The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1873-09-27

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foOlo fduofof lho imnf liomId
W. WlcmIm wna arrested Wv nn mr.
Odo IN tmf dnlly lsa0cof tlio 3ld lnsib
signed NJ H. ~ mo writer refcri
vefy lflony ~ mo N tllo greatest quo.
lion, that mn concern tlio ngdci1lnr.
lsls u Twm, yki llic fcnceq question
I have been investigating the maiicr
rnr several years, and always With the
same conclusion. n you were Ia tell u
farmer NJ Dnllas county what u costs
10 keep up the present system OF fchc-
ing In the state Of TcXns, hc would
think you were crazy. Indeed, II h
incredible. | calculated the expense
to the people Of Tennessee several
years ago when was citizen of that
state, aud the strongest argument that
| can make 10 convince Dallas county
farmers Of this great bargain to their
industry, Is 10 give them the figures Of
that calculation.
suppose that State Cfcnnessec) has
thirty million (30,Ooo, OO0) acres Of land;
of that say onc-tcnth--three millions
is under fence; suppose these fields
contain forty acres each fair allow
ancc; dividing the three millions by
forty, we have sevcnty-ilve thousand
fields. II requires exactly one mile of
fence to enclose forty acres of land,
that is to say we have scventy-five
thousand miles of fence, which, at
seven thousand rails to the mile (being
IN approximate calculation for ten
rail fence, will require forty-nine MILL
ion l0,0OO, 000) rails; allowing another
million for lots, cross-iences, etc,
and we have II round fifty million
of rails, 1t is worth one dollar and n
quarter hundred to have these rails
made (I am nj present paying one dol
lar aud half II hundrcd); fifty mil
lion, ut one dollar and quarter hun
,red brings SG25,0O0. The timber in
these rails is worth, at Il low estimate,
twice as much ~ the inaking-parties
purchasing them would soon find it so;
this gives us an additional sum of 81 :
$50, 600; total, Sl,S75,G coo. 1t is worth
one dollar, at least, per hundred to
haul and put up these rails; this gives
us another $50O,OOO; total, S2,32,OO0.
This fence must be annually repaired,
to the extent of Mt least five per cent;
in other words, the average fence lasts
twenty years, which is a liberal allow
/, ance for the age of a common rail fence.
This is an annual tax of SllS,75O.
But who can estimate the value OF
the noble forests that are annually cut
down TO supply this demand of modern
vundalism--tor indeed it IL barbarous
to destroy these precious gifts of ma
ture so unnecessarily. 1t is well known
/. that the finest timber trees are called
into requisition for the purpose of max,
ing fence rails. All this splendid tim
Der could be used for the purpose OF
manufactures in wood-a class OF
manufactures that, probably, employs
more industry than any other. The
beauty of our landscapes are de
stroyed, our streams are driet
up by the rays of the sun, for it is
fact that the destruction of the forests
is II prelude to blighting droutlls; oul
farms are fenced by unsafe, hideou'
and announcement enclosures, and til,
annual destruction of crops b., cracks
IN this fance would overba!ance the
taxes we pay. But II the Sta!o Of Ten
nessee, Il well tlmbered State, IL such /
sufferer by this relic of the early habit
of the pioneers, how is it with Texas
1t needs no prophet or son of prophe
to foretell the result Of the present sys
TEN. Farmers will soon learn tina
they can take the fence from arount
forty acres and enclose one hundret
and forty. Instead of having thei
crops rgyaged by agang of half-starve'
razorbaolls, they will sleep secure un
der cattle fence, and their Berkshire
and EsscXts will he fhttening, whcr
they belong, IN pens.
MORE ANON.