Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-10-09
THE WEST.
The recos valley and what People
Know and DO Not Know Of II.
Thriving cities, Fruitful FARMS and Happy
Homes Ia the Great American Des-
crt, so-Calicd.

tlesngkes aud owls once Inhabited the
SPOT now called Fort Worth That time
/ "a within the memory of schoolhoys OF
I to-day. oar railroad was built-a town
/ sprang up"
/ This same wise editor might well have
I said further, "that IN the memory OF school
\ bows Of to-day, n--and very small ones at
/ that-that the places now called Abilene,
I Colorado and Big Spring were also thus
Z inhabited; that the beautiful and fertile
country surrounding them wax deemed
( scarcely ht for stock raising that
/ that vast area of country designated
I on the maps by the 80. A. and others,
as the Staked Plains or Great American
! Desert, abounded in neither animal nor
vegetable life, producing nothing save
i the delusiye mirage which faded away at
each approach OF the thirsty traveller.
I These same schoolboys (and larger ones,
as to tha0 can now scarcely locate the
| Pecos river on the map, aud II questioned
about it., will tell you that il is a small
creek somewhere ont West. How many
OF the people OF the state to-day know
that the Pecos river is over a thousand
miles long, that It never goes dry
| from its source TO its mouth, and
that IL flows more water than any
other stream in the borders of TeXusy
How many men, even the members of the
state land board Chose false arbters
OF our states destiny, know that this
same Pecos river for hundreds OF miles
has valley on either side from one TO
five miles in width, that from actual test
proves productive i'm corn, cotton, fruits,
all the cereals, and that johnson and
alfalfa grasses produce from five to seven
tons per acre annually How many know
that in the midst of the
GREAT AMERICAN DESERT
there nre now two thriving towns,
! Midland and MarionAeld, that
are surrounded by happy, prosperous
| farmers that instead OF the deceptive,
delusiye mirage there abound neycr-fail-
ing wells OF as pure, fresh water as ever
slaked the thirst of weary traveller?
II Is wonderful how little is known of
this part of the state, of It's vast re-
sources and capabilities, Swallowed and
| suppressed rs IL has been by a polite
land board, until the people OF the East
believe IL absolutely worthless. This
same land board, or rather this bureau of
emigration for New Mexico and Arizona,
to carry out Il pet policy, have declared
these rich fields grdsjDg iaHdS. The wa
tered sections fronting ON the Pecos river
have been taken OF the market and the act
ual settler absolutely denied the right with
his own money to buy home for his
wife aud little ones. We'll may Commits
sioner Baines eXclalm, "thcy do not know
the needs of the West If they knew what
ilnc farming lands were in this valley,
the Watered sections would be on the
market in less than week. 1t seems,
however, that Mr.. Baines was mistaken
In his men, Tor they have received the
report of their chosen apostle, and, though
several weeks have passed, the watcret
lands are sull of the market. DO they
want more evidence to satisfy them ot
the nature aud value of these landsi
If SO, who is to blame for thcii
neXcusable ignonucey Are they
not the trustees of the state
and as such, is II not their duty as goot
and faithful servants 10 have Il correC
knowledge Of the nature and Naluc Of III,
estate in their charge? As the men who
formulate and carry out state policy TO
her veal or woe, who are supposed &
lend their aid and influence to all tina
tends to her general good and develop
! mcut, to encourage and foster the emf
grant, | wouH ask, why is il that hun
, drcds Of families pass up this rich valley
well pleased with all the eye heholds, an,
homes In the less favorable territories q
New Mexico and AriZOnag
Unfortunately, the next election is Yc
year off. We have ahead OF Us anothc
year of suppression, OF miSrUle and mis-
management, but | predict, when tn
time does come, that the West and Nortl
west will rise as a man and throttle thi
, hydra-hcaded monster We want no NOR
packed conventions, no more lease law
and God knows we have had our an {
'e the state land board
Nc We want men in Office who viii ris
n. above party lcalty when that party 70
' gets her timc-honOred traditions of iustit
u and honesty. We want men In Office WI
VIII give us good, simple and iu
laws, men who viii not sacrifice prime
pie, or the interests OF the state or C.
.. any section, for their political a!
in grandizemcnt, men who are capable
4 recognizing the growing needs of II
i, state at large and OF each section an
who can and VIII shape tho laws of III
NtUlt To mOOl LnRSe wants. We MuI