San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1888-01-19
IRRIGATION, ETC.
Ex-Land Commissioner Walsh Strike:
the Key Note of Permanent PrOsperi'
ty IN Western Texas.


Ex-Land Commissioner Walsh Strikes
the Key Note Of Permanent PrOsperi.
ty IN Western Texas.
The Austin Statesman short tim 6
since interviewed Capt Walsh on the
subject Of irrigation, which is fast be-
coming the paramount question
in the future of Texas. We copy
the interview below:
Captain, Mr.. Woodbridge in his
remarks before the board of trade re-
ferred to you as being interested in
The irrigation project now under
discussion. Have you given the
question any,spec;al study?"
Il have, for yours, been convinced
OF the practicability and ACCESSIBILITY
of irrigating The Colorado valley, and
for the past year have been urging
its advantages. I have discussed the
question with many of our most
wealthy and enterprising citizens, and
am grotifed to find the idea has at
last assumed question of mode.
The valley will certainly be irrigated
in the near future"
'Did you read Mr.. Wooldridges
article in last Sundays issue 2
Il did, and in the main features,
viz. that it is practical and that it IS
a necessity, agree with him."
did you hear Judge TerrelPs re-
marks on the subject before the
board of trade p
II did, and was sorry he made
them. am no more anxious than
the Judge to advertise our country
us desert, but recognize the fact
that agriculture here without irriga-
ton is a lottery. 1t is true that no
man depending upon farming for IL
living III this country will ever starye,
but why struggle for bare subsist-
ence when Il little enterprise and
capital will make agriculture a source
of wealth both to the individual and
and to the whole city and county 7"
"The Judge says that in thirty five
years residence in this county he has
known but one failure of crops, viz:
1917. If he means by failure the on=
ly year in which nothing was made,
he may be right, but the farmer who
tolls for twelve months and does not
harvest enough to pay for the years
suDplies is firmly convinced that lie
has made u failure.
1T is proposed to invite capitalists
and agricul,urists to visit our section
this spring, with view of adding
money and population TO our county.
| do not hope to convince them that
this is a desirable country by simply
showing them our magnificent scenery
and demonstrating our hel!thful eli
mate. The feyer.laden iuugles of
Africa aud the ice-bOuni cliffs o!
Alaska have failed to retari the flow
Of capital aud enterprise for the sim
pic reason that money could be made
there. So Vt will be here. State
facts to chr visitors and show them
the possibilities for development, and
they VIII stay. However much we
NAV wish to cNlEgerlte oar aEr.cu.-
,urIl aud horticultural possibilities,
We cannot suppress the cp,d facts
presented by the last census. b.
turning ID ;hlt we ind that for the
ten years from 1870 II lSS1. the av-
crIge cotton product Of Travis c5uu-
" WIS I'll bale per agIy, th.t . IT,
quirpi two and one half ser u pg5-
luca ore 1l.-. For the same par.pi .
the cora Vroluct WAS less thlu l.
bushels Per acre. 81 e.. u toe
present dcgt1e the slasoas have
been worse than ig .Bs one reported. .
but the improved metloiso. agEcul- .
tu-e AMI farming imI'amaIts lSvl
made Mp ihe difference, zul Will tv5
years e! -r1lsll~Jus we wiI prob
lh'y increase Uur average
-Nll rur inlXh-a-fihls valley
ell aIj or lnlGau- valley sol All