The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-02-05
GRANITE MOUNTAINS.
. rap OF ( c;S ;slatjvc Commit l. &c az. Il
Sau, SITS t. The Granite S&uarries OF
SuraeI s,0uE:y and the Marble
EN.II.. a. III. l.Lnr...lc.

. rap OF {. e.. ;slatjve toTsEui T. e aE:i
Ssu, SITS t. The Granite Sluarries OF
Hurheg County and the Marble
Fails of she dorado.
Sunday morning at sharp 6 o'clock
was the hour fixed for the gathering
OF the members CT the senate and
house joint committee appointed to
inspect and report upon the aces
sibllity and availability of the noun
tainS of granite Of Burnet county,
the cliffs and beds of marble along the
Colorado and Liano rivers in thaJ VI
entity. Pra'nFiiy at the hour, OmDI-
buses WhiTlyd up 80 the capitol TO
convey to the depot OF the Austin x
\ OrthWester railroad those invited,
who had been resGlute enough 10
turn out IN tne early crisp morning air.
The train was IN readiness and after
q BRIEF delay 20 allow some OF the tai
uy ones o. the party TO come up, a
qnick pull of sixty miles over well
constructed and wei! managed road,
landed the party at the Burnet depot,
where MessrS. MaybeTry, Ward, wat
son and Others Of citizens committee,
Were i'll waiting to escort the party 10
breakfast at the Western hotel and TO
tender the hospitality Of the town. a
hearty breakfast having appeased
Whetted appetiJeS, the visitors were
invited to select from a wilder
ness OF vehicles, such as suited the
| taste of each, and the caravan
stretched out for brisk trOt of four
| teen miles to the granite mountains
and quarry. Arriving at the base of
the Two higher peaks, EXPLANATIONS OF
surprise and delight became unbound
ed, and, dismounting from their vehi-
cles, all set out in every direction to
mount the sides and attain the sum-
mit-by no means an etfOrtleSs feat
| for the older and less nimble Of the
party. The several ladies who graced
The excursion, inspired with enthuSl-
asm and agile emulation, displayed a
| tieetnesS and vigor In bounding up
the sides and leaping the chasms that
taxed the activity Of their escorts to
keep pace with.
The party beng scattered over the
crest and down the river side OF the
highest peaks, Photographic view
was made Of it from the quarry camp,
far below in the valley, by one CT the
Messrs. Rhomberg, who numbers am
ateur photography among his accom-
plishments. 1t is doubtful u ne sue
ceeded in getting a picture Of the ami
mated figures, as they were deeply oc-
cupied with the grandeur OF the
! scen 5Ty, the delicious sunshine and the
| Halmy air. The range OF view from
these peaks presenting the varieties
Of mountains, valley and winding sill
very streams, tie latter lost to sight
in their passage through cleftS
! in the mountain above and below,
stimulates the mind and gives a
breadth of thought that would lead
| the most iucorcigible economist and
least enterprising of Legislators 10
utilize the rich offerings Of nature
concentrated here. This granite
range, which there is no computing
| the quantity Of, extends with varying
attitudes from these peaks Oh the
east away across the Colorado and
along the course of the LlanO river
to Enchanted rock, forty miles dis
tant.
The dinner call brought all the ex-
pl0rers scampering down the noun
Caius to one Of the camp cabins where
a liberal spread of substantials re-
ceived proper dSJelt.on, alter which
several gentle nan addressed the as
semblage concerning the great adYan-
tageS offered in this locality for the
establishment of d self-sustaining PEN
itentiary, and utilizing the vastnesS
of this best and most durable building
material and water power; facts which
were apparent to all present.
The dinner and speeches being fin
iShed, the caravan was again formed
for visit to the lower Marble Falls,
two miles distant on the Coiora-
do. These falls are formed of
a series Of marble shelves
reaching entirely across the
river where it has width of 100 or
100 yards, the shelves ranging in
heighth and distance one from the 9TH
er OF from two to ten feet, and aggTe-
gatin : fall of over twenty feet, over
which the limpid water TOars and
tumbles like a miniature Niagara.
The bed and cliffs of the bank here
would furnish fine marble sufficient to
adorn all Texas. A Photographic view
was also taken here with many of the
eXcursi0nists in position on the dry
rocks at intervals over the falls.
1t was now too near the close of day
for visit to Tire upper marble falls,
four or five miles distant, and the par
ty prepared for the return, well salts
fed with the trip and convinced that
Burnet possessed wealth of nat
ural end0wments. Taking supper at
the Western hotel and bidding adleu
to the hospitable citizens of Burnett,
the happy eXeursionists were whisked
back to Austin, tired but full of salts
faction.
President Rhomberg of the Austin
& Northwestern, expressed desire to
have another eXcurion in the near fu-
ture and which a larger number of
Legislators and guests should be in
duced to participate in. he was tire
less ia his efforts to make everything
agreeable, and he succeeded admirably.