El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-01-26

-LIZZAaDs which cost eastern
cities many thousands Of dollars
II and cause suffering and death,
lose much Of their bite when they
reach the plains country Of the Texas
Panhandle, and instead OF doing dam
age. prove immense blessings TO
ranges and farms
Panhandle cattle owners, ranchmen
and farmers unite in declaring that
the heavy SHOWS of this winter have
been worth n4ilIicns to the Texas Pan
handle. Ranges that were beginning
to feel the effect Of drouth, and farm
land in which wheat had been planted
over hundreds Of thousands OF acres
needed just such moisture as the re-
cent SHOWS have given
Next spring the Panhandle and all
Of the range and farming country Of
West Texas will show in greater
measure than for many years the
beneficial effect of the winters SHOWS
and rains. The year 1917, with its
handicap Of war requirements and its
dryness, which in some parts OF cen
trail West Texas amounted almost 10
a calamity. was a year full Of activity
and OverfloWing with prosperity
throughout the greater portion OF the
great empire Of the Southwest, the
Panhandle and the border country Of
West Texas.
Cattle Go Through Winter Well.
Heavy SHOWS usually bring cold
winds in the plains country and gem
orally there is a loss in cattle, often
a loss which makes cattlemen groan.
The loss from cold this winter has
been less than in former years. West
Texas and Panhandle cattle viii
come through this winter in good
shape, due in measure to the send
ing TO new pastures Of the weaker
cattle and TO the more advanced and
intelligent handling OF the cattle on
the ranges.
Because OF the great war and the
part Il is compelled TO play in the
fight for democracy in Europe, the
United states government is looking
TO Texas, and especially 10 the West
Texas country and the Panhandle, for
a great portion Of the meat required
to feed American soldiers in France
and 20 help the armies Of our allies,
whose own food supplies now are ex-
hausted- Also TO the Panhandle the
government looks for many hundreds
OF thousands bushels OF wheat and
other small grains, so necessary now.
Wheat Acreage Greatly Enlarged.
All over the great Panhandle coun-
try the wheat acreage for this year
has been increased fully 40 per cent,
and the ranchmen expect the crop to
be almost twice as large as the very
excellent crop gathered in 1917. IN
recent years the Panhandle while
maintaining Its cattle growing su-
premacy. has gone more and more
into grain growing Great mills and
elevators have been built in the cities
of the Panhandle to handle the crops
from thousands OF acres, and the
railroads have been taxed TO carry
= kmnHa -HHaa-
Tor shipment to Europe Amarillo,
Lubbock, Plainview. Abilene, Snyder
and scores Of Panhandle towns that
In former years looked to cattle alone
FOR their prosperity. now are centers
OF farming communities and have
mills and elevators for the handling
OF the grain crops.
Many idle acres IN Western Texas
have been put under cultivation with
in the past year 10 help supply the
war demand Of the country for more
food This increased farming activ-
ity means greater community pros
perity, and towns in West Texas are
taking on new growth Of a more sub
stantial character than they have
heretofore known.
Road Building Shows Prosperity.
The building Of better roads. the
issuing by West Texas and Panhandle
counties OF bonds for many thousands
Of dollars for road building and road I
Improvement bespeals the progress
and prosperity OF the whole great /
district Practically every county I
west OF Fort Worth is building or /
preparing TO build good roads, many |
Of the roads being links in the Fl /
Paso-Fort Worth Highway, which 1
viii give 4 splendid automobile high |
way across Northern and Western 1
Texas 10 the border, bringing Fl PasO |
within close touch with much valu- /
able trade territory now difficult to /
reach.
New Railroads Build.
Although the taking over by the 1
government Of the railroad systems !
II the country nav tend N rhecL- for /