The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-11-15
STATE NEWS REPERTORY.
Snirit of 0nr Terns Rxehanaas.

spirit " VuF 1eLnS 6NchduStSs
Speaking of the bat caves in Texas,
the writer of an article in the Texas
Literary Magazine says: One can
scarcely conceive the great multitude
of bats that are in the world until he
has gone into one of these bat caves.
They not only cover the wall and roof
completely, several tiers deep, but they
actually hang from the roof in enor-
nous punches. In one l encountered
the bat guano Immediately on enter
ing, and it continued a great distance.
could not judge how thick the deposit
was, certainly many feet. There
could not have been less than
several thousand tons Of it, and
it was accommodating with great rapid
ity. The soil in these bat caves is
rich in nitrate of potash. For the
manufacture of salt no other sub
stance can compare with it. 1 saw
any quantity of it in the Bandera or
Medina cave, which. by some natural
process, had been converted where it
lay into pure salt petre, apparently.
1t would undoubtedly make very
strong fertilizer, besides furnishing
gunpowder, etc.; but whether the raw
stuff is worth $50 ton or not, can't
say; but if l. is worth anything like
that figure, 1 should say Texas bat
cave is bet ter than a gold mine.
! The Brooks" comet will be visible
to the naked eye on about the night
of the 21St inst, and will continue to
gain intensity up till the middle of
January. 1t may be found a little to
the south of the Pole star, in the con-
stellation of the Dragon. 1t will not
be nearly so bright as the great comet
of last year.
] A ten mile race between two young
ladies, sixteen years old, is to be one
of the attractions at the November
races at Fort Worth.
The county Judge of Ell Paso, says
the Star, has ordered an election on
the 4th of December to determine the
question Of moving the county seat
from Isleta to Ell Paso.
The county Jail at Isleta is so fal
of prisoners that as measure OF pre-
caution against an outbreak Sheriff
White requested Col. Baylor to furn.
ish him with a guard. The request
has been complied with and the ran.
gers are now guarding the jail ano
| will continue to do SO until the prison
ers under sentence will have beer
send to the penitentiary.
Round Rock College has 1913 stu
dents this session.
There were about twenty candi
dates, says Once-a-Week, for aldermen
in Burnet. Messrs. Alexander, Dial.
ton, BraZeal, McSween and Holloway
were elected. Judge Gates was elected
mayor ard Woodward city marshal.
Fence-cutting is said to have de.
preciated the value of lands in Run.
nels county and vicinity at least sc
per cent, and there is absolutely nc
demand there now for land, says an
exchange, and it might have added
that lands all oyer Texas have been
deprecated in value by this deviltry
and our legislature should go to the
stringent laws as will forever guard
against such unlawful acts in the fu.
ture.-Bastrop Advertiser.
Pretty near half our population
have been hunting this week, and
they say that ducks are so plentiful
and gentle as to almost rob the shoot.
ing of them of anything like sport
Orange Tribune.
Capt. King, the rich stock man Of
| Nueces county, has just ordered $780,.
600 pounds of barbed wire, with which
to fence his pasture, which contains
100000 acres. said to be the largest
pasture under one fence in the world
The Tilden Ledger is the title of &
new paper published by w. o. Bowen
at Tilden, in McMuIlen county.
The Leon county cooperative asso
citation has just completed a neat
commodious building for the use OF
those who came from distance, and
are obliged to camp. This will be q
great convenience, especially in bad
weather. They will soon have ar.
rangements made for taking care OF
stock.-Independent Farmer.
Says the Gatesville Sun: "There
never was a time in the history OF
COryell county when land hunters
them come by the score; we have
plenty of the very best land, and an
intelligent and laW-abiding people tC
welcome Them
During the recent excitement about
the negro uprising, nearly every CUR
and pistol in the stores of Cameron
were sold to the white men to defend
themselves with. Some of the mer
chants had firearms on hand fol
many years without any demand fol
them, but they went like hot cakes il
about two days.
When George Walker, accused OF
aiding and abetting Tom Varnell in
the Land murder, was turned to the
McLennan county jail, he arrived in
Waco chained to J. w. Ogle. the con
Wet whose terms aggregate lib years
Walker is said to be cheerful and con-
fident Of acquittal.
The new type-setting machine re-
sembles cheap church organ. With
it a boy or girl can set type as fast as
twelve ordinary compositors. A news
paper correspondent who recently saw
one Of these machines at work says
the printers union may take up its
bed and walk" Understanding what
it requires to set type, we feel no IN
easiness for our brothers in the union
When a machine can be supplied will
brains capable of practicing law, pre-
scribing medicine, preaching sermons
and writing editorials, it will be time
enough to look out for type settlers Of
the same kind.-EXchange.