, 70 lbs.; corn, unhusked, on ear, 72 lbs.; oats, 32 lbs.; barley, 48 lbs.; rye, 56 lbs.; buck- wheat, 42 lbs.; white beans, 60 lbs. ; Irish potatoes, 60 lbs,; sweet potatoes, THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. Dj 55 lbs.; onions, 57 lbs.; turnips, 55 lbs.; dried apples, 28 lbs.; dried peaches, 28 lbs.; bran, 20 lbs.; Hungarian grass seed, 48 lbs.; hemp seed, 44 lbs.; flax seed, 5G lbs.; stone coal, 80 lbs.; charcoal, 22 lbs.; salt, 50 lbs.; clover seed, (iO lbs.; timothy seed, 45 lbs.; cotton seed, 32 lbs.; millet seed, 50 lbs. LEGAL RATE OP INTEREST. The legal rate of interest fixed by the Constitution of 1876 is eight per cent. A rate not exceeding twelve per cent may be charged, if speci- fied in the contract. Any higher rate is usurious, and the principal alone can be recovered in case usury is pleaded. A TEXAS FULL HAND. Timber 46,302,500 acres 67,508,500,000 feet. Wheat— annually 400,000 acres 4,173,700 bushels. Cotton 4,000,000 acres ' 1,730,000 bales. Corn 3,000,000 acres- 63,416,300 bushels. Oats 375,000 acres 14,810,100 bushels. Horses and mules 1,229,690 head 33,166,329 dollars. Cattle 7,081,976 head 51,008,550 dollars. Sheep and goats 4,878,301 head 5,601,280 dollars. Hogs 1,040,929 head 1,241,655 dollars. EDUCATED FARMERS, Read the nobly worded statement of the Texas Agricultural College (page 50) in outlining its policy, and mark the sound common sense brought to bear on the subject. COLONIES. Parties desirous of ascertaining facts about locations for colonies will receive all necessary information by addressing any of the following persons: — Ed. L. McDonougii, Secretary Hartley County Colony, Hartley, Hartley county, Texas. N. C. Blanciiaud, President lowa-Pauhandle Colony, Salisbury, Hall county, Texas. J. Kennedy, President Iowa-Texas Colony, Iowa Park, Wichita county, Texas. Nebraska-Iow^a Colony, Henrietta, Clay county, Texas. Thomas McConnell, Dakota-Texas Colony, Sunset, Montague county, Texas. Illinois-Texas Colony, Chillicothc, Hardeman county, Texas. General R. A. Cameron, Commissioner of Immigration, Fort Worth, Texas. HEALTH AND PLEASURE. Texas is exceptionally well situated for climatic influences, without those extremes of cold and heat that endanger life from pulmonary affections 94 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. inducod by the former, and fever and malarial troubles by the latter. The mean annual temperature of 60° is favorable to human health as it is to plant life. In the river bottoms, where there is rapid decomposition of organic matter, under elevated temperature in a moist atmosphere there vi^ill always be malaria; so too, where new land is being opened up the poison lurks; but a due observance of simple sanitary laws obviates all occasion for contract- ing the fevers which though painful, are rarely fatal. The cooling fresh breezes from the Gulf do much to weaken and dissipate malaria. Most of Texas, however, is prairie or woodland, and consequently vital statistics sViow her great healthfulness. The death rate is only about 13 annually for each thousand inhabitants, as against 33 in England, 14 in Pennsylvania, and 15 in all the United States. Every year thousands of people from the blizzard-blighting West and icy North come to San Antonio, Boerne, and Austin, and to the El Paso and Panhandle sections, for recuperation, and often experience recovery where the bronchial, catarrhal or asthmatic troubles have not already made too great inroad. California cannot excel Texas in this important respect. Be- sides, a board of health is organized in nearly every city and town, who require attention to thorough sanitation and health improvement. The entire section of country in New Mexico lying contiguous to this Division of the Union.Pacific System, from the Summit to the Sea, is especially favored with respect to its climatic influences. The Raton Mountains, a spur range extending eastward from the mighty Rockies, enclose this region on the north — an impassable barrier to the cold northers experienced farther east and south, while the main range of the Rockies, the back-bone of the continent, stands sentinel to the west. Sheltered thus, lies what is known as the upper plains country at an altitude rising gradually from 3,800 to 5,000 feet above the level of the sea. So conducive is the climate here to the healing of disease, that the rail- way company have selected Texline as the point for their hospital for employes, which is now being erected. Texline andFolsomare each amply provided with accommodations for the seeker after health, which is sure to be found here. Every breath of air is as pure and clear as the vaulted arch of bright, cloudless skies above, impregnated with life and health. The scenery is imposing, — Capaulin, an instinct volcano cone, rising majestic above the town of Folsom. Water, pure, cool, clear, and refreshing, is abundant, while all the surroundings are of a character to cheer the drooping spirits and revive hopes sure to be realized in complete deliverance from the blight- ing grasp of consumption, whose embrace is fatal in any other climate. After crossing the Raton Range, this Division extends northward through the cities of Trinidad, Pueblo, Colorado Springs, and Manitou to Denver, thus affording the seeker after health a breadth of country over three hun- dred miles in extent, every portion of which is embraced within the limits of these essential climatic influences in a greater or less degree. THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. m HUNTING AND FISHING. GAME.r-Buffalo, once abundant, are now things of the past. The deer and the anteiope that leap the plains of Western Texas are the largest and best game. Fire-hunting, still-huuting. and driving with hound and horn, are the three modes of securing them. Wild turkeys afford a favorite sport to the early riser in the gobbling season of the spring. Geese, brant, and ducks are yet plentiful on the seashore, the rivers, and the creeks. But the prairie hen and the quail abound, and the markets of the leading cities are kept well supplied with their delicious meat. Rabbits, coons, squirrels, opossum, and foxes are found in all sections. Prairie dogs are plentiful, but are never eaten, although their meat is said to be tender and sweet, from the herbs they live on. The prejudice against the name doubtless destroys desire. Pish. — In Texas waters, salt and fresh, almost every fin that parts the waves is to be found, and few markets are better supplied than are ours with these swimmers of the sea and dwellers in the rivers. The red fish, red snapper, jew, sheephead, flounder, pompano, Spanish mackerel, rock, white, trout, perch, carp, buffalo, bass, cfit, eel, ai'e all to be had by the pro- fessional or the amateur with his rod and line. In the State there are numberless private ponds and tanks, where fresh water species are raised by the million without cost. Oysters of the finest kind are to be had all along the coast, and the interior is kept well supplied with them, and also with crabs and shrimps. THIS NEW EMPIRE. General R. A. Cameron, of Ft. Worth, the veteran Commissioner of Immigration, talks in this breezy, half-humorous, wholly earnest way about the glories of the Panhandle country: — " We desire to call your attention to the Panhandle of Texas, and to the homes of happiness, prosperity, health, and wealth offered there for a million people. 