Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-06-21
= A VISIT TO TEXAS.
vfooNTNUEprFRoM FIRST PAGE. !

cling costs from $3.50 to $3.50 per mile. The
Houston and Texas Central The Dennisor
and Southwestern Branch of the Missouri
Pacific; and the Transcontinental division
of the Texas and Pacific, pass through the
county.
Sherman is the county seat of GraysOr
county, and has a population Of about 5000
It is described as having many Well-bull1
blocks of substantial business houses, court
house, constructed of stone at cost of $50,
600; an opera house, number of spacious
churches, street railway line, gas works
and many handsome private residences.
Dennison is situated 13 miles northeast O
Sherman, at the terminus of the Houston
and Texas Central Railway. 1t has popu:
latfon of about 5000, and many large and
substantially built houses, number of spa
denceS. 1t is contiguous to Red river, and
! is the principal market for the Indian Ter
ritory.
We left, DennisOn sOn the DennisOn AND
Sutheasterii Branch Of the Missouri Pacific
Railway, for Greenville, in Hunt county
passing across the southwestern corner OF
Fannin county, and through portion o
Hunt county, to the town Of Greenville.
On arriving at Greenville, about sun
down, almost the first face we saw, was
that of Mr.. Joseph w. Colcock, formerly
a resident of Yorkville. Imagine our pleas
ure at meeting him, for only those who
have tried it, can realize the mOnOtony OF
travelling for hundreds of miles without
ever meeting with a, familiar face; and
then, unexpectedly, to come upon one that
you had known for years, the pleasure is
much more easily imagined than described
Mr.. Colcock informed us that he was in good
health, is engaged in buying cotton, and
that he is prospering. At any rate, he can
brag on the advantages of Texas with as
much vigor as the average native.
Being under the necessity of remaining
in Greenville during the night, and until
9.45, A. NJ, next day, we had the pleasure
of several hours conversation with Mr.
Colcock and other persons whose acquaint-
ance we made during our stay.
Greenville, the county seat of Hunt county
is a town of about twenty-five hundred in.
habitants, and is located at the junction OF
the East Line and Red River, and the South
eastern Branch of the Missouri Pacific Rail.
ways. A very handsome court house is being
built at this place, which we were informed
will cost, when completed, $41 900. There
are also in the town some substantial looking
business houses and number of handsome
private residences. The trade of the place
is estimated at $1,000, 600 annually. 1T is
expected that a branch of the Texas and
St. Louis Railroad will be built to the town
in short time, which will materially in.
crease its facilities for trade. We regret
to learn that since we left there, tornado
which we were informed is one of the in.
stitutions of Texas, and by no means un.
common, passed over Greenville, blowing
down or removing from their foundations
one hundred and fifty houses, besides killing
child and severely injuring several others
The telegraphic account says that "the
Methodist and colored churches were total
ly wrecked, and the Presbyterian and
Baptist churches were badly damaged"
At the time appointed, we left Greenville
by the East Line and Red River Railway
for Campbell, station on that road, ter
miles east of Greenville. 1t is narrow
gauge road, and one of the many roads in
Texas under the control of Jay Gould. In
due time we arrived at our destination, and
found it to be growing village. The first
dwelling house was erected there in April
1881. About forty families now make theil
homes in the village, the population aggre
eating about two hundred, and what was a
little remarkable to us, there were but two
negroes among the number. A substantial
brick church building has been erected by
the Presbyterians, but it is used, from time
to time, by other denominations. The pride
of the village, however, is q cOmmodiou:
and neat school building, witha good school,
under the control of Professors r. S. CraW.
ford and w. R. Leonard, and q school roll
numbering about $50 pupils. Besides the
buildings necessary for the accommodation
of the forty families residing in the village
there are two dry goods stores, a blacksmith
shop, a Touring and corn mill, planning mill
and drug store. All the houses, with the
exception of the church, are wooden build.
ings. The village is built in the timber, and
the trees and bushes are so thick, that but
comparatively few of the houses are visible
from the railroad track. The morality ol
the place is of high order, and so unani'
nous is the opposition to the sale of intoxi'
eating liquors in the village, should any one
attempt to sell intoxicating liquors there
the probability is that lynching would be
a clause in the deeds to the lots, which works
a forfeiture of the land to the original own"
ers, if intoxicating liquors are ever sold on
the premises.
Hunt county, in which Campbell is stu
ted, is in the second tier of counties south o
Red river. Ithas an area Of 869 square miles
and by the census of 1880, a population Of H.,
23O, seven per cent. of which is colored. The
general surface is elevated and rolling, three
fourths being represented as prairie, and the
remainder covered with growth, consisting
principally of post oak, Usage orange, elm
ash, walnut, hickory and some cedar. The
Sabine river and the South Sulphur Fork o.
Red river, both have their main sources in
the county. The water from the wells l.
generally impregnated with lime and is
unpalatable. The only palatable water we
drank was from cisterns. The soils ara
chiefly dark friable loan and black, stiff
land. The yield of the various crops pei
acre, on the best lands, under favorable cir
cumstances and proper tillage, is, of cotton,
One-third to tWo-thirdS of a bale corn, % to
80 bushels; wheat 10 to IL bushels. Unim-
proved farm lands are quoted at from So to
S. per acre, and improved farms from $40 to
to $40, according to the location, quality and
value of improvements. Fencing and lum-
ber are about the same prices as in Grayson
and Collin counties. 90.
After remaining at Campbell for period
of two days and a half, we turned our face
homeward. We left Campbell by the East
Vile, passing over portion of Hunt and
Collin counties, that we had not previously
traversed. Remaining at Mckinney for one
night, on the subsequent day, at II O'Clock,
A. NJ, we left for the city of Dallas On
arriving at Dallas, we were met by Our
kinsman and taken to his home, distance
of about six miles. There we remained for
| four days, and made number of pleasant
acquaintance, notably Mr.. George Givens
and his family, formerly of Kentucky ;
and Mr.. James Brownlee, formerly of Ala
bama. To each of the gentlemen named,
we acknowledge ourselves indebted for IA
vors, and shall ever remember with pleasure
the visit to their neighborhood. Turning
our face homeWard again, we returned
to the city of Dallas. After tarrying there
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