The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-12-22
RAINY AND COLD SPELL
hangs on Remarkably in Southern
Fart Of Texas.
IT MATERIALLY AIDS THE FARMERS
The Range In Good In the Lows,
S""st Country, but Many cattle
Arc Being Shipped In.

nanuie and Western Texas indicate an
enormous loss to live stock from the great
sieet storm. Imported cattle from Mex
leo, Mississippi and Louisiana are dying by
the thousands. In some localities the death
rate runs as high as 90 per cent aud aver
ages fuliy 50 per cent Sheep losses are
equally as heavy. Property losses by the
| sieet storm, including cattle, sheep tole-
graph, telephone and railway properties
VIII exceed si,ooo,0oo in Northern aud
| western Texas
Emma, Crosby County Texas December
l.-haining and sleeting here. Tho
weather very cold Many Eastern and
MeAlcan cattle are dying and the chances
are that the death rate will be unprece-
aentea on the plains this winter One man
paouent mere 200 stockNcattle from Mexico
balance very poor.
Rockport. Arkansas County. Texas. De-
cenber 20.-Since the morning of tho 18th
TINS section has bsen having dissgreeable
| weather. though not specially cold; winds
lo,'neriy and northeastern with mists
anu SLOW rain. though the thermometer
pas an no time been below II degrees.
STOCK on the range doing fairly well and
yet III good condition. The ranges in this
| immaculate vicinity were not overlooked
| through the summer. and are now fairly
good a great many cattle have been
brought in from Inferior counties aud the
range VIII be very bare by spring. The
ram OF the past week has been OF great
| penent TO the range aid particularly to
market gardeners. While the dry weather
OF the past fail shortened the cabbage crop
materially, still there will be n good crop
| shipped, beginning about the middle of
January.
sherman, Gravson County. Texas. De-
cember 20.--As a result Of the late severe
| l,sr ,sfnf ,,tt
| damages to the extent OF many thousand
| dollars. There is hardly business house
| IN the city whose roof was not made leakv
| by the ponderous weight of lee that ac-
/ cumulated Thursday night and Friday Of
last week, thereby damaging r;anv hand
| some stocks OF goods 20 a considerable
extent. When the thaw came many avn
| ihgs gave way under the continued strain
| and collapsed At the city WAGON yard
d shed scme 150 feet long fell in. doing
serious damage to one horse There are
many wrenched backs. bruised and broken
| limbs as evidence of the slick condition OF
the streets and highways during the period
of rain slect and cold.
| Goldthwaite Mills County. Texas, De-
| cemher 19For three days everything has
| been wrapped in sleet and ice: there has
| fallen about two inches of rain in the
meantime that has frozen as fast as II fell.
| hut the temperature has risen several de-
1
ing very fast. The ground has not been
| frozen more than an inch in depth--not
| enough to damage small prain--but the
moisture that has fallen will greatly ben
| eft wheat, which was beginning to need
| rain badly. There has been about 20 per
| cent more wheat planted this fall than last
year.
Mckinney. Collin County. Texas, De-
cember 2o.--The sleet of the past TWO or
| three days Ia almost entirely disappeared
| today and the frozen ground ie still thaw-
| ing. number OF telephone wires are
! down around town. while shade trees on
| the lawns are broken and shrubbery ia
| badly damaged. Several pedestrians have
fallen On the ice today and hurt themselves
| quite severely. The most serious accident
| OF this kind befell John Kegans an aged
I'citizen, whose hin bone was broken in the
| Joint.
! Harwood Gonzales County, Texas, De-
| cember 21,--The blizzard still prevails;
! four days of very dlsagreeable weather.
1t is cold and drizzling rain still, with no
| prospect OF clearing up Cattle that are
not on good mesquite grass are being fed
| Christmas will be dull with almost every
| body; no money in the country Farmers
| have about finished butchering their hogs
| None too much corn in the country. Lot
| of cotton being held to see what the next
year will do as to an advance.
| Industry, Austin County. Texas, Deem
| her q Since Wednesday of last week the
sun has not been seen; IL has been driz-
cling almost constantly day and night
| There are so far no hopes for a change
| for the better The roads are In a terrible
| condition; travel is almost impossible.
| This weather is a sad disappointment FOR
the country merchant with heavy stock
Of fruits, candies, Christmas toys and other
| holiday goods.
Denlson, Grayson County, Texas, Decen-
| Der 20.--An immense number OF valuable
| fruit trees have been ruined by Ice form
| ing on the limbs and breaking them. All
| communication with the surrounding coun-
| try has been virtually shut off Tor the past
| three days the highways being a sheet OF
| ice Pioneers nut themselves on record us
saying that this is the worst spell OF
weather experienced in the history OF
North Texas.
Frelsburg. Colorado County. Texas, De
| cember 20.--Very bad. rainy. ccld weather
has continued here for three days. which
| hinder movers very much as the roads are
in bad condition, and those that did not
| move, will have to wait probably a week
If the weather is good. The ground is now
thoroughly soaked. All ponds that were
| short On water last summer are now again
refilled.
Port Lavaca. Calhoun County. Texas,
| December 21.-The norther which came up
| JhufsQay ulSlt mas MOI at uu9 time DteH
very cold but continues and has brought
| the heaviest rains the country has had
| in long time aud supplied the season so
much wanted by farmers; 1t Is disagree
able getting through the mud and inter-
| feres with the Christmas programmes. but
| is glorious.
Bryan. BRACES County. Texas. December
| 2f-This has been the worst spell OF
weather known in several years II has
been an almost steady downpour for five
days. with no prospect OF breaking OF.
The farmers say 1t win be OF great benefit
| towards next years crop. The roads are
almost impossible.
! Marlin, Falls County. Texas. December
| 2l.--Has been raining. sleeting and freez-
| ing here ever since last Friday and there
seems to be no let up; pouring down rain
new at o'clock D. m. The holiday trade
| is knocked into a cooked bat 50 far. and
the prospect is gloomy for pretty weather
and better trade,