El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-01-22


porated city in the last month of the
| year and began new era OF growth
] and development 4 campaign has been
star ted there for beautifying the town
and making it one of the attractive
/ places in ali the southwest
PeeOs Makes Progress.
Imough ITS commercial organiza ton
! Pecos is making Reeves county agri-
cultural possibilities known through
out the county and as a result farm
ers from the east and north who seek
( a wider range OF possibilities and
/ greater opportunities are seeking land
( in the county in large numbers
At Lubbock, in the Panhandle. church
growth has kept pace with town de-
yelopment- The Baptist congregation,
already with fairly large church
structure, found it necessary to add 10
the building, making 1t twice the size
it formerly was
New Railroads Secured.
As is natural IN sections seeking
growth and having the things which
make for growth, West Texas and the
Panhandle country are looking to rail-
road building to aid in the efforts to-
ward greater growth.
A charter has been obtained and the
greater portion of the bonus raised for
the Midland & Northwestern railroad,
which will run north from Midland to
Seminole. The first construction will
be TO Seminole, which will be the tenn
porary terminus, but later the road is
70 DC eAltnNEu INTO a Territory north OF
Midland which needs only means Of
communication. transportation facili-
ties. TO make II a. rich and pOpulous
district. At the head Of the new road
is T. J O'DOnnen and a company has
been organized. of which he is the pres-
ident- The other officers are: W II.
Brunson. vice president; B. C Girdley,
secretary treasurer; directors, +. F. Ell
kin. J. A Hunter, W J. Moran, H n
Garrett J. A Haley and ". 3. Elkin.
Van Horns New Railroad.
Another important road on which
work was started during the year and
which viii open a new and rich dis
trict in West Texas is the Van Horn
Valley railroad II viii prove a valua-
bic outlet for Van Horns growing COM
mercial business and viii open to the
Culberson county capital farming and
cattle country which will add ma.
terially to its prosperity and growth |
Much work lready has been done on
grading the road and more than so car |
loads Of tires were delivered at and |
near Van Horn IN December for the !
new road
Amarillo. during the year 1915, inau- /
road into the North Plains country.
The Amarillo board Of city develop |
ment has taken hold Of the proposition,
and committee was appointed to took 4
into the matter Of a right of way at 1
once. That committee now is at work l
and II is expected TO have work started 4
on the road during this year.
Farm Development is Marked.
Farm development in the West !
Texas and Panhandle has made splen-
did progress during the year In
Reeves, Pecos, Preside, Brewster and
Culberson counties, in West Texas,
and in Hale, Potter, Lubbock. Floyd
and other Panhandle counties, the year
was marked by a new era in farming.
the planting OF increased acreages and
the building of new barns and silos
Silo building has been an important |
feature IN the farming development OF |
the country lying east and south OF FL
around Alpine and Valentine, Midland
and Big Springs and around Pecos. in !
Reeves county. large number of silos
nave been constructed and the farmers
generally have taken to the raising Of
dairy stock Of a high grade.
Cotton Acreage Increased.
In Reeves and Howard county cot
son mas become an important crop. anc
IN 1915 the acreage planted TO cotton !
was more than doubled In the Pan
handle country record crops of wheat
and small grains were raised and were |
sold at prices that encouraged the
farmers to greatly increase their 1
acreage this year
Pecos and Big Springs both have
become important cotton marketing I
centers, Big Springs having a large !
gin which handles the cotton for hum
dreds Of Howard county farmers. Will
Hanson & Dickie. owners OF a large |
farm near Pecos. have been working a
force OF IS Mexican laborers for n
month clearing a large stract Of new |
land for cultivation. They viii plant /
80 acres Of the tract in cotton. Other !
Reeves county farmers, as a result Of
the success attending the growing Of
cotton there last year are planning
to put in considerable acreage this
year.
Peanuts in Howard County.
A unique farming industry In
Howard county, and one which has
proved profitable, is the raising OF
peanuts Many farmers near Big
Springs raised large crops Of peanuts
last year and this year Will plant as
much or more Of the nut crop.
Road building, especially in West
Texas made marked progress during
the year 1915 Encouraged by the sue
cess attending FL Paso county's road
building campaign. Reeves, Pecos, Ward
and Midland counties each started
road building campaigns. voting bond
isues ranging from 900 to S15O.000.
and beginning work on highways that
when completed, viii make a complete
chain Of good roads, connecting county
seats with outlying districts, which |
heretofore have been difficult to reach |
because Of Door roads
Build Good Roads
Work was started in the latter part !
Z 1915 on the improvement of (
Reeves county road -ystem, the first
work being started in the outskirts of !
9ecOs with elaborate ceremonies. In {
Midland county road connecting with {