Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-09-17
TEXAS UNKNOWN.
That is the Truth and all the Truth in
Most Sections OF the North.
The People Don't Know We Have Farming
Land-The Manufactu rers' Convention
Should do Something.
WICHITA FALLS. Tex, Sept. 10, 1890.
Editor Gazette.
1 find the following in late copy Of
THE GAZETTE:

find the following in q late copy OF
THE GAZETTE:
TEXAS NOT ADVERTISED.
MARTINsvIILE, Ind, Sept. 4, 1890.
To the Gazette.
Being up here in Indiana on a visit, I have
made inquiries as to whether or not Texas had
been advertised, in order to induce immigration
from this section, but find 1t has not. and few ii
any know of the great advantages OF our state,
through this section of Indiana.
Money is lying idle here and cannot be loaned
borrowers Those who have money TO loan are
anxious to loan it at per cent per annum, and
when it falls due they object to taking the prin-
cipal. as they only want the interest. If Texas
people had snch opportunities to borrow money
they would not be compelled to give everything
to the money shark, such as ~ to 3 per cent.
per month for money and smile at the borrower
as If he was doing him great favor in letting
him have it at that. J. B. E.
Having just returned from a four
weeks trip through the old states, 1 can
fully indorse all that "J. B. E. - has to
say in regard to Texas as not being ad-
vertised. Nothing would please me more
than to be able to report that everything
was lovely up North for Texas and that
our state was 'attracting more attention
than any other section,' and that "ths
immigration TO Texas this fall and win
ter would be heavy etc.
AS have seen, others have " no have
been North this season. 1 am one Of
those who think it best for all interested
in the development and settlement Of
Texas to know the situation as il Is and
not fiatter ourselves that everything Is
o. K. when it Is just the opposite.
While North I attended the convention
of railroad travelling passenger and emf
grafton agents-of which l am q memb Der
at Buffalo, n. Y. 1t must he admitted
that the passenger and emigration agent
is authority on emigration business. At
Buffalo 1 met and talked with about 100
members of the association who came
from the different states of the Union
and who represented nearly all the differ
ent lines of railroads In the country. 1
made it my business to inquire into the
prospects for emigration to Texas this
season. The usual reply was, "there is
no inquiry for Texas to speak of and the
prospects for emigration to that state are
not at all good"
With the exception of few represent
atives from roads in the Southeast states
Tennessee and Georgia., this was the
general answer 1 received from men
whose business 1t is to keep up with the
passenger and immigration work. Agents
from the Southeast states informed me
that Texas would secure quite an in
crease in population this fall and win
ter from that section. When asked why
it was that Texas did not receive more
people from the Middle and Eastern
states the reply would invariably be:
"Texas is not advertised; the people
don t know anything about it IS farm
Oregon, Manitoba and other Sec
resources are constantly kept
before them.'' "The people of those
states and the railroads leading to and
running through them spend hundreds of
thousands of dollars in printers ink
yearly, as well as make low rates for the
actual settler, aud in this way they keep
the tide going their way. -
Now, Mr. Editor, 1t may be that those
agents are all mistaken, and that it is as
some of our citizens report on their re-
turn from the East, viz: "That Texas is
all the talk, and that she is going to get
q rush of people and capital from the
North this season.
l certainly hope they will not be disap-
pointed or disappoint others who are
v.
After having looked the ground over and
consulting with men who are constantly
in the saddle and on the lookout for i'm
migration business and seeing the letter
from 81. B. En- and knowing from
experience that the gentleman is right, l
could not help asking for space to indorse
his letter and add ny observations to
It, with the hope that it may
induce those interested to investigate the |
situation and learn whether or not Texas |
is advertised as it should and will have |
to be in order to secure our share of |
people and capital. As far as this por- |
ton of the state is concerned we are |
getting a good class of people and lots |
of them from the old counties in Texas, |
and can get along very well without any |
''rush'' from the old states; but the |
question IL, can the old counties and |
large cities IN the state stand this heavy
drain on them without securing people to
take the place of those thousands who
are moving here? think not, and this
Is why l think it to the interest of all
that the facts be made known.
In my humble opinion, the convention
to be held at Fort Worth on the Gath
inst. would do well to enquire well into
the immigration matter and see il
aome plan can be decided and acted upon
by which tide of immigration can be
started to Texas. The factories will be
sure to follow. Capitalists follow the
farmer just as night follows day, and
the money offered to and paid as bonuses
to factories, etc., if spent In securing
farmers to settle and develop the unde-
veloped lands, would indirectly bring all
the factories required, and that too
without any big bonus.
Fort Worth wants hogs for her
oaokery about to be completed,
You can't have hogs without
7ou have farmers to raise them. The
'ame will apply to many other enter
,rlses that we would like to see started.
IN short, you can't build cities in an ag-
'icultural country without having farm
RS, and lots of them, in the country.
This letter is already too long, but be-
'ore closing will quote q well-known
passenger agents reply to my question:
what could be done to turn the tide of
lome seekers and investors to Texas from
he old states?''
''Why - said he, "the railroads and
,eople Of Texas have 1t in their power to
loubIe the population and capital of
Texas in three years if they W H."
'How so?n asked.
"Simple enough. Let the railroads
orm a pool each contribute in Dronor |