New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-04-18
THE GREAT SOUTHWEST.
LIFE IN TEXAS AND ARKANSAS.

RoCK-A DEMOCRATIC LoDGING-HoUsE-A SOM
NAMBUIIsTIC PUP-THRIFT AMONG THE THRIFT
LESS.
frRoM SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRmusEl
SHREVEPORT. La. March Il looked over
great deal of territory IN Texas going from San
Antonio TO New. Braunfcls, Austin, Hearne ,Pales-
tine Iongview Mmeola, Dallas, Sherman and
various other points. with frequent excursions
across the country away from the railroads. The
land which still unoccupied in the State Is OF vast
extent enough for really great empire. Much OF
If il not rich if Judged by the Northern standard
but there is also great deal of really good SOIL
and some of il is very rich. In the northern part
of the State, especially there is large body OF
good land, which includes all the region about
Dallas and sherman. and most of the country, in
deed. for long distances around these places in
every direction great part of the interior of the
state is oak land-post-oak and "black-jack y
running into pine and oak land. The post-oak and
blackjack timber Is not large and does not grow
ont of soil of great fertility; but much OF IT IL
very GOOD cotton land" TO quote the phrase Of the
people.
"Win II mako half bale TO the acre" ask.
"No" deliberately and very honestly -" maybe
onc-third of n bale. with good cultivation. If IT'S a
good season.
But doubtless improved methods of cultivation
would increase the proArct almost everywhere.
PREVALENCE or DRoUTH.
In some large districts of the state though the
soil is of good quality II is of scaut dcPth-thc
Stone being cycrvWhcr 80 near the Nnrtacc-thai
II dries ont entirely early IN the summer and the
gra,, drics up or is changed To hay and only such
crops can be grown VIII Hpcn IN - short season.
| sax some pro,pcrou, model farms. - tlc land
agents call them. ia various parts OF lc\aS' on
winch nearly everything is grown that any body
need wish f. produce here. But II should nc OBJ
served that TIA, !, usually accomplished 'N an m
limited u.c OF costly fertilizers. which The iarm IL
self does not pay ici. most oi these places ''E inc
nropcrty of mon whose wealth !, ..qLl," m other
pursuits Tvcu on th,.c farm, th, crop, often fan
ON account of drouth H. region 40 vast ~ tins
state scarcely anything can lc affirmed Of IT ~ a
whole. | ind myself not quite able i' agree with
all the accounts and estimates Of the gentlemen who
have land ~ s.u ir T,Nl% Their culo-l'Soi the
Agricultural cav'i,Ii,, of the Stat appear 4" me
somewhat cAtI.Naglui Bat there B.. % great deal
ot l2ud m the STAT, Inch did not ,r' and ] d"
not pretend Ia say what u, quality NAV he
p,oplc intending To cmirtItc 60 tlH~ state Z" farm
Should fr-t come 90 see If. or s'ud ~"nc con potent
pcr,nn 10 look 81 i,c country duIuf The latter pant
of she summer A,y o,-crVAnt farmer IAN Al that
time of the year u3tc rr,iy well about the hln'N7
Of the soil and climate Tor hs pursuit, and INTERESTS
1t il significant 10 observe that the IhnI agents
urge people Ia select their locality "h'l"re They
come" to the state Onc of the great railroad cor
porations adveri, 10 the effect that II i better for
immigrants to decide where they wish to 90 before
tbcv leave their old homes. ~ They can mako .
better selection then than Il they wait I" ~cc the
country and the land agents LAY that II people begin
Ia look around for better part of ia" Stat" they Al"
never satisfied. The farmer, all through Texas
say that the reason of their not using vegetables
for food more than they do. Is the fact that 'cge
tables will not keep in this clima,c.and there j.
| ONLY a short season IN the spring when garden
| stuff is available for food They have plenty OF 1t
them hut II becomes too dry AMI hot iof l|l'r
| paintings 10 do any good. Potatoes are not good
| uncs, eaten when they first come and the sun
soon cooks cabbagcs in the field. or the WORMS cat
them Tho reason they live mostly 'on bread and
bacon is because nothing else Will keep without
excessive trouble and oxpcnsc All thus l. only
what the people thcm-,lV Ives told me cannot say
from my own observation. that II Is true. II d"r'
not apply 80 fully to Northern TcNaS. where the
climate * much cooler than ~ tho ccntfal and
southern rcgous of the state.
EQUATOR AND POLE CoWnfNYD.
The temperature l. very variable and uncertain
almost everywhere m TcNa. tins stat" beng r"cl
ally exposed 20 sudden and seven. storms of wind
from the north. during which The temperature iili'
with frightful rapidty--a few hour sunicing for
10 pierce 70 the very marrow. lhr northern pof-
tinu of tho STATE i, sconrgcd Ly pneumonia. dph-
liberia and kindred diseases Large portion, If the
South indeed. suffer greatly from th'>' maladcS.
saw "A woman ON the car, yr.tcrdI, "h" Wa on
her way back e. her old home ia G'oirII after Nv
ing some gen yrlr, IN TcAI,. Her "u.hud "A," q
IlI,i.st IrIlLeI" -hc told me. aud Do one of Tire
great storm, Of the past winter hr won't away To
preach at - hoolhouSc not iIr from thor h"nir.
The nor,hcr increased in seventy tai " TIE VIM
turned everything tome" III poor man , feet and
lcc- were fIolru - badly and h. va, 90 lr'1tly
Frustrated that g., was decided thai a'uputatlon
would not ,i,c his life He lmsrnd for a fcw
weeks. and died OF couI,r thc WINTER In,t closing
la, been one Of extraordinary seventy. bat an old
Texan sad To me Yesterday Young mIu. yc hin
L,; yer life 'taIut sale to tool with tu~ climate.
And hc added 81 Ii yc'vc got anything warm. i"r
out side or inside take II along - INA, need 1t
uiorc night
GREAT EXPECTATIONS BiIGllTLD.
There are many men from the Northern and
Northeastern STATES III Texas. MANY of them COM
plain bitterly # being disappointed with the
country but most of them with whom have
talked To have had unreasonable expectations
Some of them said they had heard that "a man
could live ~ much easier hyaI than ~ Eccnoy,
but that 1t was not at all true one Young man,
with something rather iiashy IN hl- appearance,
whom met at Dallas while waiting Tor a tam. told
with great candoI. that hc had been down hyar
a couple o years" and had tined number %
things" lie about to obtain a fr-t-Cass
position AZ agent Of "A travelling dramatic and
variety company with some burned purtv guIs
IN it. After some further explanation of his pros
poets he remarked: "Anyhow. I've never had
blister on my hands yit an don't mean to have If
can help it," He liked the country pretty well.
he said. "only the folks are 80 blamed ready 10
A1nnt nrnnln y Thls cn1lrman WIG from Chcarn