Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-09-12
THIS is OUR OPPORTUNITY.
THE TEXAS IMMIGRATIoN SHOULD
NE STARTED.
Drouths in the Northwestern states
WIN Turn the Tide to Texas If
Properly worked-what the Rail-
roads WIN DO.

I speaking on the subject OF immigra-
tlon and capital for north Texas and
the outlook for this coming fall and
winter. well known and experienced
railroad official who spent the day here
yesterday, expressed himself TO The
Gazette correspondent In this way:
When asked what are the pros
poets fer immigration to north Texas
this fan and winter" he replied
"The prospects are good. provided
Of course. there Is an effort made by the
people anu railroads TO secure more
people and capital for north Texas or
any other portion Of the state. Work
must be done and money expended
An opportunity presents itself to the
people Of Texas this year that has not
existed for years"
In what way?'
THE strongest rival or competitor
that Texas has had for years for inn
migration and capital is practically
sllenced and out of the field this year.
1 refer 10 the northwest states. The
failure Of crops in western Kansas,
Nebraska, portions OF Iowa, and in
that section generally. has no attrac-
ton for the homeseeker or investor in
the middle and eastern states. and IL
Texas AMI her resources and advant-
ages are placed before these people as
they should be lin their true light-no
boom business, but the facts plainly
stated they will stop and listen and
many VIII come to Texas that would
not think OF doing so We're 1t not fer
the drouth and failure Of crops in the
not Invest. Yes" continued tho gem
tleman. ut is our opportunity, If we
take advantage Of 1t, but l am afraid
We Will have 20 add II to our already
long list Of lost opportunities. It's just
as General Clark, formerly secretary Of
the board OF trade Of Fort Worth, told
us through the columns Of The Ga
zette some days ago. after taking n
tour through the old states. Clark
stated, among other things, that The
majority OF the people up there knew
little or nothing about Texas as a farm
ing country; that they were SIN look
ing at Texas as u good place to raise
hades and long horns, and not as
civilized country
This 1 wen know TO be the fact In
the case" said the gentleman. II lave
recently returned from trip north
and east. and 1 know from personal
cYpoli lnce and observation that there
Is vast amount Of missionary work
10 be done by those living and inter-
estcd In Texas before the present I'M
preston the people in the OLD states
have Of us and our state Is removed.
BY all means. this is the year TO make
an effort. One thousand dollars wiz
go further this year in immigration
work for Texas than $4,000 would Il
we had the northwest states to con
tend with, as We have had for years
past
mo. sir, Texas is not without com
letition In working for immiRratton
and capital, Willie 1t is true the nortn-
west states are not in H. this year. We
have the southeast states and okla
homa to contend with. There Is quite
a strong effort Doing made by Tag rail-
roads and people of the southeast
states to induce those In search OF
| homes to that section.
"Wc might just as well expect TO
grow whelt, raise fruit, cotton and
other nacessarles Of life without an
effort ives. or build a rallroldD as to
expect 10 secure immigration aud capl-
tai without work or money. Anything
worth having naturally requires an
| EFFORT of some kind, and II Is plain to
see that there IS nothing worthy the
name OF Effort being made in north
| Texas.
1.-THE best Illustration OF what ad-
vcrtlsing-wheu properly done-will
accomplish for q country and people
Is the results shown in South Texas,
| the Texas Coast country. Up 10 three
| years ago this portion Of our state
was not considered or thought OF by
| the home-seeker. The people OF that
section had made no effort 10 call
| attention to their country. Neither
did their population or taxable values
| increase. Finally some few enter
| prlslng people who had faith In the
| country also in ;he use of printers
Ink. went to work and in less than
three years Harris county is made
| the banner county in the state in the
way OF increase in values and Hous-
| ton has added thousands of good. in
dustrious people and millions of money
| to her credit and the Coast country
| generally Is on the UP grade and you
may truthfully say that section is
| flourlshing. Yes, sir. this change for
the better has been all brought about
by making an Intelligent effort. The
free use OF the press and general
! system OF advertising, has done for
| South Texas in three years what n
Whole llfe-time failed TO do waiting
! for something to turn up or waiting
| FIR immigration and capital TO come
In neutrality-suspicious. an Invitation.
| II this is not so, pray tell me why 1t
is that those thousands OF people and
| iAllhbHs pl 1loHtN mat nave Deen lO=
Gated and Invested In the Texas Coast
country during the past few years
| did not naturally drift there before
this effort l speak OF was made?
Yes" said he, "the people OF North Tex
as can do what those OF the Coast
country have done II they will Most
OF the people coming to Texas at the
present time are locating In the Coast
| country. There are people enough In
| the old states who want homes and
are able to pay for them to settle up
all the agricultural portion of our
state and North Texas can get its
full share OF them by doing as others
have done"
What part would the railroads take
In such an effort as you speak Off"
'Rest assured the railroads will do
| their part II the business men and
large land owners will show a disposi-
| tion TO help themselves. The roads
VIII Join them. and why shouldn't
/ they2 They Che roads, would proat
4 W such move and. OF course, would
be willing 10 share In the expense
/ This Is the time for the people 10 aet
I and II they do so they viii And the
Texas roads ready and willing 10 ioln
/ them -"
Texas can not only secure n great
/ many people from the Middle ana
4 Eastern states that would have movsd
I 20 the Northwest states were Il not for
me failure OF crops In that section.