The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-12-14

fought to the death against immense
odds in the besieged Alamo in 1886.
The city of Austin, the county seat
and the capital of the state, is PIG
miles northwest of the port of Gal
weston, by the line of the Houston
and Texas Central, connecting with
the Galveston, Houston and Hender-
son railway. Area, 1919 square miles.
Population in 1850. ..... 3,l3S
Formulation in 1850 $3.50
Population in 1870. ....... IL, l53
Population in 1880 (32 per o
As sSl0TsdD value Of taxable S''Os'
\, property in 1870. So, 537 ,619
Assessed value of taxable
property in 1882. -. 9,4S5,S59
in 1852 - 594. $50
Less than forty years ago this coun-
ty lay on the border line, where the
last vestiges of civilization melted
into barbarism, and the few adven-
furious pioneers within its limits lived
literally with arms in their hands as
an indispensable protection against
the predatory attacks of their neigh
bors, the warlike Comanche Indians.
Even as late as 1916, at the date of the
admission of the republic of Texas as
state in the American Union. the
capitol building in the city of Austin
was still surrounded by stockade
fort. In 1882 peace and security are
vOuchsafed to population OF about
5000 within the horders of the county,
and to replace the original rude stock
AIDED copitol, building of grand pro
portions, estimated to cost $1,750,O0O,
l IL ut 70 hn rNoi1 fnr in,
pablo lands, without taxation on the
people of the state, is in course of con
Struction.
Owing to the diversity of its topog-
raphy, soil, and other characteristics,
the county is well adapted to the
profitable pursuit of great variety of
industries. 1t combines, in fact, many
of the distinctive features which sep
arately characterize several sections of
the state. From the heavily timbered
hills, in some places assuming the pro-
portions of mountains, in the western
portion, the surface slopes down to the
rich alluvial bottoms of the Colorado
river and the rolling prairies in the
eastern section. The cotton, grain and
fruit producing lands lie side by side.
and, IN consequence, the landscape
presents pleasing diversity of aspect.
and the products of the Soilan unusual
and profitable variety, The Colorado
river flows through the county from
west to east, in a somewhat southerly
course. 1t ranks first among therivers
in the state in size, but. owing to shoals
and falls in its channel, is not navi-
gable. Along its banks are some of
the most fertile and beautiful farms
of the state, and also the most pic
turesque scenery. 1t purSueS zig
gag course across the country, thereby
watering a large area, while the
Pedernales river, in the western cor
ner, with a number of smaller streams
flowing into the Colorado on either
side, further increase the water re-
sources of the county. Among the
largest of these is Barton's, Big and
Little Walnut, Gilleland. Cow, Sandy,
Cypress, Bull, Bee, Doggy. Bear,
Shoal, Cross, Dry, Onion, Williamson,
Wilbarger and Waller creeks. Many
of these are perpetual streams, while
others cease to flow only in years of
exceptional drought. Water for
drinking purposes is obtained from
wells at a moderate depth, but it is
generally more or less impregnated
with lime, in consequence of which
cistern water Is preferred, and very
generally used.
In addition to being well watered,
the county possesses the almost equal |
ly valuable condition of being abun-
dainty timbered. About four-fifths
of the area is more or less density COW
cred by growth comprising almost |
every species of tree known to Texas,
except the pine and sweet gum, which,
indeed, are rarely to be found else
where than in the eastern and south
eastern portions of the state. The
hills and 'uplands abound in cedar, and
oak of the several kinds, whilst the |
bottoms and rolling lands are studded
with the pecan, hickory, ash, elm, wal |
nut, blackberry, cypress, bois dare,
mesquite and cottonwood. Many of
these woods possess qualities of hard
ness and durability which make them
valuable for building, mechanical, and
manufacturing purposes.
The good farming lands embrace
about tiVe=eights of the area, and only
about one-fifth of this is under cult \
walton, the residue being devoted to
grazing, or still undisturbed forest |
land. The varieties of soil are very
numerous, a dark, or brownish-red
loan, and black, tenacious waxy land
being the most prevalent. The land in
the river bottoms is an alluvial soil of
inexhaustible fertility, and is especial
ly noted for the variety of crops to
which it Is equally adapted. The
black lime soil of the mesquite and
prairie lands is also very productive,
and possesses the quality of resisting
the effects of d-oIth in an eminent
degree. The mean annual rainfall is
$3.50 inches, and the seasons are some
what irregular, but are generally more
propitious for autumn, winter, and
spring crops than for those maturing
in summer, 1t is believed, however,
that the precipitation has grown more
uniform during the past twenty years.
Under proper cultivation the usual
crop per acre is. of cotton in the seed,
800 to 1000 pounds; of corn, about 80
bushels; of wheat, Is; of oats, As to
20; of rye, IL to Is; of barley, 40 to 60;
of sweet potatoes, 200, and Irish. 80;
of sorghum syrup, 3 barrels; millet, 3
tons,' and prairie hay l ton. Garden
vegetables, melons, fruits, and berries,
of almost every kind common to the
temperate zone, do well Apples, how
ever, have never been successfully
raised, but peaches, plums and figs are
particularly fine and plentiful.
Agricultural implements OF the
most approved patterns are in general
use, and the adaptation of the crop to
the soil and climate is receiving in
creased attention. All things consid-
cred, the methods of agriculture may
be said to be, in the main, intelligent
and progressive. While the native
southern farmer is perhaps too exclu-
sively devoted to cotton culture, and
is content to leave experimental farm
ing to. others, the immigrant brings
with him predictions quite as strong
in favor of the staple products of the
land of his birth. In this way, many
crops which tradition has declared to
be unsuited to the soil and climate.
have been introduced and successfully
grown. Barley may be mentioned as
an instance of this progress. The
abundance and certainty of its yield
have commended it as valuable adj
dition to the stock-feed products, if
not in large measure as substitute
for corn maizel which is not regard
ed as an altogether reliable crop in
this section, owing to an occasional
absence of plentiful rainfall during its
short, critical maturing season.
Wild lands of good quality can be
bought at about 81 per acre, and tracts
with one-third in cultivation at from
$40 to S25, according to location and
character of improvements or rented
for from S3 to IS Der cultivated acre