The Texas Miner, Volume 1, Number 5, February 17, 1894 Page: 1

VOL. 1
THUKBER, TEXAS, SATURDAY, FEB. 17. 1894.
NO.
FLASHES OF THOUGHT.
"THE LONE STAR STATE
Every man has three characters: that which he exhibits, that
which he has. and that which he thinks he has.—[A. Karr.
Enjoy what you have; hope for what you lack.—[Levis.
To give happiness is to deserve happiness—[ J. J. Rousseau.
He who thinks he can do without the world deceives himself;
but he who thinks the world cannot do without him is still more
in error -[I,aRochefoucauld.
There is no better excess in the world than the excess of grat-
itude.—[LaBruvere.
Reason bears disgrace, courage combats it, patience sur-
mounts it.—[Mine, de Serigue.
The first rule for speaking well is to think well [Mme.
de Lambert.
Disease never asks concerning a man's bank account when he
rings the door bell. He is equally indifferent to all. and is never
swayed by favoriteism. He is past all bribery, and has no com-
punction but goes where he is sent—-[Herald.
In the eyes of the Almighty the hod carrier who is honest is
nobler than the statesman whose eloquence makes history, but
who sells his influence for cash or preferment.—[Herald.
The millionaire may give his child a gilded crutch, but it is
just as truly a crutch as that of the poor man's boy. A crutch is
always a crutch and neither poverty nor wealth can make it less.
The rich may place a costly monument on a grave and the
poor no monument at all but the sleepers sleep the same sleep,
and the monument counts for nothing.—[Herald.
FLASHES OF FUN.
The sermon was Ion *
The nreacher was prosy.
Do you think it was wrontr?
The sermon was long,
The temptation was strong—
Her cheeks were so rosv,
The sermon was long
And the preacher was prosy.
-iCentnrv Magazine
Burglar—Your money or your life!
Victim—Certainly. Take a seat while I make my will.
[Judge.
Candid listener—Good morning, Janet. I am sorjy to hear
you didn't like my preaching on Sunday. What was the reason?
Janet—Oi had t'ree verra guid reasons, soir. Firstly, ye read
ye sermon; secondly, ye dinna read it well; thirdly, it was not
worth readin' at a'.
Visitor (at dinner)—Aren't you going to eat any meat, Tom-
my? Tommy—No'm, I guess not. Mamma said I wasn't to
have any if you took twice.
' Doan put yer min'too much on outward decorations," said
Uncle Eben. -'Hit am bettah ter hab er cabbage under yo'
wais'coat dan er crysanfemum in yo' buttonhole.
"Sister," said the little boy, "will you please make me a lot
of those buiscuit like you gave us for breakfast the other day?"
Sister was touched. They were the first cheering words Johnny
had spoken to her in a long time. "Certainly," she answered.
Are you going to give a party?" ' No. I wanted to try them
in my new slingshot."—[Washington Star.
This 1 Lone Star" state, nearly as large as six states like the
grand Empire state of New York, has only about the same pop-
ulation as the cities of New York and Brooklyn combined. This
simple statement w ill convey to the mind of any man who reads
of the great natural agricultural resources of this state, that there
must be an opening for him, and a chance to "grow up with the
country; but it is no better place for a poor, lazy man than
many others, but for energetic, hard-working, economical men,
that have some capital, there is no reason why their wildest
dreams may not be realized. There are hundreds of farmers in
the North that I know of who are simply earning from their
farms the wherewithal to pay their taxes and the schooling for
their children. 'The same steady, intelligent labor on the cheap
lands of this state would bring a competence in a few years.
This state has no debt, and has a surplus in the treasury; includ-
ing the largest school fund of any state that I know of. arising
from the very large amount of land set aside for that purpose.
Thre is one drawback in some sections, and that is the rainfall,
which in the Panhandle was in 1880 16.79; 1881, 16.16: 1882
24.76; 1883: 28.21; 1884 33.91; 1885, 37.05 inches. This
would seem to indicate that it was increasing; in many places
artesian wells can be successfully sunk and flowing wells of fine
water attained at a depth ranging from 600 to 2000 feet in and
near Tort Worth and Waco. 1 he finest water I have ever seen
in any state or territory is obtained from the artesian wells. This
question of water supply and rainfall should be carefully looked
after by new settlers.
Although this is a wonderful country, all the different advan-
tages and disadvantages should be closely looked into. 'They
wiil take in a • tenderfoot" or stranger as readily here and with
as much satisfaction an anywhere in the country. It will not do
to take the glowing description of a land agent without going
and examining for yourself. Where there is so much rich land,
with all the advantages that a reasonable man can ask, there is
no necessity of being deceived. 'There is a lack
of timber, of course, in the vicinity of rich prai-
rie land, but enough in many sections for all needful pur-
poses. It is true that there is a little matter of about 46 000 000
acres of timber laud in the state, but a tiller of the soil Ré-ad not
spend a lifetime to ' clear up" a farm. He can plow up the rich
prairie and have a farm in twelve months. I have dwelt at con-
siderable length in generalities about the state—for particulars I
would stiongly advise reading the different reports issued by the
railroads, and sending to the Agricultural bureau of the state of
Texas, at Austin, for all the printed information they can furnish,
and then, if it is possible, go and look over the ground before
starting the family.
It has been said that there was no coal mined in Texas, and
yet within eighty miles of Fort Worth one company is mining
1,500 tons a day at this time, and delivering "slack" which is
the best fuel for stationary boilers—at eighty-five cents a ton,
and screened lump of the very best bituminous coal at $3.25, in
Fort Worth. At some points, on account of transportation cost,
fuel is high; but so it was North and West before transportation
facilities came.
In regard to the safety of life and the operation of the laws,
a person is protected in person and property as well as in any
of the states, and some transgressions are punished more quickly
and efficiently than in the North. It is not a healthy state for
bad men, for between "quick" law and slow law they get crowd-
ed to the wall; but Northern men, who are good citizens and
mind their own business, are welcomed, no matter what their
politics may be—[Correspondence in American Grocer.