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


Population in 1880. .... 30.470
Assessed value of taxable
property in 1870. .... S., 491, 739
Assessed value of taxable
property in 1881. 80. 1O,462,5 22
in 1882. ........... 2s7, 1872
1t is believed that the actual num-
Der of inhabitants in 1880 WAS much
in excess of that shown by the census
tables, and that the rates of increase
for the past two years has been even
greater than that of the preceding
decade.
The historic city of San Antonio,
the county seat, is the commercial cen
ter of western Texas, and receives,
besides, large and valuable overland
Mexican trade. About One-third of
the annual wool product of Texas finds
a market there, the estimated re-
ceipts for the year 1882 being 100000
pounds.
The county is divided in twain by
what is known as the Chalk Cliffs, an
elevated ridge, tending eastward from
the Rio Grande, and turning to the
northeast at point seven miles north
of San Antonio. North of this ridge
the, surface is broken, and presents
view of lofty hills, gentle slopes, dot
ted with live oaks here and there, and
valleys of meadow lands and prairie,
the whole carpeted with luXuriant ma
tive grasses. The timber in the north
ern portion is live oak on the hills and
high plateaus, post oak on the flats,
and elm, walnut, pecan, and hack
berry along the streams. To the
southwark, the country is gently I'M
dulating, with stretches of level
ground, and relieved by occasional
groups Of hills, covered with mes
quite, and along the river and creek
bottoms, with pecan, elm, blackberry,
sycamore, cottonwood; and on the
Medina, with cypress. The average
height of the county above the sea
level is from 600 to HOO feet, the high
est elevations in the upper portion OF
the county reaching 800 feet.
The San Antonio, Medina, and CibO-
10 rivers flow through the county, the
first named winding its tortuous
course through the city of San An
tonic, and affording an abundant sup
ply of water for domestic use, eXtin-
gushing fires, irrigation. and motive
power for mills and factories. Be
sides these rivers, there are the fol-
lowing creeks: The Leon, Culebra,
San Geronimo, BALCONIES. OlmoS, He
Totes, Elm, Medic, Salado, Calaveros,
Chupederas, and Martinez. There are
springs in many places, and pure,
wholesome water is to be had from
wells, generally at a moderate depth.
The timber ON the uplandS is small
,k &c n
dense, as in eastern forests, but pre-
sents generally park-like aspect, a re-
semblance which is heightened by the
absence of underground and by the
smooth lawn of native grasses. On
the bottoms the timber attainS large
size, while the mesquite on the uplandS,
which has sprung up Of late years, Is
large enough for fuel and fencing.
The entire area is arabic, except d
small portion near the headwaters OF
the streams, where the valleys are mar
row and the ranges of hills too rugged
for cultivation The native grasses,
mesquite and sedge, are abundant
everywhere, and furnish excellent
pasturage; but for large herds of cattle
and flocks of sheep, the range has be-
come too limited, owing to the num-
Der of farms and enclosed pastures.
The prevailing soil is friable black
earth, very deep, with limestone
| foundation, and occasionally inter
spersed with chocolate and reddish
soil, and in the bottoms by rich dark
loan, all being very productive. The
average yield per acre is, of corn, %
bushels; cotton, half bale; oats, 45
bushels; wheat, 10, and sweet potatoes,
| 100. All fruits of the latitude, and
garden vegetables of every variety
do well with careful culture. The gar
dens of San Antonio. and many farms
below, are irrigated from the San An
tonic river by canals and bitches, con-
structed by the Spanish founders of
the city. With this exception, the far
mers depend wholly on the rains for
field and garden crops. The annual
rainfall averages about thirty-tive
inches, and is distributed, as rule,
evenly enough to assure reasonably
uniform crops. Not exceeding one
twentieth of the area is under cultiva-
ton. The price of wild lands is from
81 to $40 per acre, and that of improv-
ed lands generally double, and often
treble, those figures. Cultivated lands
are rented at from 81 to So per acre,
or one-fourth of the cotton and one
third of other crops. The irrigable
lands on the San Antonio river are
rented at S25 to $50 per acre. The
usual rate of wages of farm labor is
S12 to 2l5 per month with board.
Fencing material is found in the white
limestone, which is abundant; in the
cedar, which grows to limited extent
on the hills; post oak rails and pine
lumber, the latter being worth S25 per
thousand feet. The limestone also
furnishes cheap and ineXhaustible
supply of building material, being
easily quarried and sawed into blocks.
1t becomes hard by exposure to the
air, and is strong and durable.
The cost of raising live stock is al
most nominal, as neither winter feed
ing or shelter is necessary. The num-
Der of stock in the county is 1902
cattle, 1927 horses and mules. 1885
sheep. 1926 goats, and 1916 hogs.
The city of San Antonio contained,
according to the United States census,
1885 inhabitants in 1870, and 20,550
in 1880. 1t is believed that the latter
returns fell far short of the actual
number of that date, and that the pop
ulation in 1882 exceeds $1,000. The
older streets bear the impress of their
Spanish origin, being narrow, crooked,
and quantity foreign in appearance.
The modern, which constitutes far the
larger portion of the town, is marked
by handsome parks, broad avenues,
stately mercantile houses, gas works,
street railway, water works, and
church edifices of the several religious
denominations. In its general aspect
it presents the harmonious blending of
old Spain with young America. The
city constitutes a separate school dis
trict, and has four large ward schools
and one central high school, all being
taught in spacious, well ventilated
stone buildings. Private schools are
numerous, and, as a rule, are under
the management of capable teachers.
The Galveston, Harrisburg and San
Antonio, and the Galveston, Houston
and Henderson railways connect San
Antonio with the port of Galveston.
The former is under construction west
ward to Ell PaSo, with branch to
Eagle Pass, while the International
and Great Northern penetrates Mex
leo at Laredo, thus affording three
lines of communication direct to the
Mexican border. The cost of trans
portatiOn to Galveston is $3.50 per
bale for cotton, 80 cents per 100 pounds
for wool, and 20 cents per 100 pounds
for hides. Much cotton is shipped to
Mexico. but. most of the trade flows tn