Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 October 1890 — TEXAS FEVER HAD TO GO. [ARTICLE]

TEXAS FEVER HAD TO GO.

Great energy was displayed by Secretary Rusk in handling Texas fevor, and in the imperative orders issued by him to railroad and transporation companies in regard to the cattle frank; regulations which though at first they seemed unduly rigid, have resulted in the general satisfaction oi cattle men, especially of the Northern cattle grower, who, for the first time in years, has enjoyed comparative immunity from the ravages of this disease. The energetic manner in which the almost impossible work of undertaking a survey and investigation of ■tire-artesian reference to the possible utilization over a large section of country in the Mississippi Valley extending from North Dakota to Texas in the short time allotted to the Secretary for the purpose by Congress, .sixty days, was successfully accomplished, thanks to the Secretary’s push, arid his own and th£ Assistant Secretary’s judgment in the selection of assistants; and one of the most comprehensive and valuable reports laid before Congress at the present session in relation to a subject involving the well being' and future prosperity of several millions of people has been the result. Investigation into the resources of the 300,000,000 acres of non-irrigable land has also been undertaken with a view to increasing their forest producing capacity. Experiments have been undertaken in conjunction with local experiment stations, with tbe native grasses, already growing in that region, the seed for which had to be collected by agents traveling hundreds of miles on foot over the prairies for that purpose. Investigations in to the possibility of improving and thus greatly extending the use of our native fruits and constant efforts tq secure new and tried varieties of different economic plants have been actively carried on.