The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1883-10-16
BARBER BUZZED.
By q Bazooite. He Speaks
in Glowing Terms Of Tex
as and it's Future.
An Inter estinR Interview With
an Official of the Texas and
Pacific.
BARBER BUZZED.

Mr.. j. 4. Barber, formerly master car
builder of the K. & T. division of the Mis-
souri, Pacific, now division superintendent
of the Rio Grandge division of the Texas
Il Pacific, was in the city yesterday and
although he had no idea he was being inter.
viewed, he gave some very interesting facts
to a BAzoO reporter who engaged him in a
social conversation.
Mr.. BARRIERS headquarters are at Big
Springs, Texas, and he has charge
of GIG miles of road, his division termina.
ting at Ell Paso.
The general Offices and shops of this d.
vision of the road are located at Big
Springs. . fourishing town of about seven
hundred inhabitants. The railroad com.
pany has an excellent hotel al this place,
and the town is enjoying a boom which
bids ,air to place it in the front rank Of
Texas cities.
Ell Paso, the terminus of this division is
an ancient, historical city being about three
hundred years old. Here is located Cath
Ollie church, older even than the sncient
city. The structure is quaint and piciur-
esque, being kept in repair, but the old
time style of architecture is maintained. In
the church are preserved its records from
the time of its erection down to the present
day. The inhabitants of Ell Paso are
principally Mexicans, ignorant and under
the complete domination of the priests.
The visitor to this historic city can. in q
thirty minutes walk, enter four different
states and territories, viz: Mexico, COlora-
do, Arazona and Texas.
Mr.. Barber expresses it as his opinion
that Texas will soon become, if it is not
now, the greatest stock raising country in
the United States or the world.
For about three hundred miles west OF
Fcrt Worth there is a magnificent farming
country, further vest of Big Springs for
several hundred miles the country is only
fit for grazing. Although the Texas Paci-
fc runs through country apparently
wild and deserted, you would" said Mr..
Barber, "be surprised at the immense stock
traffic of our road. To give you an idea,
an eastern man will come along and meet
some friend who has settled in this far of
country. "What are you doing" questions
the stranger.
We'll, am running a rancho and fe, d.
ing few cattle"
How many head have your"
"Not many at present. have been sell
ing of, and only have about twenty-five
thousand head left"
On one stock rancho along the line of his
division Mr. Barber says there are $4,000
head of cattle. One rancho has IL 600
head of mares. Wild horses are found
within twenty miles of the railroad.
The country is rapidly developing. The
town of Colorado, about thirty minutes
ride from Big Springs, east, is booming,
there being . number Of wealthy eastern
capitalists residing there. The city has all
the modern improvements and boasts
among other fine buildings of Sl25, 900
opera house.
The hunting along the line of the road
for many hundred miles, east and west of
Big Springs, is fine. antelope, red deer and
smaller game, such As quail ana curlew,
Astounding, There are several species of
quail, among which are the Missouri, Bob
White" and the "California Top-not."
There are two Sedalia boys with Mr.. Bar
Der. Ed. Houx occupies an excellent po-
sition in the superintendent Office at Big
Springs, and Ed. Mckee, formerly cashier
of the Pacific freight Office in this city, will
this week take charge of the station At
Colorado.
Mr.. Barber is highly pleased with his
new position and is enthusiastic about the
future of Texas and his road. The BAzoo
trusts that his most sanguine expectations
may be realized.