The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1879-06-12
FROM TEXAS.
Two Interesting Lettersaiving News
from Waco, Bolton, Columbia
and other Points.
No Rain for Eight Months in Places.

BELsoN, BELL COUNTY, TEXAS
May 90, 1S79.-MR. MCCoRD j
think few lines concerning mat
tiers and things in this ''sunset land
might be of interest to the readers
of your valuable paper-especially
so when Tennesseans are to be
seen and met at every turn-and sc
l pen a few observations and Incl
dents for their perusal. Four days
by rail and one day by hack brought
me safely to this place without acct
dent or incident of any Importance
"a distance of one thousand and
fifty-eight miles by strict compute
ton of the different lines over which
1 passed. Waco, the point at which
exchanged the dusty passenger
coach for the crowded, miserable
little hack is a thrifty business
city beautifully located upon the
west side of the Brazos river, with
10000 inhabitants, handles and ships
$4,000 bale of cotton annually, and
an immense quantity of wheat.
Oats, corn, meat etc. find a good
market here. The buildings are
good and substantial, mostly OF
stone and brick. The place is well
provided with street cars, gas and
water works and three daily news
papers. 1t is just now in blaze OF
excitement over thesbuiling of a sec
ond railroad to that point from st.
Louis, and is proposing to give $50,
900 TO the same. 1t will be remember
ed by some of your readers that Wa
CO is the home of many of that club
of Cornersville schoolmates, all of
whom, as far as l am able to learn,
are doing well.
The road to Bolton running in q
southessterly direction Is over roll
ing prairies Of great beauty and fer
tility, with here land there a clear
stream of water bordered with tim
Der. Much of the land has been
put in cultivation within a few
years, and yields a rich reward to
repay the labors of the husbandman
with reasonable season. This year
there has been a drouth of unusual
severity all over this western Texas.
In some localities in which l have
been there has not been a good rain
in eight months and yet crops that
have been well cultivated look well,
and with one good rain now the
farmers think they would make fair
crops, but the rain is still withheld
and it is very hot and dry and from
present appearances all vegetation
will soon be parched and dried. The
wheat crop has been harvested
through this section and the yield
will be light it is thought. Tho
and 4 Thousand and increasing con-
stantly. 1t can boast of a multi
plicity of schools and churches and
religious sects, two weekly newspa-
pers, a city hall, telegraph lines, a
cornet band, about thirty lawyers,
some twenty five mercantile estab
lishments, bank, hotel, etc. Al
most all the requirements for city
yet 1t lacks one thing, and that is
railroad to connect it with the
balance of the world. There are
two roads located to Bolton with a
certainty of getting one of them
within twenty months, I. e., the
Gulf, Colorado and Sante Fe road.
Bolton lies directly on the Chisholm
cattle trail over which all the cattle
south of here intended for the Col
orado, Kansas or Wyoming markets
are driven year after amounting 30
some three hundred thousand head
annually. Already there have been
up to date two hundred thousand
head driven through here and the
season is not more than half over.
Many horses and sheep also pass
annually over this trail to the north
ern markets. There is a new relig-
ious sect at this place, or at least to
me, called "The New Lights, or The
Sanctified Band" Headed or led
by a Mrs. McQuirter, who claims to
have the scriptures interpreted to
her by special revelations from
heaven. She holds public services
at the church two Sundays in each
month and private meetings from
house to house often. They are
about thirty in number, mostly la
dies and claim that all other relig
ious creeds are going stright to hell,
pastor and flock altogether. They
are some of the first citizens of the
place and no telling where or when
it will be terminated.
1t has been my good fortune since
/ came to Texas this time to visit
the cities of Austin and San Anto-
MO and to meet at the latter in then
annual reunion the survivors of the
Terry Texas Rangers on the 21st
inst. The acts and valorous deeds
of this regiment are well known to
many Tennesseeans, and 1 may al
some future time give an account Of
this glorious reunion of the surviv-
ors in the ancient city of the Alamo
But my scribbling is already toe
extensive 1 fear for your good pa
thence to tolerate. =. B.