Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-26
the balance OF the county and debouohes
iufO the t,nlf of Meyfco

| COWphtdtlbc Uluuully tTOm tuS u6lhGi ai
diseases common in this latitude. So we
have here all the guarantees of health to
be had from altitude above the level of
the sea, and the free circulation of air
minus the unpleasant rigor of the regu-
lar norther. In addition TO this. good
| drinking water is everywhere plentiful,
and fruits and garden vegetables OF all
| kinds are produced in abundance.
| 1t goes without saving that Eastern
| Texas contains the finest Gotten land and
| the largest untouched pinery in the
| Union: and II is equally true that Wood
| county is one of the best cotton and Ium-
| Der counties in that section of the state.
Land, TO be well adapted to farming,
must be sufficiently level, free from rock
and rest on firm clay foundation. The
soil here has all these essential
requi sites Of excellence and is also
blessed with a regularity OF seasons
not known on the Western pTairies.
About three fourths of the area of the
| county IS tillable, and every foot of
that, perhaps, is adapted to cotton. The
yield is from one-half bale to q bale
per acre, according to the seasons.
Ribbon cane succeeds admirably in the
branch bottoms, turning out 800 or 400
gallons of syrup per acre. Any cheap
appliance for converting syrup into
sugar would be a public benefit, and
would bring untold wealth to our people.
Rice also does well Ia the bottoms.
Mr.. Ed Mrrtin showed us fine sample
of rice raised on hio farm near Quitman
last year. Corn and oats are extensively
grown, but only for home consumption.
The prevailing growth of trees in the
larger portion of the county is
black jack, hickory and postoak.
Little skirts of prairie fringe the western
border; while great forests of shortleaf
pine cover the eastern section. The
capacity Of these pineries for lumber
seems well-nigh ine1haustible. Perhaps
II is not too much to say that millions Of
feet of lumber are sawed at the mills of
THIS county annually and shipped west
ward. Mr.. kuteman, one of our promi-
nent millmsn, told us the other day that
his shipments of lumber extended IS far
north as Kansas City and southwestward
to the far interior of Mexico.
Another important industry is coal
mining near Abba, on the Missouri,
Kansas and Texas railway. A large eX-
tent of the surrounding country is under
laid with coal of Il good quality. 1t is
near the surface, easily accessible and
in good demand at remunerGtive
prices. We learn from Mr.. Howard,
one OF the stockholders of the mine, that
four carloads, containing from fifteen
to Twenty-Five tons each, of coal, are
shipped out West from Abba every
week.
On the red hills, east of Qnitman and
Mineola, are abundant surface indieass
tons of coal and iron. And ilsjstAHHght
by experts that a rich G1dl4lEhsfe re-
ward some enteEPrhLsi TnineraIogist in
the near, fntnFe The state geologist
might ,sbe prottably employed in this To-
ea2fty for awhile.
few years ago near e large spring on
his plantation in this vicinity, our well
known pioneer, Col. c. II. Haines, dis
covered quite a number of relics of by
gone Gge, including Indian pottery,
beads and tomahawks and old gun bar
rels and silver coins of ancient date and
with Spanish inscriptions. All these Curl
osities are kept by Col. Haines in
careful state of preservation subject to
inspection by all inquiring patriotic Tex
ana. His theory, and it is plausible, Is
that the guns and coins were left Mt the
spring by the De Soto party of Spanish
explorers who entered Texas from the
east in 1912 or '43. This might be an
interesting item TO the future historians
of Texas.
Mlneola, our commercial metropolis, is
bustling CITY of 2000 people, on the
Texas and Pacific railway, with fine
graded schools, and with several thriving
manufacturing enterprises already in
full blast. But the chief glory of Nine
ola is in being the best cotton market
in Eastern Texas. The highest
cash prices paid for cotton
did the work, and the trade area
of the city has almost doubled during
the prasent cotton season. MIneola by
her liberality and fair dealing has in
spired respect Tor her commercial stand
ing, aud her supremacy as n cotton
market over all her rivals may be easily
maintained in the future.
Besides her products of the field, the
forest end the mine, Wood county has
contributed something in the way of
men 10 the greatness of Texal. Among
the distinguished citizens who have
sometime resided here may be men,
toned Col. Herndon, lawyer and states
man; our late Senator Buchanan,
''facile prlnceps inter pares, cut short |
in his useful career by untimely death; |
and, last but not least, Governor-elect |
Hogc, who laid in this county the fouu-
dation of his fame and fortune.
toF Inc Detter development OF our |
latent re sources, our people recognize |
the need OF immigration and of capital, |
and both. would be heartily welcomed. |
1t is hoped, however, that with the |
change of political power at Washington |
will come the necessary relief |
by removing in measure the
restrictions of trade and furnish
ing more abundant money. In that
event will dawn upon the. whole country |
Il new era of good feeling and we'll being,
and Wood county will have her full share
in the general prosperity. The natural
advantages so long neutralized by bad |
legislation will fully assert themselves,
her great industries will awaken to the
hum of u new life and her waste places
will blossom Us the rose.
On Tria, for Train Wracsing.