Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-12-10
THE WEALTH OF TEXAS.
yastncss Of the Cattle Trade i'm a SIN.
gle county.

Preside county. the largest in the state of
Texas. embraces a territory of Is 500 square
miles. 1t gets its name from its location, hav-
Ing Mexico for its southern and western bound
airy In its topography il is the most interesting
section of Texas and It's rapid settlement and
Development. comprising stock. mimi. and
agricultural resources. give promise OF its be-
Coming at an early day one OF the wealthlest
Counties in the state. letter to the Altoona
Tribune says:
Fort Davis. the county seat of Preside county.
IS a thriving town which has grown up around
the military post which is located lust beneath
the clitls OF the Apaches, where the valley of
the Limpia spreads out TO the east to beauti-
tul rolling prairie. The town has about l. 700
Inhabitants. exclusive of the military popula-
ton About soc are Mexcans and negroes. the
balance white II contains four large mercan-
tile houses. which carry from $4,000 to $50. 900
stock each. There are alsC three grocery storrs
and one drug store. which do good business.
All Old buildings are
BUILT OF ADOBE.
and covered with a dirt roof thus presenting
rather dull appearance to the stranger at first
sight In the last two years. however. some
very fne and expensive buildings have been
erected. Among these are large and beauti
full building to be occupied by Seiberborne d
o.,
sidiO live stock company, q large and commo-
dious hotel. which was opened three months ago
BY Mrs c. Fink and daughters, from Rochester.
This house has proven popular with the travel
ing public. a veil as with number of victims
of pulmonary troubles from other parts of the
continent. who have come here in search OF
health. and who claim to have been relieved by
the excellent climate mere. There has also been
u number of fine dwellings erected in the past
two years. among which is one owed by Mr. S.
ID Il
and the present county surveyor of Preside
county. The town is 200 feet above the level
OF the sea. almost the same as
THE ALTITUDE OF DENVER.
Colorado, thus making an attractive place for
the health seeker The climate is grand the
thermometer never rising in July and August
much above eighty degrees
Other towns in Preside county are Murphys-
vile. located on the G.. Ii. and S. A railway
with population of about 500. all whites; Pre-
sidio. located on the Rio Grande, opposite Pre-
sidiO Del NOrte. in Mexico, has population of
about 900. all NeXicans. and has three large
mercantile stores; Marfa located on the g. III.
and :. A railway. has population of $50, all
whites, and has one mercantile store.
THE STOCK INTERESTS
of this county are increasing rapidly. In the
fall of 1883 and the spring of the present year.
over so coo head of cattle were brought into
this county from south and east Texas. Two
chartered cattle companies were formed In the
fall OF 1888. The Preside live stock company,
with capital of $3.50 600. has on its range 5000
head OF cattle. InIs company was organized in
September, 1883. The stock was all taken by
May. 1884. This month the managers OF the
company are delivering some as fat bpeves as
ever graZed on Texas soil. This delivery W Ii
continue until February. 1885, as grass in Pre-
sidio county is at its best from September to
February.
The Gomez cattle company. with capital
stock OF 500. CO., have over 5000 head of cattle
Oh their range ON Toyah creek and Antelope
spring. leased from the Texas and Pacific rail-
road company. There is at present in this
country about 100 600 head of cattle worth
abOu. : 100000. and 10000 sheep worth about
$4,000: l5.tUO horses aud mules. worth about
$4,000; 20,OCU goats worth about So. 0GO
making a total Of &. 49,. 600 represented by
stock in this county. This with the yearly in
richer in stock than any other county in the
state, or | NAV say
IN THE UNITED STATES.
Stockmen in this county do not have to sell
their yearly Increase to keep from oversf ocking
their range. or they do not have to sell their
yearlings or two-year-olds to northern men in
order to make fat beeves of them but they can
keep them in this county and raise as good
conditioned cattle as can be raised In Arizona or
Montana.
Aside from large farm on Toyah creek. owned
and managed by Daniel Murphy. who by irriga-
ton raises from so 900 to 40 900 bushels of corn
yearly, and the truck patches in the county.
there is very little being done in the way of az
ricuture as yet. In the near future. however
it is likely that large part OF the county will
De put under cultivation In the last year Mr.
Lawrence Haley, Que Of the wealthiest sheep
men in the state, tried an experiment by plant
ing a small piece OF ground on his ranch in Irish
potatoes. This fall he has raised 16 900 pounds
which sell at four 10 six cents per pound. We
do not buy potatoes here by the bushel