New-York tribune., 1908-06-28
PROFIT OF $3.50 AN ACRE.

PRUtl1 UE 40CU AIN 31SIsG'
Before we ran a railroad into the country vast
stretches of mesquite and cac could be ooushI loI
81 an acre and even less. Now, with water ano
shIpping facilities it is selling for $50 Two crops
Of earn and nine cuttings of alfalfa can be har-
vested in a year. Bermuda onions have ectua1s
Welded net profit of $3.50 TO the acre.
'~You hope TO make that particular part Oh IeHas
q vast grove Of orange, lemon, date and fig trees!
1 asked
THAT is our object And an immense Tesetaole
garden btsides with pecans and EngLsh "a4nuIs
al the sides Of the roads and irrigation bitches.
Nv and by we shall erect a modern sugar MIL anu
refinery so that farmers may have convenient
market for their cane. Tramways will extend IN
all directions Cane Will be loaded on cars in the
fields and hauled to the mill by electric noloFs'
What took you into the country?
"a railroad. Five years ago We began 10 con-
struct a line from Galveston and Houston TO
Brownsville on the Rio Grande, four hundred mlies
away We followed the coast, but at conslderaole
distance inland. From Brownsville TO Sintoh' one
hundred and sixty miles, there wasn't single VII
,o-e mt oven a posoffice. The road cost s9,roUo.
and We are now running fast trains ana burning
petro!eurn in locomotives.
~A+ EZinpsvjle 2 station on the line is the ranch
30 Mrs II w King containing 100000 acres
south of II is the Kennedy ranch of 100000 acres.
rto,sands of cattle have died in that country LOT
want Of water. Finally water was found at
great depth in the earth-an artesian WELL you
know When il applied 70 the SOIL fnarFellouS
crops were the result.
.Tt occurred to some of interested in the rail-
-oad that a pumping station might be built on the
hanks of the Rio Grande and the water sent INTO
the back lands through a large canal Inc Canal
together with its main branches and coAaterals Il
now in operation carries 10000 gallons OF water
a second is seven miles long and 1fo rect woe from
one hank TO the other. 1t is the largest irrigation
enterprise Of the kind in the country. Near huina
in Arizona, the next largest Undertakings the Ied
eral government is preparing to irrigate an HI
,E1 ptxTpr a
voir Ordinarily water flows into irrigated IestoIs
~, gravity but with and at Yuma 1t Is llfted
with pumps to canals on the banks or the rivers
.rHbat does It cost 10 irrigate land?
The first cost of machinery and canals ranges
| between $50 and $50 an acre. and. Of course, is
o5ad 70 the price OF the land. After the water
is in the annual charge with US will depend upon
| the crops The charge probably will never be more
than s. an 1t may be as low as ~ an acre
What does it cost 10 clear the land of cacd
and brush?"
Not to exceed s. acre.
.e1Iozv ,nuch is your company spending"
about 81 10000. Eight or ten other trrigatinS
copanies are also investing large sums In per1na-
nent improvements"
.Iyhere will you get the skilled farmers for the
ser,1i-tropical crops you have in mlnd?
| Haven't given that matter any attention When
wafer is ready for all the land, labor will be ready
too There has been suggestion that Italians be
brought over from the fruit districts Mexican
farm hands-peons. Spaniards, mixed with Indians
can be hired for 80 cents a day.
.Is the Gulf Coast country below the frost line?
~yes and no But frost is infreQuent. Fruits
and vegetables from Brownsville would reach
Northern markets two weeks earlier than from
sny other point in the South. Moreover, Southern
Texas is one thousand miles-or three days-nearer
10 the East than Is Cahforhla. fFeighls "oulo De
proportionately less
| where is the meat supply of the country to be
obtained after the great ranches in the Southwest
are broken up into small farms?
That is really very important question. 1 sup
pose cattle will be brought to maturity in rough
grazing regions and then fattened for market
tv the farmers of Texas and other adjoining states
One hundred ana fifty thousand cattle are now
fed in Texas every year, principally on cottonseed
meal, which is crushed cotton seed with the oil
pressed OUT
Won recently said you could induce five million
settlers to move to Texas during the next four
wears were you Governor of the state. Have you
any desire for the officer?
II shall so further into that subject As
matter Of fact am not competent to be Governor
Of Texas"
..SureIy a man who can operate fifteen thousand
miles of railway could easily run state" said
Politics and business are different" Mr.. Yoak-
I'm replied. But L shall say no more on that
topic"
Would you advise Northern farmers TO move
TO Texas and purchase land?"
The Rock Island-'Fr1sco lines spread out in all
directions west OF the Mississippi Manifestly, #
would be- poor policy for ME 10 give advice as TO
locations"
..Syin you tell about your ship caanl from
Galveston to Houston?'
The newspapers have had me digging that canal
for some time. That is all the information / have
ON the subject. Houston is thrty-hve miles from
Galveston II the two cities TO be con-
uecfed by a canal the government will have 10
b,ld it d"
You have done much for the Southwest. What
ar your plans for the further Development of
tin. Northwest?
If J knew ! wouldn't tslk-at present"
Copyright 1905. % Jsm,s &. MoHosl