The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-12-21

lou. 90
Population in 1880 0015
per cent colored). ...... 15,155
Assessed value of taxable
property in 1870. -. s1,S39,9OO
Assessed value of taxable
property in 1881. 80. 4,7OS,471
Assessed value of taxable
property in 1882 . 4,S49,577
Assessed value Oflive stock
in 1881. ............ 554, S42
Assessed value of live stock
in 1882. ....... 1874
The eastern half of the county is
high, rolling prairies, with low ranges
of hills and broad valleys at intervals,
and crossed near the extreme south
eastern corner by belt of post oak
woodland. The western half is billy,
and in some portions mountainous,
with broad valleys along the streams,
and covered over great part of its
surface with forest growth. consist
ing principally of walnut, pecan, post
oak, live oak, cedar, box elder, elm,
blackberry, and wild china. A small
proportion of the timber is large, but
most of it is suitable only for fire
wood, the cedar being most used for
fencing. Along all the streams there
is more or less timber, the whole
wooded area being about one-third of
the county.
The Gabriel, North Gabriel, South
Gabriel, Brushy, Willis, and Donaho
creeks and their numerous tributaries,
are widely and, for the most part, con-
yeniently distributed over the county.
The streams named range in length
from 20 to 60 miles, and in width OF
channel from 10 to 30 feet. In many
places in the county, bold springs are
found, and wells are obtained in nearly
every part at a depth of from 20 to 80
feet. In the black lime lands, the Wa
ter of both wells and springs is more
or less impregnated with lime, and I'M
foreground cisterns are preferred and
i'll general use.
On the post oak uplandS the soils
are gray or yellow sandy, on Il clay
foundation; on the upland prairieS,
Il stiff black-waXy lime land, and
in the valleys, generally black, sandy
alluvium. The timbered portion west
of Georgetown is divided between Il
black and chocolate-cOlored soil. Two
thirds of the entire county is highly
fertile and well adapted to cultivation.
The best lands produce, in many sea-
sons, from One-half bale to bale of
cotton per acre, forty to sixty bushels
of corn. fifteen to twenty of wheat OF
sixty to eighty of oats, but taking a
series of years, the yield over the en-
tire county may be safely put at half
these outside figures. Millet, barley,
potatoes, vegetables, and melons, ali
yield large crops. Peaches, plums. and
grapes, with proper culture, return Il
heavy yield, and pecan nuts, dewber-
rieS and blackberries are the sponta-
neous and usually abundant products
of the soil. The mean annual rainfall
is about thirty-two inches, and with
early planting and deep and thorough
blowing, serious damage to crops from
drouth is uncommon.
Until within few years, this was
almost exclusively stock county, and
farming, owing to the natural fruit
fulneSS of the soil, is not yet conduct
ed i'll the systematic and thorough
manner which Is necessary to obtain
the best results. Improved agricul-
tural implements are used adyanta-
geously and to considerable extent
on the prairie farms. Unimproved
land in the timbered portion of the
county is worth from 80 cents to So
per acre, and in the prairies, from $3.50
to $40. Improved tracts range in price
from 50 to SIS an acre, and in some in
stances higher prices are demanded
Cultivated land usually rents for from
81 to So an acre, or for One-third the
grain, and One-fOurth the cotton.
About sixty per cent of the grass is
sedge, and the remainder mesquite,
the two kinds supplementing each
other to furnish good pasturage sum-
mer and winter. Ordinarily range
stock winter entirely on the natural
pastures. but the county is being 50
rapidly enclosed in farms that there is
scarcely sufficient open range left for
large herds of cattle or horses. Sheep
raising is now the most profitable,
though the horse and cattle interests
are large and important. The assess
ment rolls of 1882 show in the county
1880 horses and mules, 1880 cattle.
33,930 sheep, $40 goats. and 1921 hogs.
Improved breeds of stock are receiving
much attention, and large numbers OF
thoroughbred sheep and cattle have
been successfully introduced. The
largest single clip of wool from
one sheep exhibited at the in
ternatiOnai cotton exposition at At
lanta, Georgia, in 1881, was the fleece
of sheep in this county. 1t weighed
torty-fOur pounds, and the same ami
mai yielded for five years an average
of thirty-tive pounds and one ounce per
annum. Sheep are subject to no dis
easeeXcept Scab, which is readily cured
by simple and inexpensive remedy
within reach OF every sheep owner.
Work and riding animals, and meat,
corn and other domestic supplies, can
be bought in all parts of the county
at reasonable rates. Game is not
abundant, but there are deer, turkeys,
ducks, geese, quail, prairie chickens
and squirrels in considerable quanti-
ties. The ordinary varieties OF fresh
water fish are moderately abundant in
the larger streams.
Iron ore, silver, and petroleum are
known to exist, and there are surface
indications of coal, but the extent OF
the deposits have not as yet been de-
termined. The several Gabriel creeks
furnish water power sufficient to run
cotton gins and grist mills. There are
several Touring and grist mills, driven
generally by steam, and large num-
Der of cotton gins run, some by steam,
but most usually by horse power.
The International and Great North
ern railway runs through the south
eastern part of the county, with Il
branch ten miles long from Round
Rock to Georgetown; the Missouri
Pacific runs through the northeast
part, to junction with the Interna-
tional and Great Northern railway at
Taylor; and the Austin and North
western railway runs along the south
western border, the aggregate railway
mileage in the county being about
eighty-four miles.
Georgetown has about 800 in habi-
tants, and an annual trade of from
100000 to 100000. at this point is
located the Southwestern university.
an institution conducted under the
auspices of the Methodist Episcopal
church south, with male and female
departments, and large attendance
of students in both. Round Rock has
about 800 inhabitants. and TAYLOR
about 800, and both draw large trade
from the prosperous communities
around them. Round Rock college
has both male and female
is conducted by an able
faculty. and is well attended. For the
year lSSl-S2, 2556 children. within the
scholastic age, were enrolled in sew
enty-two free school communities, and
for the year 1882 S3, 1888, with a cor
increase of free echools.
There are also a number of private
schools of high grade in the county.
The Roman Catholic, Baptist, Metho-
dist, Christian, Episcopal. and North
ern and Southern Presbyterian de-