La Junta tribune., 1910-06-11

In the state OF Texas. | can write
seen and experienced that would be
interesting. as ! am moving rapidly.
Texas is the mighty state OF the
union, great empire within itself.
II Is more than Two and one-half
times the size of Colorado. and Colo
RADIO Is one OF the large states. Texas
is larger than all the following states.
put together, comprising the entire
northeastern part Of our country
Maine, New Hampshire. Vermont
Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Is
land. New York, New Jersey, Pennsy,.
yania. Maryland, Dcleware. virginia
and West Virginia. Texas is larger
than any OF the European countries.
save Russia One can not realize the
great size OF Texas until he travels
within her borders. | had imagined
that Houston was In central southern
Texas. but when | reached Houston,
! found Houston was In southeastern
Texas and was not half way from
New Orleans to Brownsville, which is
the southern point OF Texas. | am
now sixty miles west OF Houston. yet
/ am but little more than one-half
the distance from New Orleans to-
Brownsville
must return for few minutes TO
Louisiana At the land congress In
Chicago. last November. there was
an exhibit from Louisiana. among
which were products OF the reclaim.
I'D lands near Raceland. a small town
about forty miles west OF New Or
leans. and with this exhibit met
man named j. b. HIN who had grown
many OF the products on exhibition.
What attracted me most was the
corn. The stalks were sixteen and
seventeen feet high and were large
and strong The ears could barely be
reached by man six feet tall This
corn was the first crop on the re-
claimed land, never had a plow In the
field nor had It been hoed or cult
waited In any manner and yet II yield
ed from fortyfiye TO fifty bushels
per acre The land had never had
plow In II The top surface had been
stirred and scratched up. ny a big
steam machine with spiked or finger.
ed discs, after the manner OF an alfal.
IA renovator, and the corn was sown
broadcast Nothing was done to the
crop save TO thin the corn In a few
places There were also samples of
this wonderful soil on exhibition. This
was said to be swamp prairie. ! de-.
termined when lcft New Orleans To
10 and see this country. 30 visited
this new country aud looked over AR
Hil's farm.
The west bank OF the bayou La
Fourehc was settled by the French
more than one hundred years ago
This stream is one Of the mouths OF
the Mississippi river. alout one hun.
drcd miles long Recently the gov
crnment has built a dam across its
head so that Il Is no longer connect
cd with the Mississippi Each per.
son in those days took a certain mum
Der OF feet along the bayou and his
land extended back without much re-
gard TO distance. 30 that the rear par,
Of the tract was lost In the swamp.
which Ia always found short dis.
tance from the banks OF the rivers
and bayous In the Mississippi delta
The measure In use was called the
arpcnt, which Is 10th linear and a
surface measure. being 1875 feet
sauare.a little less than an acre. which
is 2os Zee, sguare-commonly rated
eio feet. Every one took an arpent
of tn. bayou front and built his hous.
on the bayou bank. where tn. land
u high. so that there is n continuous
street along this bayou Tor more than
sixty miles. the longest street. per
haps. In tn. world. with n house cy-
cry 1875 feet. and often.i. for m the
families grew. many OF these little
tracts have been subdiyided and given
to the children, who scttled and mad.
homes by their parents. These pco.
pie are called crcole~. A Creole. AS
understood by tn. people Of Louisi'
ana, is a dcsccndcnt Of the old Span.
bh and French inhabitants. There
were no spanlsrds to speak OF The
Creolcs are proud Of their name still
speak the French language and are
generally In very humble circuni.
stances. They could have owned the
entire country. but they were content,
to take simply the small arpcnt or.
In some cases. several arpents The