The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-03-21
MASON COUNTY.
Chief Features of Mason County
and It's Capital.
MASON, Texa March 10, 1889.


Special Correspondence of the Statesman.
Mason county was formed from Bexar
in 1858, situated in the southeastern por-
ton of the state.
The general surface of the country is
broken, and in some places rather
mountainous. About one half of the area
of the county is covered with timber, the
remainder being rolling prairie and
barren, rockey ridges.
The Llano river flows through the
county from west to east, and the San
Saba river passes across the northwes
corner of the county. These rivers and
their tributaries furnish the water supply.
The chief industry of the people is
farming, though stockraisiDg is carried
on to considerable extent, a. farms are
important features of the country's wealth,
The iron deposits of the county have at
trscted the attention of capitalists and eff
forts are now being made to develop that
interest. There are many other valuable
mineral ores. At present there are no
railroads running through the county, but
there is railroad man in
town to-day getting subscrlp-
tions for the Arkansas Pass railroad,
and the people are enthusiastic over the
prospects of getting the railroad soon.
There are in the county one bank, twenty
five merchants, ten lawy ers, three. physi-
clans, seven church organizations. Lands
sell from So to $40 per acre, depending
upon improvements; unimproved land
sells from So to IS per acre; 1906 acres
of school lands in the county; area, 90S
square miles. Population in 1888, 5000;
1924 white families and four colored. The
assessed value of all property in 1877,
1856, 448; in 1888, $2,012, 1856; gain, in ten
years, $1,427,30S
Mason is the county seat; population
1900. The other principal towns in the
county are Pontotoc, population 400;
Loyal Valley, population $50. One weekly
newspaper published in the county.
SCHOOLS.
Mason county has a total scholastic
population of 1,200, with twelve school
houses, and gives employment to thirty
five teachers. There Is in the town of
Mason a public graded school that com
bines the high school department, pre-
pairing young men and ladies for the
State university. The trustees have built
and furnished a high school building at a
cost of $4,000, where a ten months
school is taught yearly, free to all between
the ages of and Fl years.
Wheat, corn, oats, rye, sweet potatoes,
Irish potatoes, sorghum, millet, hay, cot
ton, all are raised in great abundance.
Live Stock-Horses and mules, $500;
value, $150,670. Cattle, 73,425; value,
$685. 26. Sheep, 3056O; value, $40, $40.
Goats, 1880; value, $4,327. Hogs, 5,675;
value,S5,6SO. Wool clipped, S5,67S pounds;
value, $23,811.
The leading law firms are McGinnis g.
Bridges, Fulton & Light, j. T. Stopleton,
Rudolph Runge and Calvin Thaxton.
Homes q Bierschwale are doing an ex-
tensive land business. Smith g. Geist-
weidt are doing an extensive general mer-
camille business. G. W. Todd, Dunlap g.
Wilson, D. DoOle, W. Dodd, Moran &
Schmidt, j. W. Simmons,are all successful
business men. DR.. j. D. Beck is doing
an extensive and successful practice. The
Mason house, under the popular manage
ment of Lace Bridges, is one of the best
hotels in the west; and last, but not least,
1 have not found more intelligent, hos
pitable and clever people anywhere than
in the town of Mason.