Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-09-03
TEXAS WHEAT BELT.
Fort Worth Destined to be the Mime
apolis of the Great Southwest.
The Fine Impression Northwestern Texas
Makes Upon strangers-Texans Don't
Appreciate Their State.

In CONVERSATION With S6ul16llldn " lIO
lives in Iowa and who has just returned
from an extended trip through Texas,
which was made with view Of finding a
location, I learn that the country on the
line of the Denver, Texas and Fort
Worth railway is being rapidly settled
with good and well-to-do class Of farm
ers who are making a speciality of wheat
raising to which the country for at least
two hundred miles north of Fort Worth
is especially adapted. This gentleman
whose name is W. r. Baker,
informs me that the wheat
crop of what is called the
.i'wheat belt'' of Northwest Texas
(of which Wichita Falls is the center and
principal shipping and distributing point
for several of the best wheat-producing
counties on and tributary to the line OF
the Fort Worth road Will average
from twenty-fouT TO twenty-siX bushels
TO the acre this year. This, considering
the fact that quite a large per cent. of
the land in cultivation was sod land Gts
first crop is remarkable yield.
''Wheat brings at Wichita Falls within
2 cents of Chicago prices,' says Mr..
Baker, land they will ship from Wichita
Falls this season from twelve to
fifteen hundred cars, besides keeping
roller mill of 10O-barrels- per-day ca
pacity running. When it is considered
that the Denver and Texas road has only
been completed a little over year and
that the country through which it runs
was looked upon as part Of the Great
American desert, so-called, the pro-
gress made is the way of development
and settlement of the country speaks well
for the country and the management Of
the Panhandle Route.
''Fort Worth is destined to be
the Minneapolis of the South
west - remarked Mr.. Baker. ''That
city has the famous Wichita Falls
and Red river valley country to draw
from as well as a good portion of the
Panhandle country.
81 learn, - said Mr.. Baker, "that
Denver capitalists are now largely in
terested in Fort Worth and other points
on the line of the Denver and Texas road.
In this they show good judgment, at least
this is my opinion, for with deep water
on the Texas coast and the country lying
between Colorado and the gulf settled
with farmers, which it is bound to be and
that in the near future, property
in that section will increase in value rap
idly
''Have you decided to become Tex
AM? was asked of Mr.. Baker.
Eyes, sir: have selected and paid for
a tract of 800 acres of fine valley land in
Wichita county, for which 1 paid 81 per.
acre, and I am now on my way home
and viii arrange to move my family to
their new home in a few weeks. -
$50 you see. . said Mr.. Baker, 81
not only talk Texas, but believe in it,
I y1-711h No aI,l 10 70 ind
q great many of my friends
to follow me to Wichita county.
I am well pleased with Northwest Texas.
and the people, and have found the
officials of the road accommodating,
liberal and progressive. The farmers on
the line had good word to say for the;
road, as they are given fair rates to ship
their products to market, both south and
north. Much of the vegetables and
fruits learned were shipped to Colorado
points. With the settlement of North
west Texas and the Panhandle country
early fruits and vegetables should and ne
doubt viii be placed within reach of the
working people of Denver and other Col
OradO cities. -
Mr.. Baker informs me that
the large pastures are being
cut up in small tracts of from one hun
twenty acres and sold TO actual settlers
at from three dollars to eight dollars per
acre and on easy terms.
"While at Wichita Falls, - said, Mr..
Baker "there was a tract of l6 900 acres
disposed of to Kansas City and New
York capitalists who viii place it on the
market. This tract of land is but one of
many similar that has been lately cut up
and placed within the reach of
farmers of moderate means.
Land at an average of Sc
per acre that will yield from twenty -four
TO thirty of wheat per acre, which will
sell at from seventy-fve to
ninety cents per bushel, in
good healthy and well watered coun-
try, as well as producing all other kinds
of grain, fruit, vegetables, ETC., natu-
rally makes that section of country very
attractive TO the home seeker, con-
tlnued the man from Iowa, land I only
regret that I did not investigate Texas
sooner. Like many Of my neighbors, I
have had feeling of prejudice against
TIE rs and Texans, but It was from want
of knowledge of the state. I found
Texas TO be the reverse of what
I expected, and no man can see the
state and not be favoTably impressed. -
Nj. Baker is but one of many that l
have met since have been here who have
been to Texas and became converted aud
captured by the advantages Texas, effersz
TO the actual settler, and beingsa Texan
myself and one who desires to see
our state settled and DEVELOPED aqdsS
knowing that all that is necessaTysfs 10 Sc
cure the people and the capital desired is
to make known our resources and natural I
advantages, I concluded to give theE
readers of THE GAZETTE, especially those
of Texas, the impression our state makes
on strangers with the hope that they
might be induced to make greater efforts
to advertise the state as il should be.
No man can realize the Importance of
advertising Texas until he goes away
from home and hears the general
impression or opinion people have OF
Texas. Here is q fair sample of what
one viii hear when Texas is mentioned in
the Old states. l have just reached this
point on my way home, after taking an
extended trip through the middle and
northwestern states.
''You ask why not go TO Texas instead
of Kansas? If l wanted to raise HI