Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-02
THRO' THE WHEAT BELT
Country Cut by the G., G..
!. and Santa Fe Road.
CUTTING UP RANCHES
BREAKING UP BIG HOLDINGS
INTO FARMS.
Characteristics Of Brownwood Reminds
One Of New England - Largest
Pecan Orchard in World.
BY WILLIAM f.. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The Star the Chicago
Record Herald.

BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.
SAN ANGELO, Tex, June %, 1905.
About twenty-five years ago syndicate
Of Galveston merchants started to build
railway from that city northwestward
through Texas to the capital of New Mex
leo. They called 1t the Gulf Colorado and
Santa Fe and for the last ten years 1t has
been a part of the Atchison. Topeka and
Santa Fee system, which has altogether
about 1900 miles of railroad in Texas. touch
ing the gulf In two places and reaching the
oil country, the rice and sugar districts, the
wheat belt. the cotton belt and the rich
agricultural lands which are now being de-
veloped in the western and central parts Of
that state
The Galveston syndicate went broke
They did not have sufficient capital to
finance such an enterprise. and depended
largely upon the contributions of counties
and towns through which the line was
built. If a town would not put up a bonus
they passed it by as the Pharisee did the
poor traveller who had been robbed on hts
way between Jerusalem and Jericho. Hence
some of the best towns were left off the
line. When the Santa Fe company got hold
of the property the legislature passed
resolution submitting constitutional
amendment. which was adopted at the next
election. intended to suit that particular
case. 1t still stands. and provides that no
railroad shall pass within a distance of
three miles Of any county seat without
passing through the same and establishing
and maintaining a depot therein, unless pre-
vented by natural obstacles such as streams,
hills or mountains: provided such town or
it's citizens shall grant right of way to its
lirvotfc md fffCian do for nrdf nar
depot purposes"
That is the reason why the trains on the
Gulf. Colorado and Santa Fe back into
Bolton. Lampassas and other towns on
''Ys." by which the managers are put to a
great deal of expense and trouble PEN
atty for the sins of their forerunners. Some
time, suppose, the line Will be relocated
and new tracks will be built so as to take
in all Of the county seats. Charles Metcalf
of San Angelo, who is a philosopher with
out guile said the other day, referring to
another subject:
1.-The people of Texas have lots of dignity.
but they willing to sink it whenever it
pays.
Through the Wheat Belt.
The line of the Gulf. Colorado and Santa
Fe, west of Temple, where it joins the
trunk line of the Santa Fee through the
wheat belt. Indian Territory and Oklahoma,
is called The Prong" because of its shape
and the fact that it extends into the infinite.
without going anywhere In particular The
active little town of San Angelo Is now the
terminus, 22S miles from Temple. The Line
runs through one of the healthiest. most
fertile and attractive parts of the state,
known as the great Concho country. It
takes it's name from the Concho river,
which flows into the Colorado. Between
those two rivers and their numerous tribu-
taries, all swift and reliable streams, the
country Is uncommonly well watered,
which. of gives the land greater
value.
The Santa Fe runs parallel with the Con-
cho and Colorado rivers for at least hun
dred miles. Underneath the soil Is arte
sian basin, which may be tapped by boring
anywhere from 10 to 100 feet A windmill
throws its shadow over every farmhouse
and indicates the location of the cattle cor
raj. There is great deal of Irrigation,
also, although the rainfall Is ordinarily
good, varying from thirty to forty inches;
and the rainy season is quite as distinct
as in Mexico, accommodating itself to the
growing crops. The land is chiefly rolling
prairie, and the landscape is lovely, partic-
ularly at this time of year. when the con-
trast between the golden fields of grain
and. the lustrous foliage along the river bot
toms is very striking. The pastures and
the cornfields show varying tints of green,
according to their age and moisture and
sometimes from the car window you can
count dozen different shades blending
into each other and framed by roadways
and plowed fields of scarlet soil. You never
saw such red soil as they have down here.
1t is the color of a new-made brick, and q
stranger would think it worthless for any
thing but brickmaking. But the oxide of
iron. which gives 1t this vivid tint, Is a
chemical needed by all plant life. and
stimulant to wheat, corn and other grains.
When field is first p1owed it is the tint
of a brand new twenty-dollar gold piece
If you ever saw one-Ind the soil mellows
and deepens in color as it is exposed to the
air.
Cutting Ranches Into Farms.
Until recently this was cattle country.
The land was purchased from the state
twenty, thirty and forty years ago, in enor-
nous tracts varying from 10000 to 100000
acres; but they are beginning to break up
the big holdings and turning the ranches
into farms, because 1t does not pay to raise
cattle on land that will sell from five to
do q n