The Topeka state journal., 1897-11-25
RAILROAD news.
Paul Morton, Third Vice Pres
ident of the Santa Fe,
Discusses the Possibilities of
the Arkansas Valley.
BETS AND CELERY,
Together With the Melon In
dustry, to Be Pushed.
Addition to the ROundhOuse at
Arkansas City.

Paul Morton, third vice president of
the Atchison. Topeka & Santa Fe rail-
road, who is one of the best posted men
in the country on the subject which he
discusses, has written the following let
ter to James A Davis. industrial commits
sioner of the A, T. & S. F. Railroad
company:
Referring to our talk relative to the Ar
kansas valley and the Importance of our
doing everything we can consistently 10
assist in its further development:
The progress of this section of the
country the last few years has been very
gratifying. and yet, in my opinion, it has
barely commenced its march TO where it
will ultimately halt, either in Industrial
development or population.
In connection with this valley and its
future the following suggestions are
made:
First-Everything possible should be
done to still further encourage the sheep
feeding industry The banks in the val
ley are, 1 told. glad to lend money
al reasonable rates to parties owning al
falfa and other feed who wish to buy
sheep. If the sheep are cautiously
bought, good profit can be made in this
branch of the business.
New Mexico and Arizona can supply the
SneeD, ana the hanSdS CITY market QG-
mands them after they are fattened.
Second-The melon production should be
pushed. Nowhere in the United States
can melons be raised more successfully,
and nowhere in the country have the mel
ons raised established such a reputation
as from Rocky Ford and other points in
the valley For flavor and general su-
periority, these melons cannot be beaten
and the demand for them will more than
keep pace with the supply.
Third-AIore vegetables Of all kinds
should be raised in the valley. This is
especially true of potatoes, onions and
celery.
Texas takes hundreds of car loads of
potatoes every year, and there is no rea-
son why, if it is intenigentIy pursued,
the Arkansas valley should not supply
most of them.
1t is said that the town of Kalamazoo.
Mich, ships annually over $1,000.o0O worth
of celery. The Arkansas valley, in my
opinion, can produce a better article than
Michigan does, and there is every reason
why the cultivation of this plant should
be prosecuted in the most vigorous way
by the inhabitants of the valley.
1 expect to see the day when western
celery. in proper sized punches and tied
with blue ribbon, viii take first premium
at all state fairs and command a premi-
UNI in the market over celery from any,
where else in the world.
Fourth-The cultivation of the sugar
beet should be carefully and intelligently
experimented with. There is no doubt
in nv mind that the people of the United
States are going to keep at home the $780,
oO5O0O that we are now annually remit
ting to foreign countries for our sugar
We are bound to raise our own sugar,
and I will be disappointed if in time we
a., NOT a,Dor+ large quantities of sugar.
Where is a better place to develop this
industry than the Arkansas valley2 There
may be plenty of other places along our
line where sugar beets can be raised with
as much profit, but I doubt if there is
anv place which viii surpass this partlcu-
lar valley. The people should be in
duced to experiment in raising these
beets. If they have no seed, the agri-
cultural department at Washington win
be glad to furnish it free on application
/ am 'sanguine that in the course of
few years one will see sugar factories
scattered along the Arkansas valley as
fraouentlv as you now see them in Ger
many and France.
sugar beets ought to average the grower
se0 ner acre. This is a fine crop, and,
once determined a success in the valley
there is no question about securing FAC
tories. --
Bee culture also promises to be very
rernunerative pursuit in the valley, ana II
should not be forgotten that the export
demand for good honey is almost without
limit.
am well aware that the people of the
valley are alive to their own interests
but I want to impress on you the import
ance of these suggestions.
PAUL MORTON,
Third Vice President.