Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-02-24
IMMIGRATION.
state Secretary Colonel ]. F. Elliott Of
the Immigration Bureau Spends
ihs Bay In the City.
handle and the Peoos Valley Being
Sought Alter by Immigrants.
From Saturdays (Feb. ls) Daily.

From Saturdays Feb. 49, Daily.
Colonel ]. F. Elliott, the able and en-
ergetic secretary of the State Immigra-
tion Bureau, was in the city last night on
his way from Austin to Dallas. Colonel
Elliott is Dallas man, but even Dallas
men, when they want to 60 anywhere OF
get home have to come to Fort Worth to
reach the railroad. In random CONVEX
sation with 8 GAZETTE representative,
Colonel Elliott showed that he WAS quite
st home in the service OF the state and
posted on all questions relating TO Texas.
"Colonel, do you think Austin is improv-
log mucS?" asked THE GAZETTE man.
Said Colonel Elliott: "I thiuk it is
There seems to be considerable life and
enterprise visible. They have recently
organized a Merchants Exchange and g
number of other public orgAnizauons,a land
the people seem to be waking to the
necessity of action. Austin was never
built, it grew. There was never any such
push snd hurry IS that which we see in
North Texas towns. Il WAS q slow
pisc but believe that new era has set
10, and hencefJrth il will keep up with
tne pTOCesslOu
"Whst do you think of the new cspitoi
building?"
Said Colonel Elliott: "It is magnifi
cent-the finest state building in the
United States. The color OF the stone
initiates against it somewhat and the
view presented from the city is not good.
l must confess that was disappointed
in it when l went to Austin. had not
| cir nm 1hn4 ifrc
were laid, and having spent
60 much time In Washington,
and visiting the national capitol building
daily had my mind made up as to what
the state capitol of Texss would look
like, and when saw Il on my arrival in
Austin with only the front in view, the
wings being concealed, was disapp pint
ed. II it was situated further away and
on an emineuce, where its vast proper
tions could be seen to advantage,it would
l9ok much more imposing. So close but
little OF it can be seen, and that little
gives ore but an imperfect idea Of its
magnitude"
"What abou! those rumolings Of COM
plant we hear every now and then con-
corning defects, cracks, poor material,
unskllful workmanship and the like? ?"
Said Colonel Elliott: "There is moth
ing in them more than these small sensa-
tions that follow in the wake
of the execution of all public enter
prises Investigat on has shown this re
peatedly, but still believe in this sort
of vigilance. It is the best safeguard
against fraud People should look with
s:tutlny into the character OF work per
,ormed when they are paying for it AID,
While the sensation may DE unpleasant
for the time being, it has 8 most healthy
and sslu;sry tf.cg"
"What success are you meeting witt in |
the immigration business?"
Said Colonel Z lott: 1--WE are not do |
ing as well as would like to do, but we |
are doing considerable. There are d great |
many counties and cities that are back |
ward in getting to work. The interest 1t |
first manifested seems to have cooled |
somewhat in some instances, but am |
glad to say that the outlook is on the |
whole promisi5g."
"You can JUICE what benefit has been |
derived from toe boom so far more from |
the number of inq Iiries received from |
outside the state than otherwise, and |
judging from THESE doyou think the move
ment is making itself lei ?"
Sid Colonel Elliott: ayes, sir; we |
received number of inquiries and much
encouragement from those who intend |
making this state their homes"
"What section Of Texas is most sought |
after Dow?''
Said Colonel Elliott: "Tnere are in
quries for lands all over the state, but 1
fad that most people are SEE king informs-
ton concerning the Panhandle AMI the (
Pecos country, and think the movement |
will tend that way principally, for awhile |
at least"
"What is your opinion Of that Pecos
valley2 Don't you think it equal to Cal
fornis2n
Said Colonel Elliott: "That is my iu-
formation. am told that the Pecos val
ley is equal to anything in California, and |
the people ever the country are beginning |
to learn the fact. The lands are 30 |
cheap, as compared with those OF
California, that as an investment |
there is no comparison between them and
l am reliably informed that for all practi-
csl purposes the soil and climate are
equal to California. By the way speak
ing Of this immigration business, some of
the papers, among them THE GAZETTE,
are giving me more honor than Justly be-
Longs to me-showering honors upon me,
so to speak am somewhat Of stick
lea for my own share of anything that is
going, but don't want all. When those
were given - those
hearty official endorsements - 1t
was the work Of the COM
mittee and not niue. 1 merely trans
mitted copy Of the resolution and at
tested its accuracy"
"Tell me something about these en-
dorsements. They look strange to some
Of Us and We would like to know Just
what they mean"
Said Colonel Elliott: "rhe endorse
n ents given certain publications was
upon the solicitation of the owners OF
these publications who were present"
"With RABBIT foo.2" interposed the
scribe.
"WeIl don't know about the rabbit
loot. But as 1 understand the resolution
lt was not the intention of the committee
to give such an endorsement as would
make Of any particular publication so
c fl isl organ. There were = great many
papers working for Texas and think the
committee merely and properly sought to
their eff yrts and encourage
them Ia the good work. l do not think
the idea was to make an official organ ont
Of any paper, but as 1 before stated, Il am
only interpreting the resolution as passed
og the committee, not expounding 1t as 1
Of my own"
Mai,r Elliott on Immigration.
Special to she Gazette.