Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-03-26
A TRIP THRU Texas
Mr.. M. Waterman Returns From
Tour Of Several South.
ern States.
Visits the Oil Fields and Rice
Country.-.A Galveston
Election Day.
New Orleans Compared to the
Days OF the War-.Interest-
ing Points of Trip.

| Mr.. M. Waterman, of the Times-R Re-
publican, who is one of the veteran
editors of Iowa, arrived at home Tues
| day night from trip of two and hall
weeks in the south. Much of this time
was spent in Texas, where he visited
| his son, Mr.. Richard Waterman, and
where he took survey of the oil boom
and the rice growing industry. Speak,
ing of these matters and other interest
ing points in connection with his trip
Mr.. Waterman said:
To be projected thru space 1000 miles
in three days, from the wintry sur
roundings of Iowa to those of mid
spring in southern Texas, was novel
ty enjoyed greatly. Travelling
over the well equipped line of the
Missouri, Kansas & Texas railway
one sees the finest agricultural region
of Texas. A section about the size
of Iowa thru the northern and central
parts, discloses we'll titled and broad
fields not unlike those of the Hawkeye
state in appearance.
Landing in southern Texas, where
blossom and spring birds are singing
their glad songs, one strikes very
quiet rural section. Here the rice in
dustry is in the experimental stage.
and great anticipations are cherished
by ambitious cultivators. Last season
was an extremely dry one here, with
the rainfall SO slight that those who
depended upon it partly to water their
fields and to fill UP adjacent streams.
from which water was pumped, We're
disappointed. The wells We're then al
SO in state of development and did
not yield good returns. One man en-
gagged in rice culture confessed to
me that a million dollars had been
lost in the rice fields last year and
that he did not know of any one who
had made anything in that immediate
vicinity. This.is not true of Louisiana,
which might be described a body OF
water with fringes Of land cropping
out. In southern louisiana / saw
a negro contently blowing field COW
cred with water, where the earth
thrown up by the pillow was barely dis
cernable. However, the Texas rice
growers are still full of hope and am
bition. They are perfecting their wells,
and will irrfgate their crops chiefly
from them. They expect to raise
good crop this year, and few years
of success will make them independent.
Still, one who looks over the field with
unbised judgement, can not help being
impressed with the thought that there
are as many hazards in rice culture
as in ordinary farming.
visited Galveston on an election
city and county to the extent of ST.
100000 to build sea wall was en-
Enthusiastically carried. This sea wall
is to prevent recurrence of the dis
aster that overwhelmed the city two
years ago. One sees very few traces
of ruin wrought then in the business
section, which has a substantial APP
pearance. There is as yet only one
entrance to the city from the north
side causeway about two miles in
length over the body of water that
[ntervenes and to a great extent robs
the city of the opportunity to reach the
landward side. Were it not that many
millions Of dollars are invested in Gal
weston, and that many wealthy men
reside there, the rivals springing up in
every quarter of this section of the
gulf would cut off it's resources.
A trip to the great oil field at Beau
mont was made on bright day. One
looks in amazement on this great de-
velopment from what would seem to
be the hazard of a guess or the pipe
dream of an enthusiast About 100 |
productive wells are now clustered on |
Spindle Top, very restricted section,
and productive wells are said to be |
coming in or out at the rate of two
4 day this month. The company or
individual who goes into it buys
tract large enough for a tall derrick
% stand on for $4,000. Then he paya
rom $4,000 to $1,000 to have the well /
lug by the expert drillers. So you
see 1T takes fortune to begin with
rhen when a flowing we'll is secured
he problem of storage and reaching
. market comes up. Large numbers
If these developed wells are what
night be called bottled up reser-
'oirs Immense iron tanks some hold
ng $1,000 barrels of OIL cover the adj
accent territory. Tankage for probably
million barrels is completed and
others are being constructed. Near
~ is reservoir of earthwork the
outlet for one we'll. where lake of
lark green oil about 100x300 feet in
breadth and length may be seen. A
,estage of oil about 8 feet wide and
'ver foot in depth was running away
n gutter when / looked over the
ground. Long trains of oil tank cars
20 out loaded daily, and three pipe
ines from the field to gulf points near
" convey the fluid 16 miles to oil
teamers. I was informed that oil may
'e had in quantities all the way from
hree to ten cents per barrell Truly
Beaumont has "oil to burn The
own is a place Of probably $4,000 peo-
lie, including the many transients
Without good streets or sidewalks or
ewage, and the water is regarded
IS unhealthful, as yet. The town needs
IS much attention in these respects
IS the oil field
Near Spindle Top may be seen many
lerricks standing where efforts to
each oil have proved futile. How
yer. several wells have been dug in
ther sections that have produced
lowing oil, this encouraging the hope
hat other fields may be developed.
With it all. there is lingering fear
hat all these fields may play OUT in
ime.
Visiting New Orleans after an alb
ence of thirty eight years find some
hanges in the quaint old city Canal