San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1881-09-15
TEXAS TOPICS.

row gauge, o"V VIZ '
are not-taking Gov. Hubbard ior "
sample.
There are over 1000 men and 100
600 horses and mules employed in rail-
road building in Texas. There are
about 1000 miles Of road under con-
tract and about 5000 miles more to be
contracted for.
When the Texas and Pacific has
Joined the Southern Pacific at FL Paso'
facilities will be afforded to travellers to
become acquainted with the state on
their way to the coast. Multitudes Will
avail themselves Of the opportunity to
see and Judge for themselves as to the
real resources Of Texas, and will spread
the information so that it will be gen.
eraIly known. Then the unsettled parts
of the state will be covered with farms
and villages, and the entire country be
the gamer.
The Kansas and Texas extension OF
the Missouri Pacific is pushing on to
Laredo, through the heart OF the state,
and the Texas and Pacifcis rapidly APP
preaching Ell Paso. The Gulf, Colo
RADIO and Santa Fe is extending its lines
to the north. The Texas and st. Louis
is destined for the Rio Grande, and
numerous other smaller roads are in
progress. st. Leuis will soon have
three trunk lines extending through
this wonderful state-the Iron Noun
tain, Missouri Pacific, and st. Louis
and San Francisco. It will not be I'M
reasonable to expect that st. Louis will
then have the bulk of the Texas trade.
The culture of bees, of late years,
has been attractingA deal Of attention.
There is no state in the Union where
bees can be moro successfully raised.
The climate is propitious, the mild win
tiers obviating all fear from frosts and
freezes, and the flowers Of every hue,
on our prairies, with the orchard bios
SONS, furnish an inexhaustible supply
Of honey sweets. In some portions of
the state-notably in north and south
west Texas-there are numerous apia-
ries where honey is raised for market,
and it is not surpassed in excellence by
the famed honey of California. Indeed,
the bees of Hymettus never had sweet
or pasturage on the classic heights of
their own mountains than the bees of
Texas find in our valleys, on our hill
sides and our plains. Thus it will be
seen that Texas is in the full possession
Of every comfort, convenience and
luxury that the farming interest needs
Or can suggest.
AT no distant day sugar is destined
% be one of the richest resources of
he state. There is assertion in south
Texas, notably Font Bend, Brazoria,
and Wharton counties, where
here are already quite number of fine
ugar farms in full operation, that is
ully equal in extent to the sugar pro-
lucing regions of Louisiana. In this
'elt beside the counties above enumer-
ted may be named Colorado, Jackson,
Harris, Chambers, Liberty, Jefferson,
Hardin and Orange counties, and, we
re inclined to think, Jasper and New
on counties also. These are twelve
ounties certain, giving the doubt
gainst the last two named counties,
an area of 1880 square ;
lilies, or 6,S12,0O0 acres, one half, or
100000 acres, of which are suited TO
ne growth of sugar. The plantations ;
ow being cultivated in the four couu-
es before named, average from 1000
, 1900 pounds of sugar per acre, and
lolasses in proportion. This sugar
nd syrup, in quality, equals that of
,ouisiana and commands as high :
rice. Suppose these 3,4O6,OOO acres of
lgar should average 1000 pounds of
agar per acre, or be worth $40 per acre l
the planter, We would have an in :,
ONE from this source of itself prince a
:; so large, indeed, that we refrain +
ON giving the figures for fear of being i
larged with exaggeration. But when :
is remembered that the sugar crop of 4
exas is now 100000 per annum, with o
nly few thousand acres in cultivation, f
IN we not see that this product is des- =
ned in time, as our state settles M. :,
Id we have surplus capital to develop y
lese sugar lands, to be sec md in i'm II