The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1878-03-07
Letter from Texas.

Tho following letter was written Tor
the Home journal by our fellow towns.
man, Judge J, N McCutchcon, during
his late visit To the Lone Star State:
KIcKAPAw, Parker Co., Texas.
+, bruary 18th, 1881
Dear Billy:
This Is a new place, near the Brazos
river, on q creek OF the same name,
There IS a saw and grist' mill, two
stores, and u blacksmilll-sbop here. 1t
is shout one mile from Pete Williams
house, end about forty miles (south OF
west IRON Fort Worth. 1t Is the best
agricultural district | ever saw-he>
tween this point and Fort Worth-and
hut little OF this Immense body OF
lands is improved. Settlers are few
ani far between. The best lands are
in the valleys along the creeks, but
large bodies of good land lie out on
the high, undulaling prairies. The
highest lands are on what Texans call
''dividcs,' between creeks Or rivers
and when on n o! these high points
one can enjoy a view Of wild, smooth
prairie, in every direction, for IL or 70
miles. The eye never rested on Il
scene 80 grand and imposing. The
undulating character OF the soil gives 1t
the appearance Of the rolling raves Ct
the ocean. and inspires the bel,older
with feelings Of admiration and awe
for the Great Author Of this immense
creation.
Words are too feeble TO portray this
country. One must see TO realize the
,astncss Of these rolling prairies. !
have seen no country that remunerates
The farmer better than this.
This section is filing up rapidly
new houses sprlnging up al over the
country. Buildings are mostly box
houses, constructed Of pine plank
shipped from eastern Texas.
We miss the fruit trees here but
peaches would grow he:e II planted.
We have not seen a fruit tree Of any
description, which Jim. Snaps little
daughter (Liz1ir) planted. Ia the
creek and river bottoms the mustang
grapes flourish luxurnntly, They are
rs large rs II muscadlnes, aud make
an excellent wine. There are plenty
of them on the Brazos, lear Pete WI.
liams'. "Petc' lives in the Big Val
ley, and has as good and pretty u farm.
OF over 500 acres, AS l cver saw. His
land is well adapted to cotton and
corn, and barley, and he makes plenty
Of wheat; but his lands are rot 50
good for wheat AS the prailies, there
being too much sand in it.
The pralries produce good grass for
purposes. and cattle and
live and keep in thriving ION
lition or the cured grass that covers
hese parties every where where the
oil is good. The frosts kill The grass,
nut there is 80 little rain fall in the fall
md winter, that the grass keeps all
hrOush winter and retains sufficient
to keep the stock in pretty
,ood order. Some men are, even now,
this dead grass and hauling it
o Fort Worth, where it sells tor 81
,rr ton. The grass in the prairies is
ust beginning to peep up, but IN the
imbcr, on the river bottoms, it is
green and thick, and hand-high.
The people here never cover their
or granuries with anything but
10y, except occasionally a crib or ga
larv is covered with boards or plank
nearly all are covered with the na-
i've grasses, or millct.
Large herds of cattle may be seen or
he prairics, some of them fat enough
or beef. Nineteen hundred sheep
Missouri passed through Jim.
place II few days since,
You ought to cone out here and see
ow they make Iences. (They have II
Og law in some sections, where they
My fence against horses and cattle. ,
ONE are pole; some wire. with barhs ,
u the wire; Others smooth wire;
,me 2 planks, Others 3 planks, nailed
r tied to posts some the old rail
nee, DC.