The West Times. (West, Tex.), Vol. 21, No. 48, Ed. 1 Saturday, January 1, 1910 Page: 1 of 17
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Texas Digital Newspaper Program and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the West Public Library.
- Highlighting
- Highlighting On/Off
- Color:
- Adjust Image
- Rotate Left
- Rotate Right
- Brightness, Contrast, etc. (Experimental)
- Cropping Tool
- Download Sizes
- Preview all sizes/dimensions or...
- Download Thumbnail
- Download Small
- Download Medium
- Download Large
- High Resolution Files
- IIIF Image JSON
- IIIF Image URL
- Accessibility
- View Extracted Text
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
VOLUMN 21, NUMBER U
■V
THE WEST TIMES.
Published Once*a*Week*«Every Friday
west. Mclennan county, texas, January, 1010
THE TIMES PUBLISHING COMPANY.
THE iJTORY OF A MID-TEXAS TOWN
!— A wid: la wake, progressive city
steadily
WI
PUSHING TO THE FRONT
ALTH AND PROSPERITY
An
E
V
i Whose Efforts are
pitomized in One
ord-SUCCESS.
Americanitis—that’s the name
for the new disease that is conta-
gious in r.nd around West, Texas
Everybody who lives here has
'l1; every new coiner contracts it.
t is antipodal to pellagre and
ihe hookworm. The latter are,
ponditionsoflaziness—the former |
pf push, hustle, energy, develop-1
jment, activity and earnestness.!
It is business in its fullest sense,'
honest commercialism, sobriety
intensiveness-ultimate tremend-
ous success. That s Amercani-
tis and that’s the disease that
prevails in West, and the sur-
rounding country. Every inhab-
itant in the little city is afflicted
and the town shows the effect,,
Already West has a population ol
about 3,000 and is growing
rapidly. The sonorous whistle
of the factory and the whirl o'
revolving machinery has awaken
ed the inhabitants from letht
sleep, and today West is up-and1
doing, and looking out for tb
main chance. That’s another e:
feet of Americanitis. West dt
rived its name from Mr. Toi,
West, yet an honored and r
speeded citizen, who founded tl
town soon after the close of tb
! late civil war. The place ws
i merely a trading point for mar:
years, but the invasion of tit
iron horse in 1SH2 instilled no?
life into the sleepy little bug
land it immediately sat .up ad
took notice. From that day ri
til the present time West has t.l-
(ilvanced steadily and the end1'-
X not yet. Already seventy bis I
ness houses, mainly built of
brick, grace the streets of Wjitj
Three banks are here, thh-t
I hotels, two weekly newspapirs,
telephone exchange, elec l ie-
light plant, waterworks aff(ril-
ing an unlimited supply of apia
pura from artesian wells, our
extensive cotton gins, a coton
seed oil mill, a cotton factory
with almost 5000 spindles, two
large lumber yards, two piblic
! school buildings, and chnch
diversifying their crops, and
st
adily the values of the land
al > increasing, and the increase
ir
value makes it necessary to
_| g ther from the soil the greatest
ssible profit. This can only
done by the intensive methods
farming now being adopted by
i|any farmers in McLennan
cimnty. Lands wrorth from $50
t> $150 per acre, as it is in many
slates, cannot be made pay a
trepot West has no equal in mid
Texas. The ’09 crop fell far be-
low’ the average, yet the cotton
buyers of the city paid the
planters over a million dollars for
the product.
In addition to the natural busi-
ness advantages, because of its
geographical location, West is an
exceedingly healthy town, and
its per centage of death rate is
very low. It’s elevation is about
700 feet above the sea level, and
the general situation is pictures-
que and attractive, The temper-
ature is mild and pleasant the
year round, the extremes of
same view meets the eye.
Lawns have been improved, and
all about them are dotted
with tasty bloom. Porches and
verandas are shaded w’ith creep-
ers, pot plants and rare exotics
peep from out the windows and
a tulip bed here and there such
as would drive a Hollander to a
floral frenzy. In early spring
floral fragrance permeates the
atmosphere of West—as a frag-
rant breeze wafted from Araby
the Blest.
West boasts of an enterprising
and updodate civic organization
which has every! interest of the
city at heart. The Retail Mer-
chant’s and Business Men’s As-
sociation is a body composed of
gentlemen whose every move de-
notes activity, and a glimpse into
West is open to bona tide in-
dustrial propositions of all kinds.
It’s location is ideal, and the
business men are awake to the
need of adding to the list of in-
dustries now in the city. The
Retail Merchant’s and Business
Men’s Association will lend every
aid to legitmate aspirants for a
new location or a new home, and
will use every endeavor consis-
tent with business acumen to in-
duce industrial propositions to
become a part and parcel of the
city.
The Missouri, Kansas & Texas
Railway of Texas passes through
West directly north and south,
and puts the city in easy reach
of coal, lumber, etc., and excel-
lent facilities for shipping all pro-
ducts indigenous West’s trade
area, and give the city unequal-
led facilities for the distribution
of the output of factories, mills,
or merchandise of.every kind.
