Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1883-03-29
[For the Democratic Northwest. !
NApoLEoN. D. March % 1ss

| NAPOLEON, o.. March 90, 1883,
A few words in passing through your
city by one who has spent most of the
| winter in travels in Texas. was in old
Mexico, and lives in Arkansas, may be cf
| interest
There has been quite a revolution il
railroad and real-estate interests since
the Gould southwestern railway system
has been extended over Arkansas and
Texas, and into Mexico.
Passenger fares have been put down
to three cents per mile, formerly five.
which has doubled the number of passen.
gers carried. as our managers secretary
stated, and leaves their profits about the
same. The settlements follow the lines
of road rapidly ard are now far beyond
the Colorado river on the so-called staked
plains along the line of the Texas Pacific
leading to Ell Paso and California. and all
across that great desert looking country
along the line of the international and
Great Northern between San Antonio
and Laredo on the. route to the City of
Mexico. That desert looking country is
capable OF cultivation. and lands are
coming into demand. as the writer saw a
number of farms at Benton, Atascoasa
county. that actually produced two bales
of cotton per acre last year, worth forty
dollars per bale. Was about a month in
San Antonio 1t is now about the third
city in sizein Texas, and land being ranidlv
taken up by large capitalists and can only
be found now in any large quantities on
the Pan Handle, on the Staked Plains.
and in the regions of the Rio Grande.
and Texans are heard complaining fire.
quently that all of the lands of their
great State will soon be gone.
Ihe lumber business is Staying the tim
Der OF eastern Texas and Arkansas, and
mills are in operation all along the rail-
road lines. Mexico is not ready to dis
pose OF her public lands. The Mexican
Consul at San Antonio said to the writer
There is an old law granting a league
and labor of land to every citizen. but
the land is not to be had in the eastern
States. and in chihuahua and other ives.
tern States the government has let out
large contract for surveying her public
lands and until that is completed which
will not be for several wears. Mexican
lands cannot be obtained"
In Arkansas. lands can he had from
tne state at nfty cents per acre for tax |
Titles. and two dollars clear titles from
the State Land Commissioner at Little
Rock.
All the United States land in that State
are open to purchase without anv re-
striction as to residence or amount pur-
chased at .25 per acre. The st. Louis
Iron Mountain and Southern Railway
mas grant ten miles wide on each side
Of the road right across the State and sold
more land to actual settlers last year
than any year before. Their lands being
near their road are preferred by many
and sell for from three to Ave dollars Der
acre on long time. Their general land
office is Little Rock, Arkansas. Thomas
Essex Commissioner. The trip up from
Mexico was over the Gould lines by way
of Little Rock and the Sc. Louis and the
10 this place. He is president
of the whole system from Toledo to La
redo, on the Rio .Grande, and bis man
agement seems to give general satisfac-
lion. The trip was in evcryway com
Portable, and the towns and country all |
along this great line right across our
conntry show ample evidence ofsprosper-
~. The south raised more cotton than
ne could gather last year.
PAUL BAGLEY.s
Mabeloale P. o., Pnlaske Co, Ark.
W. Is :. ---------l- -
A 90 months old Tif7n cajf wa;ohoa