News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1885-02-05
UPON THE STAKED PLAINS.
BOOMING A TEXAS TOWN WHERE TIE
LOAFER WOLF HOwLS AT. NIGHT.
Population that Watches tho Trains q ID
Dreams of Future Importance Some
Great Problems In an Arid Country.

| Dreams of Future Importance Some
| Great Problems In an Arid Country.
MIDLAND, Texas. Here is town on
paper. The fame of it has been coined
by flaming posters and eloquent pam
phlets abroad, and there is already map
of the town site, showing a number OF
interesting streets, all named, public
square, and the location of a park. This
map greets the tired traveller as he steps
out of train that was due fifteen hours
ago, and walks into the depot where the
cowboys stand about the big stove, and
a melancholy Chinaman is sitting light
ly upon weak-legged bench. 1t is i'm.
possible to resist the feeling that it is
cruel to delude immigrants with the
stories told about the place. They are
led to invest in lots here, sometimes be-
fore seeing them, and when they get
here, they seem to be nowhere, with
nothing about them. Certainly it Is
true, as the big poster says, that it is To-
Gated on a prairie, extending 100 miles
south, $50 mules north, and 100 miles
along the line of the Texas and Pacific
Railroad. Here are the staked plains,
once trailed by military route, and
still dotted by the bones of the buffalo.
the coyote and the wild horse. The
prairie is called "beautiful. 1t rolls
and swells as far as the eye can reach.
There is not a tree to be seen. The
only approach to one is palm, that is
carefully nursed by German who keeps
hotel across the street from the depot.
The prairie is called fertile There is
not drop of surface water, and the soil
breaks up easily into alkali dust that
chaps the lips and makes the eyelids
sore. There is a little enclosure, like
one about a grave, alongside the rail
road track, where some dwarf ever
greens are struggling in imported earth.
The antelope come within sight of the
spot and the loafer wolves howl about it
at night. A company is developing the
place as by main strength. Gen, Nc
Ciernand is its President. lis shares
have paid we'll. Some of the Texas
Pacific Railroad people are interested in
it, and the railroad company is contribut-
ing to the companys efforts. Every
train is narrowly watched to see who
gets off, and each passenger is at once
questioned as to his expectation about
remaining. The spectator can but feel
sorry for those who are piloted in by
some emigrant agent.
There is little cluster of houses here.
One first sees several saloons with the
word 'Saloon" in letters big enough to
show mile. The poster claims only
twenty houses as dwellings and business
rooms. 1t says: "Two hundred people
now make Midland their home, others
are coming daily" Emphasis is laid
on the fact that the site was placed on
sale on May 13, 1884. apd that lots
amounting to nearly $49, 900 were sold
In two days. Society" says the poster,
sis cosmopolitan, and is made up of
people from the best classes from other
points in Texas and from fifteen other
Northern and Southern States. All are
healthy and happy, and strong in the
faith that Midland will be the largest
city between Fort Worth and Ell Paso.
The immigrant is told back East that
there is a fine home awaiting him here
already prepared. He finds building
22x65 feet, where he can live if he will
pay for it, and can stand the victua's.
The seventeen-room hotel which ''for
beauty and convenience is not excelled
in the State" according to the pros
pectus, can furnish the worst meal for
the money to be found anywhere. with
the hardest bed thrown in. The rooms
are divided by board partition, covered
with snowy paper pasted upon cotton
goods.
The strong faith of those who have
been corralled here is certainly undeni-
able. They are. living in dreams of the
uture. Every soul in town turns out
to see the newest arrival. He is at once
told of the great future of the place, its
brilliant prospects as described in the
circulars, and the great good fortune al
expect if they wait long enough.
One inhabitant was fairly excited over
the future. eve are going to have a
grand city here yet, stranger" he said
'sYou had better stop here and invest
your money. We have got the most glo-
rious climate in the world.
"But the Dorthers p
"Oh, they don't last long. They
you ever see such prahie?'
"Do you raise vegetables. corn or
wheat2"
"No, but we could if we had the
water"
"No water ?"
ooh, if you Dig fo, t. It's tl.s sweet
est water in the world when you get
used to it."
"Can you raise single thing to eat
here ?"
'Lord bless you. look at The antelope.
Why, there amt notlln' iuicltr than an
antelope steak. Then we are in the
stock country
"But Texas beef is tougher than
buffalo"
"It's good livin' to them that likes it.
"Do you have potatoes ?''
'Well. 1 must say as they're skee-ss
but I think that the Germans might
raise 'em. They've done right smart
in gardenin' down at Marionfeld."
It is said that the Texas climate pro-
duces contentment, and it is well that it
does; for, if by atmospheric influence
great waves of contentment did not roll
over the new arrival it would prove rath-
er interesting for the glib-tongued agents
that talk the new arrivals from the East
to this land of the coyote.
1t is not safe, however, to disturb the
dream of the new residents. The oldest
inhabitant is not year here yet, and ne
is still looking on the future. There are
lots of promises. A new county is prom
ised with Midland as the county seat. A
hands ONE court house is promised, and
to those who love trees and cannot see
one now above the height of mesquite
bush, there is held out the prospect OF
forest trees that are to be planted all
about. 1t will be triumph OF forestry
when this arid plain is transformed into
OF EnOIan0