The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1903-08-06
Observations In Texas.

line between Texas and Arkansas, and
about twenty miles north of Louisiana.
State Line street running north and
south, cuts the city in two, making of
it two towns, the eastern portion being
under the jurisdiction of Arkansas, the
western under that of Texas.
shall not describe the town further
than to say that it is a thriving, pros
porous city, having woodworking
plants, oil mills, cotton congresses,
&c, enjoying quite large trade, hav-
ing several railroads running through
it, and being the northeastern gateway
into Texas.
found that the lands around Texar-
kama, as well as in every other place
that | visited, have gone up very ma
terially in prices; but good farming
lands though unimproyed, can still be
had at low rates.
also found which / suppose will in
terest your readers as much as the
value and quality of the land, that Ia
Dor farm and other labor is very much
in demand, and that the day laborer
can get all the work he wants to do at
from $3.50 to S1.7j per day. Negroes
and other farm laborerers are offered
high wages, and men who are good
with their axes can, most of them, get
from $2 to SO per day. Farming lands
can be bought at from ! to ! cash, with
balance to run at /, 2, 3, and 4 years;
and if the purchaser shows himself to
be honest and industrious, he can get
even that time extended. I found
few instances in which no cash would
be demanded, but in such cases fear
the land is not so good as where a lit
tie cash is asked. Another way in
which start in farming can be made
in that section, as we'll as the portions
of Arkansas that l visited, is to rent
from the land owner and pay him
share of the crop. Many who have
started in this way have gone on and
bought the farms so worked on shares,
or have bought others with the money
made by them as share-croppers.
The county near Texarkana is made
up of bottom lands lying along the
Red River and other streams. Most
Of the bottom lands is subject to over
flow, but | was told that a crop was not
lost from high water more than once in
ten years. Tee bottom land is fine for
cotton and corn, while the higher
ground also produces cotton and corn
well, as well as the small grains, and
is good for fruit, vegetables, &c. One
man, | was told, made some $500 or $400
per acre on strawberries, and several
seem to have made money on vegeta-
bles. However, Texarkana is not
strictly in the fruit-growing section,
and it is to that that / shall next con-
duct you. But in passing l will say
that the people of Texarkana are fine
looking fine and hospitable, the Huck-
ins House is a splendid $500 day
to stop at, and the city and surround
ing country offer fine opportunities for
the homeseeker
Leaving Texarkana at about 8 o'clock
at night, | ran down to Mount Pleas
ant, a town of $500 people, and the
county seat of Titus county. Here the
road branches, one branch going to
Fort Worth, Dallas, &c the other to
Tyler, where it again branches, one go
ing to Waco, &c, and the other to
Lufkin.
[ shall not attempt to describe oil
the places seen or the country sur
rounding them, but shall devote my
space to Tyler, as this town with its
surrounding country, is a good speci-
men of them all.
Tyler is town of about $500 in
habitants. 1t is the county seat of
Smith county, and is built on the plan
of the old Spanish American towns.
In the center there is a large square,
called "The Plaza" where stan the
court house, clerks offices, Jail, town
pump, &c. Outside of the court house
yard wide streets extend to the side.
walks fronting the stores, &C., which
are built around "The Plaza" eacl
street leading off from the square to the
surrounding country. "The Plaza il
the market place for the country peo
pie, and around the court house NAY
be seen daily the wagons and carts 0
the farmers, from which are being SOLE
melons, fruits, hay, and such product
as are marketable. When cotton come
in plentiful, then is "Ihe Plaza
crowded, and then is the best time t.
see and know the farmers Of that re
region,
However, all Of that section is fnel
adapted to peaches and vegetables, an
it was a pleasure to see the fine larg
orchards, and great tomato patche
with which that section is being file
mp This year the frost killed th
peaches, The first time for many years
and the tomatoes were late on accouI
OF the cold spring, but the people di
not seem at all discouraged and made
good deal on their fruit aud vegetabl
farms in spite Of the late frosts.
yler has four banks, one with d,
posits running mp to Z 800, 600 and $400