'Texas'. I've heard all about Texas, and don't want any Texas in mine!' you exclaim. Oh, yes, my friend, you've heard about Texas, but not all about it; neither is the Texas you've heard about and which you are now thinking of, the Texas we are talking about. Your general idea of Texas is to some extent a very erroneous one, and derived from a rather incomplete knowledge of the subject. The domain of the com- monwealth of Texas is much larger and more varied than you probably imagine, although you may credit it with being the largest State in the Union. Just take a map in your hand for a moment, and see where the Texas we're talking about is located. This is the new Texas — The Texas Panhandle — containing within its borders a greater area than either the State of Ohio or Pennsylvania. Until recently, this Texas has been almost unknown to the public at large. " You have heard of Oklahoma? You have beard that it is but little short of Paradise? Yes? Well, all you have heard is true, but you cannot get any more land there at present. You can occupy the Panhandle country, however, and it is in every essential element a part of Oklahoma. The Pan- W THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. handle lies just west and south of this forbidden land, and is separated from it only by the Red Iliver and an imaginary line. If the Oklahoma country were all open to settlement to-day. every available acre would be occupied in less than six months. The Texas Panhandle country has only within the past year been opened and made accessible to settlers by the building of a great trunk line railroad through it, from Denver, Colorado, to Fort Worth, Texas — from the Summit to the Sea. How long do you suppose it will be before the millions of acres in the Panhandle along the line of the Denver. Texas & Fort Worth Railroad, that can be purchased to-day at from $2 to $3 an acre, will bring 5^30 and none for sale at that price? ' "But you say, you have heard all about Texas. Y^u have heard of the yellow fever, dengue, malaria, swamps, alligators, cow-boys, pistols, and knives, and the host of other dangerous agencies which prejudice and per- sonal interest have located within the bounds of this great commonwealth to torment and terrify those who think of locating in our mild and health- ful climate. My friend, when you reach the Texas Panhandle, you will find all these vaunted terrors located still farther on In that great West, whose boundaries no one has yet been able to define. We have no yellow fever, and cannot have it, because our altitude is above that in which the existence of yellow fever microbes is possible; cholera, dengue, malaria, and consumption, too, cannot exist here. We have no wild beasts and alli- gators or other reptiles, and a great mistake is made when the swamps and barren sand-dunes so common to low lands are named as characteristics of the Panhandle country. You will find no swamps in countries ranging from 1,000 to 4,000 feet above the sea, as ours does. "We carry no knives or pistols, and the general tone of our civilization is very different from that erroneous ' wild and woolly West ' idea which many eastern newspapers are inclined to have of Texas. In the north and east they fine a man for carrying concealed weapons. We do more — we both fine and imprison for that offense. We build churches as fast as we make villages, and organize schools as soon as we have the children to be educated. Texas in 1887 expended $3,378,000 to support her free schools. You will find that our settlements compare favorably in most respects with the neighborhoods we left behind us in New York, Virginia, Iowa, or Kentucky. This country is filling up almost exclusively with white people, and race prejudices and antagonisms will be unknown among us. "The outside world does not begin to realize the extent and variety of our agricultural resources. We can raise here the hardy cereals of the north without the periodical visitation of blizzards and northers which the farm- ers of Dakota and Montana have to contend with, and many of the products of the more tropical south without their attendant climatic drawbacks. In wheat-growing our country equals Minnesota or Oregon, and our crop sells at home for a price within two cents of Chicago prices. We can grow as much corn as they do in Kansas, and of as good a quality. Sorghum. Johnson grass, and cotton we can raise just as well as they do in Texas proper, and our peach region equals that of Delaware. The grapes of the El Paso are no finer than those we grow. We have, in fact, to state it THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. !)7 briefly, the soil of Oregon and the market of Ohio. For health-seekers the upper portion of our Panhandle country is equivalent to that of Colorado, and superior to that of California. " All we ask of you now is to come and see this new country at once, or club together and send one of your number to explore it for you. We are sure that as soon as you are well informed as to the nature and resources of our country, you will at once put aside all your old prejudices, which are due to misinformation, and gladly join with us in establishing happy homes in what will one day be the most prosperous and wealthy region in the Union." WAGES AND COST OF LIVING. The cost of living, in nearly any part of Texas, is about the same as In the Middle and Western States: Bacon is 8 to 10 cents per pound, beef 2 to 6 cents, pork 4 to 7 cents, corn 30 to 50 cents per bushel, flour $2 to $3 per hundred pounds. Work horses sell for from $30 to ^75, mules $60 to $100, oxen $40 to $60 per yoke. Wood costs from $3.00 to $4.50 per cord (post oak shipped from the "cross timber" country by railroad); coal, from $4.50 to $6.00, an excellent article shipped from Trinidad, Colo. There is plenty of choice valley land to be had which fronts on the rivers or streams, and has considerable timber thereon. Good pine lumber for building purposes can be had for $20 per 1,000 feet. This is shipped in from East and South Texas. The expense of living in Northwestern Texas and the Panhandle country for THOSE WHO BOARD Is not much different from otfier vStates. Hotels charge $5 to $8 per week; boarding houses $4 to $6. Day board may be had for from $3 to $5 per week. Furnished rooms can be rented at from $5 to $10 per month. House rents are from $8 to $15 per month for cottages of 3 to 5 rooms, or $18 to $25 for houses of 6 to 8 rooms. The average wages paid per month to laborers and employes are: To bakers, $60; blacksmiths, $65; book-lceepers, $90; brick masons, $100; cabi- net makers, $70; carriage