The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-14
TOWN BUILDING IN TEXAS
UNDER A NEW SYSTEM
II. M. Shelton Plans to Call Into Existence in One Day
What Bids Fair to Become Future Metropolis.
LOCATION 1.-THE GARDEN SPOT OF THE LORD,
Site Is in Cas County Which Is Crying County
That Can Be Reached by Railway.
,ecial Correspondence. Of The Journal.

Special Correspondence Of The Journal
Dallas, Texas, Dec. 9.-Marshall Field
laid the foundation of his fortune in Chi
cago real estate. He bought city lots
one day at price ridiculously low COM
pared with the price Of the day following.
The secret Of his success was that he did
not wait until the following day. Here in
Dallas is man who has solved the same
secret that Marshall Field solved in
Chicago years ago. His name Is H. M.
Shelton.
Mr.. Shelton owns 10000 acres of land in
the southern part Of Cass county, Texas
Cass county, which is known locally as
1.-THE garden spot of the Lord. -
On the 22d day Of this month a new
city will be born in Cass county; 1t will
be known as Skeltona. It is not neees.
sarily an infant Chicago, but on the site
where later tall spires are expected to
reach skyward will be found an opportu-
nifty similar to that wherein Marshall
Field coined his dollars. Excursion
trains will leave Chicago. Indianapolis,
Kansas City and st. Louis for Texas on
Dec. 10, and three days later the first city
lot Of skeltona will be sold.
"The SHELTON System"
Your correspondent interviewed Mr..
Shelton u what other land men in Texas
called the Skeleton system" It is inter-
esting to northern man because it
avoids the nefarious lottery scheme Of
disposing Of townsite lots
"Skeltona lots will be offered for sale
on Dec. 49," said the big land man. 1.-THE
prices for which they will be sold are Of
fered only for acceptance on that date.
On the opening day all lots business and
residence, will go for s25 each; on the day
following the price will be raised. Bust
| ness lots will be sold from $50 upwards.
and residence lots from S35 upwards. On
the first day, you understand, the price
Of $25 covers everything, corner lots, in
side lots, factory sites, ct al. Your north
ern man has heard Of Cass county. He
knows its climate, which is ideal. He
knows that the rainfall Is sufficient to
eliminate all danger Of drought or crop
failure and to make irrigation unnec.
essary. He knows that a country which
| Is attracting farmers as Cass county Is
doing today must have cities equipped
with the best transportation facilities
Skeltona will have these.
'The productiveness of Cass county has
been practically demonstrated, and one OF
two cases which can cite will prove
! this. A farmer, on twenty-five acres
! sold his potatoes for s2,250 and made
twenty five bales OF cotton from the same
land, the same year. Another mai
!
| one-uuarter acre of land. Another mar
! cleared 81, 900 in berries off seven acres o,
i land" 4
One Great Need.
| There is one thing about Cass county
however, which IS not generally known
Linden, the county seat, Is not on a rail.
road.
The citizens Of Atlanta and other prom.
inent points in Cass county object to trav
cling overland many. miles to transact
county business. Skeltona will be To-
Gated on the Jefferson & Northwestern
railroad and will be in immediate com.
munication with every city, town and vii
lage In the county This one point AMI
1t is an all-important one is not known II
the north, but here in Dallas and in Other
! big cities Of Texas are many prophet.
who predict that the future county sea-
/ of Cass and Skeltona will be one.
East Texas is a coming country Unim
proved lands that could be bought few
years ago for 50 an acre now sell for SO
and in a few years will sell for s25, s4'
/ and more an acre. The story off, thu
| growth OF Cass county in particular a.ne
east Texas in general reads like a. pag
from dream book. and the present
which succeeds the past, opens into fu