The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-02-01

IN A@AA w
Lies on Red River in the northeas
corner of the state. Area, 1862 square
miles.
Population in 1870. ..... 1866;
Population in 1880 ca per
cent colOred) .......... 1919
Assessed value of taxable prop
erty in 1870. 81 AS, 81;
Assessed value of taxable
property in 1881. .. 2,295, 49,
Assessed value of taxable
property in 1882 ......... S2,411 ,0Oe
Assessed value of live stock
in 1882 ................. 2SO,434
Along Red River, the northern
boundary, and the Sulphur Fork OF
the stream, the southern boundary
are dense bodies of timber which
spread out toward the center of the
county, and between them, from east
to west, extends an undulating prai-
RE, traversed at intervals by small
creeks, which are Skirted by timber,
and divide the main prairie into a
number of smaller ones. In the east
ern part of the county is a body of
heavily timbered land, interspersed
with prairies, the whole area of prai-
ries comprising about One-third of the
entire county. In the northwestern
portion is a section of country divided
into rich creek bottoms and hilly up
lands, covered with pine. For
estry Bulletin No. 1, issued by
the United States census bureau,
| places the amount of merchantable
shOrt-leaf pine (pinus mitis) standing
i'll the county on May 81, 1880, at 272,-
| 100000 feet, board measure, but it is
believed the actual amount is largely
in excess of these figures. The lead
| ing varieties of timber, besides pine,
are post oak, red oak, pin oak, hickory,
walnut, chinquapin oak, bois dare,
cedar, pecan, elm, cottonwood and
blackberry. Much of the timber is
large and very valuable, the chinqua-
pin oak and boiS dare, by reason of
their great durability and toughnness
Of fibre, being much esteemed for the
manufacture of wagons and agricul-
tural implements, for which purpose
they are largely employed.
Mustang, Little Mustang, Little
White Oak, Big and Little Caney, and
Cut Hand creeks flow southwark into
Sulphur Fork. and Lower and Little
Pine, Bason's and Mill creeks and Pc
Neth W. INV AOl vi " oAA III A1ON
River Cistern water is most used
for domestic purposes in the prairie
section, but in all other portions wells
of pure water are obtained at a shall
low depth, and springs are quite nu-
'merous.
The soil in the Red River bottoms is
a rich alluvial deposit of great depth
and fertility; that of the belt of wood
land lying between the Red River
bottoms and the main prairie, gray
wiLXy lime land; that of the pine up
lands, generally dark gray or mulatto;
while in the creek bottoms is a light,
mellow loan, and on the uplands, be-
tween the Sulphur Fork and the prai-
ries, light sandy, on clay founda-
ton. The mean monthly rainfall in
inches and hundredths of an inch, for
the year $780, was as follows: Janua-
ry, 125: February, 600; March, 400;
April, 2.25; May, 0.75; June, 600; July,
$50; August, 900; September, 2.25;
October, 200; November, $50; Deem
Der, 100. For 1881: January, $50;
February, 300; March, $50; April, LOO;
May, 1926; June, OBS; July, 0.13; Au-
gust, 600; September, 012; October,
4.75; November, Fps; December (half
month";, $50. Total for 1880, 3S1z
inches; for 1881, year of exceptional
and widely extended drouth, 264
inches. Ordinarily the lands in Red
River bottom produce about three
fourths to a bale of cotton, and from
40 to 60 bushels of corn per acre, and
in some seasons the yield exceeds
these figures; but for the entire coun-
ty, one year with another, the yield is
from one-third to one-half bale of cot
ton, % to 80 bushels of corn, 10 to IL
of wheat, 40 of oats, 40 of barley, $50
of sweet potatoes, 100 of Irish, $50
gallons of molaSses, $50 of sorghum
syrup, IL to tons of millet, and all
vegetables common to the latitude are
grown in great abundance. Peaches,
apples, pears and plumS of the choicest
varieties and in great perfection are
grown in large quantities. Apples of
this county equal those raised in any
part of the southern states. Grapes,
wild and domestic, grow luxuriantly,
and Strawberries and raspberries do
well. Wild land, suitable for farms,
is worth from 81 to So, and improved
farms from SO to $40 per acre, and cul-
tivated land rents for from So to So,
or for one-third the corn and other
crops, and one-fourth the cotton. Or
binary rail fencing costs from 500 to
1925 per mile. Pine lumber is worth
from 10 cents to 81, and oak from 81
to S1.25 per hundred at the mills.
Bots dare hedges, wherever properly
cared for, have proved successful.
The principal varietyAof grass is the
sedge, which is found in most parts of
tho county b11f Hnac NOT affnr1 nrnn1
winter paSturage, and stock require
the run of the fields, small grain pas
lures, or more or less feed during that
season. Stockraising is almost inva-
riably combined with agriculture, and
to the assessment rolls of 1882, there
mules, 1924 cattle. 1861 sheep
easily and cheaply raised, as they
the forests, on the mast on which they
are fattened for slaughter in many
seasons. Work horses are worth from
$50 to $40; mules, $50 to $50; oxen, $50
to $50 per yoke; beef retails at to s
corn, 80 to 70 cents per bushel; flour,
Gt-OO pei nuuOICQ. OOIlcStlC lOWlS
are raised in large numbers, and large
and small game and fish are moderate
ly plentiful.
There are in the county six facto-
ries of wagons, plows, ETC., Is or 20
steam Touring and grist mills and cot
ton gins, 20 steam saw mills and cot
ton gins, 20 steam saw mills and a sash
and blind factory. On BaSon's Mill
creek is water power of considerable
capacity, which is not, however, en-
ployed.
The Transcontinental branch of
the Texas and Pacific railroad runs
nearly centrally through the county
from east to west, and has five sta
tons, Douglass, Walker, Bagwell,
Bennett and GAINESVILLE. The latter,
the county seat. is handsomely built
town of about 1900 inhabitants, and
an aggregate trade of about $4,000,
and is characterized by the intelli-
gence, hospitality and social culture
of its citizens.
The Presbyterian, Baptist, Metho-
dist, Christian, Roman Catholic and
Episcopal denominations, and the
colored Baptist and Methodist de
nominations, have churches in the
county, and religious services are
well attended. Free schools are pro-
vided for scholastic population of
3444, of which the daily average at
tendance is 20 per cent. There are
also a number of private schools, from