The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-03-13


is beginning to assume the character of a
farming country. Farmers. chiefly from
/ the north and middle west, dissatisfied
with the rigor of the winter climate at
| home or attracted by other reasons, are
/ beginning to come here. The possibilities
| Of the land coupled with the moderate
cost at which they can obtain a whole
section of land. go acres. apparently at
| tracts them. When the utility of the land
1 for farming, nursery, and hog raising was
| first discovered and the farming element
| began TO come in the ranchmen antago-
nized its entrance in every way possible.
and tried hard 10 keep up the old con-
ditions A conflict. without violence, how
ever, resulted, in which the cattlemen de-
vised many schemes 10 Keep the newcoIn-
| ers out But the ranchmen have not
succeeded, and as some of them for
various reasons are beginning TO part
with some of their huge holdings of land,
the other ranchmen are recognizing the
situation. and taking it not altogether
gracefully, but still with sort Of re-
served acceptance.
This change in conditions is seen at
once in the towns that have sprung up
towns that, it must be admitted. are i'm
TT, ssive for a country so long considered
a desert. About Amarillo there is scarce
~ sny farming done as yet. but Amaril-
10 reflects the general stimulus of the
change. Amarillo is situated on what was
formerly the Frying Pan Ranch. This
ranch embraced an area of about twenty
FIVE square miles. but its owner. accord
ing 10 The local historian, thought that Il
covered about everything outdoors" Anna
rillo was long the terminal of the Santa
Fe railroad. and was started as a shipping
point for cattle Until a few years ago a
few frame buildings and a few hundred
people constituted the town. Within four
years the population has Increased TO sew
eral thousand The town heralds make
an emphatic claim of at least five thou
sand population. but obviously it is not
quite that much. From its few punched
franc buildings, Amarillo has grown 70
a town over two miles long. Within a
year a fine business section, largely of
tasteful stone and brick buildings. has
been put up, and its stores, in capacity.
arrangement, and volume Of business,
equal if not exceed many an old eastern
town of similar size. The private resi-
dences, stretching in every direction and
surrounded by ample grounds are near
ly all examples OF good architectural
taste. On the streets and about the
houses trees and shrubs and flower bushes
are abundantly plated. They are still in
an infantile state, as the planting was
done only last year. 1t is evident, from
the many careful precautions taken TO
tation that the inhabitants take the great
est pride in their planted plots and look
forward eagerly to the time when the
town will be a mass of welcome foliage.
Trees grow rapidly here when we'll wa
tered. and the people will not have to wait
many years before their expectations are
realized.
Hereford, foyty-seven miles southwest
of Amarillo. is remarkable example of
a Panhandle town originating wholly
from the new agricultural conditions. Six
years ago, the site of the present town Of
Hereford was a bald part of a great
ranch The foundation of the first house
was laid late in 1898. and the house when
finished was a general restaurant. Here
ford now has a population OF about 2,000
fine private houses and newly erected
large college Considerable farming is
done around Hereford. The soil is rich.
and north Of Portales contains no alkai.
ard water can be obtained at a depth of
fifty or ffty-five feet The planting of
fruit trees and berry bushes is becoming |
a widespread industry.
Irrigation as it is done in New Mexico. /
Colorado and elsewhere is unknown in
the Panhandle. There are 40 irrigation /
plants and no irrigation bitches. The
fruit trees ard berry dishes are watered /
from large tanks near the windmills. As /
for the crops there seems to be enough /
annual rainfall for their nourishment; and I
the atmospheric precipitation. Joined with I
the intelligent cultivation Of the naturally /
rich soil produces good harvest.
1t is evident that the Panhandle as il
has been and as it is now regarded in
the popular mind, will soon be thing Of
he past. The great cattle ranches. the
masses of rattle. the rounding
cowboy. the vast circumference Of unpeo-
)led desert-lll these. it can be foreseen.
will give way perhaps almost entirely IN
line. as they are now fast giving way.
o the spreading farming element. To
lave begun to conquer. by new methods,
what has long been considered repulsive
Iesert. is in itself a monumental tribute
o mans patience. ingenuity and enter
rise.