%
IH
BIRDS EYE VIEW OF THE CITY OF WEST, FROM THE TOR OF THE OIL HILL
reasonable profit on the invest-
ment. unless the best methods of
cultivation be adopted. Value
and proportional profit go hand in
hand in the intensive methods of
agriculture. Methods of soil
preparation, planting, cultiva-
tion, harvesting and marketing
have been reduced to a science,
and are being rapidly adopted by
edifices representing the leal: ug those farmers around West who
denominations. are digging a prodigal wealth
West is a delightful little city from the soil. The farmer wlm
graded streets, good side- sits on the top rail of a barbed
side-
/walks, and is one of tilt* bee cot-
ton markets in the state. Be-
sides furnishing cotton tom its
SI50,000 cotton factory, ’Vest
ships cotton to every Inown
market in the world. Vast
quantities of grain, -attle,
horses, mules and hogs |o an
nually out to the great markets
from West. The little tow i lies
in the midst of rich blao; land
prairies, nearly all of whi h are
under cultivation. The Lower
Cross Timbers lying a sli rt dis-
tance to the west, is a fertile
sandy and red sandy loan, and
is rapidly developing as »i fruit
^ and vegetable district. If teadily
the agriculturalists ayer, d West
1
ex-
wire fence discussing polities
the livelong day is not the one
who makes a success in Texas.
It is the brawny armed, de-
termined chap, who labors early
and late, diversifying Ids crops,
adopting new methods, environ-4
ing hiulself with every mechani-
cal improvement that tends to
save labor, save crops, save tire-
some days and sleepless nights—
ho is the man who is extracting
from, the soil adjacent West the
wonderful wealth—a Pactolean
flood—gold beyond the dreams of
avarice.
Annually about 20,000 bales
of cotton is bought by the buy-
ers in West, and as a cotton en-
heat and cold being seldom
perienced. In summer months
a cool breeze sweeps up from the
gulf, tempering torridity to the
extent that such thing as sun-
stroke is unknown, and the
nights are very enjoyable.
Civic pride, fostered and en-
us^raked by the progressive
citizens of West, is'having the
desired effect. Improvements
are visible everywhere, cement
walks and street crossings are
being laid, and the minor im-
provements have revolutionized
the appearance of tlAcity within
^he past five years. Beauty is a
great asset in towrr building.
With this idea beforethe
people of West have t-alfln great
interest in home improvement,
pul what has been acci^iplislied
is*jtrul,y amazing. Trjies have
been planted, parterres are
everywhere, miniature parks ap-
pear in many yards, and flowers,
flowers .everywhere. From the
mansion to the lowly home the
its world of activity and useful-
ness discloses a line of work that
will eventually redound to the
best interest of the little city.
Realing that the ultimate success
of the city depends largely upon
the agricultural resources, the
Board is extending its efforts in
that direction, and is sparing no
effort to the upbuilding of that
important branch of industry.
The association has taken many
wise steps to .[encourage activity
in upbuilding urban and subur
ban interests, for a wider diver-
sification, for better homes, for
all those things in its line that
spells the magic word, success.
Information desired of West and
tributary country, will be gladly
furnished by the' secretary of
association.
West has gained rapidly in
population within the past two
years. The postal receipts, the
freight and passenger business,
bank deposits and trade volume
shows substantial gains. Build-
ing operations for 1909 show a
material increase, and in evei’y
part of the city can be seen the
march of improvement.
The citizens of West are
thoroughly cosmopolitan, have
attained a reputation for push
and public spirit, and the city is
now known as one of the leading
in the black land belt. Metro-
politan airs are visible in every
branch of business in town. Up-
to-date stores, with higli grade
stocks, make trading a pleasure
in West.
A vast deal of money is paid
annually to the cotton planters
who make West their market,
and the best prices are always
obtainable.
West’s Rural Routes.
Four rural postal routes
radiates from West, and the
communities • in West’s trade
territory have' ample facilities.
Rural Free Delivery Route 1,
goes to the north and west of
the city, serving the people daily
over a route line of almost 25
miles. Brandon Alexander is
the presiding genius over the
route, and rain or shine, he daily
serves his patrons with Uncle
Sam’s mail.
Route 2, to the north and east*
reaching the Tours community
and beyond, is carried by Mr. J.
C. Hurlock. The route covers a
scope of territory densly popu-
lated, and Mr. Hurlock’s daily
trip means a distance of fully 30
miles.
Route No. 3 goes west to the
Tokio country and the Rogers
settlement, and Mr. T. B. Perry,
as carrier, visits the people daily
in the interest of our Uncle
Samuel.
Route 4, south and east, goes
down into the GeraiU neigh1"
hood, and adjacent country.
G. R. Hurlock is carrier on
route, and is a gentleman wei
liked by everybody with whom
he comes in contact along his
line.
Dairying.
The climatic condition in this
latitude are ideal for the dairy-
man. Virescent Texas offers to
them riches manifold with a
minimum of labor; It’s the home
of the cow. and here she thri' es
and yields unto man her best
effort. Every gallon of cream,
every pound of butter, every
by-products can be placed on
the Dallas, Fort Worth and Waco
markets in the early morning
hours. The demand for dairy
products' is greater than the
supply, and should Texas devote
her energies in that direction
the wealth of Ormus and of Ind
would be hers. It’s a startling
fact, but statistics hear wut the
statement, that the butter and
egg industry of the United
States is a greater revenue pro-
ducer than is the annual cereal
crop. The cow, the hen and the
hog are the triumvirate that will
yet reign supreme in Texas.-
i
• •
I
Population Three
Thousand
FACTORY AND FARM. CORN AND
’ TON. EFFORT AND ENERGY
COT-
Building a Busy, Bustling Town 0
£j
-1
iir •
* 4* I
y
%
S:
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Baldridge, William. The West Times. (West, Tex.), Vol. 21, No. 48, Ed. 1 Saturday, January 1, 1910, newspaper, January 1, 1910; West, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth746067/m1/1/?q=%22People+-+Ethnic+Groups+-+Czechs%22: accessed July 9, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting West Public Library.