The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-19

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 When cowboys turn to railroad build ing the era of the great ranches of Texas may be safely said to have passed for ever. Julian M. Bassett, manager of the Bar N ranch of Crosby County, has just terminated visit to Houston, where he opened negotiations for 23 miles of steel rails to be used in the construction of a railroad which the cowboys are building.
 Crosby county never had a railroad. On the map 1t is a bare spot at the south edge of the panhandle. The Santa Be, Pecos Valley line is to the west at Lubbock, and the Stamfort Northeast ern is to east. The Bar N ranch was in between. Two years ago Crosbyton was laid out on the site of former cor ral. It was a town without a qualified assumed proportions. Twenty cowboys turned farmers and store was built. Now, after a thrilllng%election, in which every cowman within hail was rounded up at the polls, the new town in the county seat has TOO inhagitants. It is con- nected with Lubbock and the town of Spur by automobile line Owners of the Bar N ranch who were so successful in town building planned the railroad that Is now being constructed. It Is known as the Crosbyton Southplains; is graded from Lubbock to Crosbyton and all material except the 23 miles of steel rails is on the ground Eventually the line will be extended to Spur, connecting with the Stamford Northeastern, and actually clos ing the link between the gulf coast and the Pacific. Not a bond has been is- sued. Instead, the c. B. Live Stock com pany, owning the Bar N ranch, simply declared a dividend on the land and has built the railroad. We will probably have the only railroad in Texas against which no bonds have been issued" ex- plained Mr. Bassett. Everyone out our way has money. The country never had railroad, but we have been accumulat- ing other things since the price of land and the price of steers went up at the | same time. Now we're going to make 1t l so that we can get into the world with out riding @ day on a COW pony before I we catch a train"
 After a stay of few days in Houston Hon. H. B. Hooper. governor-elect of | Tennessee, departed Sunday night for his | home. having completed the organization of a company to handle tract of 64i acres purchased just south of this city | by himself and associates. The invest ment represents over $260,000. Although loyal to his own state, which has SC signally honored him, Captain Hooper is enthusiastic regarding the future ot Texas gulf coast country and Houston it's metropolis. Several years ago he tn- vested 5000 In Oklahoma and last March sold out his holdings at a profit of t45,- 900. He then came to Houston and be- coming convinced that Texas was the piece of real opportunities, secured an op. ton on the land which he afterward bought and has just placed in the hands of selling company. He Is the first re- publican to be elected governor of Ten ! nessee in 90 years. He laid the founda- ton of his fortune in south Texas neai Houston during the years of the Beau | mont oil boom.
 | Preparations are being made for the holding of a great Texas land show in Houston next March. The whole coun- try is land hungry. Everywhere there Ii | longing to own land, and all who car afford to make an investment are eager tt buy land. This feeling, go general ant so irresistible has stimulated the land markets and created . demand for land shows. Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburg ant | Omaha cities remote from where thu