Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-07-14
Letter ( ON Texas.
Clarendon, Donley Co., Texas,

Clarendon, Donley Co., Texas,
June 25th, lAsl
Dear Joerndt: / have been out this mora
ing helping to do some surveying and feeling
little worse for the wear l concluded while
trying to rest myself to write up Clarendon and
the surrounding country for the benefit of your
readers. Clarendon is finely situated at the
junction Of Carroll Creek and Salt Fork of Rcd
River. Carroll Greek passes along the edge of
the town, right through the town plot, how
ever. The str cam is about half as large as Elk
Creek at low water, but being fed by springs
all along It's course, always furnishes the town
with plenty OF water. Excellent water is OBJ
tained here by digging from 20 10 40 feet
Clarendon has about 20 houses, built, some of
stone, some of timber and some of unburnt
brick called 0dcteS. The adobe Is made Of sand
and black earth, in size 10 suit the wall for
which it Is intended. For. an IS inch wall an
adobe Is made Is inches long, 6 inches: wide and
4 4inches thick, perfectly sun dried. They make
an elegant wall-wnen plastered both inside and
outside with good sand and lime morter, and
are much cheaper than stone or brick.
Clarendon is situated about $50 miles north
west from Gainesville, the comfy seat OF
Cooke county and lthe terminus Of the Texas,
Missouri g. st. Louis r. r., the nearest rail
road point south, md about 225 miles from
Dodge City, Kansas, the nearest rail road point
Oh the north. 1t has population of about l25
Is quitea business point, as there IS no business
place on the south of any consequence nearer
than ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS away, and Elliott,
north west from here about 80 miles. One
would suppose when there is not sufficient pop
ulation in the county to complete county or
ganization, when itrequireS but $50 voters to
organize there would be but little business, but
there arc seYerallarge cattle ranches in the coun
ty and many more outside of the county that
depend upon Clarendon for supplies, end this
makes it quite q trade centre. A good physi-
clan is wanted here. A shoemaker, saddler
and a tinsmth could each do well. The prairies
surrounding the town ale very fine. Some lit
tie farming Is done but my opinion is that the
country is too dry for farming purposes. We
had a little shower last night, which was the
first rain since cane here, several weeks ago
fear the crops will be a failure, but for cattle
this section can compete with any other in the
United States. They have the finest cattle
here ever saw-sleekl and fat as cells fresh
from PennS Creek. Cattle men here pronounce
| the business the best and 5urest of all legiti-
mate pursuits. One of the leading stock men
| calls his calves his coupons, and says he knows
exactly how many he has and what they are
worth every time he counts them. They say
that dry weather does not affect the cattle and
that calves fatten better on partially dry grass
| than upon growing green grass, g..
| This is decidedly healthy country. / have
enjoyed the very best of health ever since ]
am here. While am writing old Bareas is
Just making things rattle. 1t is nothing un-
usual for the wind to BLOW q Fearful gale, and
this is one reason why this locality is so healthy
All the m iasma and impurities in the atmos
phere are driven away. Besides this we are al
an attitude of about 2qOO. feet above the sea
You will see from the very nature of things
thet this can not be other than q healthy
region. 80, ,..;.....; r.,
Next week party of us expect to. visit Capt
Goodnight's rancho, which is the finest I'm thu
country if not in the world, He owns thu
celebrated Paladero Caynon on Red River, a
bout 10 miles long and about as wide at tn,
mouth, with natural walls on each side at place
1000 feet high. He uses it exclusively for
winter rancho, as it affords, constant pasture
for his stock and the best of shelter from
storms, He had about 20,000head of cattle las
winter and you could scarcely notice short
ening or decrease OF the gross. 1 will writ
again about this celebrated rancho after visit
ing it, ttand in the mean time remain youl
friend, w. X. ALEXANDER.