New-York tribune., 1910-02-15
TEXAS LANDS RICH
INVESTMENT THERE.
Profit Of $4,000 Made on
Land Bougit 3 Years Ago.

clsaTed land near here. The price paid was
$40 an acre. Some Improvements were
made. but they We're inexpensive. The
property was held as an investment Last
week the farm was sold as of 40 acres at
Si25 an acre. The net profi1 was over $50
This is a fair example Of the increase in
values where the transportation facilities
are good and where the productivity of the
soil has been demonstrated. Farms may be
bought in this and other sections now Al
much less than s125 acre. and so steadily
are the demands for railroads schools and
centres Of activity being met that the ad-
vance in values will continue for many i
year. Facts of this description attract the
land Spectator and are Of value 10 the
permanent investor showing that his
money is safe and at compound interest
procurable whenever he may wish 10 re-
alize.
Dinnlit and the nearby counties are beins
opened TO farmers Hho want permanent
homes: hut there. as elsewhere, the i'm
provements being made TO supply all the
comforts necessary for that purpose and
ready and quick access TO the markets will
increase values from year TO year. Dimmtt
COUNTY is between San Antonio ard the
Rio GTsnde in tire artesian belt. One Of
the best exa amples of the transformation or
E great ranch into farming community IS
in progress there. this ranch tapping over
into Zayalia County.
There were over one hundred thousand
acres in The ranch. In the days when the
value Of the land was low enough to per-
init OF the profitable raising of cattle it was
typical of the great ranches of romance.
In its vast area were embraced rolling hills.
a rapid. clear stream and two picturesque
lakes. and great herds roamed over the eX-
panse cropping the natural grasses and
growing into fine long horns for the North
ern markets.
Along the river, the Nueces. and the
lakes, Caiuanche and Espantoso. are fine
trees. furnishing unlimited supply Of
timber Tor building purposes and firewood.
If irrigation from the river had been de-
cided upon as a means of furnishing tho
necessary moisture for the farms 1t would
have provided far more water than needed.
but there were natural springs TO show that
artesian wells could be established, and
this has been done.
No railroads rraversed this ranch when II
was decided to cut it I'D into teu-acre
farms No buyer is limited 10 that area.
hut II was decided that as the land is re-
Of the promise of success. The same plan
las been followed in many enterprises of
the same kind between Brownsville and
Houston. and the development of this ranch
is typical Of that of many others, especially
il what is called the coast country.
In the midst Of this ranch. about halfway
between Laredo. on the south, and UTalde.
on the north. city was laid out on the
west bank Of the Nueces This is now the
gathering place of more than one thousand
persons who have far purchased ten
acre tracts. and merchants have established
stores 10 provide the needs OF the farmers,
and facilities for handling the produce have
been put At the service OF the many ship
pers.
Roads have been built ~ regular inter
walls. and tHenty-thTes large sections are
bounded by them. They provide a means OF
reaching the city. where. in addition TO the
business conveniences, schools and churches
and a library have been built, so that the
dwellers on this ranch may educate their
children and attend the churches of their
faiths The community OF interest has been
fosrered in this way, and hence, although IL
may be believed that there would be a
crudeness at the beginning, il has been Just
the reverse
the rattiesnake and horned toad were very
much at home there are now productive
farms The cowboy may still be seen, but
he has become a civilized creature, and he
would be the first to resent the shooting
I'D of the new city. It is a new home dis
trict. free from the raw edges making up
the newness so familiar 20 early settlers in
the Western country where no intelligent
efforts were made to provide the comforts
and privileges of the older districts in the
East.
With the completion OF the railroad from
the ranch city 10 Jvalde the question OF
transportation was solved Where there
had been the quiet and dreamiuesE Of the
Southwest there was the hustle of trans
portation activity. The great ranch had
taken its place among the thriving colonies
all along the coast district.
Farmers who settled on the small farms
of the ranch had the advice Of agricultural
experts. The land was 50 rich and with
irrigation 50 sure of productivity that the
settlers were able TO follow their bent.
Some chose onions as their principal crop:
others potatoes, and large number set out
lemon. orange, date and hg trees. Some Of
the orchards have become very productive,
and the early vegetables are on their way |
to Northern markets long before planting /
has begun IN the sections where there are
only from six 10 eight months for seedtirls /
and harvest.
The climate in the NueCes Valley and TO /
well mp above san Antonio surprises the |
Northern farmer He has generally been /
led To- believe that the heat is intense for
eight months in the year and that in the
remaining four months the conditions vary
between raw cold and fair warmth. He
finds however. Il remarkable uniformity OF
temperature The climate is as dependable /
as the supply Of moisture. The old familiar
sent
LABOR in the Southwest is not the prob !
lem Of further North. The Mexican border /
Is near and Mexicans are numerous. They /!
seek employment on the farms. and have /
always proved 10 be reliable, and intelligent |
under supervision. They have not the eIu- /
siveness of the negro, who, when he has a /
little money, IS often bent on idlenesa until !
his supply is exhausted. The Mexican is |
frugal and industrious and peace loving.
While investors, as sucns do not meet /
with much encouragement. they have in /
vaded these colony enterprises 10 some ex-
tent. The promoters, however prefer 10 |
sell the tracts to real settlers. Everything |
that has been done in the way Of road /
building and city Improvements has been for /
their advantage The increase IN values. /
already markedly III evidence is for the |