The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-11-01
BURNEr COUNTY

BURNET COUNTY
Derives its name from David q Bur-
net, the first president of the apublic
OF Texas, and was organized il 1852.
At an election held on the first Mon
day in August of the same year, at
the residence of Mr.. Harrston, en- the
creek of that name, the following Off
GERS were elected:
Sheriff-C. Bradford.
County Clerk-A. Horn.
Assessor and Collector-G. McFar-
land.
County Judge-John Scott.
Among the first settlers are men
TONED the names of Samuel E Hol-
land, Capt. Christian Dorbandt, Lewis
Thomas, James p. Magill, w. r. Ma
gill, Logan Vandevere, Brantley Nc
Key, VIM. Che esher and James King.
The first four named are yet living in
the county.
In 1870 the population was 1858. In
16S0it had more than doubled, and at
this time probably numbers 10000 in
habitants. The assessed real and per-
sonal property has increased about
100000 since 1870.
The county contains 1905 square
miles of land. about one-third of
which is arabic, and productive of
corn. wheat, oats, millet and rye in
guam tiles to remunerate the husband
man amply for his labor and, if ju-
diciously prosecuted, secure an indie
pendence. Cotton, now the staple
crop of the farmer, is cultivated with
increasing success, as much as bale
and half per acre having been raised
the past year. Most of the fruits
that are grown in the middle and
northern states find home in Burnet
as genial TO their gre With and fecun-
dity as any other portion of the
country; especially is this true of the
peach and plum. Vegetables of every
variety are grown with great facility,
particularly the early varieties the
later. some seasons, be ing cut off by
drought, though this can be avoided,
and crops assured, by irrigation. The
restof the county is generally broken,
with too much rock, to cultivate
hence is utilized exclusively for graz
ing, for which purpose it is admirably
adapted. and, accordingly, the raising
of stock has become a favorite, be-
cause most profitable industry.
Grasses of the most nutritious quail
ity are Indigenous to the soil. The
mesquite, intermixed with sedge, pre-
dominates. The next essential ele-
ment to food, in the rearing of stock,
is supply of water, which is ample,
and probably more abundant than in
any other county in w eStSrn Texas.
Thus the settler in Burnet has the
peculiar advantage of combining the
two avocationS, with almost a certain
ty of success in one, if not both
branches of his industry. The face
of the couHtry is generally undulat-
ing-the western portion, bordering
on the Celorodo river, being more or
less rough, or comparatively noun
famous, alternating with rich valleys
and running streams, all covered with
grass. For picturesque beauty and
pleasing landscape these miniature
mountains, interspersed with smiling
valleys, vocal with the music of bab-
bling rivuletS, contrasting with the
boundleSS prairies in the distance, can
. not be surpassed, while it enchants
the beholder as heis imbued with this
panorama of natures beauty.
The climate is delightful, the win
ters mild-snow and ice rarely seen.
) at an elevation of 1900 feet above
the sea level, with no stagnant pools
to engender miasma, Burnet can
truthfully claim prominence in
health, beauty and fertility of soil.
There are more than thirty streams of
living water, with the Colorado on
its western boundary, on which are
many valuable mill sites; chief of
all, the grand and wonderful Marble
Falls, universally admitted the great
est water power in Texas. To de-
scribe its grandeur, faithfully, defies
the feeble efforts of the pen to ad-
mire, to mentally feast on this widest
" freak of nature" it must be seen.
The hmner, here, has asubject worthy
of his genius. That this immense
water power ESTIMATED at 1900 horse
power, which can be repeated an hun
dred times(, should have remained
QOELudub euuS 1OuS, Udl1cS any SOlu-
tion, esp cially as this future Lowell
: is situated in the midst of a cotton
and wool growing country, with the
finest building material to hand and
Immediately on the line of the pro-
lected railroad from st. Louis to Mex
leo. The question repeats itself ::
Why has this grand opportunity for
investment been thus overlooked?
Doubtless the answer will, in the near
future, be returned in the music o.
many thousand spindles The min :.
eral resources of Burnet are yet ua-
developed; surface indications of
iron are found In many portions, and,
TO a less extent, lead, gold and sily er.
There are excellent indications of Pc
troleum, exuding to the surface in
various points.
But the great features of the coun-
ty are its vast and inexhaustible quar-
rieS of the finest marble, limestone
and granite, OF superior quality for
building purposeS-the marble vary
ing in tint from pure white to let
black. many of the shades being very
rare and beautiful. The Colorado
river, at the Marble Falls, makes an
abrupt descent of about 100 feet over
a solid bed of this beautiful marble.
The granite is believed to be identical
with the Scotch. The Austin and
Northwestern Railroad has been CON-
:, pleted to the town of Burnet over
twelve months, which is doing a
heavy business, and the Texas and St
Louis Narrow Gauge, now within
sixty miles Cat Gatesyille), it is thought
viii, in the near future, interSect with
it at Burnet, by which means there
viii be direct communication with
st. Louis without breaking bulk.
Tillable wild lands can be bought
from IS to $5 per acre; pasture, 81
TO 90; tracts partly under cultivation
So to $40; rental for good cultivated
land, 50 TO $3.50, or one-third of the
grain crop or one-fourth of the cotton
The cattle in the county number be
tween 10000 and 40,OU0 head; horses
and mules, 10000 to 1900; sheep, 80,