Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-03-16
N0-MAN'S LAND.
A Graphic Description Of the Neutral
Slrlp-A Basin Encompassed
By Table Lands.
Tho Country Underlaid with mineral Fine
Sou-RunpiDE Wafer ana springs.I
Good Fruit Country.

Advocate, published in Beaver City, the
metropolis of No-Msn 's-Land, there is an
extended description of the neutral strip,
now so well known as No-Man's-Land,
for the opening up and settlement OF
which bill is now pending before Con
gress. The neutral strip is included in
the provisions of the Springer bill and,
though q combined effort is made to have
1t excluded from the original bill and
attached to Kansas, thereby en-
dsngering the passage OF the
Oklahoma measure, there is no prob
ability thst the scheme will be engineered
through in safety. No Mans Land OF
right belongs to the territory that is
about to be thrown open for homestead
entry, and Kansas does not want the ad :
ditionsl territory, though there sre IN
scrupulous Efforts being made by parties
who could further their own interests by
defeating the Oklahoma bill IL they could
get the neutral strip placed under the
jurisdiction of Kansas. In speaking Of
the natural advantages and location of
This strip, the Advocate says:
"Tae eastern one-third of No-Mau's-
Land is an immense valley or basin, lying
1900 feet above the sea level, and is
hemmed in on the north, south and west
by plains frem 400 10 700 feet higher.
Within this basin the topography is very
diversified, undulating prAirIes gradually
giving place to broad, fertile valleys bor-
dering the larger streams. Here and
there range of low hills, covered with
shrubs and vines, break the monotony of
seemingly endless prairie.
"The Beaver or North Fork of the Ca
madam river rises in the eastern part of
New Mexico and flows eastward through
the entire length of NJ-MRn's Land. In
this part of the Territory 1t receives nu-
merous tributaries, ell fed by numerous
living springs. The abundance of water,
the large number of living springs and
the ease with which water is obtained
by digging is quickly remarked by
everyone who visits this territory.
Every hollow that crosses the
upland is spring brook and
along the foot of the low hills that Dor
der the valleys start little spring rivulets,
which run straight across the level valley
to the river, giving the appearance Of ir-
Tigating bitches. All the valley land has
what is termed sub-irrigstion-a sheet of
water underlying it at a depth Of two to
six feet. Water IS obtained on the up
land in places as shallow as eight feet,
while on some OF the higher fats it IS
necessary to dig from twenty-five to sew
enty-ive feet"
The climate is equab.e, not being far
enough south to get the oppressive sum-
Rer heat or the army of insects that
swarm in warmer countries, while the
winters are extremely mild. There is no
malaria, ard there is large annual rain
fsll. The Advocate has this to say Of the
soil andtnstural products: "The soil is
generally rich sandy loom. 1t is not,
however, Of uniform quality, some
containing go little sand as to
make it difficult to break, but
when it is once pulveriZed it re-
mains loose and frisble There is some
land in the hills which is too sandy for
profitable cultivation. In most paris the
soil is 3 black loan, varying in depth
from fifteen inches to twenty five feet. 1t
rests either upon clsYey subsoll or a bed
of sandstone. On the highest land is
sometimes found the deepest soil. The
valleys are not the only parts of this ter
ritorY that have deep, rich soil. Many
practical farmers have selected up
land farms in preference
to the valleys. The album
uauC6 " ylSluS Will dkLSBL W tue lSILlllI1
of the soil. The upland is mostly cover
ed with heavy mat of buffalo grass,
which makes excellent stock pasture both
summer and winter The valleys are COW
cred principally with blue stem, which is
gradually taking the place Of the buffalo
grass, having good START already in spots
on the upland. The blue stem produces
large crops si hay. Alfalfa has been
and tho ham ca
BILE that large acreage will be sown this
year.
'TWild hSy is now selling st IS to So
per ton here, while up on the high prair-
les of Western Kansas it is hard to get at
'el0. All our valley land and part 1.-THE up
land produces excellent grass. AS soon
IS we have O railroad for shipping, hay
will be one of our most valuable crops.
"The hills were covered with fair
growth of timber few years ago, and
every stream had its fringe of timber,
which broGdened out at frequent
intervals into beautiful groves, but
the settlers in Kansas for q hun
dred miles north of the line played sad
havoc with the forests before there were
settlers enough here to prevent its wan
ton destruction. Some fine groves, how
ever, were saved from the
general devastation, and there
are enough dry trunks in the hills
to supply the settlers until coal can be
secured or timber grown. A fine growth
of timber has already sprung up every
where in the hills. Forest and shade
trees do we'll, aud many groves have
4lresdy been started.
Experienced fruit men claim that this
country cannot be eXcelled in the Produc-
ton of apples, peaches and small fruits.
The production of plums and grapes need
no experiment for the hills are covered
with grape vines and plumb thickets which
every year are lAdeEed with delicious
fruit Where grapes and plums yield
splendid fruit without cultivation what
can be produced by proper cultivation
Of the improved varieties? The grape
culture will in few years be one Of the
leading Industries of this country. The
sandy hills that are now covered with
wild vines will be laid out in pretty VINE
yards. Then the hills nobody seems to
want will be the most valuable part OF
the territory. Our sunny cline is exactly
suited to grape culture"
As is well known, stockmen who had
been grazing immense herds Of cattle in
No-Man's Land for years before 1t WAS
Thought of opening settlements there