The Pascagoula democrat-star., 1901-04-05
The WILD AND WOODY WEST,

JcNs sSuNSbo Vii 6No ~ uuP VI
Texas, and look away up in the north
ern part of the "Panhandle," they will
see Amarillo.
| don't know what the Amarillo Or
iginally meant, but it, certainly means
"wind and dust" at present.
l left st. Louis March 9Th, and ar
rived in Midlothian, Texas, March
9Th, at which place my family then
resided. Midlothian is in the center
OF the black waxy lands Of Texas, and
perhaps the most fertile region OF the
eartl's surface. There are farms in
that country that have been culti-
waited every year for over fifty years
without one pound OF fertilizer, and
last year produced the best crop of
wheat in its history. | was assured
DO many persons Of unimpeachable
veracity that every year the lands are
cultivated they become richer and
more productive. Farms of one hun
dred to one thousand acres can be
bought at about $50 dollars per acre,
and any farm can be rented at a cash
money rent OF 50 per acre, or at "a
share Of the crops raised on them,
which often comes to S. per acre. AS
this assures 10 per cent on the cost, or
the Investment, and as the land can
not be burned up or blown away, this
is certainly a safe investment. sug-
gest that you newspaper men and
"bloated bond.holding" mill men,
who arc now making so much money,
can find in these black waXy Texas
land IA safe and sure investment.
On arriving at Midlothian | fount
my two little girls suffering with
asthma, as OF old, and having hearC
50 much OF this "City Of the Plains.
wife and I decided to move out her,
at once. Securing Il box car for Ou
household belongings and tickets fo
our family. we began our journey
toward this place March 18th early
and arrived here late that night.
On the route we passed millions OF
little prairie dogs scampering over the
prairie, much to the delight OF ouI
children. l have an idea Of trapping
these fat little animals and canning
them, and shipping them to France
and selling them for squirrels. There
are millions In this-at least, there
are millions of prairie dogs, and Texas
will give Inc bounty for each dog
scalp.
We have been here nearly two weeks,
and our little girls have had but little
asthma. and we are hopeful.
| return to St. Louis March 25th,
and as the distance from st. Louis
here is about three thousand miles
and my business is in St. Louis, | fear
my visits here will be seldom.
Amarillo is about sixty miles inside
the 'staked plains" These plains are
from two to three thousand feetabove
the sea level, and the one industry is
cattle ranches. Happily these large
ranches are being divided up into
small ranches OF from one to ten miles
square, and instead OF the long-horn
typical Texas Steer, theysnow raise
Herfords, short-horns and other high.
grade cattle. And strange as it may
seem to you, the price OF beef ID
greater here than in St. Louis or Mis-
sissippi. The average price of one
year.old steers here is about $40. They
are all bought up by "fceders, "Wh(
take them North and East and feet
them high for about year, and ther
sell them for $40 to $50 a piece. Thes
pasture lands can be bought at aboI
81 per acre, and monsX invested IL
lands and cattle pays from l5 to 3
per cent Il year.
These lands are exceedingly rict
and all successful ranchmen use abou
a tenth or twentieth of their lands o
which they raise sorgum and caf
, corn on which they feed their cattl
several months in the winter.
In Golden times" II a man SHIT
! another in Texas lie could easily &c
+ clear. If he stole COW he VIA
j. thought a fool, but II he stole a hors
n he was lynched. The "bottOm rail
e now on top" aud woe be to the ma
d who steals a COW. Horses are chear
r and donkcys are SO Il dozen, and II
!. man steals a horse he is tried for lun
y acy. Money loaned out readily bring
r l2 per cent per annum on ''guilt.edge'
e security" So here again is a cl,anc
g for you erich Fasteners"
}. The drinking water In Amarillo !
very much like and equal to our VII
G son Springs water, and IS found 0nl
0 from 100 to 800 feet under the surface
There Is not q tree within iiftee
+ miles of here, and you can see so IA
0 over the prairie that you imagine 20
t can see the Philippines. The mirag,
here are wonderful.
The Red river makes a canyon
!. deep wash.out,) two to three hundr,
y feet deep, about fifteen miles west
IS here, which, OF course, cannot be see
>; Yet many times 1t can be seen by t