San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-11-15
NO. So.

state Constitution IN tho interest OF
general education have Just been adopt
cd by vote Of tho people. and favorable
legislation had in the same direction.
The present status of the schools Of the
county will appear by the tabular state.
ment which we publish in another COL
umn. s,s.fr : 'lta 4-..t t.,...
Taxes are as follows ;. State advalo-
80 cts, county advolorem 40 ots, State
poll $3.50, county poll 20 OTIS, County
occupation tax one half of State. Prior
to the building Of the now court house
last year. which cost about $50, 900, tho
county was out of debt, and some $l400
of said indebtedness has already been
paid. And the county now has . sur
plus in several special departments of
revenue. @t $50
NNn CLIMATE--HEALTH.
The climate is Q great improvement on
that Of the Northern States, the winters
being much milder and shorter, while
the summers, although long, and rather
enervating, are not, owing to the prev
alence Of tho Gulf breeze, so oppressive
as they are. at times, ut the the North.
The nights are nearly always compara.
lively cool and pleasant. The range of
tho thermometer is from 20 TO 80 dc.
grees above zero--seldom as low % the
former, aud not very often above the
latter Yet the climate is not az perfect
as some portions of California and Mex
leo, but wo think only second to them..
During tho winter and spring it is the
most changeable we have ever known.
Ii exhibits, in fact, all the leading
characteristics Of the Atlantic States
generally, only mitigated by latitude.
A polar wave at the North is nearly al
why's speedily followed by norther and
cold spell" proportionate to the climate
hero, so that the state of the weather
here is a pretty sure general index as to
what it is there. Frosts OCCUR down to
the first Of May, making the fruit crop
very uncertain, and neoessitating fre-
quent roplanting Of crops. Thus, be-
tween the late frosts and droughts,
farming is rather preoarious, yet one
thing is 30 adapted to another, that
there is generally plenty and to spare
produced. And by adapting the system
Of farming to the seasons, and adopting
improved modes of cultivation. no
doubt much larger crops may be regu-
larly produced. The rainfall is abund-
ant, were it loeU distributed. but 1t is
not. The black land, which is preva-
lent, however, stands the drought wons
derfully, but it is not Of so warm na-
ture, nor SO pleasant to cultivate, as 10
is where there is more sand,
Before leaving the subject Of climate,
it is but just to say that were one half
the preparation made to guard against
tho inclemenoy Of the weather that is
made in colder climates, il would cause
it to be almost unnoticed. Really oom-
Portable houses arc comparatively rare
in Texas, and shelter for animals and
the practice of feeding them, even more
rare. Yet there are days here in winter
and spring-ferce northers and chilling
rain storms following periods of quite
warm weather-as hard on man aud
beast as any on earth. Man generally
escapes, but the poor animals often per-
ish by scores. But let not the country
or climate be blamed for mans heartless
improvidence. .l.ec
In point Of healthfulness, this county
will compare favorably with almost
any other located in 80 low latitude.
There is scarcely any malarious disease,
for there is very little to produce any.
Yet people do manage to got sick and
die here as we'll as In less favored climes,
and az the population increases, the
country will no doubt appear less
healthy. Pneumonia appears to be the
most fatal disease, though not very
prevalent. ~
PRICES OF LAND AND IMPROVEMENTS.
The prico OF land here, as everywhere
else, varies according to the location,
improvement, quality and manner OF
payment. Improved is worth all tho
way from So to $50 per acre, and unim-
proved from 81 to s12, and most Of il
can be bought on time to suit purehas.
ers. But honesty and fair dealing with
immigrants compel as to
say, that the cost of making common
improvements, principally fencing, is
such that by tho time they are made, un-
improved land will have cost the settler
ot less than S25 per acre. Since the
advent of the railroad, however, the ex-
pense of fencing and building material
will diminish so that farms may be i'm
proved at considerably less cost. Here
tofore. besides stone. the chief material
for fencing has been cedar, for rail and
picket fences, but the supply. save for
posts, is not sufficient; and pine boards
brought from the eastern part of the
State, are now found 10 be cheaper.
Hedges of Ossgo orange would do pdmi-
rably here, but the people so far, have
not had the time, skill or patience to
bring them to perfection.
We should state that the prices of
lands above. refer to farming lands, and
that pasture lands in large quantities are
cheaper. Timber lands are
worth from g 10 $25 per acre.