The progressive farmer and the cotton plant., 1905-06-27
ACROSS THE CONTINENT.
Iv.-Notes by the Way.
Editorial Correspondence


of Texas have come, and to-day am in San
Antonio where Spanish influence has left its deep
est impress and where the memory of one of the
worlds best battles lifts the town above the
common. But before refer in detail to the bat
tie of the Alamo, am reminded that there are
number of incident sconnected with my trip here
which probably ought to be mentioned
The Colossal Optimism of Westerner.
For example nobody can travel through Okla
homa, Indian Territory, and Texas, without being
impressed by the colossal optimism of the West
erner He hopeth all things, believeth all things
and very nearly accomplished all things. There
is less "booming" in Texas. of course than in the
newly settled Territories to the north, but there
is enough of it here and nobody lacks home pride.
Before leaving North Carolina [ took warning
from Rev. P r. Law that when in Texas you
must praise Texas. Such praise is the Texans
natural diet, he says. And in proof he gave this
illustration:
"Not long ago a missionary of the good roads
movement came down to the Lone Star State. 1t
necessary for him to popularlze himself with
the people at once. Success turned upon this.
Whereupon in his first speech he spoke eloquently
of its broad and fertile plains of the heroism and
splendid history of its people and concluded with
this dream he had had the night before. He
dreamed he died and went to heaven. It de-
lightful and happy place. No other place was to
be compared to it. But he in a
strange sight. It a man In chains. After
much yearning to know the meaning of it he
finally asked St. Peter what it meant st. Peter
told him that came from Texas and they
had to chain him to keep him from going back"
From that time on, says Mr. Law, there was no
lack of popularity for that road builder
Oil Wells and Cyclone Pits.
Coming through Oklahoma we passed through
several new oil towns-Cleveland, for example,
whose population has doubled within the last
twelve months. So fast has the town grown that
the builders have not been able to erect houses
rapidly enough, and not few of the denizns are
dwellers in tents.
Here there are several hundred oil wells, most
of them yielding abundantly, but the Standard
Oil Company is levying tribute here, every
where else. Oil for which at first it gave $1.35
barrel it offers only so cents. It's object is
said to be to starve out the and get control
for itself.
At Snyder, Oklahoma, we saw many evidences
of the cyclone which destroyed such large por-
tion of the town few weeks ago. Two of the
injured men died the day before we reached there,
swelling the death list to 13O Here and there
cyclone nit and few foundation stones showed
where building had stood until swept away by
the fury of the storm. A cyclone pit, perhaps 1
| ought to say, is hole in the ground say
feet, covered by trap door, in which the family
| may take refuge when the ominous, funnel-shaped
| cyclone cloud approaches. These pits are becom-
| ing much more common now since the Snyder dis
| aster.
The Sweep o he Prairies
| Between Dallas and Houston we saw fatter
country than we had seen anywhere in the Terri
tories or in Indiana or Illinois. AS level as
dancing floor, the monotony relieved onlv bv an