San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1884-01-31
fldvertiseinsnns \
Texas. West Of the osih Meridian.

or those regions thhn tno Suosfnlhioo nn
histories of Texas contain Having been
soldier of the u. y. army on the frontie
from 1886 TO 1851, with much OF my TIM
occupied In scouts, escorts and other mill
tary expeditions, before the country wa
settled, consider my observations OF som'
value at this time.
Western Texas, especially tho mountain
GUS regions, have peculiar climate, pecu
liar hydraulics, peculiar animals and vege'
tation, and why in the namo Of common
sense, this country should not produce q
peculiar raco of peopley In 1856 / first saw
the Llano river, and Travelled up that river
towards Fort Mason. Had road many do.
scriptions Of beautiful landscapes, and soon
many pictures Of them, but tho scenery on
that river ut that time, once seen, can never
be forgotten. Il remains Joy forever, Im-
agino after riding through desert looking
country q long distance, and finding in a
valley river Of clear, cool wntor, with nu-
nervous small Islands covered with stately
pecan, elm, cottonwood and other trees, from
II TO 8 feet diameter, and from so to 100 feet
high, withno underbrush and tuft Of soft
grass covering tho ground The smaller
pecan trees loaded no heavy with q superior
quality of nuts, as TO lean over in the upper
branches, and game Of all kinds in abun-
dance. In 1867, when travelling near those
regions, went some distance out Of my
deep impressions on my mind In former
years. But the aspect Of tho country had
changed to disadvantage. The main roads
which were formerly barely visible, were
marked with deep gullies and washouts,
when leading over hillside, and many
lovely mountain valleys, formerly smooth
and even as the Creator had made them,
were cut up with washouts and gullies
Some houses which formerly stood ON hill
side of smooth land, with only IN OCCASION
rock protruding from the ground, were
moved or abandoned. The cattle had loos-
ened the ground. which had rested there I'M
disturbed for thousands of years, and the
rains washed It of, leaving the houses sur
rounded by bare, rough rocks which made
the location untenable. Nevertheless enough
was left Of the country TO make it desirable
for homesteads. When approaching the
Llano river, instead of beholding those
stately island groves, saw wide bed of o
river covered with fiat rock and pebbles, the
river running through the deepest part of
the rock in one channel On inquiring
what caused this change, was informed
that few years previous cloudburst had
occurred on the head of James river, and
the waters risen to the top Of those high
trees, turning them over and washing all the
soil and trees out of the bed of the river in
one night. A rich corporation of horticul-
turists may raise forest on suitable elevat-
ed soil in the course of centuries. but hu-
men wealth and ingenuity cannot raise o
forest on the bare bedrock of o river, drain
ing IL territory of several thousand square
miles of mountainous country. / explain
the miracle by assuming that if the sons of
God could build Great Pyramid and min
gle with the daughters of men, Genesis vi.
verse p why should they not be able to
prepare hunting ground when they should
desire to enjoy hunting party ON earth, as
human beings, and when vandalism touched
those sacred groves, they were taken away
by supernatural agencies.
Modern text books teach that springs are
caused by the percolation OF rainwater
through the ground and gathering on the
different stratas into reservoirs and springs.
When those authors are told that it don't
rain enough in Western Texas to produce
such enormous springs, as the ground after
D drought will sometimes absorb the rain of
a whole season without being saturated to
more than foot or two, whereas severe
drought enters the ground several feet; then
the authors of the text books say: the water
comes from long distance, perhaps the
Rocky Mountains or the great lakes They
admit q system of waterworks, drawing its
supply from the Rocky Mountains or the
great lakes, to water the dry region of West
ern Texas, but reject the Bible version, that
the earth Is the work of the fingers of God,
and the mighty springs of Western Texas
fixture of the earth since the dawn of Gre
alton, before the advent of rain, n system of
divine waterworks similar to those made by
God for the Garden of Eden, where He
caused four rivers to flow from one channel
Or reservoir. Where God procured this sup
ply of water to water the Garden of Eden
ind to supply the mighty springs of West
,rn Texas, do not pretend to know; but
when He made dirt, stones, coal, fossils and
petroleum and other things out of nothing,
that is substance that cannot be perceived
~ human senses), He also could cause
his substance to produce IN eternal flow of
water, by making law for this substance,
which fills tho whole of the universe) to
consolidate at certain prepared places in the
bowels of the earth into intelligent atoms,
rom hence into the less intelligent molecule
# hydrogen and oxygen, and from thence
" the known laws of chemical affinity into
he compound element, water. The leading
modern scientists put facts on the torture
led of Procustes to make things ft to the
doctrine of text books. that the earth came
nto existence by fortuitous concurrence of
toms. Those men stand high in society
nd people look upon them as the guiding
ights in all the sciences, but I look upon
hem as the inspired clowns of this celestial
rama, which was introduced on earth in the
BEGINNING of civilization, TO last several
thousand years, forthe amusement of angels
nd perhaps some other purpose, according
O the programme, illustrated In the Bible
nd the Great Pyramid.
The popularity Of the climate In Western
Texas, Is the main cause of the present
roubles Tho Republic Of Texas, the Uni
cd States, the Confederate States and the |
tate of Texas, have expended at least 100 |
billions of dollars 10 keep order in those |
egions; and IL the Legislature attempts |
D enforce order without radically changing |
10 landlaws, IL would bankrupt the States, |
sduce Western Texis TO a US. territory, |
18th martial law, cause dissolution of the |
EFT Of the State into several states, and the |
me star Of Texas would cease to shine In |
le banner of the Union. There Is great |
Inference In cohersion race of people on |
ne boys aud hills of Ireland, which are
used on buttermilk and potatoes and edu-
ltei by priests; or cohersing a race Of self
iucsted cowboys, raised on beef and corn
odgers, Who with their horses, arms, slick
rs and few blankets need no other shelter /
I the year. than the canopy Of heaven.
here IL such thing as 9 bandity climate
certain parts Of the globe. generally in
olcsnic regions, but the mountain regions
I Western Texas, deserve the belt for
a viro The charnrIiou banditv climate on lhe