Texas Almanac and State Industrial Guide for 1904 Page: 58
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THE TEXAS ALMANAC.
other section of the country has received, and in consequence there has
been a steady stream of immigration to its territory.
The time was when Texas was very much misunderstood and poorly
rated abroad. In its early history, as a frontier and border State, it had a
reputation for lawlessness and dangers. The stories written of its "treeless
plains, where countless longhorns roam at will, where the daring cowboy,
armed to his teeth, once more raises his trusty rifle and another redskin
drops dead," lingered in the minds of many persons until very recent years.
Press dispatches prolonged the duration of the impression of lawlessness
after it had lost foundation, for the press, to a large extent, buys stories of
crime rather than of virtue and industry. But tnese impressions have in
recent years been dissipated, and it is assumed that the intelligent reading
public pretty well understands that the longhorns, buffaloes, Indians and
outlaws are no more in Texas. It is also assumed that, since a majority
of the people of the United States have enjoyed some educational advan-
tages, they understand that Texas is the largest State in the Union. There-
fore, these subjects will be passed without further comment, it being the
purpose in this work to give an up-to-date report of the State rather than
reminiscence or prophecy. In many other matters than area Texas ranks
first of all the States. It leads in miles of main line railroad track; it is
largely ahead in the number and value of cattle; it is first in the number of
horses, mules, asses and goats, including Angoras; it leads in the produc-
tion of cotton and cotton seed products, and is first in bees, honey, beeswax,
pecans, turkeys, figs and watermelons. It is crowding Louisiana for first
place in the 'roduction of rice.
According to the United States census of 1900. Texas was one of the nine
States reporting agricultural productions in excess of $200.^00 Q09. as follows:
Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, New York, Texas, Missouri, Kansas, Pennsylvania and
Indiana.
It is believed that a comnarison of the net value of farm products would
show Texas to be very nearly. if not ouite. in the first place in that regard.
According to the same authority. Texas was one of the six Stales renort-
Ing the largest areas of improved land. as fo'lows: Iowa, 29 9F7 552 acres;
Illinois, 27,699,219; Kansas, 25,0-,550; Missouri, 22,900,043; Texas, 19,576,076; Ohio,
19,244.472.
The spectacular is always impressive, and memory of it abides. As the
"countless herds" created the impression that Texas. was primarily a cattle
growing State long after the cattle industry had been eclipsed by agricul-
ture, so. in 1901, when it was reported that a great pool of oil had been
tanned in southeast Texas. and that the fluid was gushing more than 100
feet in the air, the idea obtained in many places that oil production had
become of first importance in Texas. This latter conception is as erroneous
as the first. Great-as is the cattle industry of the State-and it is greater
now than ever before-in point of production it is surnassed by others. The
total value of all Cattle in the State (census of 1900) was $163 228,904, and
the value of the sales. $34.357.000 (perhaps an underestimate). Even the total
value of all cattle in the State, according to the same authority, is exceeded
by the value of the cotton crop produced and sold in Texas in 1903. $165 393 F30
while the grain crops of the same year were worth $97,682,418. The oil indus-
try, great and important as it is. suffers by comparison with many other
industries of Texas of lesser magnitude than those already mentioned. The
total valve of oil (crude) produced in all Texas fields in 19"3 was apnroxi-
%nately $8.016 314. This is less than half as much as the value of the cotton
seed produced In the same year, although cotton seed until comparatively
recent years was thrown away as worthless. It is $1.700.00-short of the
value of cotton oil alone, and less than half the value of all the products of
the 60 per cent of the cotton seed crop which the farmers sold. It is 33/3
per cent less than the value of lrmber produced; but one-third more than
the value of the rice crop of 1903 in the rough; is surpassed by the value of
poultry and eggs produced and is -earlv equaled by the value of fruits and
vegetables actually shipped out of the State. So, while cattle raising and oil
production are important industries, they are not entitled to distinction
above several. others.
In the articles following this introductory statement details concerning
the industries of the State are given, while the articles lnon the various
counties of the State reveal with more p-rticnlarity the districts wherein
these industries are pursued. It has been the constant aim to confine every
statement in this work to the facts and to avoid speculation and hvnerbole.
The publishers would rather err by understatement, than by exaggeration.
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Texas Almanac and State Industrial Guide for 1904, book, May 1904; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth123779/m1/70/: accessed May 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.