New-York tribune., 1890-01-03
TEXAS PAST AND PRESENT
WEALTH OF THE LONE STAR STATE.
RosErIYTED VIEWS OF ONE OF HER soSsa
COTTON, IRON, COAL, WOOL AND OTHER
PRopuors-HARBoR IMPROVEMENTS


sources condition and prospects OF the Lone star State
aThe present season. said the Colonel In speaking
upon the subject with Tribune reporter, has been
the most productive, from an agricultural point OF
view, OF any since the phenomenal year OF 1ss2's3
At that time, 1881 900 bales OF cotton were raised
upon a limited acreage Tho acreage of the present
year Is much more extended and insures much larger
Weld In my judgment it will be between 100000
and 100000 bales The prices maintained during
the season have been very satisfactory, averaging
about cents pound at the ginhouse. That will In
sure TO the farmer about $50 bale. Thus crop 0f
175o, 900 bales, will give a total OF SS7, 100000
The corn crop is this year the largest Of an3
known in the history of the State. IL can be purs
chased now at prices ranging between IL i-2 and i5
cents bushel Thus the immigrant is able TO begin
life there with everything In his favor Lands In
Texas are sti cheap In the most productive and
improved sections, averaging perhaps si5 per acre.
Unlnproved lands, however can be purchased as low
as 81 and 81 so per acre.
"The state IS making rapid progress IN all direcl
TONS Some important iron industries have been
founded recently in the eastern part Of the state Tho
state government is TOW running two furnaces, and
NewYork syndicate is engaged In the development Of
three or four Others This iron is of valuable kind,
and its location being adjacent TO the timber districts,
males the necessary fuel cheap and easy Of access
Coal is plentiful in various parts Of the State All
that has been discovered, however, somewhat inferior
In quality The mines al Gordon McAllster pro-
ductve and profitable. however. The finest kind OF
granite and marble quarTies arc now being opened
in Llama and adjacent counties. The Capitol
building is made OF native granite. which Is orna-
mental, beautiful in color and durable IN qualty.'
Discussing next the subject OF railroads. Colonel
Lowe continued: Despite the nimical character Of
the legislation, railroad building has received new
impulse Of late. Moro than 1900 miles Of railroad
are now either in operation OF under construction in
the various parts OF the state. From Marshall 10
pacn in the & n
of o60 miles. From Denison In the north. TO Browns
vile, in the extreme south, the state IS supplied with
a frstclass railway system. These two lines embrace
a mileage Of almost 1000 miles. which viii give
readers The Tribune idea Of the great expanse
of territory included in tho State OF Texas The State
has an area OF 275000 square miles. These figures
may not convey clear idea Of the size OF the stats
without illustration. Two lines drawn from st. Louis
one running straight TO New-Yori City, crossing the
States Of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New
Jersey and NewYok and the other south 10 the mouth
of the Mississippi River, will include territory as
large as the State OF Texas. That makes the signif
cance OF o75.O00 square miles moro apparent. The
State of Texas Is alone capable of holding and sus
tanning the entire present population of the United
States. II is greater than the entire area OF the
German Empire. which sustains population of almost
so 100000 There is scarcely portion of the State
which not capable Of the highest state Of agricultural
development. Wherever the plough is used nature
supplies the necessary moisture for crops Thon parts
looked upon few years ago the arid districts, suit
able only for sockraising, are now well watered SEQ
tions of the country producing cereals of all kinds.
well cotton"
Concerning the wool interests OF Texas, Colonel
Lowe made some equally interesting remarks. Texas
is not only the first of the United States cattle
and cotton raising country but it is in the lead
as a oolprodueing country" he said. &" The pros
poets for this years wool clip, spring and fall are
promising. 1t win probably net 25Oooooo pounds
This surpasses California and Ohio considerably Tho
value Of the clip viii be about 81 00o000 This
gives with the cotton crop, total OF So4, oo0
The value OF the cattle exported from Texas may be
safely placed at ss oO0, 600, making grand total Of
s1O2, 500 900. That is the cash value Of three
ported articles, which will give some idea of the
enormous resources OF the state. Corn, small grain
mutton and beef consumed at home and the vast tim
ber products used mainly there are not included 4
this estimator
Coming then to the subject OF the population
Texas, Colonel Lowe said that the last census show
100000. 6" 1t is estimated" he went on, "thu
owing TO the great Increase, the next census VIII sh
a population Of 100000. This will give Texas
increased representation in National affairs.
years from this date 1t will doubtless be the lead
State in the Union in political power and infuer
In 1900 Texas Will outvote New-YorE in the T.
toral College. The inviting territory and natu
gTowths Of the State are inducing character Of i'm
grafton at once acceptable and desirable. Largo SUI
Of money being invested in the State by fore
syndcates and Eastern capitalists"
AS to the improvements in the harbors Of the CO
of Texas, the Colonel said For about fourteen ye
the United States Government has h.
engaged upon the task of improving Il
or four harbors the Texan
notably those OF Galveston Aransas Pass. Sal
Pass, and the mouth OF the Brazos. The system
work pursued and the desultory and uncertain metl
of the River and Harbor bill have not been satisfac
| IN fha lima nnPfp fhn rindp
between S3OOO,OOO and S4000000 have been
pended the various works without any great deg
Of progress. Under the contract Of Major Er
however, experienced engineer, the most So
factory work has been done during tho last III
years. Tho work at Galveston Harbor Is of a per
nent character. The jetty from the east end OF
Island is constructed Of solid rock The natural de
Of the water at the bar In 1884 was about thirt'
feet During the present cotton season, YES
loaded with 1000 bales have crossed the bar draw
from fourteen and one.half to eighteen feet
scour OF the bar is said TO be permanent, increas
the depth of water about eighteen inches. When
lefty from the east end OF the island Is completed
the bar there will be depth Of twenty feet. II
also intended to construct another tety from Boi'
Peninsula to another point at the crest OF the BAR
1t is probable that depth Of channel from tweni
five to thirty feet Will be secured. The jetty fro
the east end of the bar can be finished al a cost
81 100000.
"In res ponse to a series OF resolutions passed
the Denver Deep-Water Convention held one yes
ago, an appropriation was made appointing corr
of engineers survey the coast Of Texas. Sine
then the Deep-water Convention held at Topeka, Kan
agreed to stand by the report OF the surveying corp
whatever IL may deteImne. The report has not yel
been made known TO Congress 1t Will be pubishsd
probably this winter.
"The States Of Colorado. Kansas, Nebraska and
Others in the West. looking for deePw water outlet
I'm the Gulf of Mexico deeply interested In this
work The construction of the Fort Worth and
Denver Railroad, from Denver TO Fort Worth, has
pfy bQ
The Union Pacific has recently made traffic arrange
ments with Fort Worth and Denver, and VIII 'bieah
hulk with much Of its dead freight wherever this
harbor may be located The people OF the West nave
10 overcome this matter OF distance 10
order to make their produc lions profitable.
AS there IS difference OF 900 miles betwocn Denver
and Galveston and Denver and New-iorl, or any
nnint ON Atlantic seaboard. Il Will be- lilly sen