The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-03-06
KERRVILLE.
A PROSPEROUS COUNTY SEAT OF A
SPLENDID COUNTY.
The Southwest is Growing in Riches and
an Elegant Population.

On THE ROAD, Feb. 26, lS90.-kerr
county was formed from BeXar county
in 1886, and named in honor oil James
Kerr, the first American settler on the
Guadalupe river. 1t is situated III
Southern Texas, bounded on the
north by Kimble and Gillespie coun-
ties, on the east by Kendall, on the
south by Bandera and on the west
by Edwards.
The Guadalupe river, a clear and
swift running stream, rises in the
western part Of the county and flows
through the center in an easterly di-
rection to the gulf. The county is
well watered. The general surface of
the country is mountainous with val
leys of rich alluvial soil on the water
courses and between the elevations.
which soil is kno yn to be highly pro-
ductive. Farming and stock raising
form the chiefindustries Of the people.
The San Antonio and Arkansas Pass
railroad runs through the eastern
portion of the county and has mile
age in the county of 1S5 miles. The
area of Kerr county is 1888 square
miles. Kerrville is the county seat, a
live and progressive city of 1900 or
1900 inhabitants. 1t does more bust
ness than any town OF the same size
in Texas. 1t has done over $350,0O0
worth of business this year. Capt.
Charles Schreiner shipped $4,000 bags
of wool and from 1000 to 1900 bales Of
cotton and other produce in the same
proportion. Kerrville is II miles
northwest of San Antonio and the
terminus of the San Antonio and
Arkansas Pass railroad.
During the latter part of the year
1889 the town was Incorporated and
its first municipal officers elected,
Hon. Joseph A. tiny mayor, Messrs.
Ed. Smallwood, B. G. Richards, A. G..
Schreiner, Nathan Herzog and w. w.
Burnett us aldermen and John Glider
city marshal. The real object OF Or
ganizing as a city was for the purpose
OF being able to legally issue bonds
for public improvements, the most
important of which was the building
of a large and handsome school
house, and to this end all of the ne
cessary elections have been held and
carried without a dissenting vote up
to the present time, when the matter
is all in the hands of the city council,
and it is expected that they will vote
to issue the bonds at their next regu-
ular meeting.
1t is also intended that the sum OF
about $4,000 will be expended upon
the streets of the city, which in TACT
will have to be done to keep pace with
other improvements now under con-
struction. There are about 100 differ
ent business and professional interests
represented there. Senator r. H. Bur
ney, one OF the youngest and most act
i've and influential members Of the
last legislature, has handsome home
on the edge of the hills just within
the corporate limits OF tn city. G. G.
Lockett is an attorney at law and
land agent, formerly of Caldwell, Tex,
from which place he went to Kerrville
seeking health, which he has gained
to such an extent as to be ready for
any and all business in his line. He
has had fourteen years experience in
his profession. w. w. Burnett is the
Junior partner OF Burney and Burnett.
Gen. J. c. Moore, an able and expe-
rienced educator, assisted by Prot.
J. 5. Perkins, Miss George Da'
Wis and Miss Alice Starkey, have
had charge OF the public schools
and made a grand success OF them.
DR.. e. E. Palmer and DR.. j. D.
Everett are both skillful physicians
and have the confidence Of their
patrons to an unusual degree. The
press is represented by two weekly
papers known as the kerrVille News
and the Kerryille Paper, both are
doing well. TO speak Of Kerryille
without bringing into prominent
notice the name of Chas. Schreiner
would be doing an injustice to one OF
the most active and well known bust
ness men in Southwest Texas. His
large wholesale aud retail store does Il
business OF $4,000 to S2OO0OO
yearly. He has recently opened a
bank in connection with his other
varied interests, and he is now boring
an artesian we'll which has already
reached depth of 600 feet. 1t is eX-
pected that flowing water will lie
reached at 1900 feet. The rock
quarry just opened by Parsons Il
Richards adjoining town has been
found to be one of the best
in the State; within the next thirty
days they expect to give from twenty
to thirty men steady employment.
Mr.. H. Bemschel (-ilce the advent
of the railroad) has been the pioneer
in lumber trade and in one d " last
week sold 10000 feet of lumber and
10000 shingles. Mr.. f. j. Beitel, one
OF the best known dealers in San An
tonic, has bought a valuable piece OF
property in Kerrville and now has one
OF the largest and most completely
stocked lumber yards in Western
Texas. His business man lger at this
time Mr.. H. n. Scholl, is most rap
lilly gaining his full share of the
trade. The Masons have just gotten
subscribed $500 to build lodge.