Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-06-12
GRIND YOUR AK 4?
A Trip Through West Texas-sOme Of tie
Wonderful Resources Await.
ing Development.
A Great Bonanza In Parker County
Gnndstcnes-A Little Money aud
Energy All That's Needed.

rlves It's name from the immense quar-
ries OF that rock which line Its banks.
The merits of these quarries have been
known for some time, but their isols
ted situation has kept them from be-
ing developed. The advent of the
Texas & Pacific railroad through this
Western country has. wrought wonder
ful changes In very short space OF
time. This is found to be country
with wonderful resources, and the
Texas Il Pacific railway is causing
them u be developed by bringing the
West In close proximity with all:the
great COMMERCIAL centers OF the state,
and through them with the balance OF
the world.
The resources OF Western Texas are
as varied and extensive % those OF any
other portion OF the state. All they re-
quire Is development, and this they
are gradually receiving from the hands
of men who have the nerve and pluck
to tackle them.
Your correspondent was at Gordon
n few days since and visited the coal
mines In that vicinity, where he found
about four hundred OF "the hardy sons
VI WI phciiJ cAkubcu III utNciopluk
their resources. Coal has also been
discovered In the mountains not far
| from this place, and, although 1t has
not attracted much attention yet, IL
evidently will some day in the near
| future.
Some few months since Col. M. S.
Hall, well-known in railroad circles
for his vim and push as railroad con.
tractor and builder, while saunterlng
along the banks OF Grindstone creek
some three miles south Of this place,
had his attention attracted TO the char
acter Of the rocks upon which he was
treading. The idea suggested itself TO
his practical mind that right here was
q fortune for the man who had the
nerve TO tackle 1t and work IL out, and
right then and there he decided that
he was the man. He called at once ON
the lady who owned the and, and
| leased ten acres on which the
quarries are situated for ten years
| Since then the colonel has
bought not only ten acres, but large
tract OF land In connection Herewith,
and IL now busily engaged In develop
ing his quarry. He Is getting ,out the
very best quality OF grindstones to fill
orders from various portions Of the
state. Just ut this time he Is filling an
order for four tons for w. i. Lake OF
Fort Worth. He also has on hand a
large amount of curbing and building
stone. which for beauty and durability
would be hard to excel In any country.
All this quarry lacks to make 1t one OF
the grandest enterprises Of the Empire
state is connection with the main
trunk of the Texas d Pacific, and this
Is promised as soon as the practicable
ty OF the scheme shall have been suf-
| ticiently demonstrated. We think
the scheme demonstrates itself.
Grindstones and the first quail
ity OF curbing and building
stones are as much o staple OF COM
modify as lumber. The only ques-
ton to be considered il, can these rocks
be placed on the market at such fig
ures as to compete successfully with
those articles they will have to come
In competition with. We think they
can. These quarrie9 are but forty-fi We
,.liles west OF Fort Worth and seventy
five miles west OF Dallas, and II they
did no more than supply the demands
OF these two thriving cities they would
prove bonanza to their owners. Col.
Hall now has his quarrles in working
order, but he wants financial aid TO
push his enterprise to "A successful
issue right speedily. He wants some
man or set of men with
sufficient means to come to his
aid at once. The harvest, indeed, Ii
ripe, but the tlaEorers are by far too
few to meet the demand. To US, the
scheme looks highly plausible and al.
together practicable. SO long as men
continue 10 have axes to grind there
will be demand for grindstones, and
30 long as they continue TO build
houses they will have need of rock
work In some shape, and 30 long as II
continues TO rain in Texas there will
be demand for sidewalks, and the
Qrindslone quarries Of Parker county
propose to meet all these demands.
All they ask is development and trans.
portatlon on such terms as will enable
them 10 compete successfully with
like products from other portions OF
the state.
Col. Hall entered upon his new en-
terprise last September. Since that
time he has opened seventy acres OF
land, built nearly three miles OF rock
fence and steam Touring mill which
Is capable OF grinding 200 bushels OF
wheat q day and the same amount OF
corn. He has forty acres In cotton,
thirty acres In corn, twenty In oats,
twenty In sugar cane End between 800
and 400 head OF hogs In his pasture, In
addition to his rock quarry, which Is
his main enterprise. he employs from
twenty TO thirty men all the time
Such Is the character and style OF the
man who challenges SINE man OF
set OF men TO embark with
him in his quarry business. II any
mao can offer stronger Inducements
for moderate outlay Of capital, Col.
Hall would be pleased to hear from
him.
Mrs. Hall. who has lived for several
years past Ia Fort Worth, has sacri.
Heed her pleasant little home In that
city and invested the proceeds In the
coloneIis enterprise, and ID sustaining
him with her labors IS well ss her
means. Mrs. Hall Is very accom-
plished lady, and ii is 10 be hoped her
,aolafiar, froun roeiAtV a but tenn Dor.