The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-25
DALLAS COUNTY.

centre. Area, 800 square miles.
Population in 1870. 1331
Population in 1880 (495S
colored), .;......; 3S.4S
Assessed value of taxable
property in 1870. S349357
Assessed value of taxable
property in 1881. 49,. $500, IS
Assessed value of taxable
property in 1882. ....... 1O.619.O9,
Assessed value of live stock
in 1882 ........ 1879;
About three-fourths of its area i,
high, rolling prairie, rising in som,
portions into hills of three hundred
feet in height, and again stretching
out into broad valleys. The hills are
generally highest on the south side OF
the large streams, and in the south.
west corner of the county is a range
of low mountains, which overlook the
wide valleys of Mountain creek
which flows at the base. The Elm
and West Forks of the Trinity, and
Mountain creek, about equi-distant
from each other, flow in from the
westward and unite their waters near
the center of the county. forming
the main river, which passes out near
the southeast corner. Along and be-
tween the forks of the river, and on
the main stream, as well as in several
other portions of the county, is found a
sutficiency of post oak, burr oak,
Spanish oak, cedar, pecan, black wal
nut, hickory, boiS dare, elm, hackber-
ry and cottonwood for fencing, fuel and
other domestic purposes, not a great
deal of it, however, being suitable for
lumber or building, except for
common log houses. In adj
dition to the Trinity and its forks.
there are Cedar, Five Mile, Ten
Mile, White Rock, Duck, Rowlett's
and Wilson's creeks, and many smaller
streams, which distribute an unfailing
supply of water throughout the
county. Pure water for domestic
use is obtained from springs, and also
from wells at depth of from eighteen
to fifty feet, but cistern water is pre-
ferred, and generally used.
Nine-tenths of the area is good
farming land, of which not exceeding
One-iifth is in cultivation. The
prairies are generally of a black.
tenacious, waxy soil, the timbered
portions light sandy, and the river
and creek bottoms a dark loan, all
easily titled and very productive.
With ordinarily favorable seasons,
and proper cultivation, the yield per
acre, of cotton, one-third to three
fourths of bale; corn, 80 bushels;
wheat, Is to 20; oats, 40 to 60; rye, 10
to 10; barley, 80 to 40; millet, 2 tons.
All the vegetables common to this
latitude are a sure and abundant crop.
The mean annual rainfall is thirty
eight inches, and, as a rule,
the seasons are regular. Peaches,
pears, apples of the early varieties,
plums, grapes and Strawberries are
successfully raised. DeWberries and
blackberries are native to the soil. and
yield aDdldantly. Fencing is con-
structed generally of plank and barbed
wire, the usual fence of one plank md
two wires costing 1925 per mile.
Lumber is worth from 500 to S22 per
thousand feet. Bots dare hedges have
proved only moderately successful.
Wild land is worth from 50 to
$50 per acre, according to location and
quality. Tracts with a portion in
cultivation. and the necessary build
ings, range in price from SIS to $50.
The rental value of cultivated farms
is from So to So per acre, or for one
fourth the cotton and one-third of
other crops; or, where everything is
furnished by the landlord except fami-
ly supplies, one=half the crop. Farm
laborers command S12 to SIS per
month, with board.
But little stock is raised on the open
range, most Of it being confined in
pastures. The assessment rolls 1882
credit the county with 14,070 horses
and mules, 20, 194 cattle, 3030 sheep
and 1886 hogs. In severe winters
stock require to be fed to a greater or
less extent. Work horses range in
price from S25 to $50, mules from $50
to $3.50, and oxen from $40 to $50 per
yoke. In the local market beef retails
at cents per pound; mutton, 10; pork,
8; bacon, II; and flour from $3.50 to S.
per hundred pounds. Sheep are gen.
orally of ordinary quality, and the
average weight of fleece is from 3 to 5
pounds.
The Houston and Texas Central,
the Texas and Pacific, the Dallas and
Wichita, the Texas Trunk Line, and
the Chicago, Texas and Mexican Cen
trail railways, all centre at the city of
Dallas, and there are 122 miles of
railway within the county. The rate
of freight to Galveston, the nearest
gulf port. is 80 cents per hundred
pounds. The railroad stations in the
county are Hutchins, Richardson,
Mesquite, Eagle Ford. Dechman, Car
rollton, Riley Prairie, SeagO, Hale,
Duncan. and Cedar Hill, all local trad
ing points of more or less Importance.
The city of Dallas is eligibly located
on the east bank of the Trinity river,
and has many large and imposing
churches and other public buildings,
and handsome private residences. 1t
is the great railway center of northern
Texas, and has an estimated popula-
ton, at the present date, of $4,000, and
an estimated wholesale and retail
trade in general merchandise of $27,-
100000 per annum. The trade of the
city in cotton, grain aud other pro-
auctions of the surrounding country
to about 100000 annually;
and in 1881 new buildings to the
value of over 100000 were erected.
Its manufacturing establishments con-
sist OF cotton seed oil mill, one of
the largest in the state; the Dallas car
works, for the manufacture of rail-
way cars, wagons, carriages and furni-
ture, on a large scale; Trinity iron
and brass foundry, doing a business of
$4,000 per annum; two soap fac
tories, and a factory for making ice;
one for baking powder, one for vine
gar and champagne cider; a barrel, a
broom and wagon and carriage fac
tory. Water works, on the Holly syS-
tenn. owned by the city, is in successful
operation. Electric lights have been in
troduced, and are being rapidly
adopted. The manufacture of cotton
goods on large scale is projected by
a company already organized. The
assessed value of real estate, merchan-
disc and personal property in the city
in 1872 was 1922, 40. The assessment
of 1882, showing an increase of over
500 per cent in ten years, is as follows:
Real estate. .................$ 30, 167 200
Merchandise. ......-.....-. SoS, ~
Personal property. ......... 591, 795
" .
The next most important town IS
Lancaster, near the southern bounda-
ry of the county, with population of
200, and an estimated annual trade of
$25O,OO0, and surrounded by a dense
population of thrifty and well-to-do
farmers.
Water power of large capacity is af-
forded by the Elm and West Forks of
Trinity, and by Five Mile and Ten