makers, $65; carpenters, $65; chair makers, $65; cigar makers, $65; coopers, $70; cotton and day laborers in general work, $20 to $35 per month; dress makers, $30; salesmen in stores, $60; tiar keepers, $75; engineers (stationary), $75; farm hands, with board, $17; female house servants, $12; female cooks, $15; male cooks $50; gardeners, $40; hotel clerks, $60; hatters, $05; harness makers, $65; jewelers, $100; millers, flouring, $90; millers, sawyers, $75; milliners, $35; moulders in iron and brass, $75; painters, $05; plasterers, $75; paper hangers, $75; planing and saw mill hands, $50; quarrymen, $45; section hands on railroads, $30; stone cutters, $75; stone masons, $75; telegraph operators, $60; tinners, $75; tail- ors, $60; wagon makers, $65; wheel wrights, $75; teachers in free schools, $35 to $75, according to grade. <)8 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. WICHITA FALLS PRICE LIST. The following prices are quoted from the Wichita Falls Herald for that place and vicinity ; Retail Market. — Eggs, 10 to 15 cts. per doz.; chickens, $2.50 to $3 per doz.; turkeys, 50 to 75 cts. each; butter, 20 to 35 cts. per lb.; cheese, 20 to 25 cts. per lb.; beef, 5 to 15 cts. per lb.; mutton, 8 to 15 cts.; pork, 8 to 12 cts.; sweet potatoes, 60 to 75 cts. per bu.; Irish potatoes, 75 cts. to 1 perbu.; native hay, $8 to $10 per ton; fresh fish — such as cat, j)erch, or bass — 6 to lo cts. per lb.; choice flour (from winter wheat ,grown here), .$2.25 to $2.75 per cwt.; coi-n meal, $1.25 per cwt.; lumber, $18 per M. for rough, and $20 to $2:^ for dressed and finishing. Furniture, farming implements, etc., may be purchased at about the same price as in the older States, with the addition of freight. The above quotations are about the average prices for 1889-90. The following are the prices received^by the farmers of the Wichita Falls country last year (1890): Wheat, 70 to 80 cts. per bu.; oats, 25 to 35 cts.; corn, 35 to 40 cts.'; hay, $6 to $8 per ton; wool, 16 to 18 cts. per lb.; cotton, 8 to 93^ cts. per lb. ; Irish potatoes, 50 to 75 cts. per bu. ; sweet potatoes, 45 to 65 cts. W^HAT TO BRING WITH YOU. It is not necessary to bring your household goods, as furniture can be' obtained here at about the same price, with the freight added. The same is true of farming tools. However, where several families are moving together, and they cannot dispose of these things without loss, it might be well to charter a car and ship their goods together. It will pay to ship good improved stock to this section, as the demand for fine stock is rapidly increasing in Texas. ^ WAGES. The prices paid for labor in the Panhandle country and Northwest Texas are about as follows, although, as elsewhere, tradesmen are paid according to their ability: — Per day: Carpenters, $2.50 to $3; brick layers, $4 to $4.50; house painters. $3; sign painters, $3.50 to $4; day laborers, $1.50 to $2; stone cutters and masons, $4 to $5; plasterers, $4.50; printers, $2.50 to $3.50; blacksmiths, $3 to $3.,50; gunsmiths, $3.50; upholsterers, $3 to $3. .50. Per month: Mill hands, $35 to $50; farm hands, $18 to $29; bakers, $45 to $55; store clerks, $40 to $75; book-keepers, $60 to $100. PANHANDLE TOWNS AND PRODUCTS. XJolfax county. New Mexico, should be considered a part of the Panhandle country, being almost identical therewith in every essential element as to soil and production, but the surface is more rolling and somewhat broken in the northern part by the mountains and foothills of the Raton Range THE TEXAS i'AN HANDLE. !»'.i All the lands in New Mexico arc Government lands, and subject to entry as homestead. The country in the immediate vicinity of the mountains is picturesque as well as fertile, and should not be overlooked by those seeking homes in this nevf country. The valley of the Cimmaron is a beautiful valley that promises to become a great agricultural region. The town of Folsom is located at the head of the valley where the road crosses the river, and has already a population of three hundred, and rapidly increasing. It is a new town, which promises to be the leading town in Northern New Mexico. It has also been selected as the feeding and water- ing point for cattle in transit between Texas and the northwest. A United States land oflBce has been located here, and is doing a good business. A company has been formed to build an artificial lake, a large hotel, and some cottages, with the intent of making this beautiful region one of the finest health resorts. With a little development, the place can be made equal to the most popular. The extinct volcano El Capaulin is in sight of the hotel location. Clayton, nine miles from the Texas State line, has an immense area of agricultural territory tributary to it, and will doubtless become a city of thrift and importance in the near future. The climate here is mild, and laden with the invigorating qualities imparted by an altitude of 5,000 feet above the sea. Dallam county, Texas, is the extreme northwest county of the Panhandle. This county, and Hartley and Oldham, are to be considered together, and are each crossed by the Texae Panhandle Route. They are comprised in the large area known as the Capitol Syndicate Lands, and have been in the past given over to cattle-growing; hence but little can be said of practical farming. Wheat has as yet never been sown; but, should we judge from the appearance of the grasses, the yield from other grains, the average climate, the amount of rain-fall, and the results in adjoining counties, we would be justified in claiming that the whole region is, and we believe it will soon be proven to be, the wheat granary of the country. A. L. Matlock, Esq., Superintendent of the Capitol Syndicate Lands, tried some experi- ments last year at Buffalo »Springs, which wei'e entirely satisfactory. This was sixteen miles north of Farwell, and on new land, first planting. He reports 35 bushels of oats to the acre; alfalfa, 2K tons; millet, IK to 2 tons; sorghum, 3 tons; corn cut for fodder, 3 tons to the acre. Early potatoes planted April 1st yielded well, cabbage grew to weigh 26 pounds, and beets 15 pounds. He had an abundance of carrots and parsnips, and melons, squashes and pumpkins grew to enormous size. Among the trees that are doing well are the locust, box elder, ash, cottonwood and catalpa. Wheat is being tested this year, and promises well. Texline is a new town on the line of the railroad, just as you cross the border and enter Texas from New Mexico. It has a number of buildings and an excellent hotel. Hartley, which is to be the county seat of Hartley county, is another new town, having a hotel, stores and residences. It is the supply point for Cold Water. Sherman and the towns in tbp northern Panhandle. If the rnmber- 100 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. laud Presbyterians of Illinois and Iowa carry out their present plans of im- proving the rSineral spring just four miles from the town, they will make of it a great summer resort for their Chautauqua. There are several good towns on