Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-08-10
THE PANHANDLE.
Vast Section of Texas Never Visited by
Drought-Homeseeker's Paradise.
GranarIes Full to Overlooking Tell the story
OF Never-FailIng Seasons-Climats
and soil Unsurpassed.
corresboadence of the Gazette.


alleged to repeat itself, and If your cor
respondent, emulating the example OF SO
revered an authority, should be guilty o.
repetitions, the charity Of the readers O.
THE GAZETTE is asked. There is little
excuse for q want of the spice in letters
from this inexhaustible region, and per-
haps 1t were wiser to ask charity than
hide ones own deficiencies behind the
ramparts of precedent.
In view of the long-established creed
of this paper that the unoccupied lands
of Texas should he open to actual set
tiers, and that the true wealth of this
great state must be developed by farm
ing, some facts casually obtained may
prove interesting. 1t has been in the
line of cattlemen's interest to represent
this country as only fitted for stock, and
not adapted by its natural formation
for profitable farming. Yet a ride of
two hours over the plains contiguous to
Amarillo would convince the most in
credulous that time only is needed
TO DIsPRovE THESE ASSERTIONS.
In the first place 1t rams in the Pan
handle and rains copiously; single rain
last June filled depression near town so
that skiffs were rowed over water ten
feet deep. Last Monday afternoon
rain commenced which lasted twenty
four hours, and now the green prairies
are glad because OF it.
In conversation with a gentleman for
many years familiar with this country, it
was learned that there was in this part
of Texas srbstratum of clay, but ut
great depth, and that between this and
the surface there supervened layer or
mari, which is natures own enrlching,
for when spread upon the surface it be-
comes a powerful stimulant to vegeta-
ton. In the older states, where worn
| out soils is the rule, mari beds are con-
| sidered good sources of revenue to their
owners and by the farmers the best OF
| fertilizers.
Again, during the years of the drouth,
| when so large an extent of country was
burned up, the Panhandle was exempt.
Its almost evergreen prairies furnish
| ample feed for cattle, and, lying west of
| the line of the blizzard streak, it
| maintains a comparatively equable tenn
perature during the winter.
The inquiry that Is now most pertinent
Is, what does this country produce? The
| ride mentioned revealed that corn could
be raised, for the waving, rich green
| leaves of corn Gang harvest song
sweeter than rarest melody. Stacks OF
| millet and hay ricks tell of comfort tor
| beasts
| SHOULD OCCASION DEMAND.
| Close upon waving cornfields are rio ges
| green wi n the vines of the sweet potato,
| that succulent tuber SO extremely pal
| ateable to Southerner. The PLAN
| tation darkey need not lack his
summer treat, as watermelon vines are
to be seen in every gurden, and wagon
| load brought In from the country is not
an intrequent sight. Neither Is the
| smokehouse necessarily empty, for the
! settlers in this country are of too intelli-
| gent q class to need schooling i'll the doc
trine that every farmer should make his
| own pork, and from the look OF the fat
| Berkshires, pork pacseries in older sec
tions Will not gather in the profits of
! Panhandle farming.
While Texas was too Democratic to
vote for prohibition, the people of this
state have an abiding faith in the virtue
OF pure water as a beverage and prime
necessity. 1t is reiterated that there Ia
good water and plenty of it in the Pan
handle. The depth required to reach it
anywhere has maximum of 300 feet
! and minimum of forty feet.
| Wherever the water IS reached, and
that is anywhere one wishes we'll ,
the water Is abundant, pure and cool ,
| this is true beyond doubt, the many
wlud-mills in sight attesting 1t. Water
is a necessity, and bread is tritely said to
| be the staff of life; now none need 60
| hating in
THIS PART OF TEXAS.
On the table before me are samples oil
wheat grown this year within short
distance of Amarillo. The grain is good
SIZE, weight and color, and the yield
eighteen bushels to the acre on land
sown for the first time.
1t is q matter of littleAcomment among
Texans, but farmers from older sections
cannot but be impressed with the fact
that here is no grabbing, no vexatious
clearing of new lands; put in the plow
the first season and in the summer har-
vest the crop. 1t lie true this is not q
timber country, but the railroad brings
the best of coil ut a reasonable price
and lumber as we'll.
Wives that nave to cook all sing the
praises of the gasoline stoves; the agent:
are in the country and supply the
fluid. Husbands ought to rejoice
1hereat; there is no splitting kindlng oil
taking up ashes, and the cook does moi
need an early fire 20 heat the oven.
Enough has been said to show that life
IN the Panhandle is not bereft of CON-
fort and even luxury. The character Of
the settlers decides the matter o.
churches and schools and for the latter
the state has most amply provided
Laud values are increasing all the TINT
and many have been forced to some dis.
lance from the railroad TO purchase
cheap land.
With the quality of land location ha
littlelto do; it all lies equally well ant
there is little to choose in the characte
of the soil. There are still small bodie
of acreage near the town that can b.
bought at reasonable figures, and would
make
DELIGHTFUL SUMMER HOMES.
having beautiful building sites. Adjoin
ing the town are lots that can be bough
at marvelously low prices. As in othe
regions there are here landholdens VIII
!, are making what seems to be mistqk
, by holding their lands at high figures
!, asking in many instances S25 per acre
, 1t would seem the wiser policy in then