New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-09-18
CInobo VALLEY, Bexar Count,

ana disappearance OF the ttdter IN the CtbOt0
RiUeT,-F 0sSeis-G r0tcth Of Trees, etc.
GIBobo Valley, Bexar COUNTY
Texas, August 3d. 1858.
Here | am on the West bank of the Ciboo, enjoy.
ing the kind attentions Of one of the most refined and
agreeable families that have met with since my
arrival in Texas. Dame Fortune has smiled on them,
but the smile has not dried up the refreshing waters
of kindness and affection natural to them-it has not
converted their hearts into hard specie Their wealth
is not entirely displayed in negroes mules aud cotton
bales Instead ofthe miserable hut which many of the
wealthy planters in the new States of the Southwest
are too often disposed to be content with they have
dwelling which presents to the stranger an inviting
appearance-which affords every facility for comfort
and pleasure, and in which the proprietor can always
receive his friends without apologies. The family
consists Of father mother, two and four daugh-
ters The children like their parents are natural in
their manners, refined and intelligent I have been
twelve hours in this charming circle, and feel now
that shall regret very much the arrival Of the time
Of my departure.
Several years ago wealthy planter died in Ken
lucky leaving large number Of negroes emancipated
and sufficient sum of money to defray their ex-
penses to Liberia and to purchase home there for
each family. The instructions Of the deceased owner
were carried out. The negroes were sent to Liberia
and there comfortably settled. After an absence Of
few years they all returned to Kentucky and i'm.
plored the brother of their deceased master to take
them into his service He complied with their re-
quest and they entered gladly into bondage as his
slaves, With these negroes the brother moved to
Texas, and he has now one of the finest plantations
and the best set Of servants that have seen in this
NJ Z, n NJ l IT'D 7
am now the recipient Of
A ramble over the fields this morning has I'M
pressed me with what some would term an extraya-
CANT idea of the richness and productiveness of the
Cibolo Valley Ihave seen fields that will turn out
seventyive bushels of corn, and from one to one and
a half bales Of cotton to the acre. Richer land
have never lacked upon and believe that, with in
creased cultivation it could be made to yield fully
one hundred bushels of corn and two bales of cotton
to the acre.
Cotton in this valley is a more reliable crop than
corn. In 1856, when the corn crop was a partial
failure in consequence Of the drouth, the yield of
cotton very fair 1t is true that in 1867 the cot
ton crop failed but that was occasOned by an unusual
frost on the 18th of April Had it not been for that
frost, the yield would have been good notwthstand
ing the prevalence Of the drouh which destroyed the
corn. have talked with good many planters on
this subject, and they all coincide in this opinion
Aud they further say that they have never known
cotton to suffer much here for the want Of rain.
Some Of the largest plantations in Western Texas
are in this valley. The planters are mostly from
Mississippi and Alabama and l must say that they
are credit to the States from which they hail They
are nearly all enterprsing intelligent and wealthy
The majority Of them engaged exclusively in cot
ton growing, and pay but little attention to stock
raising. In fact the valley is not well suited to that
business, which is probably the cause of its not being
generally carried on in connection with farming
Before coming to Western Texas | had heard
much about the insecurity of negro property here,
and WAS induced to believe from what had heard
aud read that it decidedly safer on the Ohio river
than in this section. have made particular enquiries
in regard to this and from all that can learn West
ern Texas is now considered as safe place for negro
property as any Of the extreme Southwestern States
few years ago there were several stampedes Of ne.
groes to Mexico, which occasoned at the time consid
cradle excitement The majority Of these runaways
have since returned to their American masters glad
to escape the system of peonage to which they were
subjected shortly after their arrival in Mexico This
system of peonage is well understood by the negroes
mt ,onnar ,,.,-,y ~ sr,aart WON,
and fbsr gito rocai9o my , st,'.'
tton on5 b,It fa5 tba, sro fareo5 :, al 49, 49,
oror ,vora5 ~, tlorSa sotI rla 't'Sy
successful rnnnin ayyoy tbara nloss ho,
country Tfanrra5anJa5 s ro iii, ..S
Iays FIR III il tber doorn Tbis $780, 49,, IN
known omong tba NEGROES and 49,, ~ ,,.,
is NOT ronch d3ngar If oo, If t5,, sl;rs sl'oi'
ward from nil rocion
Since WRITING t6a ohovo hove b,d tr,o ,1aas,,.,
Of seeing far fhn rsf to tho ,rstarfa,s 49,
river. Like many other streams in western Te,.,s
it gpsbes fortb from the aortl with reat siaoa. +,
the form Of snrings rims with c6nsdor,a
distance of tim miles from its sonrcs ts,, ~
neors from yiew makes H. oTnea,onoa 49, ~.
fifteen miles further sontb eitbant NV ,,1s
Elimination Of volume and thus Il cong,og ppl,ss
ousy appearipg and dsannasrn mil y
into tho S., TT W.. ~ 'liPt.eS
,1 o r. -N,o3 t,si a. oIn' ANONYMITY miles
seasons the flow is continuous from the source 10 the
mouth of the river This makes the bed Of tie river
clear and distinct. It'll in this bed that the water
appears and disappears during the dry seasons, con
sequenty there can be no doubt Of it4 heinz IN. saw,
which hGIs.,,n gr,, tbo -, wv - ''i'
~ s,'' W "' eie 720'te
In the banks aud bed Of this river in this locality
are great variety q fossils. oonk, muscle and