The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-09-29

with that of any pine region in tn
Southern States. 1t is higher, NOR
rolling, better drained, and NOR
healthy than that nearer the coast. l
is, in many places, well settled will
an industrious, thrifty class of farmers
who cultivate successfully cotton, su
gar cane, corn, oats and sweet pota
toes, and garden vegetables in grea
variety and abundance. 1t is vel
adapted to fruit growing, especially tt
peaches, plums, grapes, figs, black ant
dew berries. The great and impor
tant feature of this country is its vast
forests of pine, much Of it being equa
to the pineries of Louisiana. Besides
the pine, there is also immense quaint
ties Of the different oaks, hickory, ash
gum, cypress, maple, walnut and other
varieties.
From the Trinity to the Brazos the
road would run along the line between
the counties of Madison and Leon,
both of which are fine cotton growing
counties, and through Robertson, one
of the largest cotton growing counties
in the State; having besides its fine
uplands and creek bottoms the cele-
brated belt of rich alluvial lands be-
tween the Little and Big Brazos riv-
ers, with width of from three to six
miles, and extending the entire length
of the country, distance Of about for
ty miles.
Crossing the Brazos river in Robert
son, the road would run through the
counties of Milan, Falls, Bell, part
of Williamson and Burnett to the Col
orado river. These counties comprise
a part of tho great black prairie region
of Texas, unexcelled in any country
for the richness, depth aud durability
of its soil, the variety of its agricultu-
raj productions, and its fine natural
grapes. The population and wealth
of this portion of Texas have increased
rapidly within the last fifteen years,
and is still increasing. 1t is settled
up with the middle class of people
none being very rich and but few very
poor-the most valuable of all classes
in the settlement and development of
a country. They are the people who
build up towns and make the trade
and business of the country great and
prosperous. In 1870 the above five
counties had an aggregate population
of $500, and 1924 in 1880, an in
crease IN ten years of more one hun
dred per cent. The increase since 1880
has been very great and it may not be
considered an exaggeration to say the
population is now 100000. The prin-
cipal crops grown in these counties
are cotton, corn, oats and wheat. One
bale of cotton, forty to sixty bushels
of corn, 60 to so of oats, and 20 to Is
bushels of wheat to the acre are not
uncommon. 1t is also a fine stock
country, we'll adapted to the raising of
fine cattle, fine horses, mules and sheep.
The native grapes grow luxuriantly,
and are rich in nutriment, aGording
excellent grazing Or hay of good quail
ity. Last year Franklin, in Robert
son county, shipped 5000 bales cotton,
563,556 pounds cotton seed, 1895
pounds hides, 1894 pounds wool. Cal
vert in the same county shipped 49,
900 bales cotton, 10000 pounds hides,
$50 cars cotton seed, and 5000 pounds
wool. Temple, in Bell county, ship
ped $4,000 bales cotton, 100, 900 bush
els Of oats, 10000 bushels corn, so,
900 pounds wool, 400 cars stock, 400
tons cotton seed, and 10000 pounds
hides. Bolton, in Bell county, ship
ped $4,000 bales cotton, $4,000 lbs
wool, $4,000 pounds hides, IS cars of
live stock, and 6S3l tons cotton seed.
The above four towns are immediately
on the proposed line and the two ex-
IRENE ones are abou. G5 miles apart.
1t is safe to say that of the $4,000
bales of cotton shipped from the four
towns, the proposed road would, if
completed with direct continuous con
nections with New York have carried
at least 10000. The building of 9th
er towns along the line through Madi-
sou, Leon, Robertson, Falls, Milan,
Bell, Williamson and Burnett, the adj
ditional trade given to those already
built, and the increased settlementand
development Of the country would add
immensely to the agricultural produc-
tons and business Of that part of the
State. The wheat, oats, corn and
much of the live stock now shipped to
other points would find the best mar
kets East among the mill men of the
pincrles and the cotton and sugar plan
tiers on the line Of the proposed road.
From the Colorado river the pro-
posed road would run up the Llano
river, q, tributary of the Colorado to
about the junction of the North and
South forks of the Llano. The coun-
try on each side of the Llano, inclu-
ding the counties of Llano, Mason and
Kimble is broken and in some places
mountainous. The valleys along the
rivers and smaller streams, and at the
foot OF the mountains are very rich,
and adapted to the growth of cotton,
corn, oats and wheat. Much of the