The weekly herald. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 1906-19??, 1907-08-22
A End TRANS
CONTINENTAL
Development Along Rock Island
Road Here Is Fastening
Through Line

II had the pleasure OF riding with
Mr. Berry and Mr. Maher this morn
ing after they had made their visit
here" said T J, Clark, southwestern
immigration agent OF the Rock Is
land, yesterday morning IN speaking
OF the inspection trip OF the Rock
Island officials here, "and they say
they are simply amazed at the looks
OF the country ana the development
that is going on here. had told
them that all this country down here
was growing fast but even at that
they we're not prepared for what
they found"
An optimist by Habit.
Mr.. Clark is at the head OF the
publicity and immigration work for
the great Southwest with the en-
phasis on the plains country through
Oklahoma, the Panhandle and New
Mexico. He Is by habit and profess
sion an optimist OF the coster variety
and his best efforts for the last sew
eral years have been given to direct
ing capital, people and push to the
new coutry. He is succeeding large
ly and he believes that the best
things hre yet to come, Among
some OF the best things he pulls for
Rock Island improvements in this
country and is a stanch advocate Of
the transeontinental Rock Island line
through here,
you see" continued Mr. Clark
in relating the impressions OF the
engineering party, both Mr.. Berry
and Mr.. Maher had been in this
country several years ago, although
| believe that they had never been
in Amarillo. They have not been
back during the last three or four
years and the rate OF development
beat their expectations. They were
uniformly we'll pleased at the pres
poets here and will so back to map
out construction work on the first
sections west at once. The depot
plans will also be included in their
recommendations.
Immigrant Outfits Coming In.
"This country is not being sold
altogether into the hands of specu-
lators. on the contrary the books
OF our department show the most
substantial growth in actual settlers
and furthermore the bulk OF this
land is being sold into the hands
OF farmers from Iowa, Illinois, IN
diana and even further east. Some
times a man buys a tract for his son
and doesn't expect to use 1t for
several years but he owns 1t and it
is going to be used. Our books show
over fifty cars a month this year Of
immigrant stuff from Texola this
way for families settling in the coun-
try along about Mclean, Groom and
other little towns along the line. We
can safely figure that one car means
two families and that means that a
hundred families month OF actual
settlers are coming to improve the
country. In addition those who come
with cars a great many come in
light" and buy after they get here.
1t is much the same way along the
line through Dalhart and Stratford
and at Tucumcari and other points
in New Mexico where the homestead
land has been taken up, 1t is sur
prising what an amount of immi-
grant freight is handled.
"rhe company is working on the
line east from here improving 1t all
the time. We have three new en-
gines for use on this end OF the line
and other traffic improvements will
enable the company to handle bus
mess better than ever.
The Transcontincntal.
"All this work looks toward the
final ouckling up OF the line through
here to Tucumcarl and the prepare
ton for ranscontinental business.
The road has wonderful opportu-
nifty here and It is only question
OF time till IL begins to utilize 1t.
From Memphis west, the line can
distance all competition in the hand
ling Of business from the middle
south and southeast. People who
go to California In the winter from
the colder climates have an idea that
they want to get south and out OF
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