the line of this road, which will, in the very near future, be the center of fine agricultural communities. Tascosa, the county seat of Oldham county, and the seat of government for all the organized counties adjoining, is one of the oldest towns in the Panhandle, having been laid out in 1876. It is located in the valley of the Canadian Eiver. They have a fine court-house, a stone structure,'* costing $18,000. This bright little town has for years been the outfitting point for the various ranch head-quarters within a radius of one hundred miles. Cheyenne is one of those towns that have their success assured if they are properly pushed. Here is a natural site for a town, and it is being utilized. Cheyenne Creek, a beautiful and swift-running stream, flows through the town. When the men with energy and money come along, Cheyenne comes to the front. Potter county is one of the central counties of the Panhandle. The Canadian River flows through the center of it, and, with its many tribu- taries, makes It one of the best-watered counties in North Texas. The surface is somewhat broken by reason of so many streams, which average in length from five to twenty miles, forming valleys of the choicest agricult- ural lands, while the slight elevations between afford good grazing lands which are covered with a heavy growth of native grassess. This county is peculiarly adapted to dairy farming; the native grasses ar*? equal for graz- ing to any in the world, and the native hay has no superior in Kentucky or elsewhere; the atmosphere is pure and the water excellent; gurgling springs of clear, cool water are found in all directions; in fact, those who are quali- fied to judge of such matters pronounce Potter county the "dairyman's paradise." The railroad will carry the dairy products to all parts of the world, and at all seasons of the year. But few farms have as yet been cul- tivated in this county, situated, as it has been, in the center of the great cattle region; but those few have shown the good quality of the soil and its capability of producing crops of corn and immense crops of small grain — wheat, rye, oats; garden vegetables of all kinds also grow in abundance. The pumpkin, squash, melon, and kindred species yield largely, growing almost without cultivation. Plum trees, grapes and berries grow wild along every creek, the grapes bearing in every season such quantities of large close clusters as to break down the branches of the trees on which they hang. This tends to show that as a fruit-growing country, this can be excelled by none. Potter county has 600,000 acres of fine lands, three-fourths of which is agricultural land of the best quality, with 450 sections of school lands now upon the market for actual settlers. What greater inducements can there be for one who is seeking a home, when this land is offered him at $2 per acre, and that, too, on forty years' time ? The county has built its court-house, has purchased the best set of rec- ords in the West, and more than all, is out of debt. Its assessed valuation of S2, 000,000 for the year 1888, and its low rate of taxation of 60 cents on THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 101 the $10,000, places it in the front rank of the Panhandle country in point <;f finances. Set apart for the exclusive use of the public schools of iiii.s county are 17,000 acres of land, which, when sold and augmented by the general State school fund, will give every facilitydesirablefor the education of children. Amirillo, the county seat of Potter county, has now a population of seven hundred. Being situated on the crest of the lower plains, it has one of the most beautiful locations of any town on the line of the road, and gives promise of being a town equal to the important position given it, in the heart of a fine agricultural country. Col. Sanborn, one of the enterprising men of Texas, has erected a charming hotel, costing some $30,000, and Amarillo (pronounced Am-a-re-a in Spanish) is already a successful summer resort. The Palo Duro Caiion, with its 300 feet walls, its cedar groves and waterfalls, is only tv/elve miles distant. The M. E. Church have located a college here, which in the near future will make Amarillo an educational as well as a health center. Armstrong county is rapidly taking place among the leading counties of the State since it has been rendered accessible by the Panhandle Route, which traverses its entire length diagonally. - The most of this county is a rolling prairie, and the ssoil is a rich dark brown or black of great depth, giving assurance of bountiful harvests, without resorting to fertilization, for ages to come. This has been pronounced by farmers to be a wheat county in every essential element. The land which has been cultivated at the headquarters of the large ranches justifies the opinion. This county is well v/atered with running streams and lakes scattered over the country, which insures plenty of water for the settler in all seasons. The breaks of the Palo Duro are heavily wooded with an immense growth of magnificent cedars, and timber of fair quality is found in other breaks. The county is attached to Donley for taxation and judicial purposes. Prohibition is in force, with no probability of the ordinance ever being repealed, judging from the class of immigrants and settlers now here and coming into this and the other counties composing the district. Washburn is a new town, located at the junction of the Panhandle City branch with the main line, and is the geographical center of the Panhandle. This point is the natural gateway from Southern Kansas to the whole of the Panhandle country, as traversed by the Texas Panhandle Route. The con- tour of the country westward is such that the various lines of railway pro- jected across this country will of necessity be built through this vicinity. This fact will influence a very large immigration to this country. It is in the mid;5t of the lower plains country — the grandest expanse of fertile prairie that^the human mind can conceive. Claude is another promising town of this country, now rapidly growing, and has the advantage of a central location. So rapidly is this country grow- ing that we fear to promise State lands to home-seekers many months hence. Donley is the best watered county in the Panhandle, both in the abund- ance of surface water, ever-flowing springs, and easily accessible well water, all of which issoft and pure. The Middle Fork of Red River courses through this county, -fed by numerous unfailing springs of freestone water. U)2 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. There are twenty-six creeks in the county flowing through the 150,000 (estinnated) acres of State lands awaiting occupation. The soil on the slopes on the prairie and valleys is more sandy, and of a nature better adapted for the production of fruit and vegetables. Farming has been carried on to a con- siderable extent for the last four years, and has proved quite successful. There has not been a single year in the four that