La Junta tribune., 1910-03-19

uues IN width and are the most fer
Tile lands in the world. These lands
Do Aoi overflow every year. but only
ut Intervals OF three or four or five
yeaft. sometimes oftener, and some
timer not so often. Strange to say
tho lands are highest next to the
| river. where large proportion are
above the ordinary overflow, some
4 not being overflowed oftener than
once In fifteen or twenty years. It
II the nature of rivers that overflow
TO deposit their burden OF soil and
sand on their banks when they over
now SO that the banks are built up
fastee and higher than the valley
lAnd4 distant from the river. The
fAruk and plantations and even the
town are found on the banks OF
the tiyer, while the wide stretch OF
valley towards the uplands and back
from tie river are still in virgin for
ct.
This part OF the country was set.
tied ln an early day. years before the
civil war. and here and there is still
70 be seen on the banks OF the Red
river the ruins OF an old plantation
Whe0 once stood elegant mansions.
fine Sarus and the populous "nigger"
quarter, recalling the days OF slavery
AAA al hn n.A
river. was famous In those days. The
cotton was shipped In boats on the
r1Der to New Orleans, and merchan.
- and supplies brought hack In re-
-. But slavery Ii gone. the rail.
Wo4a have come. and the boats no
| q(Ee ply q tAis part Of u river.
\ ID GssadSe * tAese thihks snA tAs
!, ,oyerfioUs. many OF those old planta.
tions ere abandoned. with here q
high tract. and there farm leveed.
still In cultivation. The timber is
growing again where In those for
mer days Il had been conquered by
the wealth Of the planter and the un-
requtted toll OF the slave.
There are hundreds OF thousands OF
this. the most fertile lands In the
world. yielding none Of Its riches.
giving up none OF its fabulous wealth
and contributing nothing to the wants
the comforts and the luxuries and
the homes OF the people, There are
but two things nceded-leyc.s and
drainage. There are more than 200.
600 acres Of these lands tributary to
ToNarkana. The people are apparent
ly Indifferent to the grea, possibil-
itirs Of this country. The people are
the most hospltable and generous
people on earth. You are welcome
TO heir cities and To their homes.
They win make you happy and are
always ready To contribute TO your
pleasure and comfort Business does
not stand m their way: they will
put Il OF till tomorrow or next week
and arc always ready to go fishing
or uniting or to indulge In a pleas.
ur". ! appreciate these splendid. gen.
erous. manly qualities. II our people
had . little more Of them they would
enjoy 0ore Of their means and Of
life and would live longer and make
the world happier and better; but
1, takss western courage. enterprise
and sasrgy 70 accomplish great thinl Z
10 urn TIE desert into fruitful fields.
10 drsiA swsmps and lcvce rivers
and eoil1 ~ empire for the home
OF maa where once mianms reixned
and . wilderness WAS supreme, These
are The tAiass that are needed here
and ! pes1irt that In less than q
decade. iadsed. much less. western
capital an1 sntsrpriss will accomplish
ali thsss things right here. At the
corncr q these great states.
! have hal the audacity TO tell the
people Of TsxarkanA that. II these
lands wsrs - near 10 Ia Junta ~
they as0 70 'fcxarkana. they would
be- leveel and drained within q
couple q ysass. have made ~
in'cstaoaetee q the cos of building
lerces aa1 ! Am convinced that this
great boly Of land can be lcvecd and
drains1 sos lees than ten dollars pet
acre. ~ higAsst cost have found
OF Aay 1svee heretofore constructed
was ealy. ~ ~ acre. while ths
greater aunAse have cost but fron
J I? 70 y ~ asss. This hs1 \ pear
tically UuDe1oosD - 4 b. 4 cAa y
boasae . ~ es - - ~ esss