The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-05-05
From T exas.

Jacksonville Texas April %, 1877.
As there isacontnual influx of emigrantI
from your state, as well as many others, see;Y
ing their fortunes within the borders of our
Lone Star State, thought few articles on
the general features of the country, also on
the manners and customs of Texans would
not be found amlss by persons desiring to To-
cate here. Before starting out, will say
that 1t is not my intention to euloglze the mer-
its of the country, nCr to eXaggerate It's de-
merits; neither to foster immigration or to
discourage It; but II is my earnest desire to
set forth in truthful, concise style, the al.
vantages and disadvantages, in short, the
good and the bad of Texas, thereby leaving
the reader to Judge Tor himself Having
spent the greater portion Of my life here, what
write will be in great measure from Oh.
servaton and practical experiments. In this
will give 4 general description of the coun.
try.
This (McLenaan) country, with many
others, is known as Central Texas, and so
complete has been the natural division, that
several attempts have been made 10 divide
the state into three, to be known as Eastern,
Western ana Central Texas. But with joy be
ii said, the scheme was thwarted in its infan-
cy, and we are left to live under one govern
ment; for it requires heavy taxation to sup
port one, let alone three. The greater part of
this division consists ofhlgh, rolling prairies,
anG in many localities timber adjacent IN
sufficient quantities for farming purposes;
while in others you will find settlers living
ten to fifteen miles from any wood whatever.
The soil is of black, sticky nature when wet
add very productive. To give some idea of
It's tenaclty, wagon.wheels are often clogged
solid between the spOkes, and as to getting
it off your hands and feet, it is almost an i'm
possibility, except by the free use of water.
At this season these vast prairies all clothed
IN green and dotted here and there with flow
ers of every hue, whose fragrance is borne on
every breeze, present sweet picture to lovers
of the beautiful. AS a general thing this
portion of the state is poorly waered, espe-
cially in the way of running water for stock.
speak of the dry season, during the sum-
mer months, when the hot sun brings death
to every fountain, except 1t be supplied with
an nexhaustible reservoir For that reason
1t is very common thing to see artificial
tanks or pools constructed by stOckmen,
which partially obviatc this difficulty during
the dry season
Eastern Texas is just the reverse of Central,
in many respects. 1t is covered almost en-
trely with dense forests ofpine timber, though
occasionally little prairie can be seen. The
soil, except in the valleys, is ola yellow sandy
nature, anG is soon exhausted by cultivation.
Its heavy timber uniitsit for stOckraising,and
the thinnesS of the soil for Successful farming.
So we find its great treasure lies imbedded
within the pine tree, which is being rapidly
developed by the increasing demand for lum
Der to enclose the tlmberless praTies. lthas
only been few years since, when all the pine
lumber used here had to be transported by OK
teams, a distance of 100 miles; which placed
the cost at SO to IS per hundred feet So the
development Of the country was OF necessity
very slow. But the iron horse has succeeded
the horned one, and so infused new life into
every branch of industry that wonderful
change has been the result. Great forests
have been hewn down in one section, and
borne away by the strong arm of steam to de-
velope the untold resources of another.
Western Texas is quite different from eth
er of the two sections have just described
Instead of undulatlng prarles or great for
est trees, mountains, all covered with chaot-
&c rocks, with towering heads, greet the trav-
eler's eye as he moves westward The val
leys are very fertile, bat are usually in small
bodies Water is abundant and of good quail
ity, which, with unlimited quantities Of grass,
it it far better for a stock country than an ag-
ricultural one. The mountains, with their
shelving rocks and deep gorges between, fur
nish good winter protection, which is OF vital
importance to the stockraiser il Texas, as II
would be matter of impossibility for him
to provide his stock with food and SHELTER
during the winter season. Passing still iurtl-
or west. the mountains gradually decrease in
to level PLAIN, upon whose surface countless
herds OF buffalo range at will, aud villages OF
prairie dogs greet the weary pioneer. The
soil of this desert-like country is loose and
sandy, and we think only it to grow buffalo
and Indians Such is the appearance of Tex
as in a few brief outlines. LITTLE TEXAN.
The CITY Council OF Ottawa, Illinois, have au-
thorized the following committee to receive bids