The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-04


Population in 1880 (33L
per cent cOlored). -. 11,757
Assessed value of taxable
property in 1870. .... S1,247, las
Assessed value of taxable
property in 1881. ........ 2,2l1,9o4
Assessed value of taxable
property in 1882. ........ 2,643,1O7
Assessed value of lives stock
in 1882. ................. 412,136
The area is nearly equally divided
between timbered land possessing a
fairly productive soil of light or gray
loan, and prairie of black waxy soil
OF great fertility. The surface is gen.
orally level. The timber is chiefly
post oak, but there is some live oak,
and in the bottoms considerable elm,
pecan, walnut, box elder, blackberry,
and sycamore.
The San Marcos river, noted not less
for the beauty of its scenery than for
the volume and extent of its water
power, is the southwestern boundary
OF the county for nearly thirty miles.
Plum, Cedar and Walnut creeks, and
many smaller streams, furnish water
sufficient for stock. Good drinking
water is obtained from wells, and not
unfrequently at a depth of from ten
to twenty feet. Springs of pure water
are numerous in some portions, and
especially in the vicinity of Lockhart,
the county seat. Along the eastern
border rises a range of hills called the
Iron Mountain . nom their rich de-
poSitS of that metal.
Under thorough tillage, the best
lands will yield of cotton three-fourths
n a fn IF hrrC
els; of wheat, Is; of oats, 40; of barley,
80; of sweet potatoes, 200; of sorghum,
25O gallons; of millet, tons. Early
vegetables and fruits grow well and
yield In abundance; later varieties
are not so sure crop, owing
to the occasional scant rainfall dur
ing the summer months. Pecans and
wild grapes grow in profusion, and are
of excellent quality. About one-tif-
tenth of the land is under cultiva-
ton in farms averaging about sixty
acres each. The mean annual rainfall
is thirty-six inches.
Unimproved timbered land can be
bought for $3.50 per acre; prairie land
for "a; and tracts with portion in
cultivation at from So to $25, accord
ing to quality and the character of i'm
provementS. In the southeastern part
of the county there are several sec
tiOnS of school lands, but they are
generally of an inferior quality. Rem
cal for cultivated land, with houses
for tenants, is about $3.50 per acre, or
One-fourth OF the cotton and one-third
of other crops. Very little farm labor
is hired for money wages. The usual
price of corn is about seventy-hve
cents per bushel, and wheat, Sl.50.
Much interest is manifested in the
introduction of improved breeds of
stock. The county has "a, 267 head OF
cattle, 6649 horses and mules, 271l
sheep and 5247 hogs. Although stock
does better if fed during the severest
part OF the winter, many do not feed
their stock at all. Sheep do exceed
inglY well, and average i've pounds Of
wool per annum and ~ per cent in
crease. The price Of work horses is
about $50; mules, $75; and oxen, $50
per yoke. Quail is the most abundant
game; deer and wild turkey are found,
but not in very great numbers; ducks
and geese are plentiful in season.
Several Touring mills, driven by
water power, are in operation, but none
of them are provided with the latest
appliances for turning out trst-class
tiOur. The water power afforded by
the San Marcus is of large capacity,
and is cheaply utilized.
The county seat, Lockhart, has one
| thousand inhabitants, and is beauti-
fully situated in live oak grove, with
a broad prairie to the south and west,
and on the east semi-circular group
of twenty springs. A branch OF the
International and Great Northern
railway is projected from Kyle to
Lockhart, a distance of fourteen miles.
The Galveston, Harrisburg and san
Antonio railway runs across the
southern portion, and over which
nearly all the trade OF the county flows
to Houston and Galveston. Luling is
the chief shipping point on this road,
and has about 400 inhabitants. The
Sour Springs, and Burdett's mineral
wells, eight miles from Luling, are
resOrted to by invalids in Urge num-
bers. These waters are believed to
possess great medical value, and large
quantities are annually shipped to all
parts of the state.
The mean maximum of summer
temperature Of the county is about
Al degrees, the mean minimum of
winter temperature about 81 degrees.
With scholastic populatiVa OF
1879, there are 45 public free Schools.
20 for white and 10 for colored chill
dren, besides private schools in sew
eral localities.
The Methodist, Baptist, Presby-
terrain and Christian denominations
each have several churches, which are
usually well attended.
The county is not in debt, and levies
tax of 20 cents on the 800.
With the exception of the occa-
sional occurrence of fever of a mala-
rial character, and generally of mild
type, which is, for the most part, con-
fined to the creek bottoms. the health
of the county is exceedingly good.
The general character of the new
element, as well as of the older settlers,
is that of a law-abiding, law-enforcing,
and in the main q moral manila