Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-11-06
TEXAS STRAIGHT.
The Story of It's Growth and Resources
as Told by Fort Werthite.
Inducements Offered by Texas to the Northern
Investor-Lack OF Information in Re-
gard to the state.
Investment Reporter.

following I6cls OptAlneu HIVH butn ter Vi
view with Mr.. B. B. Rssdock d @H
Worth, Texas. q SO
In reply to an inquiry to the seherat
said:
''There is probably Tess known about
Texas than any section of the Union of
the same geographical proportion. For
long time it has been current opinion
that Texas was a semi-civilized country,
the retreat of the lawless element of all
sections and the home of the desperate
and freebooter, while the truth is that
there is not q more law abiding state i'll
the Union, or one in which the laws are
more rigidly enforced, than in Texas.
The enormous size of the state, embrao-
ing as ii does, a territory equal in size TO
all the New England states, New York
and Pennsylvania combined, is over
looked by the casual reader of the ac-
counts of crimes committed and laws viO-
lated. The fact is that there are fewer
crimes in proportion to the area and
population in Texas than in any portion
of this country.
1.-THE same lack OF information exists
as to climate, soil and products OF Texas.
By reason of its area, difference in aiti-
tude, variety of climate and soil, the
homeseeker cannot fail TO find in some
part of Texas, q location suited to his
taste or vocation. The great variety of
soil and climate enables the new resident
| if an agrioulturist to engage in the same
pursuits, in raising the same products
for market IN which he was engaged in
| his former home, no matter from what
part of the country he may come.
els there, then, such a great variety
of products?'
eyes; Texas can show pine to Maine,
granite to New Hampshire, marble to
| Vermont; tobacco to Connecticut, Vir-
ginia or North Carolina; cotton TO
| Georgia, rice to South Carolina, oranges
to Florida coal aud iron TO Alabama and
Pennsylvania, copper to Michigan, silver
! to Colorado, wheat to Iowa, corn TO
| illinois, sugar tc Louisiana and horses to
Kentucky; while it leads the world in the
| quantity and quality of its cattle. 1t
| already raises nearly one-third of the
cotton crop of America, and If the lands
peculiarly adapted to cotton were
planted in that staple it would produce
more than the present cotton crop of the
world, and still have room to grow bread
! stuffs sufficient to supply the demand for
| the entire country. If Its iron
| beds were accessible by rail it
would be able 10 supply the demand
for that product for century
to come. Its copper fields are extensive
and rich, and the finest vein of manga
nese Gan important element in the man
! ufacture of steel in the world exists in
| Texas 1t is only question OF trans
| po-tation, and this will come in few
years.
"How about investments; are they
safe and secure?'
| "As much so as in New York, and
Eastern capital is rapidly. coming to Il
realization of the fact. In the last few
years millions of dollars have been in
vested in Texas, and principally by Bos-
| ton and other New England capitalists.
| These people, usually the most conserv-,
! alive of investors, have been the first to
| discover that Texas presents an inviting
| and safe field for the Investment of
| their surplus, and millions are trans
| ferred there every year. 1t is Boston
capital that is building up Fort Worth,
| constructing a deep water port at the
mouth of the Brazos and engaging in
other enterprises which your own people
have overlooked and neglected. There
is no state in the Union where the laws
| are more favorable to creditors and
where mortgages can be foreclosed with
as little cost and delay and as absolute
| title obtained
| "What is the customary rate Of inter-
est?''
s'The limit by contract is u per
| cent, but this is not unfrequentiy
augmented by commission, etc, &C.
cording to the necessities of the bor-
rover or the exactions of the lender.
Large loans for long time are made at 10
per cent. and in exceptional cases as
low as for very large sums and I'M
usually long time
''Can the people afford to pay these
high rates and still make mone7?'
"Certainly. The rapid growth and
Development of the country and the
large demand for improved property,
high rents, low taxes and other infiu-
| ences enable the borrower 10 realize a
handsome profit in excess OF this rate.
The state is practically out of debt and
has q large cash balance IN its treasury 1,
and nearly all the counties are equally
fortunate, so that taxes are not consid-
cred any burden at all. -
s'For what purpose is money usually
required?"
all other new countries, the production
is not equal to the demand, and the
money is sought from older and more
wealthy communities to improve and
| make remuneratiYe property that would
otherwise produce NO revenue. The
state is III most prosperous aud -four
| ishing condition. Crops are abundant
and command good prices. Labor is in
| good demand at remunerative prices.
New farms are being opened, new coun-
ties organized, new territory peopled
and new towns and villages
being tablished all over the
state. The census, just completed, will
show about 5000. 900 inhabitants-au
increase of 100 per cent. IN ten years,
and the increase in wealth is much
greater. A feeling of confidence per-
vades every line of business and the peo-
pie are hopeful and sanguine. Alto
gether it may be said that Texas is on d
BOOM
| '.How about facilities for transpor ia
ton; are they good?"
$50 a certain extent they are.