The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1874-10-29
&c ae.ouree. q our Rrontler.

We have been forcibly impressed. Of late.
with the thriving condition and hopeful pros
poets Of certain of our frontier counties. such
as Llano. San Saba, McCulloch, Mason and
Brown. The corn crop this year Is good, the
grass excellent, while the cotton, though not
yielding largely, is Of superior quality. DR..
Greenyille Dowell, who is undoubtedly the
leading surgeon Of Texas, and probably Of
the whole Southwest, has been building up his
impaired health by q summers sojourn in the
beautiful mountain valleys OF this region, and
he reports the farmers as generally thrifty and
well-to-do. Many Of them, especially in San
Saba and Mason, use irrigation, and produce
never-fafling crops. Their tables are covered
with the best Of meat, fish, venisOn and other
game, clear mountain honey, fresh vegetables,
and an abundance of milk and butter.
The thieving, numbering redskins, who
have, for the last twenty years, made this
part Of our State their continuous resort, have
now retreated TO their villages on the Staked
Plain to protect their wigwams and families
from the determined attacks of General
Sheridan, who has concentrated upon
these Arabs Of the New World, from all points
of the compass, an overwhelming force Of
infantry and cavalry, with intent to bring
this vexed Indian question 70 sudden and con-
elusive settlement If Gen. Sheridan is not
interfered with by the Indian ring" and the
pseudo phIlanthropists of the East, he will, we
venture to predict, put an emphatic end to
these perpetually recurring forays on our suf-
fering frontier settlements.
When the mineral resources of this region
are taken into consideration, the extent of its
undeveloped wealth is amazing, and almost
incalcnlable. We doubt whether there is any
where else in the United States such an amount
of the crude material of civilized opulence and
power, even in the best auriferous and argen-
tiferous districts of California and Nevada.
There is but one thing to prevent an early and
complete development here, and that is the
want of railway facilities, by which alone mar
ket can be furnished for the minerals ir which
this region is known to abound. Although
the territory containing these minerals is as
yet but partially and specifically examined,
it is known that there is capacity there IN iron,
COAL and lead mines to supply every demand
of the American continent, while the ma
laehite and lithographic limestone, brownstone,
soapstone, granite and slate are destined to
occupy position as the best of their class
wherever such materials are used throughout
the country.
The quartzgold, AID the galena or silver
lead, which is found in hundred localities,
and which has SO long laid without CONNER
cial value for want of energetic handling, will
soon be made available The late develop
ments there in silver and gold are too impor-
tant and promising to be further ignored.
Want Of capital to carry on these mining en-
terprises on large and remunerative scale has
been the complaint, but the investments now
being made in these parts by Eastern capital
lists will soon afford a remedy for this. We
believe that, within two years, the silver and
gold products of Llano and San Saba coun-
ties will vie with their yield of cattle, cotton
and corn, and new Nevada there be opened
for the use of civilized man.