Brenham weekly banner. [volume] (Brenham, Tex.) 1877-1907, 1888-02-23
WEST TEXAS PROSPECTS.

who is o chronic writer for the
press, early after the inception of
the great immigration movement
put on foot in this state, took strong
grounds against it, for the reason
that it would sooner or later bring
about division. And when South
western and Western Texas made
the charge of unfairness against the
Dallas convention and issued its
call for a convention to be held at
San Antonio, it looked as if there
was something palpable in the fears
expressed. However, the people of
this section disclaimed any antagon-
ism towards the state plan, although
the press of San Antonio was ex-
tremely sectional in its utterances,
and to give proof of its sympathy
with the general scheme has contri-
buted literally and generously to
the state immigration society. 1t
may be we'll that the western con-
vention was held. Its interests are
peculiar and apart from the general
interests of the state, and by a more
compact, solidifed organization
these may be better subserved and
set forth as being entitled to consid-
Grafton. There are many erroneous
opinions in regard to West Texas
that have to be got rid Of This
section is accustomed to being re-
garded even by people in the north
ern and eastern part of the state as
consisting of vast stretches of unin-
habitable chapparal and cactus and
deserts of sand, with a sheepcorral or
stock-pens to be found at great in
terY&ls, and with but few running
streams. For this reason the agr1-
cultural interests have not received
the attention that they ought to re-
ceive. It has been demonstrated be-
You'd question that lands in West
Texas that only possess a nominal
market value can by system of If
-igation be wrought into the highest
state of cultivation and be made to
sell for as high as 500 to 5000 per
lcre. The writer had the good for |
;une to spend part of summer on |
| forty thousand acre ranch in Kin
~ county near Fort Clark, the lar
yest military post in the United
states, owned by Mr.. Chas. L. Dig
lowity, the well known real estate
gent and one of the most enter
'rising and progressive citizens ofSan
Antonio, and by his brothers A. F.
nd James V. Dignowity. It is
nown as the famous Mariposa
Butterfly ranch. When fenced by
hem it was not worth more than 50
o So per acre, and is now worth at
east 500. The finest system of If
igation in the world, perhaps, exists
Il this farm. The water is drawn
rom the Los Mores and Pinto
reeks, and by wonderful feat of
ngineering, the work of Frank Dig
owity, who is surveyor, the irri-
alton bitches actually intersect and
purse across one another. Along
lie banks almonds, English walnuts,
ears, apples, apricots, bananas and
i kinds of fruits grow luxuriantly.
his ranch better fits the descrip-
on of the Happy Valley in DIR.
ohnsons "Rasselas" than any spot
the state. There are two large [
70 story rock farm houses on the ,
remises and a whole village of
nants. A justice of the peace
ected for the precinct resides on 1
lie farm and dispenses justice to
lie tenants. The farm also employs {
school teacher who teaches the
lildren of tenants exclusively, and |
connection with the farm an ex- t
nsive apiary is conducted, and the /
oney extracted from the famous t
tclaw blossom, which grows wild q
that section, is the finest t
the world, There are also a num- t
Il of fine stock farms and pastures c
| this ranch. The stock Rising in +
lstry as at present carried on will I
I've to go and be succeeded by
nall pastures and farms. As
range as It may seem, the BANNER
edicts that in time West Texas