The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-04-22
AGLIMpsE OF THE WEST.
Ihe Sof1 and PrOductiveuesx Of Son
OF the Extreme western Counties


In an interview yesterday with MIR. George
L'wer, ofTyler, Texas, land commissioner of
the Texas & st. Louis railway company,
who Is on his return from the western part
OF the state, Pecos, Preside and other
counties. where he has been for the past two
months making explorations and inspecting
land for his company, q HERALD reporter
CLEANED some interesting data
concerning this almost terra incognits of our
great state. Ihese counties, this entire sec
ton indeed, is but sparsely settled and
awsits the developing influences and
processes of railroads rapidly approaching.
Without giving the interviews in the stereo-
type form of interviews with questions and
answers, we will give Mr.. Lowers statements
as he made them. He said that during bis
explorations he was the guest of Messrs.
Powell s. Gage, a live real estate firm of
Dallas, and general land locstors and con-
tractors for the locating the land giant of
the Texas & st. Louis railway. Mr.. Powell.
the gentlemsnly and efficient land surveyor
for the firm. and who is now in charge of
two "outfts," with Mr.. s. A. Thompson,
chief assistant surveyor were chsperones for
Mr.. Lower, who was privileged to ride on
horseback, in either Of the wagons or to walk
when tired.
Mr.. Lower,is we'll pleased with Western
Texas, and says he found it much better than
he expected. Pecos and Preside counties
are excellent for stock, and with seasonsble
rains the soil in the valleys, bottoms and
even on some of the uplands is rich enough
to produce anything that will grow ia that
latitude, aud 10 the absence of rains irrigs-
ton is made easy by means of ditches, which
are constructed at very small expense.
PECos CoUNTY-ITs IRRIGATION.
Pecos county is irrigable and has the
facilities for it. Pecos Station is ITO miles
above Fort Concho. 1t has light sandy
roll, two TO five feet deep which is very
productive for corn. Sixty miles above
Pecos Station comes Rooney's farm of about
90, 900 acres, very highly productive for corn,
yielding from fifty to sixty bushels per acre
in favorable seasons. Small grain, such AS
oats, barley and wheat, do exceedingly well,
but corn is the principal product, command
ing An average price throughout the year of
So 20. Irrigation is very easy as the land
Comanche creek is a very fine stream of
Eort EStock,on arising from nmn,o,o az
snr;noa sevaral IF which rnn ,hnmaanas Us
gailons If water ner minnte Tha Lass 70
siono This stream ara veru nroano,;,a a"' ,ha
soil = from threa to sr fset dosn ho,n. 'n9 1
vellow heavy loan. tho snbso;I ia su ~.
with orsvel find;n, in soma n,ace, hlua oIa y
at a denth Of from four to ak fact On th;s
stream Won ~ wll fiod the large ,s and b,o i,
nroauct;ye farms Of Messra N r Corbit,
E,sns Rorroy AT Foris II w Yonnn ana
r,an,, othors ""'
N'T Tbe FARM farmo,s s,oro Tho .,ro0m ,o;oo oA,u
whoat ha,ia., sd "oS WI, ns ; "a insT oorns
hiaa tb;s so;, hss r "A s,nar;or no y.
ousons ws,srmelons and heats of nm 'a annI
mons a;yo ' Fnur to civ heotS nf,sn ,~ "n euU,s
hnshoi ;r ,va;rSt onI sor,o,;,,,", n'' ISM L Wv.
U'a;rS, - er,ann ~ a;,.h,"" 'ne o,e'
No ea,,,o 1rarchss" ara immaJ;sta,vp U't III
s,, u sn !, ho;nn eSc,ns;voin Ssna,ei Hn sn;
oni,u,o s,,no,,1h ,ha oo,,,tv IN 1872 :.
verv excellent Tor grazing nnrnoses and
rnw y hords IF tbnussn3. p NAB hs an'
ou;atjv o,ag;n@ y, ;ts mla;,s ga v Sn,a
1N' e'e rA' ""N N'''''
PRNsIplo COUNTY IRRIGATION.
Preside, the county adjoining Pecos on
the west, is very rich and fertile for agricul-
lure and grazing, and said to be rich Id min.
erals, but being newer county and not 90
much developed, is yet in its infancy as per-
tains to irrigation, there being only two
streams, viz: "San Salmon" and "Lympis'
creeks, on which irrigation has been intro
duced. On San Salmon creek may be seen
the fine farm of Mr.. David
Murphy, as large Gf not the
lsrgest) as any in the state. This large and
highly productive farm is under an excellent
system ofirrigstion, SO that during the dry
months it can be irrigated at a triAing ex.
pense.
Adjoining Mr.. Murpbv,s il tbe farm or
Mr.. Samuel Miller. which. although not 40
large. ia fully as nrodnctive T'here are
several other farms on this stream of like
character.
olympia" is small stream of pure. cold
water, arising in and about Fort Davis.
There ara several farms on this stream which
although much les, in acreage ara eousllv
ss GOOD in nroduction and fsr,;l;t; @0 'q'''y
Or the lands in the long and wide valleys
too distant from the streams, or where there
are no streams for irrigation, II ia The oenersl
opinion of scientists that an abundance of
water can be had bv dippjno AZ a den,b of
from 81 TO 100 feet. Tn tbrae vallers csn
be found IN. finest of all nst,ve grasses viz.
white and black oramms and ;n soma ,ha
black MESQUITE. said to be one If Tho finest
grasses for cattle. also the "nrairio grass"
oftor ,r,r;no e., o e.. ~