The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-08-16

the hour OF his death, but would gre
no sceount Of how he was shot"
A correspondent writing from Hills.
boro, August s, says: II can now
give you some idea of the crop pros
pect in q few of the western counties
through which have travelled. In
the western portion of Lampasss but
little is made, and also in the western
portion of San Sabs not enough is
made to half supply the country. Nc
Cullocb nothlng; entire failure IL corn
and very little wheat. Concho moth
ing. Brentwood almost an entire fail
ure IN both wheat and corn. At Beas-
leys the crop is in. On the Colorado,
am Informed, they intend TO apply TO
the Governor for assistance. Comanche
is in Il better condition, and will make
enough to get along with; the south
and. eastern portion of the county will
have some wheat TO spare. Since
leaving Comanche find the crops fine /;
IS to cotton, it will not weld more
than one-fourth of crop, should it
have ever SO gcoi luck grass in the
above district Is dead up TO Satur-
day, the twenty-sixth, there had been
no rain for some time, when it raiued
hard, and since then the grass
has Tesuscitated ana turned green.
At Browpwood my attention was
called to the court house-would not
have known i, VAS one but for the sur
ronndings. Ii reminded me of the
history of the Tower of Babel. After
finishing the second story the work men
got out on the corners and built large
monuments-or structures about the
size OF hogshesd-which make it look
very awkward, aud reminds Re of
Negro Head mountain in Burnett coun-
ty, all OF a yellow hard locking stone.
And il the outside ia Oh index of its
inmates they certainly are hard act.
1t is Z nice hltle, compact town, but
the drought makes things look badly.
A correspondent asks few questions
touching great matter, OF is there
an Agricultural and Mechanical Col
lege in Texas l. IL the institute
which has cnet the taxpayers of Texas
! about $500, 900, located at Bryan, in
any sense an agricultural and mecbsa-
icsl college" .. Is it anything more
than military schooli .. Has the
State the right to give free tuition TO
| students attending it, who make no
| pretensions TO desire to become either
mechanics or farmersl t. Does the
school tslr any resemblance to the
agricultural anu mechanical colleges
| of Alabama or Massachusetts or the
industrial university of Illinoisf or the
agricultural and mechanical college Of
Kansas, or sny other agricultural and
mechanical institute, except in it's mil
| itaTy featured }. Is il organized ac-
cording TO the intentions Of the Hon.
J. T. Morrill,, who framed the original
bill for grants of land to States for the
purpose of beneAting such as desired
higher qualifications for industrial pur-
suitsS Il. Ought a man of nice sense
of moral honor to be willing to be q
beneficiary of an Institution for tuinon,
which inst tu ion receives its only
means for payment of ofRcers from .
grant of the United States government
for specific purpose. I. Ought not 8
committee OF the Legislature, when
that body meets, examine into thi:
matter, db initiO, and report the facts
to the taxpayers of The Statee 8. Car
an institution rank rs college which
asks for pupils to register without ex
animation oY presenting certificates oi
oharac'e /: .. ls it any part Of the
exercises of a college to close its years
session with the announcement Of al
annual party, under the signature o.
its presiien!}
The Boerne Register tells Of n natnr
al curiosity in Boerne: alt ia sub
terranean stream of water running
from north to south, passing through
the lot or which the brewery is situa
ted and emptying into the Cib0lo river
Some years ago, when sheriff Stende
bach owned tho above mentioned
property, ne caused a well to be sunl
there, and this subterrsneous STREAM
was struck at the depth OF twenty
eight feet. Mr.. Stendebach acci lent
ally dropped his pipe into this stream
and it emerged from spring in tbs
Cibolo three-fourths of a mile "a. EX
periments have been ..ade with pieces
!
subterranean streams have been dis.
covered in this part of the State, and NJ
doubt after this country has beer
thoroughly geologically surveyed ano
prospected, hundreds will be known
thus making thousands Of acres Of rict
farming land very valuable that cannot
be settled now for the want of water
The existence of subtevranean stream,
is manifest from various Indications
This country is OF limestone formation
and water cannot tIickle or seer
through the soil and come TO The sur
face as in some other sections, but the
water gathers in the assures Of EIck
and flows in stream tATodgh cIeyice'
for miles, and aualiy comes to the sur
face. Some OF our largest rivers ar,
formed in this way. The San Antonio
Comsl and San Marcos tivers suddealJ
burst forth from the ground, forming
at once large streams, of sufficient sizs
to be nayigaLle fGE nsdium-siZeC
steam boats were it not for their swift
current. Many Of our caves, which arr
numerous in THE country, have beer
found to contain streams of water
The came is true OF rock crevices. I
our farmers and others would pay som,
attention to the discovery Of thees sub
terranean streaas their iabors woulC
no doubt sometimes be crowned with
success, and they would then have bet
ter water and more of il than by dig
ging "just for luck" at any plac,
which thtir fancy may dictate.