The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-01-16
an OVERLAND JOURNEY
rsoM ABILENE TO RUNNELS CITY
a Herald Representatives Observations
on the Rapid Development of the
Country-Bad Weather and
Heavy Losses to Stock.

Several days ago the HERALD cores
,ondent accompanied Deputy United
States Marshal ]. s. Crozier on an of
scial visit to Runnels county. We left
Abilene at 1890 a. m. and that night
about s o'clock we arrived in Runnels
c;ty. torty-fve miles away, and secured
indcings at commodious, newly-con-
atructed stone hotel, which was plenti-
fully supplied with good cheer, and on
the whole, would surpass the hostelries
af many towns of twice the size and
commercial Importance of Runnels. To
an observer it is plain that the mag
nificent country south of Abilene is
rapidly undergoing change, and will
hefore the expiration of another decade
beoome one of the most flourishing and
nopulous farming sections of our great
state. We travelled over the main Concho
road, the regular route to the south, and
ali along the way new farm houses,
harms, the traditional snake fences and
Moved fields could be seen, and gave
evidences of the transformation going
on. New settlers are constantly COM
ing in and land is steadily advancing
in price in spite OF the heavy depression
that overhangs the country, and many
sfth large ranches are being reduced
in size and the stock moved
further toward tho frontier
to make way for more
complete and permanent civilization.
The soil, with the exception of the hills,
which occasionally loom up suddenly
on the prairies, lisa rich brown loan and
il extremely fertile and all that the en-
srgetic husbandman could desire. After
the first year it is easily worked, and
POTATOES, vegetables of all kinds, most
of the cereals and fruit are found to
grow IN the most luXuriant manner and
give heavy returns tor the labor and
attention expended. The hills are filled
with stone highly servicable for build
ing purposes and is being used in the
construction of residences and other
structures along the way
aide. 1t is claimed that
several varieties can be so readily OBJ
tanned even in the crude way of blast
ing now in vogue; that house can be
made of it much cheaper than with
brick. Improved appliances will doubt
less still further cheaper the supply of
| this useful material, and it is one of the
sertainties of the future that the coun-
TRY to the southwark will some day be
dotted with rural residences and VII
lagos and towns made in enumerable
fancy ways from the stone to be found
in inexhaustable quantities in the sur
rounding hills.
RUNNELS CITY
is neat and comparatively new little
town of about 500 people. 1t is in
very prosperous and growing con-
aitiOn. Numerous additional
residences and other buildings have
been lately finished and in course of
b erection, and constant additions are
being made to the thrifty and remark
ably intelligent population. Railroad
talk is common among the solid men of
the town, and the ambition of the cti-
Gems, one and all, is to have a court
house which will rival in costiness and
Iplendor those of Abilene and San An
gelo. stone Jail, to cost $4,000, and
be built in the gothic style of archi.
lecture, is now approaching completion,
near the site, in the centre of the town,
on which the new courthouse will be
built.
Runnels has two large livery stables,
ever half a dozen prosperous stores,
several saloons, two commodious and
Well-kept hotels, live, well-edited pa
per, tHhe Record) and all of the regular
town attachments. Between Abilene
and Runnels there are several waysido
villages and hamlets that are in u pros
porous condition, and each form the
main ans ibusinesscenter OF number OF
farms and ranches in the vicinity.
STOCK AND THE WEATHER.
Marshal CrOzier had legal business
with stockmen, and ample opportuui-
ties were offered for learning of the CON
tltlOn of cattle and sheep in this part of
Texas. From what could be learned,
the recent bad weather has had a dis
Strous effect, especially upon sheep,
thousands of which have succumbed to
the severe cold and died on the open
| prairies.
The Wylie Bros. alone estimate their
1 loss at 5000, out of flock of $4,000.
Henry Ortman il estimated to have
4 lost 1000, and many other sheepmen
are reported to have lost proportionate
1 amounts.
Grass has been scarce, and added
greatly TO the severity of the cold. Such
intense cold weather was unexpected
and the ranchmen made but little prep
ratons to combat it by having addi-
tonal herders and shelter and food. 1t
Is noticeable that the ranchmen having
smell tlOCks and who were able to give
personal attention to their business, lost
out few sheep by the cold, and from u
number of ranches come the report
that only tho usual per centage of
deaths have occurred. The sheepmen,
however are not gloomy. They expect
things to brighten up in the spring, and
! oil believe that the next crop of wool
Will bring higher prices than the one
Just marketed. The cattlemen also
ieem to anticipate better times and ex-
poet prices to 80 up in the spring. The
cold has had no effect upon cattle other
than greatly reducing their flesh. But
lew deaths have been occasioned by 1t.