rain has not fallen in sufdcient quantity to make good crops of small grain, sorghum, millet, and vegetables. The soil of the plains, which extends over quite a considerable poi'tion of the county, is deep, fertile, and well adapted to raising small grain. It is estimated that 4,000 acres of land were cultivated in the county in 1887. The season was the driest that has ever been known. The yield was remarkable, corn averaging 30 bushels per acre; wheat, 15 bushels per acre; oats, 40 bushels per acre; and millet, 3 tons per acre. Irish pota- toes, sweet potatoes, and vegetables, especially root crops, yield abundantly. "Old Clarendon," the first county seat, is prettily located in the valley of the Salt Fork. It was settled about ten years ago, and was the only town in the county until the railroad was built through, and a new town estab- lished on the road about five miles south of the old one, to which all the business of the old town, including the court-house and jail, have been removed. The new town bears the name of the 'old one, and occupies a favorable location on a prairie, surrounded by low hills. Clarendon has been enjoying a healthy boom ever since it has been a town, and it will no doubt continue to prosper and hold its own among the best towns on the road, for several reasons, chief among which, periiaps, is that it is the county seat of a county that has been partially settled for several years, and is now rapidly settling up with a good class of settlers. In the next place, to add to its importance as a railroad town, the company have made it the end of both passsenger and freight divisions, and located a large round-house and repair shops, which will give constant employment to a number of men, who, with their families, will help swell the population of the place. Still another reason is that the business men of this place are of that progressive, liberal-minded sort that give momentum to a new town and keep the wheels turning after it is once started. The line of the road crosses the northwest corner of Hall county. A great deal of this county has been occupied for stock range, but it has a large area of agricultural land in it. The soil is a red sandy loam, making a deep and lasting soil for agricultural purposes. The grasses are princi- pally sedge and mesquite, and a very rich grass growing about the ponds and dry lakes on the prairies. Active settlement is going on at a rapid rate. It is watered by the Palo Duro, or Prairie Dog Town Fork of Red River, which flows from west to east across the county, and by Mulberry, Morgan's, and Berkley creeks. These streams are constant in their water supply. At present this county is attached to Donley for taxation and judi- cial purposes, but an early separate organization is anticipated. The towns of Salisbury and Newlin are located in this county, which is as yet unor- ganized, and Salisbury will in all probability be the county seat. It already has a number of business houses and residences, and some two or three hundred inhabitants. The beauty of its location, surrounded as it is by a THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 1(W few pietiiresque hills, attracts the attention of the passer-by. The altitude, 2,000 feet, while high enough for all lu'actical health purposes, is not too high for persons troubled with heart diseases. Childress county has within her borders State school land to the extent of over 100,000 acres, which are being rapidly settled. The surface is mostly rolling prairie, with numerous fertile valleys thi'ough which the streams flow, and lies at an altitude of 1,700 feet above the level of the sea; it is watered by Red River and numerous creeks of lasting water. There is no barren land in the county, the major portion being suitable for agri- cultural purposes. The soil is red sandy and chocolate-colored free loam, and the hills and breaks or " grazing lands" are well set with mesquite and black gramma grass. Farming was carried on to some extent last year, suf- ficiently to demonstrate the fact that wheat, oats, millet, sorghum, and vegetables of all sorts will grow to perfection, while plums and grapes grow wild in great abundance. Childress, the county seat, is a young town, its existence only dating back about two years. The town occupies a pretty location on a high prairie overlooking fertile valleys and verdant slopes. It is rapidly building up, and will soon be a town of considerable impor- tance. Being the county seat, it is attracting the attention of home-seekers and capitalists far and wide. It will also be the most convenient railroad point for settlers and ranchmen in adjoining counties, both north and south. It will progress with, the settlement of the country, up the line of the railroad. Hardeman county is extensively settled by farmers, farming having been carried on to a considerable extent for about four years ; the number of acres in cultivation has been increased each year during that time, owing to the success which attended the first experiments. Fully three- fourths of the county is agricultui-al land. The soil varies in color and condition from a red sandy loam in the river bottoms to a chocolate and black soil on the prairie and creek valleys. This diversity of soil adapts the country to the production of a variety of crops that have been tested with favorable results. In late years the different crops, as near as can be estimated, yielded as follows: Oats, 45 bushels per acre; wheat, 25 bushels i^er acre ; corn, 35 bushels per acre ; millet, 3 tons per acre. Sorghum, Egyptian corn, and vegetables of all sorts, and especially those of the vine and root species, produce very abundantly. As near as can be estimated, thei-e are about 20,000 acres of wheat now growing in the county, and a more flattering prospect for a bountiful harvest was never seen anywhere. The area of the county is 854,400 acres, several thou- sand acres of which are school land that has not yet been taken up, and which can be purchased at from two to three dollars per acre. The coun- try is well watered by the Pease, Red and Wichita Rivers and numerous creeks. Quanah is the railroad town of the surrounding country. It is situated near the center of the county, and was started in the summer of 1886. The location of Quanah is one that cannot be excelled ; it is built upon a prairie just sufficiently rolling to be easily drained. The soil is a dark loam, with 104 THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. enough adhesiveness abont it to canso the streets to pack in such a-solid condition that very little dust or sand is blown about in dry, windy weather, and there is enough sand to prevent them from becoming disagreeably sticky during wet weather. The country surrounding the town for several miles in all directions is composed almost entirely of agricultural land of unsurpassed fertility. The town is almost surrounded by beautiful valleys, through which flow streams with an abundance of ever-flowing water confined within rocky bluff's and