Swanner, Howard T 1986-11-12

Howard Swanner discusses the growth of the Santa Fe Rail system in West Texas, as well as farming in the Slaton area.

General Interview Information

Interviewee Name: Howard T. Swanner

Additional Parties Recorded: None

Date: November 12, 1986

Location: Slaton, Texas

Interviewer: Richard Mason

Length: 50 minutes

Abstract

Tape 1, Side 1: Background, Born: Petersburg, Tennessee (September 1901), To Decatur, Alabama, Malaria, To Amarillo, Texas (1914), To Woodward, Oklahoma, Parents: Robert Argyle and Elma Swanner, Education, Education, Oklahoma A & M, Track events, Coach arranges job, Pledges Kappa Sigma, Job to pay for boarding, Past work for Railroad, Track gang, Rock quarry, To Slaton, Texas, Father: Water Service, Supervisor, Division of Santa Fe Railroad, Santa Fe wells, Employment in Engineering, Department of Amarillo, Division, Santa Fe Railways, Driving grade stakes, Unloading first materials for Texas Tech, Creating rail records, Slaton to Texas, Housing construction business, Materials used, Plans, Losses in 1929, Banking—Slaton, Texas, Purchase of failed Slaton banks (1932), Organization of new bank, Slaton Bank, Charter members, Types of loans made, Branch banking law, Effect on small towns, Farm loans, Swanner’s loan practices, Conservation of friends, Repossessions, Sale of bank, Terms of sale, Retirement from banking (1973), Operation prior to charter (1932), Financial statistics of bank, In 1973, In 1932, Loan committee, Cost of farm production, In 1932, In 1986, Problems with cotton crop.

Tape 1, Side 2: Santa Fe Rail lines, Purchase of Pecos and Northern Texas lines (c. 1950), Slaton Depot and general offices, Division engineers, Founding of Slaton, Texas, O. L. Slaton purchased lands, Lubbock held out on water issue, J. W. Walters laid out town, Railroad colonization, Building of local businesses, Santa Fe pulls out of Slaton, Harvey House, Description, Meals available, Immigrant cars, Mexican nationals, Santa Fe water system—Slaton, Water treatment, Irrigation loans, Encouragement of irrigation, Early irrigation wells in Slaton area, Farmers move to town and hire farm labor, Home production, Cream business, Marketing, Cotton sales, Street buyers, Bank loans to buyers, Politics, Federal deficit, Future possibilities, Self serving congress, Wholesale grocery business, Effect of chain stores, Slaton businesses, Decade of 1930s, Effect of highway, Wholesale grocery business (again), Purchase of Heston Wholesale, Operation, Grocery items stocked.

Range Dates: 1901-1986

Bulk Dates: 1932-1986

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