Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-09-18
j. p. STEELE, EDITOR.
The Fort worth-waCo Irrigation Area.

these columns an article describing what
Professor Robert I. Hill calls the Fort
Worth Waco artesian well area of Texas
locating the area, on the authority oil
that eminent geologist, as heading prob
ably about the middle of Cooke county
and extending from that point, on an
average of forty miles in width, entirely
across the state. From Cooke the area
runs almost due south to Bell county
whence IT bears a little westerly TO Webb
county, striking the Rio Grsnde river
with Laredo about on its southeastern
border. The cities and towns that may
be regarded as central In the area are
Denton, Fort Worth, Cleburne, Whit
ney, Bartlett, Taylor and Gotta.
Other important places known to be
within the area, but not entirely central,
are Alvarado, Hillsboro, Waco, Bolton,
Austin, Kyle, san Marcos, New Braun
fels, Pearsall, Santa Tomas and Laredo.
1t Is a singular fact that two lmpor-
taut railroads have directly followed this
the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe to Tay-
lor, in Williamson county, and thence
the international and Great Northern to
Laredo. So closely have they traversed
the area that one might almost jump to
the conclusion that its great Importance
had influenced their location, yet we
well know that at the time of their origi-
nal survey nothing was positively known
of such continuous artesian area within
the state OF Texas. 1t is simply one OF
those cases Of good luck that will some
times drop in unexpectedly upon the par
ties most directly concerned. 1t is un-
doubtedly a stroke great good luck IN TINS
case, for the day cannot be possibly far
distant when the artesian advantages of
the area under mention shall have de-
veloped it into one of the most produce
tive and fiourishing agricultural regions
In the Lone Star state, or, taken as a
whole, in any other section of all North
America, for that matter.
AS stated in our former article, on the
authority of Professor Hill, the artesian
area marked out as positively known to
exist, is entirely capable of sustaining
q population greater than all the popu-
lation now IN the state of Texas. Upon
the same undoubted authority it may be
added that the same area may possibly
extend, with more or less break, from
twenty to forty miles further eastward,
thus taking in Pilot Point, Plano, Dali
las, Waxahachie, Hubbard, Marlin,
Cameron, Bastrop, Lockhart, Seguin,
Pleasanton, Tllden and Pes
cadita.
The lands of this area are the richest
and finest agricultural lands of Texas,
being generally of the black waXy prai-
RE and the grand prairie character.
The only thing in the way of their full
est development heretofore has been a
deficiency IN natural water supply. OF
course this discovery made by our geolo-
gists that an abundance of water may be
had by boring, in many cases at very
shallow depth, must speedily throw that
trouble entirely out of the way.
1t is unnecessary for us to tell THE GA
ZErTE readers how the country of this
Fort Worth Waco artesian area is and at
present appears, for they know as much
about that as we know. In its natural
condition it is probably one of the best
n agricultural areas TO be met with on the
American continent. In his first annual
report of the geological survey of Texas,
Prot. +. T. Dumble, state geologist, says
of the region, page XVI, 1.-The black |
waxy prairie has a thickness of some |
1900 feet. These clays lie directly below |
the sandy strata of the gluconite beds on |
the east, and rest on the gently sloping |
beds of the Austin chalk, the outorop of |
which marks their western boundary, |
giving us au area thousands of square |
miles In extent, which is one of the |
g-andest agricultural countries of which |
we have any knowledge. And on page |
ZIG OF the same report, Prof. Hill says |
Of the grand prairie regions: Like the
main black waxy prairie lands, from |
they are hardly distinguishable, |
they are fine agricultural lands, possess
ing an advantage in being less sticky and
tenacious The gluconite, or greensands |
will no doubt be found in greater and |
purer qualities in some localities than in
others, and will prove of great local
value rs fertilizer. In New Jersey SIM
liar marls are used to the amount of ST.
900 900 worth per annum, and immense
tracts of previously supposed poor lands,
similar to some which exist in great
quantities IN our own state, have been
and converted by their use into
fertile fruit and vegetable regions.
At present the average Texas farmer |
is not much concerning himself about |
fertilizers, but the day will come that |
shall find them in demand, especially If |
heavy groupings be followed up, which |
must be done to get the best out of it that |
there is in agriculture. The finest lands |
IN the world Will eventually become more
or less exhausted by heavy cropping. |
NOT loD4 auo whiIe in San Autoujo