high banks, and having a sufficient fall to make it a splendid water-power for the mills and factories that this and the adjoining counties will need and be able to support in a few years. There is an abundance of good building rock within three miles of the place, and a fine quality of brick clay can be found within half a mile, and in the near future there will be many permanent stone and brick buildings erected. We hardly think any town is growing as fast at this writing as Quanah. But the time will soon come when lots and lands will get too high, and then the interest will be farther up the road. We cannot pass Hardeman county without mentioning her copper depos- its in the south part of the county. A very extensive association was formed a number of years ago in New York and New Jersey, of which Gen. McClellan was made president, to work these deposits, but up to date no further work or development has been done. Wilbarger county, in the fall of 1887, obtained first premium on wheat at the Texas State Fair, and from that day all eyes have been turned toward that region. The county is old enough to have some good farmers, who report the following yield per acre of small grain, etc.: Corn, 53 bushels; oats, 87 bushels; wheat, 36 bushels; millet, 37 bushels; and of cot- ton, 1 bale. Therii is but little timber, except on the streams. Mesquite and buffalo grass cover the country where not turned by the plow. Chillicothe is a new town on the line of Hardeman and Wilbarger coun- ties. The lands about it are universally spoken of as the most beautiful the sun ever shone upon. Vernon, the county seat, at the crossing of the railway with the Great Texas cattle trail leading to the northwest, has a population of 2,857, and is the distributing point for the adjacent portion of Texas and the Indian Territory. It has good banking facilities and hotel accommodations, and contains many substantial buildings. A handsome brick structure has been erected for a court-lumse, jail, and county offices, at a cost of .1p50,000. It has a good roller flouring mill, of 200-barrcl capacity, some fine churches, and considerable capital. It has grown rapidly, increasing nearly 3,000 in two yeai-s. It is the largest town to-day between Decatur and Trinidad. Its rapid growth can be traced to good advertising. Between Vernon and Harrold is the new town of Oklaunion (which is to be re-naraed Wilbarger) in the center of the fine country we are speaking of, where the road crosses the Red River into the Indian Territory. It is a place of promise, but it needs pushing. The town of Harrold is centrally located in the county, and contains a population of about 500. With the growth of the surrounding country it will become a fine business point. The energetic town of Wichita Falls has been mentioned in the descrip- tion of Wichita county. The valley of the Wichita is one of great beauty and fertility, and has become famous for its crops. Wichita county received first premium for wheat at the State Fair at Dallas, on October 23, 1889, and again at the International Fair at San Antonio, in competition with all the United States and Mexico, on November 13, 1889. It is now considered that this Panhandle country is the equal, as an average all-around wheat country, of any country on the face of the earth. Iowa Park is a new colony town, ten miles west of Wichita Falls, on the line of the railroad. The location is beautiful, and its people are full of THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 105 thrift and ambition. It has secured the location of a college, which is to be erected by the Methodist Episcopal church. It has a good hotel of which it can be justly proud. Beaver, sixteen miles west of Iowa Park, promises some day to become a village of importance. Clay county is traversed by the railroad diagonally through its center, and has a sixty-mile frontage on the Red River, besides which it is watered by the Big and Little Wichitas and their tributaries, affording an abund- ance of water for stock and farming purposes. About one-fourth of its large area of 718,080 acres is covered by oak, pecan, ash, cottonwood, hack- berry, and other timbers. Nearly five-sixths of the area is good farming land, the soil being generally a deep red loam on the prairie, and a choco- late loam in the valleys. Springs are numerous, and good wells can be had at a depth of twenty-five feet. This was long considered one of the best stock-raising countries. Lands are cheap as yet, wild land being obtain- able at from four to seven dollars per acre. The yield per acre is as follow^ Cotton, }4 to three-quarters of a bale; corn, 40 to 60 bushels; 'wheat, 20 to 40 bushels; oats, 50 to 90 bushels. Peaches, apricots, pears, apples, plums, and grapes are being cultivated very successfully. It is thought by those who have been experimenting with them, that grapes will, in the near future, be one of the principal products. Texas pecans are the finest in the world, and command the highest price in all markets. Dewberries and blackberries also grow of fine quality and in paying quantities There are thirty-two school districts in Clay county, twenty-eight of which have excellent schools in good and comfortable school buildings, fur- nished with modern furniture and the latest and most approved school books. The county has voted a special school tax, enabling them to main- tain the schools from eight to ten months in the year. The schools will compare favorably with any in the State, and are not far behind the best common schools of the older States. There is a magnificent high school building at Henrietta, which is justly the pride of the people. The build- ing and furniture cost .S14,500, and there is an attendance of 350 pupils. Heurietta, the county seat, is the principal town in the county, with a pop- ulation of 3,000; it is beautifully situated on a sightly and healthful eleva- tion one and a half miles from the Little Wichita River, on the line of the railroad, ninety-six miles northwest of Fort Worth. A $40,000 court-house has been completed about two years, and is the.ornament and pride of the town and county. Montague county comprises an area covered by 570,240 acres of level or undulating uplands, diversified by broad valleys and high, rolling prairies. A belt of woodland, about 15 miles in width, known as the Upper Cross Timbers, runs nearly north and south through this county, and consists Qtiefly' of post oak, hickory, and black-jack. Along the Red River and other streams is a heavy growth of water-oak, walnut, pecan and cotton- wood. The country is about equally divided between timber and prairie, and is somewhat broken, bordering the streams tributary to Red River, but the valleys skirting these small streams are very productive, the soil being a rich alluvial, sandy loam. It is separated from the beautiful Indian Ter- ritory only by the Red River. The county is well-watered, and is espe- cially adapted to agriculture and stock-raising combined. The mean annual rain-fall is 30.23 