The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-03-21
Letter. from I'eTgS.
.rrs,x Texas. March l, 1873.


north. will devote leisure hour IN
writing about this most delightful por-
ton of the United States
This is the seat Of Justice Of Jack
county, a small but fast improving
town Oh the. very outskirts Of civlilzs-
ton Jack is border county, and has
been greatly retarded in being settled,
owing to its exposed frontier position,
suhiecting it to Indian excursions.
The popuIation of the county is small
IT present. utsteadily increasing; and
tie people are felicitating Themselves
with n hope Of an early completion Of
the Dallas and Washita Railroad,
Which will be the means Of building up
the town, settling up he country, acd
affording ampler means for protecting
themselves against tn" raids Of the red
savaces. This county lies in the Gross
TimbcTs' at the head Of the Trinitv
river. east OF Haskel county, with
. IhrOcfmOTton and Young counties in
tervening. It has great diversity OF
soil and surface, and is one OF the min
eral counties of the State.
The mineral wealth and natural cd
vant-ge Of this portion OF Texas viii
compare with any portionof the United
States. All she needs to make her the
great producing State Of the union. is
enterprisingcap.talista, skilled mochan-
les and stalwart laLoTers. She only
lacks men of means, Of skill and Of
muscle 20 develop her vast mines by
the erection OF rolling mills, blast fur
naceS. toundries. grist and saw mills
and manufactures Of all kinds Bus
mess men throughout the old States
have no knowledge of the vast resour-
ce5 OF Texas. The explorations Of the
copper veins in many of the adjoining
and surrounding counties, show con-
clusively that there are within their
borders immense deposits Of all the
minerals known. The supply of these
mineral deposits is supposed TO be in
exhaustible The most prolific dcpOs-
its of the r;che copper ote known.
cOvera very large area of Jack. Archer,
Clay, W iibarger and Washita counties.
The ore is much easier excavated from
the stratas in which it is found in the
counties than Is the copper ore found
in any other country, and the ore is
/ much easier smelted than any other
! copper ore known.
The coal in Young and adjoining
7 counties that his road viii develop.
. will exercise a most important influence
on the future welfare and prosperity Of
/ Texas. There Is an abundance Of this
most valuable mineral fuel in Young
and adjoining counties, to supply the
most eXtTavagant demands Of the State
/ for centuries. Inequality of the Texas
coal compares favorably with the coal
/ Of Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois and
/ lowe. Noung county especially. is
full Of coal, it being found everywhere
in the sinking Of wells. IN geOlogi-
cal survey Of the State, made in 1850
there were discovered st the mouth of
Nhishey creek, near Fort Beiknap,
three distinct coal beds, separated by
bands Of limestone, fire cIav, sandstone
and shaie. This coal it is said c0kes
without changing its form, and burns
with a bright yellow fame The value
Of the coal in this portion of Texas
/ cannot be Oyerestimated. There is, in
addition to these immense coal depOs-
its, in the same limits, vast accumula-
! tlOns OF iron ore, which only require
q judici0us expenditure of labor and
capital to he converted into a prolific
source Of wealth. The gypsum beds
IN these northwestern counties are be
ueVed to be the largest in the world
and capable OF supplying all the de
mands of the south and west for thous-
ands of Years. Between the Brazos
and Big Washita rivers, there are hills
seven hundred feet high, composed al
most entirely Of this material. In this
section OF the State are also found i'm
mense beds Of hydraulic limestone and
extensive beds Of building rocks Of
! great beauty and durability: also i'm
/ mems" Qu''IIt07 90 ',>.,-l: ell --~-i,,,,
ted limestone of remarkably fine tex
ture; which receives q very fine polish.
a. d is as beautiful rs the Tennessee e
marble for ornamental work. There
has also been discovered in this district
specimens Of galena or sulphurate of
lead, which induces the belief that fiji
tuCe researches will develop the exit
ence OF valuable veins Of this metal.
l would here ask, what other district
/ Of country in the United States so rich
/ IN all the elements of greatness. and
+ offers such inducements for CAPITALISTS
and men Of enterprise? No other
country in the world is scomparable with
this portion Of Texas in the richness of
/ its various minerals; in the variety and
/ fertility of It's soil; in the diversity of
its productions, and in the salubritv Of
its climate. Most especially does it
excel as a pastoral country, as its wide
/ prajries and 8loping hiilsides TEEN with
herds OF cattle, horses, sheep and goats.
! NO portion Of Texas vast domain has
cllmate more genial and healthful,
and no territory of equal area presents
50 many inducements to men of enter
prise and capital, nor such varied en-
ucenentS 70 the industrious emicrant.
W hen the Dallas and Washita Railroad
Is built no other sactinnn of d. l.: