Mexico weekly ledger., 1879-08-28
FROM TEXAS.
WEATHERFoRD, TEXAS,
AuuuSt C 20

tuiS country anu western leXaS,
particularly Western Texas. On the
9th of July 1, in company with four
other Missourians, left Parker county
for western trip of observation.
This county is mostly of a broken
character, covered with post oak,
soil sandy, ,and produces well when sea-
sonable, only tolerably we'll watered.
We camped on Grindstone Creek the
first night. This stream affords
plenty of stock water and fish and is
some larger than Salt River. THIS
stream skirts the mountain and is Is
miles from Weatherford and II miles
from PHO Pinto the road runs ang-
ling up the mountain and is from
1-2 to 3-4 of mile to the top, COW
cred all the way with rock, and the
ground, If there is any, is filled up
with them Of all sizes and kind. On
top of this mountain we came on to
post oak fiat that reaches to the
Brazos River, miles. Ibis is
beautiful country to look at; the tim
ber is not thick, with very little un-
dergrowth; think this land would
produce good wheat and corn if one
could get water on top. I think,
however, some day this will be cult
waited with profit. We crossed the
Brazos at 8 1-2 o'clock. This is a
wide stream, between one-fourth and
third of mile and it, was shall
low then. We tor,led it without any
trouble, water not over z 1-2 feet
deep. The water is brackish, not
good for drinking purposes; had a
refreshing bath in it. We camped
for dinner at good spring miles
from PHO Pinto; the surplus water
of this spring was used to lrrigate
garden; was conducted in log troughs
200 yards. Pilo Pinto is a dead
match for Middletown, In Montgomery
county, believe, in every respect.
Four miles from there we camped
for the night, on Eagle Creek. This
is a fine clear stream; was not rum
ming at this time, but with ahund-
ance of water; fine place for bass
fishing. (By the way, bass in Texas
are called trout.) After leaving this
creek we had 13 miles of fine country,
mountains in the distance on our
right, with Eagle Creek ON our eft.
The country is musqult, called SO
from the grass and brush that covers
it the grass is short, never grows
over inches high, the brush looks
like an old peach orchard. If you
could set q EIissourian down near
one of these flats with farm house
in sight he would say, what a big
peach orchard. The character of
this timber OIL brush is of the locust,
the leaves resemble it, only smaller;
the bean or pod is like it, the bark
and the wood are as much like it as
one could imagine, and the timber is
used tor posts and lasts as long as
our yellow locust does.
We camped at a creek called Iron
Eye for dinner. This is a broken
mountainous country, good for hogs,
covered with shin-oak, aftording good
mast. Camped that night at Little
Caddoe in Stephens county, crossed
| Big Cadd9, fine streams Of water
took dinner on Gonsolas Creek;
good crops for the season and fine
lands along the valleys here, with
plenty of post oak for fencing.
| We camped for the night on Big
Sandy. This is fine creek, full Of
fish. Sunday, the 18th, we crossed
Pecan Creek, drove 8 miles and
camped on Battle Creek, another
fine body of water, and spent the
Sabbath, and eat dinner at Deep
Creek. At night we camped ON Ii
del Creek, called Live Oak on the
road maps. think the finest body
of land | ever saw lays along this
creek. There is about II miles
square of land that can be cultivated,
fine grass with plenty of musqin for
fire wood. This creek is II miles
west from Belle Plane, county seat
of Callahan county; the creek is in
Taylor county, II miles from Buffalo
Gap, county seat of Taylor.
The lands on Lidel Creek are of
the black sandy or chocolate varie-
ties, said to be the best Gotten lands
in the state. Buffalo Gap is a new
town, with seven or eight business
houses, population, 200, more or
less, with rival town near, Prairie
Dog Town. Speaking of prairie
dogs, l think we travelled over
a hundred miles through these towns,
and they look something like a fox
squirrel, little heavier, with a short
tail like our ground squirrel. This
town lies, as its name suggests, be-
tween the mountains in a gap, not
over 3-4 of mile wide; the soil is
red sandy the waters in the creeks
are of the color of Red River; the
water in the wells have a red cast,
they get water in 20 feet and spade
from top to bottom: the soil is the
same color, but more sandy in the
bottom of the wells. Generally
water can be found from 20 to 80
feet. This is the deepest l found on
our trip. This county has the most
good land in it of any county L have
passed over, the price being from 75c
to $3.50 per acre; building rock can
be found on the hills and mountains.
We left Buffalo Gap and travelled
southeast down the waters of the jim
Ned. Fine body of lands here, lack
ing timber; good water for stock and
for drinking by digging rs feet. We
camped 20 miles from the Gap on
Buck Creek, near or in the corner
of Reynolds county. More timber
here than in Taylor county; the land
from the Gap to Coleman City is
generally good. I am speaking of
the valleys; the mountains are fit for
grazing only, and have timber and
rock on them. Coleman City is -four
ishing place with fine prairie lands
surrounding it. This county for wa
ter, timber and grazing is fine; there
is only small part of il
that is good farming land; along the
streams and in the valleys. The
mountains afford an everlasting range
for stock, which will never be fenced.
We went within miles of the Colo
RADIO river out on Elm Creek, but
went back to Buffalo Gap the next