inches, and is usually so distributed that protracted drouths are uncommon. About four-fifths ot this county is susceptible of profitable cultivation. Bowie is a thriving town. Many fine farms have been opened up. The extensive prairie on the west furnishes a fine supply of pasturage and hay, a large quantity of which is shipped fi'om this point. The surrounding country is especially adapted to farming and stock-raising combined. The people are live and energetic, striving to advance the material interests and welfare of this city, and to make it second to none in the county. There 10") THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. are already established over seventy-five business firms, all of whom are doing welf, perhaps, as like enterprises in older cities. The town of Sunset is situated in the southwestern part of Montague county, sixty miles north of Fort Worth, and is one of the most healthy and picturesque locations to be found along the line. It is surrounded by as fine agricultural lands as are to be found anywhere in the State. The town is supplied with wells of never-failing water, as pure as can be found in any of the old States. Timber for fuel is cheap, and the supply sufficient for all purposes. First-class pine lumber can be bought here from $16 to $18 per thousand. A fine sandstone quarry is being opened up only one and one-half miles from the town, affording the finest building material in the world at a nominal price. The farmers in this vicinity are enjoying a degree of prosperity never before attained in this county. Sunset mer- chants and business men have done a prosperous and lucrative business in all the various branches of trade — not a single failure having occurred in two j^ears — and the town and surrounding country has continued to thrive and improve in a wonderful degree. There is nowhere a more happy and,, contented people, with brighter prospects for future prosperity, than in this portion of Montague count5^ Sunset is about the center of one of the finest fruit regions to be found anywhere. The peach, grape, pear, plum, cherry, apricot, blackberry, and even the apple yield abundantly, and qH commence bearing early. The tomato, SAveet potato, and watermelon yield immensely, and are very profitable. A canning factory is being built to use up the surplus not ship- ped to the mountain market. Sunset has another strong attraction in the shape of very superior min- eral springs, for the "Texas Wells Water" is famous over all the State. The newly-discovered Texas Wells at Sunset, Texas, are nearly anal- ogous to the "waters of Kreuznach and Homburg, Germany. There is but one other well like this in the United States and one in Canada, and, with one or two exceptions, this new well is the strongest of all mineral waters in the world. The curative qualities of these wells and springs depend largely upon the calcium chloride they contain. The Kreuznach waters have 13.3 grains to the pint ; the Homburg has 10.6 grains to the pint, and the Texas Wells 116.2 grains to the gallon. [See the United States Dispensatory.] Kreuz- nach water cures Strumous diseases (consumption), affections of the skin, rheumatism, enlargement of the abdominal and pelvic organs, hepatic disease, etc. All of these things, as far as we yet know, belong to the analogous Texas Wells waters. The Texas Wells are the best located of any mineral spring in the whole South. It is on the great Union Pacific road, half way between Denver and New Orleans. It is only fifty-nine miles from Fort Worth, eighty from Dallas, and 400 from Galveston. It has an altitude of more than 1,000 feet, and is far above Galveston, Houston, Dallas, Austin and Fort Worth, both in altitude and latitude. So it is to be by necessity the summer resort of Texas and Louisiana, as it will be, on account of its lati- itude, the winter resort for the whole Union Pacific system. One should see the peaches, apples and watermelons in the market here. The tenderest of chickens are on the tables of the hotels here three times a daj'. Such rich, sweet milk is not found in greater abundance than here. The country around Sunset is a hunter's paradise ; quail are found by the thousands, and on lakes near by ducks and wild geese in the winter season. There is also excellent fishing. The situation of the Texas Wells is delightful. It is on the very crest of the country, and from the company's property one can get a view of Decatur, twenty-one miles away.' From a beautiful sandstone hill some 330 feet above the country (called by courtesy Lookout Mountain) we can see objects, it is believed, some thirty miles distant. Rocks, ravines and petit THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. 107 canons exist in such numbers as to make beautiful drives and lovely ram- bles, and more than half the propertj' is well wooded. "There are no marshes, no swamps and no malaria. In going to the Texas Wells to get well one does not get sick. Everything is in favor of the invalid. In fact, there is no better climate, no more pleasant place to live, no healthier sec- tion, and no more curative water on the face of God's green earth — Saratoga and Manitou are the places it is to rival. While most of hundreds of wells and springs in' the United States lack some of the essential element of success, Texas Wells lacks no essential requirement. Since the discovery of these remarkable wells hundreds of people have been cured of a long fist of diseases. In fact, hardly any one has been to Texas AVells without returning revived. The Texas Panhandle Route enters Wise county near the northwest corner, and crosses it diagonally, leaving near the southeast corner. The eastern portion is similar to Tarrant in character of soil. It contains 27,000 population, and 676,000 acres, the county being 30 miles square. Along the line of the railroad, in the western portion, is considerable tim- ber and a light, sandy soil. The general elevation of the surface is 1,000 feet, sufficient for health* fulness and a protection against extreme heat and cold. Lands are one- half cheaper than in Tarrant county, by reason of distance from Fort Worth, not from inferiority ; and unimproved lands may be had from $4.00 per acre up. The county has sixty-five schools in operation, with 6,000 scholars. Decatur is the county seat. Ft. Worth has eleven railroads, and one more is being constructed, forty- eight miles of macadamized streets, forty-two miles of sewer, thirty-two miles of electric car line, electric light plants, gas works, and Holly water- works. Her grain elevators have a capacity of 850,000 bushels, her flour- ing mills a capacity of 1,500 barrels a day. There are eight national banks, with a capital of $2,600,000. Ft. Worth has the finest Board of Trade building in the southwest, and has churches whose architectural beauty surprises every northern man who sees them. Since the completion of the Texsks Panhandle Route, a wonderful devel- opment has taken place in Ft. Worth. Her population in 1880 was 7,000, now it is 23,076. The assessed value of property in the city for 1888 was $8,500,000; for the year 1889, $16,300,000, a gain in one year of nearly 100 per cent. Theincrease in the volume of business has kept pace with the growth in values. The bank clearings for the first eight months of 1888 were $20,027,418 ; for the same period of 1889, $36,110,640, a gain oi BO. 3 per cent. For 0^. \.