The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-11

Giddings, the county seat of this
county, is fifty-nine miles south OF
east of the city of Austin, by the line
OF the western branch of the Houston
and Texas Central railway. The
county was formed in 1874 of parts OF
adjoining counties, and has an area OF
6O3 square miles.
Population in 1880 (23 per
cent colored). S.937
Assessed value of taxable
property in 1881 81, 797, 4Ol
Assessed value of taxable
property in 1882. .... 2,O17, POI
Assessed value of live stock
III 1907. ............... 3l6,U94
About one-fourth of the county is
high rolling prairie, and the remainder
heavily tilnDered bottoms, and less
densely timbered uplands. The tim
Der on the uplands is, in part, the low,
heavy-topped live oak, but principally
post oak and blackjack, and in the
bottoms, tall and straight pin oak, ash,
elm, mulberry, pecan, box elder, and
other minor varieties.
The principal wateT-courses are the
three Ieguas and their tributaries.
the longest of the Yeguas being, by
the course of the stream, about 70
miles in length. There are large
number of bold springs, several lakes
OF considerable size, and wells OF pure
water are obtained at a depth of
from % to 10 feet.
On some parts of the prairie there
Is black, tenacious and waxy soil,
and on others dark chocolate sandy,
In the bottoms rich alluvium, and
on the timbered uplands, agray sandy;
and about three-tourts of the area is
suitable for cultivation. The average
production, per acre, is, of cotton, one
fourth to two-thirdS OF bale; corn,
70 bushels; wheat, 10 to Is; oats, 40 to
~; rye, 10 to 30; sorghum syrup, leo
gall. MS; potatoes, Irish, 80; and sweet,
lou to 2OO bushels; millet, to 3 tons.
Vegetables of all kinds are raised
easily and in great prOfusion. With
ordinary care and attention the rails
ing of peaches, pears, plums, and figs
Is a sure and profitable business. In
the prairie portion OF the county, i'm
proved farming implements are EN-
plOyed to only limited extent, but
their use is increasing. The mean an
nual rainfall is about forty inches, and
the seasons are usually such as to in
sure good yields OF all kinds of crops.
Wild land, suitable for farms, is worth
from 81 to "a an acre, and improved
farms from $6 to $40; usual terms,
one-thlrd cash, balance in one, two,
and three years. Farms rent for So to
30 per acre, one-third the grain and
the cotton. Ordinary rail
fencing costs $40 to $l25 a mile. |
Hedges are but little grown. Pine
lumber is worth $50 per thousand
feet, by the car load.
Sedge grass is abundant on the tim |
bered land, and the mesquite grows
luxuriantly on the prairie, and good |
Is afforded the entire year. |
Live stock is raised almost exclusive
ly on the open range, and with the |
OF sheep and work animals) |
rarely receive any other feed. Hogs |
are III many seasons fattened for pork |
on the mast. There are in ]
the county, according to the assess |
ment rolls OF 1882, 1859 horses and
mules, 1854 cattle, 3O43 sheep, and |
lO,lS7 hogs. Work horses are worth, |
on the average, 500, mules $50 to $50; |
oxen, 500 yoke. All kinds OF |
butchers meat are cheap, and the |
usual price of corn is 80 to rs cents a |
bushel, and flour $3.50 to $40 barrel. |
Domestic fowls are raised in large |
numbers; squirrels, raccoons, opOs-
sums, and quail are numerous, and |
there are some deer and turkeys, and |
in the streams a moderate supply OF |
the common varieties of fish.
fHhp NU4Sfprn branch of fhn HnnCtnD
and Texas Central passes across the |
southern end of the county, and has |
one station, Giddings, which has a |
population of about 800, and good |
local trade. There are no manufac- |
tories except steam saw mills, of |
which there are sufficient number |
TO supply the local demand for native |
lumber.
The scholastic population is 1908,
for which there are 80 public free |
schools in the county. The Episcopal, |
Baptist, Christian, Methodist, Presby- |
terrain, and Lutheran denominations |
have church organization, and there |
are 80 houses of worship in the coun-
ty. The county has no debt, and levies |
4 tax of twenty-five cents on the |
One hundred dollars.
Formed, as the county is, of portions
Of four of the oldest counties in the
state, the population is generally con-
servative, law-abiding and intelligent.
In the summer and fall there is, in |
and near the bottoms, more or less
light malarial sickness, but the gen.
eral health is fully up to the standard |
Of the state, and the death rate is
small. Average summer tempera-
ture, 70 to % deg; winter, % to 65 |
deg.