The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1881-08-05
Tar LLAN0 EsTACADO OF WESTERN
TEXAS.
A correspondent of Bradstreets,
writing from Austin, Texas, says:

A correspondent OF 6radStfectS,
writing from Austin, Texas, says:
light is thrown on the resources of
Western Texas by recent surveys and
exnlorations made in the extension of
railroads. and in the actual settlements
on the border of the great plain known
nv lis Spanish designation, Llano Esta
csdo. 1t appears Xix ely that this eleva-
ted district LONG reputed to be more
than half desert in its claracter-will
prove to be at least II valuable grazing
district, and possibly cultivable in
small grains, if not in corn. A party
from Abilene, Kansas, going out on
the line of the railrOad-Which is now
fairly entering on the surface of the
great plains-leports that it is ssthe
finest country on the earth. A high
rolling prairie, covered with finest and
freshest grass, with profusion of all
kinds of wild flowers, immense fiocks
of antelOpes, but not Il tree to be seen
There had been rain out there lately,
and plenty of water was standing in
the bitches beside the road. X
The barren staked plains of the west
are a fiction. If they ever had any
existence in fact, they have been trans
formed into most fertile region.''
This somewhat enthusiastic account
is confirmed in tho recent reports from
many localities in the extreme west of
Texas, where, certainly, the present
season has been exceptionally abund-
ant in rain. The grazing counties re-
port great increase in fioclzs, both
sheep and cattle. Usually the state
ments for 1881 is so to 80 per cent, in
crease over 1880. And these new
countries already stretch some distance
into the "elevated table land without
wood or WATER" of tho wise geograph-
ers so late as 1878, while Estacado is
made to extend to the 3lth parallel,
nearly, and to cover much that the
Spanish geographers and travellers did
not intend should be so described.
Northwestward from San Antonio, on
the route of the upper tracks across the
country to Ell Paso, the high plains on
both sides Of the Pecos River are I'M
doubtedly without waters, and deserve
some of the denunciatiOn which tho
early surveys of the typographical
engineers SO freely heaped upon them
twenty years ago; but further north
ward, and along the Canadian River,
the same surveys report very differ
ent climate aud an abundance of native
growths-grass, shrubbery, fruits, and
forests in protected places.
Now that emigration is filling up
the western and northwestern counties
ofUpperTexas with farmers and herds
men able to stock the territory with
suitable tlocks, VIC find no reports of
either desert areas or an inhospitablc
climate. The cattle of Texas we arc
quite familiar with, and, perhaps,
might take exception to; still, they
may be bred Of better blood and sent
in much better condition. The sheep
flocks are already we'll begun, many OF
them having been brought up to hall
or three-fourths nerino, and the wool
of the clip recently shcarcd brought
most remunerative prices to the own.
ers. The country is far better than
Australia for sheep breeding, and q
small share of the discipline and bust.
ness energy devoted to wool growing;
In Australia would be we'll rewarded
in the mild climate and vast natural
sheep ranges of Upper Texas.
What is needed on the great grazing
plains OF the Southwest is only the cs-
adjustment of places for the protection
OF Hooks In the some times extreme
cold of winter storms, and to also pro-
vide water for periods OF occasional
extreme drouth. Some years ago the
engineer department sunk some artcs-
ian wells at points too@1ur souti, to be
useful or to afford reasonable grounds
for finding water. The upper or north
tern plains cannot be deficient in water
for the several great rivers, tho Pccos
the Colorado, Canadian and Red rivers
all find their supply on these wcster,
plains. These upper plains were occu
pied by powerful Indian tribes, who
repelled the McNicans, rs they hav.
the settlers from our own people, an,
so have kept the better qualities of :
greater grazing region than the wo:l,
elsewhere furnishes, from the public
knowledge.
The end of the mystery is soon t,
come, however. The railroad survey.
are being followed up by actual roads
Settlers will flock into a country whic
is at least new, an excellent gra,
ing country certainly, and probnbl
easily cultivablc in wheat and cor,
The EstacadO is already being stake
out, not for military reconnaissance
alone, but for ranches and stock range
with abundance of railroad spccul:
tive towns at convenient intervals
And already there is being receive
at Abialene, Kas., hundreds OF tons
wool, which is much more valuab
product than the horns and bones co
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