^«f 7/\\ Jl WILL TELL YOU ALL ABOUT IT. Any Ticket Agent in the United States or Canada can sell Tickets, check Baggage, and arrange for Pullman Palace Sleeping Car berths, via the Union Pacific Railway. Do not complete your arrangements for a Western trip until you have applied to the undersigned. Additional information, Maps, Time Tables, etc., will be cheerfully furnished. •BOSTON, MA.SS.— 'i^lO Washington St.— W. S. CoNDELL, New England Freight and Pas- senger Agent. E. M. Newbegin, Traveling Freight and Passenger Agent. BUTTE, MONT. — Cor. Main and Broadway.— E. V. Maze. General Agent. CMATTAXOOGA, TEXX.-2] E. Eighth St.- F. L. Lynde. Traveling Passenger Agent. CHEYENNE, WYO.— C. W. Sweet, Freight and Ticket Agent. CHICAGO, ILL.— 191 South Clark Street.— W. T. Holly, City Passenger and Ticket Agt. T. W. Young, Traveling Passenger Agent. CINCINNATI, OHIO.— Room 35, Carew Bld^— J. D. Welsh, General Agent Freight and Passenger Departments. T. C. Hirst, Traveling Passenger Agent. A. G. Shearman, Traveling Freight and Pas- senger Agent. COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.— 14 Pike's Peak Ave.— W. G. Rice, City Ticket Agent. COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA.— U. P. Transfer— A. J. Manderson, Gen'l Agt. R. W. Chamberlain, Passenger Agent. J. W. Maynard, Ticket Agent. J. C. Mitchell, City Ticket Agent, 421 B'way. DENVER, COLO.— 1703 Larimer St.— Geo. Ady, General Agent. C. H. Titus, Traveling Passenger Agent. E. G. P.A.TTERSON. City Ticket Agent. F. G. Erb, City Passenger Agent. ScoTT Bryan, Ticket Agent, Union Depot. DES MOINES, IOWA.— 218 Fourth St.— E. M. Ford, Traveling Passenger Agent. DETROIT, MICH.— In5 Jefferson Ave.— D. W. Johnston, Traveling Passenger Agent. FT. WORTH, TEX.— D. B. Keeler, General Freight* Pass. Agent, Ft. Worth & D. C. Ry. A. J. Ratcliffe, Traveling Passenger Agent. N. S. Davis. Citv Passenger and Ticket Agent, 401 Main Street. HELENA, MONT.— 28 North Main St.— H. O. Wilson, Freight and Passenger Agent. INDIANAPOLIS, IND.— Room 6, Jackson Place. L. C. Morris, Traveling Passenger Agent. KANSAS CITY, MO — 1038 Union Ave.— J. B. Frawley, General Agent Passenger Dept. J. B. Reese, Traveling Passenger Agent. H. K. Proi'dfit. Citv Pa.ssenger Agent. T. A. Shaw, Ticket Agent. C. A. Whittieu, City Tkt. Agt., 1000 Main St A.W. Millspaugh. Ticket Ag't, Union Depot. LONDON, ENGLAND — Thos. Cook & Sons, Eu- ropean Passenger Agents, Ludgnte Circus LOS ANGELES, CAL.-229 South Spring St.— G. F. Herr, Passenger Agent. 5fEW ORLEANS, LA.— 158 Common Street.— J. P. DouGL.\ss, Jr., General Agent. NEW WHATCOM, WASH.— W. E. O'Connor, Ticket Agent. NEW YORK CITY.— 2S7 Broadway.— R. Ten- BROECK. General Eastern Agent. • S. .\. Hutchison, Traveling Passenger Agent. J. D. Tenbroeck, Traveling Pa':senger.\gent. A. LuNDQUisT, Traveling Pas.senger Agent. J. F. Wiley, City Passenger Agent. OAKLAND, CAL.— 12th Street and Broadway— Geo. B. Seaman, Passenger Agent. OGDEN, UTAH.— Union Depot.— C. A. Henry Ticket Agent. ' OLYMPIA, WASH.— Percival's Wharf.— J. C- Perciv.\l, Ticket Agent. OMAHA, NEB,— 9th and Farnam Sts.— Frank N. Prophet, Traveling Passenger Agent. Harry P. Deuel, City Ticket Agent, 1302 Farnam Street. Geo. J. Buckingham, City Passenger Agent J. K. Chambers, Ticket Agent, Union Depot] PITTSBURGH, PA.— Rooms 307 and 308, Fer- guson Block.— S. C. MiLBOURNE, Traveling Passenger Agent. PORTLAND, ORE.— 254 Washington St.— W. H. Hurlburt, Assistant General Pass'r Agent. Geo. H. Hill, Traveling Passenger Agent. V. A. Schilling, City Ticket Agent. A. J. Goodrich, Citv Passenger Agent. E. S. Van Kuean, ticket Agent, Grand Cen- tral Station. PORT TOWNSEND, WASH. -Union Wharf.— H. L. TIBBAL.S, Ticket Agent. PUEBLO, COLO.— Cor. Union Ave. and First St.-^A. S. Cuthbertson, General Agent. ST. JOSEPH, MO.— Chamber of Commerce.— S. M. Adsit, General Freight and Passenger Age»t, St. J. & G. I. R. R. F. P. Wade. City Ticket Agent, Corner 3d and Francis Sts. Jo. Hansen, Ticket Agent, Union Depot. ST. LOUIS, MO.— 213 N. 4th St.-J. F. Aglar, Gen'l Agent Freightand Pass. Departments. N. Haight, Traveling Pa.ssenger Agent. E. R. Tuttle, Traveling Passenger Agent. E. A.Williams, City Freight and Passenger Agent. SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.— 201 Main St.— D. E. BuRLEY, General Agent. D. S. T.A.GGART, Traveling Passenger Agent. W. J. RiDD, Traveling Passenger Agent. L. J. Keyes, City Ticket Agent. W. S. Evans, City Passenger Agent. SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.— 1 Montgomery St.— D. W. Hitchcock, Gen'l Ae't Passeng'f Dept. C. E. Brown, Traveling Passenger Agen{. W. R. Vice, Pacific Coast Passenger Agent. J. F. FuGAZi, Emigr't Agt.. 5 Montgomery Av. SEATTLE, WASH.— 705 Second St.— A. C. Mae- tin, General Agent. SIOUX CITY, IOWA.— 503 Fourth St.— D. M. Collins, General Agent. Geo. E. .\bbott, Trav. Passenger Agent. H. M. Birdsall. City Ticket Agent. Geo. LedVard, City Passenger Agent. Geo. F. Wheelock, ticket .\g't, Union Depot. SPOKANE, WASH.— Cor. Riverside and Wash- ington.— Perry Griffin, Passenger and Ticket Agent. TACOMA,WASH.— 903 Pacific Ave.— E.E.Eli is, General Agent. TRINIDAD, COLO.— J. F. Lintiiurst, Ticket Agent. VICTORIA, B. C. — 100 Government St.— R. Hall, Ticket Agent. ii "THE OVERLAND ROUTE " ,m^ IS THE •iiii i UNION PACIFIC, i MOST DIRECT LINE FROM THE MISSOURI RIVER TO All Principal Points West And on Account ol the Varieil Character of tlie Conntry it Traverses, l|| Offers to those who contemplate going "West a more greatly diversiflw'--* territory to select from than does any other TRANS-CONTINENTAL LINE. Passing as it does through NI^BRASKA, KANSAS, T:GXAS, JV^ W MBXICO, COI^ORADO, WYOMING, UTAH, IDAHO, MON- TANA, 0R:GG0N and WASHINGTON, every business interest is to be found along its line. .' .' .* .* .* T'nv i-ha PormoT' thousands of acres of rich agricultural land are X or me i armer, y^^ ^^^^ ^^^ settlement. For the Stpck-Raiser. 'ZT^lZlr^''^''' '^"'"' '"""' Pat> tVio TVr-inaT ^^^ great mountains of the West await but the open- XOI llltj IVlXiltj I.; ing to become the source of large fortunes, and For thfi "Rn^inpqq Man *^^ growing cities and towns of the West LUi mo .DUblUCbb IVldiU, ^^,g ^^-^y offering unequaled opportuni- ties for investment of capital and location of industries which are unsur- passed by older sections of the United States. For pamphlets descriptive of the above named States or Territories, or any information relative to the Union Pacific, call on or address any agent of this Company, whose name is given in the list on the inside cover, or S. H. H. CLARK, E. DICKINSON, E. L. LOMAX, President. General Manager. Qen'I Passenger & Ticket Agent,