Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-06-01
NOTES OF TEXAS TRAVELLING 2.


NOTES OF TEXAS TRAVELLING. 2.
The next place west OF Fort
Worth Of any Importance is Wealth
erford, about forty miles distant
AS soon as the road is extended
that far it will grow up in a month
to be a place of great Importance,
and it may hold its own for all time
to come, as Morgan will no doubt
extend the Waco branch Of the
Houston and Texas Central railroad
to that point whenever the right
time comes. Many people are go
ing to Weatherford now and max
ing investments in view Of the good
time coming. Fort Worth will lose
much of its activity when it ceases
to be q western terminus. Yet it
has one more chance and promise
in the proposed railroad connection
with Sherman and the roads meet
ing there. All this section of nor
thern Texas is exceedingly rich and
productive. 1t is adapted equally
to wheat, corn, cotton, rye, oats,
barley, fruits and vegetables. The.
soil is black as charcoal and pro-
duces fabulous crops. Towns and
villages are springing up along all
the lines Of railroad. Churches and
school-houses go up every year, and
there is a steady influx Of skilled
labor and men of moderate means
who come to stay. This is one Of
the finest farming countries in the
world, and land is yet cheap. Well
improved land near the railroad
can be bought from five to twelve
dollars per acre. Twenty dollars is
considered a fancy price in favored
neighborhoods, and is rarely real
lied. No wonder the thrifty North
ern and Eastern farmers and me-
chanics pour in here by the thou
sand and fill up the country.
There is still room for all of the
right sort who can come for
the next ten or twenty years.
Droughts are of rare occurrence,
the last one that was serious
happened in 1867. The grasshop-
pers never appeared in alarming
numbers until last spring, and then
made a miscalculation about the
weather and were killed off before
doing any harm. Society seems to
be as good as in Tennessee, Ken
lucky, Indiana, Missouri, Mime
sofa or any Of the older States. II
there is drunkenness or lawlessness
in the State it must be in remote
counties on the border; the Mem
phis excursionists saw nothing OF
the kind any more than they would
see on a trip to New York and
back. In fact, we saw only one
drunken man, and I think he was a
stranger. Texas people are aware
that theyare misrepresented abroad.
but do not trouble themselves much
about the opinion of the world
While at Fort Worth an incideni
occurred illustrating the growth o.
Western towns. Major Murphy
and Major Semmes, two Of the old.
est citizens of Memphis, dropped
in at a cigar store presided over b,
a lady to supply themselves viii
the weed, and engaged in converse
ton. "Have you resided here long?
inquired Major Murphy over hi
glasses. "0h yes, a long time;
am an old citizen here" "Bu
how long," persisted the ma
of figures and precise idea
"Oh, l have been here eve
since last August" said sh
with an air of great satisfaction
Imagine the surprise Of the tw
gentlemen who regard an old cit
zen as one who has lived in on
place not less than thirty years.
From Fort Worth and Dallas on
party went directly to Houston,
distance of 264 miles; first thrOug
a great prairie farming countI
and then through a more lev
grazing region, where thousands
cattle and horses could be seen o
either side. This is the great an
certain mOney-mahng business
Texas. The millions Of acres
public land can be used for tn
purpose by the first man wi