The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-10-09

Continent so rich and varied in history as
the State Of Texas. Ii has been owned and
possessed in turn by France. Spain and
Mexico: has been an independent republic:
a star oil first magnitude in the Confeder-
acy and is now . loyal and law-abiding
State OF this Union, and the Mecca. the
land of promise. TO which all eyes are
turned.
But two short years ago Texas was rs
remote from the Western States for all in
land commerce n the Mountains OF the
Moon; but now, railroads have touched
her with their magic hands and her remot-
est settlements are reached with but one
setting OF the sun.
As this State i now attracting such uni
versal attention we believe we cannot
please our readers better than by giving
few statistics and information of general
interest. The AREA offhe State il 274.O00
square miles. or 1850. 600 acres. The
population. in 1850. was 2l2OO0 IN 1860
IL was 10000; In 1870 IL was SIS. 900. and
now approximates 10000. and Is filling
up at the rate of about 1900 Per month
not attracted by glitiering gold or mines
of silver, but for quiet homes, old-fashion-
ed farming and stock-raising. Her taxa
BILE property. in 1850. was SOL ,OO0. 900.
She lost $500. 600 worth of slaves by the
war. and yet her taxable property in 1870
was S2l0. 100000, and probably double that
sum now. The next assessment will In
clude the railroad property of the State. OF
which there j. already in operation about
loo miles. The public domain belongs
exclusively to the State. the United States
having no interest in il. and of this she
has given with lavish hand TO railroads
instead of bonds, thus securing vast sys-
tenn Of internal Improvements without in
curing heavy bonded debt or burden
some taxation upon her people. These
lands have been given 10 railroads, In al
ternate sections. the even numbers being
reserved by the State as school lands. and
are now placed upon the market Ito
actual settlers only at sl.JO per acre on
a credit Of ten years with interest at
ten per cent per ancum. she also
gives 10 each immigrant homestead OF
leo acre., on condition of his or her liv-
ing upon it for three years and paving
the surveyors fee. never more than
twelve dollars. This may lie taken from
any Of the public lands of which he still
has 5000. 600 acres unappropriated after all
her certificates are redeemed. The vast
extent Of the country gives her a great va
riely OF soil and climate. About 1000
square miles Is the estimated wheat region.
and seventeen TO twenty bushels to the
acre i about the average. In the elevated
or mountainous region Of the State tits not
uncommon to see wheat. corn and cotton
growing in the same field. sugar and to-
bacco grow TO great perfection all the
small grains. Irish and sweet potatoes,
fruits, and garden vegetables ripen from
six to eight weeks In advance Of the
Western States. which will afford her
market without competitor. The esti.
mated value of her cotton crop for 1874 is
SO. 900. 900. and her annual export Of
beeves IL about S7.000.0O0. The region
west Of San Antonio River is the finest
sheep range In America, and woolgrow-
ing i reaching mammoth proportions and
men are making rapid fortunes. One
man who had but 5000 head at the close
of the war. has now 10000. and fifty
leagues of land. Sheep-raisers are coming
from Australia and California and settling
there. All kinds Of stock live upon the
native grasses without other food and with
but little attention. state taxes are but
fifty cents on the one hundred dollars:
county taxes about the same. Her free
school system gives to every child in the
State good English education. Law ard
order are as rigidly maintained, and crime