The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1894-08-17
Texas as Seen Through QBoH-
vaFan's eyes.

E1oAo IL ZIG DlSSSSJ oCdtS VI Tic
Union be ofinterest to your readers?
Abilene was the objective point
of Texas trip, but, as no stop overs
were allowed on returning, ''inter-
mediate places" had to be taken in
first. The first impressions of Tex
as have been very pleasant ones.
The L. and p. road from Texarkana
to Dallas extends through a very
fertile portion of the state; crops as
seen from window of a cannon ball
appeared good, and subsequent inves-
LEGATIONS lead one to believe that
farmers are hopeful of an abundant
harvest. Ennis, Ellis, Co., is hust-
ling town of $500, wide awake peo-
pie. 1t has a beautiful location, all
denominations are represented.
The town is lighted by electricity,
and is supplied with water from a
lovely lake, about one mile west of
the city, tho owing to the COM
parative droughts of the last few
years is getting low. The deficiency
is to be remedied, however, by bor-
ing artesian wells, for which the
contract has been let, and if sufi-
cient flow is obtained, the water
question will be settled forever.
Ennis boasts of as fine a graded
school system as can be found in any
part of the State. A handsome
2-story, 14-room building is being
erected in the central part of the
town and large ward school is on
the east side. One can Judge from
this statement as to the number of
children in one Texas town at least,
The people were found extremely
sociable, which could not have been
otherwise, as the majority of them
are from the East.
Taylor County is 1850 feet above
the sea level. The air is keen and
bracing, climate heathful, delight
full breeze blowing constantly. At
present much needed rains are fall
ling, which will prove blessing to
. farmers. This prairie country is
not very well adapted to the cultiva
ton of grain. The resources of the
county are fast being developed in
to a cotton growing section. In
this immediate vicinity about 1000
acres are in cultivation, which will
produce an average of one-third of
bale to the acre. Such Q thing as
an entire failure In cotton has never
been known. Corn where planted
will yield about 30 bushels per acre.
When the question of irrigation has
been settled, which is now being ag-
itated, these plains will blossom as
the rose" and diversified crops will
be the result. Sorghum is grown
extensively as a fine feed for stock.
The almost typical prairie can be
seen here, six miles south of Abilene;
glimpses of the country for miles
around can be had. Buffalo Gap,
so famous in the days of Indians and
buffalo warfare, can be seen at a dis
lance of fifteen miles. The grass at
this time is green and suocHlent, af |
fopding excellent grazing for COWS
and horses, which can not be seen
as in days of yOre in immense herds
wandering over the plains; the mes
quite grass, dotting the unbroken
stretches, present the appearance of
old worn out peach orchards. The |
busiest inhabitants of the prairies
seem to be the officioUs little prai-
RE dogs, which as seen by aTennesse-
an, are very cOmical, but they
are very destructive to growing
crops, and consequently not so at
tractive to the Texan. Their bur,
rows are seen on all sides and even
in the public roads. When one is app
preaching the cunning little animal
will rush to his home, give sue
cession of shrill barks, wag his tail,
and look at the intruder in such a
Observation-Disclosures, then
dive to depths unknown in less than
the twinkling of an eye. The rattle
snake is often an unwelcome visitor
to their homes, but when his males
ty enters the humble canine occu-
pant gracefully retires and in order
to insure his guest a very warm
welcome securely closesthe entrance.
What ready teacher instinct is!
The scenery from Weatherford to
Abilene was in places almost grand,
The railroad extends for miles along
the foot of series of mountainous
ridges which relieved the monotony
of the wide expanse of plains as
seen in the eastern portion of the
State.
Abilene is quite a thriving town
of 5000 inhabitants, is scattered
over large area, has electric lights
and water works, as all these Yves
tern towns have. There is a large
Central School Building and two
ward buildings, besides fourishing
Baptist College. The citizens point
with pride to their court house,
which ranks among the first in ele-
gance of structure. A magnificent
view of the country as far as the
eye can travel is to be had from the !
tower, point of interest for all Wis
itors. A mule cared rabbit hunt is !
also an anticipated pleasure for a
''tender foot" as well as break !