Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1903-04-22
No. Is


shortly after noon, and were rendered
a reception and dinner at Hotel
Worth, afterward being taken through
the immense Armour and Swift pack
ing houses, where millions Of dollars
are being spent in erecting two of the
most modern plants in the United
States. Other places visited were
large ice factories, and breweries alike
interesting. Fort Worth is and pro-
badly will be the great manufactur-
ing city of the south. 1t has eleven
main trunk lines of railway, and
many peculiar advantages which
portend a successful future. Again
through the night we sped away to
the westward to Wichita Falls.
through country having much the
appearance of Iowa, with thousands
of acres of wheat foot high and of
the finest quality. After brief stop
at Iowa Park, fine little village so
named because of the many Iowa
| people in that vicinity, we pulled
back to Wichita Falls, where we
were given breakfast by the citizens.
and then driven in carriages to the
immense irrigation plant three II lies
northwest. where by the building Of
a huge dam lake of water 3 by 6
miles is formed by the rains coming
down the valleys, covering $500 acres
at depth of 10 to 25 feet. 1t will
irrigate successfully some 10, OOC acres
of splendid land below it, increasing
it's value several fold, through it's
capability of producing more valuable
crops. Mr.. A. G. Baker, of this city,
has handsome farm cf 700 acres
directly in line with the irrigation
bitches.
The next place visited was Dallas.
a fine city of $4,000 people, in the
wealthiest and most productive Sec
tion of Texas. Here we were treated
to another carriage ride, shown the
large printing and engraving establish
ments, some of the finest in the west.
and given the customary reception
and lunch by the Commercial Club.
Perhaps no Texan city does more busi-
ness, wholesale and retail, than Dali
las, and everywhere is evidence Of
progressiveness and substantial
growth. 1t is one of the great cities
of the south.
The afternoon was spent journeying
to Sherman, through the black land
region, which appeared to be very
productive and reasonably we'll farm
ed Sherman is called the Athens of
Texas, because of its numerous coll
leges, there being five large schools
here. At the North Texas Female
College we were entertained by n
short musical program, and after a
trolly ride through the city, taken to
Denison ON the interurban electric
line. across fine section of country.
Here we were given reception and
ball by the citizens at the XXI club
house, and in the early morning were
spinning across the northern part OF
the state, homeward bound, tired
interest, and having been almost uni
versally surprised at the recent pro-
gress and deyelopement made by the
Lone Star state.
Instead of cotton fields and long
horned steers alone, we saw modern
farms of diversified crops of wheat,
barley, broom corn, etc, and pastures
filled with we'll bred Herefords and
ShorthoTns.
Texas is great commonwealth
great in area. in natural advantages;
in its progressive citizenship, and in
it's future possibilities. Northern
capital and energy is and will do
much toward developing all Its re-
sources, and to our mind if there is
anyone who is SO foolish as TO leave
grand old Iowa, let him look toward
! Texas before he invests in the barren
parts of the Dakotas or Canada.
| To us the cities appeared much
further advanced than the country.
| Here the bustling, enterpris'ng spirit
of the northern investor could be seen
on every hand, but only occasionally
riding through the state did we see a
farm which bore the appearance Of
being owned by husky son of toll
| from the north, and rarely did we
loii W SuVos WbCh WC uiu sCc
one.
The long journey. home was made
with but few stops. We breakfasted
at South McAlester, and while spin
ming along at break-neck speed toward
Parsons. Kansas for dinner a thrilling
diversion occurred A burning trestle
bridge loomed up ahead of the train.
By quickly applying the air breaks
the train was stopped just few feet
from the bridge. 1t seemed for
moment that we were destined to q
delay of several hours, but the plucky
engineer determined rather to attempt
to cross, and opening wide the throttle,
we crossed safely with the flames
shooting high in the air. The train
was then stopped and the editors
quickly formed bucket line from u
nearby pool, extinguishing the fire in
twenty minutes, and saving the
"Katy" road more than the entire
cost of the editorial excursion, so they
said. It was quite an exciting
experience.
We stopped for dinner at Parsons.
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