San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1879-05-31
Little Things are Grems 10 Lit.
tie Men

may be permitted to give some notice
among the other improvements Of
our town-of our own bit Of expert.
ence in improving home in the noun.
tain portion of the place. Our loca.
ton is on the first elevation in the
hills Immediately opposite the central
portion of the town, and while effectu.
ally lifted out OF the mud, dust and
heat of the lower grounds, yet very con.
venient to the business Of the place.
1t was selected by US on first coming
TO the country, nearly six years since,
principally with reference to health,
but also because we wore struck with
the advantages We have named and
impressed with the natural beauty Of
the place, opening go splendidly to the
unfailing delightful Gulf breeze in
summer, shaded by fine natural forest
trees, sheltered from the northers by
the cedars in winter, and commanding
q grand and exquisite semicircular
view for many miles of the undula ting
prairles, diversified with mots of tim
Der, over the tops Of the extensive for
ests which mark the course of the San
Marcos river to its confluence with the
Blanco, and nearer at hand, a portion
of the town.
The place consists of about an acre.
only about half of which is as yet
fenced; the remainder we trust will
soon be. Here let US explain, for the
benefit of numerous 'inquirine friends,
that the peculiar diamond shape of the
ground results from the fact that it is
a fractional block. there being street
on every side of it. Two of these are
opened; the third. Mary street, lying
between our place and that of s. j.
Thomas (now occupied by Mrs. De-
Long, is not yet opened, but probably
ere long will be. We shall therefore
not be liable to be crowded" nor to
have any trouble about joining fences
with any one.
The Intelligent contraband" who
helped about the fence first noticed
the fact that the portion fenced resem-
bles the letter A in form. And in our
simple humble mindedness we confess
that it is to US not merely literally but
as a place Of residence actually "A
No. l." in San Marcos and vicinity;
certainly we should be 10th to exchange
it for many larger or more valuable
places.
As to our improvements, aside from
the house they may be pretty much
summed up in a cistern and fence.
These, however, are big things" in
improvement. No one who
has not tried it can realize the patience
and long-sufering, to say nothing of
the cost involved in these improve
ments in the tenacious composite rocks
which characterize such localities.
But they most emphatieally pay. Cis.
tern water, in all countries the only
sort really fit to drink or use tor do
nestle purposes, is especially so in
Texas, the we'll water being full OF
earthly and mineral impurities. Our
cistern therefore, estimated to hold
some 200 barrels, and some 20 feet
deep, we regard, in this drouthy land,
as above all price. Then pine board
fence, nailed to solid cedar posts, deep.
ly set and we'll rammed in the rocks,
is thing for all time; ours we doubt
not will outlast the present generation
of mankind.
Among minor improvements we have
q number of choice peach, pear, fig,
plum and other fruit trees, grape vines,
&c., planted in February, nearly all Of
which are doing first rate. In fact,
notwithstanding its rocky front, our
little place comprises some very good
soil for the growth of fruits, vegetables,
&C., and in this connection we
have great confidence of being able to
demonstrate in due time the truth of
the axiom of the late lamented" Sam
Patch, that some things can be done
as we'll as others"
Lastly (and this is one main point
in our present notice. we wish to give
credit where credit is due" in the
construction of our improvements.
To Mr. Ropers We are indehted not