The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1885-03-04
Texas Letter.
LAMONT.

MINERAL WELLS, Feb. 10, 1885.
After spending several days i'm Den
ton county forming new and renewing
old acquaintance, for We were visited
by some old Kentucky friends, who
travelled from ~ to 80 miles to see u-,
and after having good time fishing in
Elm Fork of Trinity river, which
abOunds in the finest of the finny Tribe,
we took our leave of son and family.
and our friend, Mr.. Gray, who had been
so attentive to make our stay in his
neighborhOod pleasant, and turned our
face towards Mineral Wells, where We
now are enjoying this very romantic
spot of the "Lone Star State" aud i'm
billing its mysterious waters which are
doubtless possessed of almost marvellous
medicinal properties If we are to believe
what our ears hear and what our eyes
see, for now we meet one who says,
"when came here | was drawn out of
all proper human shape with rheuma~
tism, walked on crutches and was not
able to help myself, but now I have
better health than ever in my life" and
now we meet another, who says. "when
| came here | was dying with Bright's
Disease and kidney troubles, half de-
mented and not able to help myself to
a drink of the water; now am sound
and we'll" Yet another says: "When
| came here | was blind with chronic
sore eyes, could not tell day from night,
now you can see my eyes that they are
WE'LL And so ii goes, until the list of
human ailments have been almost ex.
hausted; insOmuch the faith of the
most skeptical is Involuntary inspired
and you are compelled to believe what
seems undeniable, that many human
diseases are effectually cured and many
sufferers relieved by the use of these
wells, or rather the water that is drawn
out of them. We are here for paralytic,
nervous and kidney tr oubles, and hav-
ing now been upon the use of this
water just one week, We can say as
suredly that We are much improved
every way aud sanguinely hopeful of
permanent relief.
The place is the most remarkable in
its natural layout that is to be found
perhaps anywhere, ana certainly none
can compare with it yet found in the
South or West. Leaving the Texas
Pacific r. r at Millsap, eight miles
east, on "a very level skirt of the up
per Cross Timbersr We soon cross a
rapidly flowing branch or tributary of
the Braz0s river, when we begin to as
cend seemingly a mountain side, COW
cred with stones from the size of a
hens egg up to the size of house, all
thrown about in sublime confusion.
Suddenly We find ourselves on beauti-
full leyel, sandy table-land, mostly in
closed tor pasture or agricultural pur-
poses, by long lines of Larbed wire
fence. Soon We strike another one of
these stony lodges without having any
descent whatever and up We climb un-
ill again We reach another broad,
smooth, sandy plain stretching far
away towards the northwest from the
southeast, and so it continues, rising
back, ledge after ledge, without any
descent until the western border of the
State is reached. This is in Palo-Pinto
county, where the mountainous section
sets in with the abrupt breaks of the
Brazos, where nearly 800 miles of its
length traverses this single county.
This Is a salt water stream, about the
size of Green rIver in Kentucky, wind
ing its way from the northwestern
corner of the State and empties into
the gulf west of Galveston, and is the
resort of all kinds of animals when in
search of water, and real representa-
tive of the wild solitudts of north
western Texas. But a. few years ago
this was the wild western boundary Of
civilization, exposed to the depredations
of the wild Indian tribes that hung
upon its border. Wolves were 50
numerous that they would enter the
small Enclosures of the scattered settlers
and catch kids aud chickens and even
stare and snap at the children in the
yards. All sorts of wild game were
abundant, and the Mexican lions not
uncommon but now a hardy and
thrifty population has taken possession
of these mountains and rich table
la IDS, and the evidences of an inereas.
ing civilization appear on every side.
Herding is fast giving place to agricul-
ture and horticulture,r railroads are being
projected in almost every direction,
while schools and churches are multi
plying everywhere. Truly the march
of civilization is westward bound"
Ii you are looking for a place where
money can be made rapidly without
the advantages of a capital of some
size upon which TO start, or if you are
without education or good profession,
Texas is not the place for you, especially
if you desire any of the enjoym-nts of
life while you are making start
Texas is a hard place and constantly
becoming harder for man to make n
start, who is destitute of money, edu>
cation or profession, and he who un-
dertakes it may expect to rough it for
long time without the comforts and