A Few Facts About Pampa - 1910 |
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Eloise Lane
In 1910 the White Deer Land Company published "A Few Facts About Pampa," a promotional book of 24 pages. Excerpts from the booklet follow:
" Pampa is a growing town of 500 inhabitants located on the Santa Fe Railroad, which is the through line for this system from Chicago to California . The railroad equipment at Pampa is complete, being supplied with water tanks, coaling facilities and all modern improvements necessary for handling large volumes of business. An official of the Santa Fe Railroad recently made the statement that the receipts from the railroad office at Pampa this year were larger than from any other town of similar size on the system in Texas .
" Pampa commands an extensive trade covering an area of 1,000 square miles or more. The drainage problem is very simple as the ground on which the town is located slopes very gradually in almost every direction.
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"Several good wells supply the town with water and it is but a short time until a complete system of water works will be installed to supply the growing needs of the people.
"A large reservoir has been constructed just north of town and this with a dam two miles east of town furnishes ample water facilities for those who are not otherwise supplied in this vicinity.
"Pampa has three hotels, a restaurant, three general mercantile stores, large and well arranged, an excellent hardware and furniture store, a First National Bank, the Gray County State Bank, both supplied with good fireproof vaults, two good drug stores, neat and up-to-date, two good lumber yards with all kinds of building materials, a livery and feed stable, a neat and clean meat market, two blacksmith shops, photograph gallery and other enterprises to be found in a growing town.
"Four church organizations have regular services and active work is carried on in each.
"The school facilities of Pampa are very good, a neat brick building having just been completed at a cost of $15,000 to supply the needs of the people in this line. Six teachers are employed and a regular course of study is pursued.
"Several fraternal organizations hold regular monthly meetings in the town and very enthusiastic work is carried on in each of the organizations.
"The financial condition of Gray County, Texas, is in good standing, the total amount on hand on July 1st, 1910 being $8,883.23. The rate of taxation is low and property rights secure.
"The first section of land in the vicinity of Pampa was sold in December of 1904 to O.A. Barrett. A small portion of this section was broken and planted the following season with good results. Six thousand bushels of wheat were raised on a portion of this same section this year --- 1910 --- and sold at $.92 per bushel, and could have been sold at $1.02 per bushel ten days later.
"About 300,000 bushels of wheat, oats and speltz were threshed in the country tributary to Pampa during this season.
"Many settlers have located on the lands surrounding and adjoining Pampa and any and all of them can gladly testify on behalf of the merits of the country. These farmers are sucessfully raising wheat, oats, kaffir corn, maize, millet, cane, pumpkins, watermelons, all kinds of garden vegetables as well as chickens, ducks, geese, hogs, cattle, horses, mules and all such products as are usually found on the farm. These farmers are building comfortable homes and do not belong to the transient class so frequently found in new countries.
"Pampa has never boomed, the lands surrounding it have never been in the hands of the speculator and can not be for no more than one section can be purchased by one person except at remote distances where the land is more broken.
"The statements of this folder are supported and backed by the Commercial Club of Pampa, and open investigation is very earnestly requested. Actual settlers can obtain land here at or near Pampa without fear of being robbed, held up or misled. Very little cash is required to purchase small tracts of land and very satisfactory terms may be had. ... Neither the grafter nor the boomer is here and for their absence Pampa has had a constant growth and is still enjoying the same healthy condition."
The booklet contains photographs of the White Deer Land Company exhibit house and office, First National Bank, O.A. Barrett brick building, Gray County State Bank, new brick school building, J.N. Duncan Hardware and Furniture, J.C. Studer Meat Market and a harvesting scene. Also included are photographs of the residences of C.B. Barnard, W.D. Martin, J.W. Talley, Nels Walberg, C.S. Barrett, W.G. Tinsley, J.R. Henry, L.H. Greene and J.N. Duncan.
" Pampa is a growing town of 500 inhabitants located on the Santa Fe Railroad, which is the through line for this system from Chicago to California . The railroad equipment at Pampa is complete, being supplied with water tanks, coaling facilities and all modern improvements necessary for handling large volumes of business. An official of the Santa Fe Railroad recently made the statement that the receipts from the railroad office at Pampa this year were larger than from any other town of similar size on the system in Texas .
" Pampa commands an extensive trade covering an area of 1,000 square miles or more. The drainage problem is very simple as the ground on which the town is located slopes very gradually in almost every direction.
also
"Several good wells supply the town with water and it is but a short time until a complete system of water works will be installed to supply the growing needs of the people.
"A large reservoir has been constructed just north of town and this with a dam two miles east of town furnishes ample water facilities for those who are not otherwise supplied in this vicinity.
"Pampa has three hotels, a restaurant, three general mercantile stores, large and well arranged, an excellent hardware and furniture store, a First National Bank, the Gray County State Bank, both supplied with good fireproof vaults, two good drug stores, neat and up-to-date, two good lumber yards with all kinds of building materials, a livery and feed stable, a neat and clean meat market, two blacksmith shops, photograph gallery and other enterprises to be found in a growing town.
"Four church organizations have regular services and active work is carried on in each.
"The school facilities of Pampa are very good, a neat brick building having just been completed at a cost of $15,000 to supply the needs of the people in this line. Six teachers are employed and a regular course of study is pursued.
"Several fraternal organizations hold regular monthly meetings in the town and very enthusiastic work is carried on in each of the organizations.
"The financial condition of Gray County, Texas, is in good standing, the total amount on hand on July 1st, 1910 being $8,883.23. The rate of taxation is low and property rights secure.
"The first section of land in the vicinity of Pampa was sold in December of 1904 to O.A. Barrett. A small portion of this section was broken and planted the following season with good results. Six thousand bushels of wheat were raised on a portion of this same section this year --- 1910 --- and sold at $.92 per bushel, and could have been sold at $1.02 per bushel ten days later.
"About 300,000 bushels of wheat, oats and speltz were threshed in the country tributary to Pampa during this season.
"Many settlers have located on the lands surrounding and adjoining Pampa and any and all of them can gladly testify on behalf of the merits of the country. These farmers are sucessfully raising wheat, oats, kaffir corn, maize, millet, cane, pumpkins, watermelons, all kinds of garden vegetables as well as chickens, ducks, geese, hogs, cattle, horses, mules and all such products as are usually found on the farm. These farmers are building comfortable homes and do not belong to the transient class so frequently found in new countries.
"Pampa has never boomed, the lands surrounding it have never been in the hands of the speculator and can not be for no more than one section can be purchased by one person except at remote distances where the land is more broken.
"The statements of this folder are supported and backed by the Commercial Club of Pampa, and open investigation is very earnestly requested. Actual settlers can obtain land here at or near Pampa without fear of being robbed, held up or misled. Very little cash is required to purchase small tracts of land and very satisfactory terms may be had. ... Neither the grafter nor the boomer is here and for their absence Pampa has had a constant growth and is still enjoying the same healthy condition."
The booklet contains photographs of the White Deer Land Company exhibit house and office, First National Bank, O.A. Barrett brick building, Gray County State Bank, new brick school building, J.N. Duncan Hardware and Furniture, J.C. Studer Meat Market and a harvesting scene. Also included are photographs of the residences of C.B. Barnard, W.D. Martin, J.W. Talley, Nels Walberg, C.S. Barrett, W.G. Tinsley, J.R. Henry, L.H. Greene and J.N. Duncan.
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