Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-04-07
FRONTIER SKETCHES.
Early Settlements In Western Texas
Land Flowing With Milk and
Honey.


For the Gazette.
INTRODUCTORY PAPER.
Since the landing of the Pilgrim
fathers at Plymouth Rock, perhaps no
portion of the vast frontier of the
United States, save California, has
been settled with equal rapidity us that
of Texas The annexation of Texas to
the United States in 1916 resulted in
war with Mexico, and that resulted in
the acquisition of a vast territory to
the United States. Daring the ensu-
ing four years of lsl7 $500 stimuli
taneOus rush was made from all the
states, and continual stream OF immi-
grafton was pouring into the then un-
inhabited aud unexplored western will
derness. Texas, in the meantime. un-
der the management of wise, patriotic
statesmen, had been resurrected after
her national death produced by an-
peXation) by the adoption of her state
constitution Of 1915. and assumed her
proud position rs the empire Southern
state, presenting to immigration advan-
tages in her climate, soil. range, pro-
duction and health, not found so well
arranged in any other part of the
world. except it was in ancient Canaan.
II tOtI lIlc Eolt iiititS VI NsalitOt iilu.
with magic influence, attracted immi.
grafton from the zenith to the Ngdir,
from center to circumference; teeming
thousands from earth's romotest bounds
with wild rushing impetuosiiy, were
continuously pouring in at the golden
gate, and San Francisco sprung into Il
city as if touched by the magic
waud-ot Aladdin's wonderful lamp.
While thousands upon thousands in
their hurried inconsiderate rush 10 the
Pacific slope returned penniless and
broken up by their misguided efforts,
vet many thousands of othe.s were
successful, and new life and energy
was impaired to every department of
business in the United States. Lands
and stock of all kinds advanced every
where. There was no trouble to sell
either for n fair price, and well-to.do
men in all the Northwestern and
Southern states were selling out and
going west ito grow up with the
country.n After the return OF many
, thousands from i'ornia-some
! broken, Others flush during the year7
of 1850, Isl, '52, '53 and ~, a vast tide
of we'll TODD immigrants came pouring
| down into Texas from all the states,
and a belt of country from Red river
/, TO ;he Rio Grande. some cne hnn're"
| and fifty miles in width, was soon
sparsely dotted with pioneer cabins
Sherman, Mckinney, Dallas, WaSa-
hachle, Waco, Bolton, Georgetown,
| Austin and San Antonio We're tneh
! frontier towns, and west OF thls line
was an uninhabited wilderness, save
| few COW ranches. During the years
1858 and 1854, the legislature OF Texas
created west of this line u tier 81 new
counties, including between the Bfazot
! and Colorado rivers the counties o.
Bosque, Coryell and Lampasas. uh'
| United States, to facilitate the settling
up of the country, had moved her mn
of posts from Fort Graham To PnaD
tom Hill, and Fort Gates TO For
Chadbourne. Texas had been an
nexed. the war with Mexico ended
and the Indians were being placed Oh
reservations, and Indian dnpreda
] t.ons, as all old Texans at that TIM
thought, had ceased for ever, I'M
delusiye hope of Indian depreciation
being forever ended, CAUSED innii
grants to push out mt
this then uninhabiled, painless, mouse
less wilderness. But II the ven
time collu have Deei fchoei"tsu ~
the ken of human vision and I'M
panorama of future troubles from In
dian depredatiors been brought vi
wildly TO view, but very few wouid
have been daring enough TO hays
rlsked the situation. But hope, I'M
souls winged bard" Is ever sweel Q
song as Eden's garden bird" and IL
ways pouring forth asubdning melod,
that lulls human fears 10 rest, sTh'
inexhaustible carpet Of mesquite grss'
free to all-no wire TO cut theDl "
Yilingly o'crS,,read this vast fe-ion
and teDn.ingIy Invited the pcrdsmai
with mis- flock. E-orbltaGt prices f.
breadstuff and gr Ain OF every kind II
vied the farIne... The fabulous prlc'
for labor invited mechanics an
tradesmen. Lawyers. doctors an
politician 8 swarIned and settled ~ u
new CO .lnty seats. as numerous alnie
as IN !, locusts OF Egypt, ana inefchau
we % not slow TO take in the slluauo
4 nd for tue first two or three yes
after the settlements were sthteu
Bosque, coryell, Lampasas, HanIilit
Comanche, 1rath and Brown countl
i doubt II the Garden OF Eden
itaan ra-1aaafpd NJ An accessible uDlu