San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-03-09
THE PAN HANDLE.
railroad No Named, but that Vast Texan
N0t Ihe "- Corner.

tie, q rlsar rivers with innumerable
ana .Sss Astounding in rich grazing
olAn' md fertile tracts, is great square
i,huS Of territory projecting almost to
oiOV noytbern limit of Indian territory,
tne - larger domain than the entire
anu sao,s If Connecticut. Here the Red
o sS Washita rivers rise and clear cold
spG ,gs abound in vast numbers. Here
sPlahrated battles have been fought,
cci s ,he once lordly Indian subiugated
sp' ,hs hand OF the white man. Here
ey have fed in thousands, and sur
so,s Tor various railroads have been
ve sy V,hroueh. A land it is of perpetual
hummer ~" and climate vying with the
snest on the Pacific slone. Long the
Ives of spectators have turned toward
.ye mot and the ii de of emigration has
Sssn stopped only by the lack of facili-
lies for transportation.
W Rnt few days ago curious incor-
,oSt;on was noticed among the list
rom Springfield, of "A company of
prominent Chicago men empowered to
mild a State Capitol for Texas, and
,hen the startling announcement that
,b;s vast territory described, known on
,ba map as "Pan Handle" had been
loaded to the incorporation as payment
sor the proposed State Capitol. Most
nrominent among the names of incor-
porators were those OF the Farwells OF
his CITY. Congressman @. B. Farwell
Was at once visited for facts relative to
This unparalleled scheme, and the fol-
lowing dialogue ensued: -.
CONGRESSMAN FAREWELL INTERVIEWED.
aMr. Farwell, the readers of the
Inter Ocean would like description
of that little matter in Texas"
swell, now, / don't believe we know
ANYTHING about it; do we, John ?"
turning to his brother.
"Just little, perhaps, observed Mr.
John. =,
ave had better not tell him, had
we?" uuoth Mr.. G. B.
"Just little, perhaps" again OBJ
served Mr.. J. V. =,
"Let me ask you few questions"
said the scribe, "and You can answer as
MANY of them as you please"
"Well, fire away. might die in a
worse cause"
who are the parties interested IN
this transfer of land? ?"
"a. G. Babcock, of Canton, Ill, Alb
ner Taylor, my brother John and my
self, of Chicago"
"When was the matter proposed?''
"On the 7th of last month | cane
from Washington on the receipt of a
telegram, and we talked the matter
ever, and soon after sent reliable ex-
pert to make arrangements If every
thing was satisfactory"
what about the Texas side of the
question:"
aThe state set apart body of land to
pay for capitol which would be large
enough to meet the demands of the tn
ture. The proposition was made to us,
and telegram from Austin assures us
that the agreement has BEEN consum-
mated beyond recall"
How large is the tract of land?"
1T comprises 3,000,0 100000 acres"
"How is it bounded?"
1T comprises what ought to form
part of Indian territory, which bounds
it on the east and north at the intersec-
ton of line 36 deg. SO min. north lat
itude, with the 1O3d meridian of west
longitude running 81 IL miles south of
the corner of Kansas, New Mexico, and
Colorado. The area consists of about
5000 square miles, being nearly two
hundred miles long and almost thirty
wide. Some $4,000 acres of this were
set apart by the state to defray the ex-
penses of the survey Of the tract, and
theremainder belongs to us.
"That makes you the largest individ-
ual land owners on the globe, does it
not?"
81 did not agree to answer every
thing"
Both gentlemen smiled, however, and
the cat pranced out of the bag at 2 40
gait.
"a scientific analysis of soils would be
next in order"
well, large tract of land adjoining
is set apart for grape culture, and Cali
fornians who have experimental at
home and on the tract, prefer the lat
ter. They claim that it is the finest
vineyard land on the continent. There
is no stoppage of operations there for
winter. 1t is well watered and tim
bered."
What is the prospect of railway
projects?"
Three railways are rapidly pushing
through, the Houston and Texas Cen
trail railway, and another one from Aus
TIN, and one from Denver people are
building"
What do you propose doing with this
land?"
We'll, continued the victim, I'VE
nave had two offers for it, the largest OF
which is upward of 100000. We