Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-12-19

present (Septer. der, 1880 the gradual
invasion OF opf plains country has set In
from the south, the southeast, and a
movement IS Just threatening along the
northern frontier, which is expected by
another year TO bring In hundred fami-
lies, a1d perhaps 10 organize one or two
more counties. Such grain and produce
OF al kinds as NAV be raised aud made
for many years yet flnd a valuable marke,
without having TO seek 1t away from
home As matter OF fact, the man who
buys his section OF land may enter d
leased pasture and make his seiection, but
as q matter Of fact they will not often do
IT, The stockman who has piid his
lease price In advance, and expended
largely in incosing, building and provid-
ing water, most naturally dislikes 70 see
his asture taken away from him and cut
up into farms. To the settlers themselves
1t seems 40 injustice which they will
seldom attempt, preferring TO hunt other
lands or do without, rather than risk the
strife they would expect to inaugurate.
There are OF course lands outside Of any
pasture, but when continuous Enclosures
frequently run for twenty or thirty or
even flitY miles In single direction IL
forces the settlers TO another neighbor-
hood and even 70 another county. The
present land laws are not calculated to
settle the Panhandle.
The immense tract OF 5000 600 acres
which was given 70 the Capitol syndicate,
as 10 Is called, for constructing the Texas
capitol build ng, Is situated up and down
the western counties, some OF II beng In
Oldham. This has been and is being In
closed for permanent pasture, and
stocked with vast number OF cattle.
Half dozen other prominent companies
aud many minor holders make. the stock
business in this extremity OF our section
a most important one.
Oldham and attached counties are
somewhat farther west than the other
quarters, and unless tue lay OF the lands,
the nature Of the soil nd the presence of
their river and creeks should make 1t
preferable In some ways to other sections,
then the stock interests may prevail and
predominant in these parts yet, while the
advancing immigration ID filling upnot 80
far out. At least one important ad-
vantage OF this portion Is the water
courses. Flowing streams within
reasonable distance, such as course
across the western and northern portion
OF the Panhandle, are certainly a material
advantage. Another Is the fact that a.
this town, Tascosa, IL soon TO be the Only
bridge, the only perfectly safe crossing at
all times, on any river In the Panhandle
country. Such crossing Of such
stream in sparsely settled country is an
advantage to people who have to travel
back and forth more or less, which can
not be overestlmatiDg It. 1t will be no
less a benefit to the man who is seeking
his home or Is prospecting In the Pan
handle, especially to those coming from
north and west, and II Is destined to
make this the highway for immigration
and incoming travel. There will be
such railroads running across the couu--
try, perhaps intersecting here from all
the corners Of the compass, before settle
ment has fairly demanded or fully needed
themi as will tend to push rapidly the ag-
rlcuitural Interest when 1t Is once under
way, As for the soil, IL is OF the same
substance and nature almost In all
parts, being decidedly sandy. The health
IL no better anywhere than in TINS west
ern region, there being absolutely no
malarlal or mlasmatic diseases, and the
water obtained by digging Is of the purest
and best. The population OF the whole
Panhandle being less than 5000, when
'NVl1bbuJ 10 IpuHbtuf VII hCHL DuTL mas
its proper portion; full share OF the
business OF the entire country is trans
acted At Tascosa; and the people are no
way rougher and they are quite as socia-
BILE and intelligent as frontier countries
usually can show.
The steady growth and stability OF
Tascosa as a town, Is shown partly in the
OF the property holders and
business men, and 10 the figures at which
real estate Is held Town lots command
high prices for the West, decidedly, and
show no Indication of lowering. Situated
In a country whose principal indus ry is
calculated 10 keep money In circulation,
and so to insure good prices for merchan-
disc, produce, etc and to command good
wages for such work as can be found,
Tascosa, even without railroad In the
Panhandle, Is and viii be substantial,
thriving town, in produc-
tive, genial, healthy country.
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