Leatherman, Dewey L 1983-01-25

Dewey Leatherman discusses farming in Dell City, Texas, from 1946 to 1948.

General Interview Information

Interviewee Name: Dewey L. Leatherman

Additional Parties Recorded: None

Date: January 25, 1983

Location: Mineral Wells, Texas

Interviewer: Richard Mason

Length: 1 hour, 25 minutes

Abstract

Tape 1, Side 1: Farming, Olton, Texas (1946-1948), Irrigation, To Dell City, Texas, Reasons for move, Land purchase, Irrigation wells, Cost, Volume of water, Location of Dell City, Clearing of land, Farming for hire, Crops raised, Flood, Soil types, Cultivation, Return to Olton, Reasons for move, Irrigation, Dell City, Sprinkler system, Cotton, Yields, Types, Farm labor, Climate, Anecdote: sleeping on folding cot, Altitude, Farm labor (again), "Wet backs", Anecdote: dodging the Border Patrol.

Tape 1, Side 2: Dodging the Border Patrol (continued), Woostie, Population, Martin maize, Harvest, Sale, Profit, Land, Dell City, Price, Water, Soil, Leatherman land, Adobe house, Airplanes, Anecdote: Transporting injured man to El Paso, Living conditions, Housing, Wives, Animal problems, Anecdote: Antelope eating cotton, Rabbits, Rainfall in irrigation country, Return to Olton (again), Reasons (again), Anecdote: Borrowing money from Mr. Gentry, Irrigation, Drilling wells, Ditches, Anecdote: shooting ducks, Shooting rabbits, Anecdote: late freeze in valley.

Tape 2, Side 1: Late freeze in valley (continued), Tractors, Difficulty with mesquite thorns, Anecdote: stepping on grease-wood stick, "Water cooled boots", Irrigation (again), Siphoning water from ditches, Planting, Anecdote: rattlesnake under cotton, Snake problems, "Three Musketeers"/ Tye, Laughlin and Chandler (TL&C), Clark Chandler, Gary Laughlin, Housing, Flood, June 1, 1948 (again), Cotton gin, Naming of Dell City, Claude Boyles, Recreation, Anecdote: Roy Keeney kills horse, Farming (again), Diversification, Rivalry: Dell City versus Sierra Blanca, Hudspeth County Fair, Dell City residents, Gentry family, John Arthur, Alvin and Lola, Ardell and Berniece Donathan, Leatherman children, Ranchers opinion of Dell City farmers, Feed source, Anedote: Mr. Brownfield irrigates cotton, Land (again), Clearing cost, Anecdote: fixing freeze-plug on tractor, Acreage, Irrigation (again), Sprinkler systems, Allotment problems.

Tape 2, Side 2: Allotment problems (continued), Farming, West Texas, Crops raised, Corn, Government involvement in farming, Dell City, Water source, Decline in farm population, Climate, Mineral Wells, Texas, Climate, Lubbock, Texas, City planning, Climate, Cotton harvest, Floydada, Dell City, Anecdote: Ardell Donathan sells cotton at Carlsbad, Jim Williams.

Range Dates: 1946-1983

Bulk Dates: 1946-1948

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