Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-12-23
WESTERN TEXAS.
Necessities of Western Texas as Viewed
from LOng-HOrn Standpoint.
Exterminate Prairie Dogs-Irrigate the PecOs
Valley as State Enterprise-Give
Us u Practical Mining Law.
BAIRD, TEX. Dec. u, 1883.

BAIRD. Tex, Dec. p, 1858.
To the Gazette.
You are fully alive to the interests of
all Texas and DESTROYS that each locality
shall receive the legislation required for
its advancement. In view of these facts,
allow me to briefly and thoroughly pOr-
tray TO you the disadvantages that West
ern Texas has labored under and still
l&bors under for the want of proper leg
islation Our making power will
not be recreant to their trust when facts
that will rebound to the public good are
properly brought to their notice. For long
and weary years Western Texas was the
home of the savage Indian, when it should
have been and would have been the home
OF the happy and prosperous citizen had
the federal and state governments
carried out their pledges i'll giving pro-
lection to life, liberty and property.
After long and weary years and the force
of circumstances Western Texas is Sc
cure from the raids of its once savage
foe, but a problem of greater financisi
magnitude stares it squarely in the face,
prairie dog Our stock men of the west
have been driven to New Mexico, Old
Mexico, Arizona, Indian Territory and TO
all points in search of grass for their
tloclls and herds. The Bible tells us that
all flesh is grass. If so, the flesh
of the little prairie dog is grass
with a yengence, for his flesh has cost the
people of the state of Texas $1,000 for
every pound of dog.
The practical and experienced stock
man of Western Texas will testify ON
oath that he believes that the prairie dog
destroys more vegetation, root and
branch each year than all the live stock
of all classes. The man that makes two
blades of grass grow where but one grew
before is IL benefactOr. The legislation
that husbands the facilities of the country
so that two head of live stock can be
grown where but one grew before is Il
great public benefactOr, and it can be done
without costing the state one farthing
and give renumerative employment
to every man, woman and urchin in the
west that wishes or may be necessitated
to embark in it, and place within reach
the opportunity for many families to get
homes that are now deprived of it. The
time has come that the Chinaman and
prairie dog must 90, and i'll the dog $
destruction let us make him pay back
something for his board and lodging.
The second thing of Importance to West
Texas is the irrigation of the entire Pecos
valley. This should be done by the state,
as a state enterprise, and the labor en-
ployed should be convict labor entirely.
The state will always have an abundance
of convict labor, and it can be utilized to
great advantage i'll utilizing the water of
the Pecos river for irrigation, the
exclusive water privilege to belong
TO the state, the proceeds from
the sale of water to be applied to the
school fund after paying expenses. The
healthfulness of the climate and the re-
mOteness from settlement makes the
handling of convicts comparatively as
easy as within prison walls, all OF which
will readily suggest itself to the thinking
mind.
The Pecos water and the PecOs valley
are the Nile of the west and are capable
when properly handled 50 support Il vast
multitude of people, who in turn will add
TO the wealth of the state in the way of
taxable property.
Last, but nor least, is wholesome,
practical and just mining law, so as
to give every encouragement and
protection TO the hardy and needy
prospector. Give him every encourage
ment within the bounds of justice, so that
he can dig and delve with the full assur-
ance that if fortune should favor him in
discovery, that the great state of Texas
will stand by him and give him justice.
The mineral resources of West Texas
are bountiful and i'll paying quantities,
but are valuelesS until their actual loca-
ton is discovered, which must be done by
the hardy prospector. Not one in 1000
of them in the best mineral countries
ever finds Il reward for his labor, so give
us Il mining law as near the United States
mining law as is possible under all the
circumstances.
Utilize the Pacos water and land as a
state enterprise. Labor performed by
cOnvicts.
Institute war of determination that
will be complete against the prairie dog
and without cost to the state.
Intelligence and enterprise, with lit
tie help from the state, will solve the
problem of artificial irrigation which,
when solved and demonstrated-whic it
will be, our destiny III greatness is be-
yOnd present calculation, and West Texas
will be recognized rs the second Califor-
MIA brought forth out o. Il desert by in
telligence and enterprise, for which the
humble writer herg of viii ever pray
OLD LONG HORN.