The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-11

W.
missioner of Statistics. etcl
BLANCO COUNTY.
Blanco, the county seat. is about
forty-ive miles south of west of the
city of Austin.
Area of the county, 713 square
miles.
Population in 1870. . 1.IS7
Population in 1880 Q5O col
ored). DECENTRALIZATION. 1888
Assessed value of taxable prop
erty in 1870. S213. 499
Assessed value of taxable prop
erty in 1881. SI6,378
Assessed value of live stock
III 1901 NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 245,Z9l
publication.
1t is q mountainous country, ira
yersed by high, rugged hills, and wide,
fertile valleys, and having also con-
siderable table land. About one-tenth
OF the area is covered with timber,
which is mainly short, and composed
OF live oak, post oak, white oak, elm,
hickory, cedar, cypress and black wal
nut. Blanco river and its tributaries
water the southern, and the Perdi-
males and its tributaries the central
and northern portion. The latter is a
bold mountain stream, with scenery
which occasionally assumes a charac-
ter of wildness and grandeur. Both
rivers, though small, are never failing,
and the valleys are excellent farming
lands, on which garden vegetables,
melons, and fruit grow well; and with
proper culture cotton yields half a
bale to the acre; corn, twenty-five
bushels; wheat, twelve; oats, seventy;
rye, twenty; barley, forty; sweet pota-
toes, two hundred; and millett, two
tons.
The soil is diversified by a light
sandy and a chocolate loan in the
upper, black lime soil on the table
land, and dark and chocolate loan
In the valleys of the lower portion OF
the county. Tine underlying rock
formation of the county Enthusiastically
indicate the portions suited to agricul-
ture as distinguished from those more
especially adapted to pasturage. All
southwark of the high dividing ridge,
midway between the Blanco and the
PerdinaleS rivers. rests on limestone
subStratum. In this section, embrac-
ing about one-ifth of the entire area,
is found the farming lands, whilst
nOrthward of the line mentioned,
sandstone Is the prevailing formation,
and here stockraising is the more
profitable industry. The number of
stock in the county is, of cattle, 49,
1863; of sheep, S5,713; of horses and
mules, 65S6; of goats, 941, and of hogs,
$3.50.
The grasses are equally divided be-
fUaQn fhn Innor oT1A hn Iu fp1aCnrrit
and the sedge, the former being the
more valuable. 1t is the general Gus
tom to depend entirely on the range
for the subsistence of all kinds of
stock, though few thrifty stockrais-
ers feed sheep during exceptionally
severe seasons, and find themselves
well repaid in the higher per cent of
increase and the superior weight of
fleece. The annual increase of sheep
IS about 20 per cent, of stock cattle
3315 per cent. Sheep are not subject
to any disease, and yield, on an aver
age, pounds of wool per annum,
which is usually sold in Austin or San
Antonio. Goats have only been raised
in small numbers, but the rugged ma
ture of much Of the country, and it's
heritage, are especially favorable to
bAASAA 6AOh Och DC
bought for 81 an acre; good farming
land, part in cultivation, for So to $12,
and wild land, suitable for tillage, for
81 to $3.50. There is a large quantity
OF school lands in the county, held at
acre.
No careful neurological explora-
lions have been made, but indications
of nnal an6 abundant.
BILE and granite are found, and soap
stone (steatite), of workable quality,
exists in ineXhaustable quantities.
The manufacturing interests are
represented by three Touring mills,
six corn mills, seven cotton gins, and
factories of small capacity for turn
ing out wagons and farming imple-
ments. Water power can be easily
and cheaply obtained, but not on a
large scale. AT present there is no
railway communication, except by the
international and Great Northern,
which passes within about thirty
miles of the county seat. The Texas
Western railway is projected through
the county from east to west, and is
under construction. Freight by
wagon to the nearest railway station
is 40 cents per hundred, and to Gal
weston from Blanco City it is $1.25
per hundred.
Blanco, the county seat, has 300 in
habitants, and an aggregate annual
trade of $4,000. Round Mountain,
in the northern part, has 150 inhabit-
ants, and a trade of $4,000 per an
mum. A considerable number of Ger
mans have settled in the county. The
BaptiStS, Christians and MethodiStS
are the only denominations having
houses of worship. Four hundred
and fifty children attend the public
free schools, of which there are
twenty. Blanco City has a graded
private school and two other private
schools.
The county has small floating debt,
and the county tax Is twenty-five
cents on the 800.
The climate is pleasant and salubri-
Gus; indeed it may be said to he noted
for health. The summer temperature
averages So degrees, the winter 40 de-
grees. The annual rainfall is from 20
to 80 inches, chiefly confined to the
autumn, winter and spring, for which
reason early planting Is found to be
Indispensable to secure uniformly good
results in agriculture.
The people are orderly and law
abiding, and no county in the state
has, in proportion to population, fewer
criminal cases in the courts,
A Night in Chinese City.
AT Sat of S1In life in Palin nc far ac