The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-08-26
In the Rural Districts.

Last afternoon Statesman reporter
behind a spanking team, accompanied
County Judge Walker and Commits
sioners Rogers and Nolan out into the
country, where the gentlemen named
went to inspect the road leading from
the Webberville road through the Deck
er settlement, which they are now hav-
ing graveled.
After leaving the city with rickety
culverts and bridges, the drive out,
about eight miles over superb county
pike, was made in little over an hour,
Commissioner Nolan. Il veritable Jehu,
handling the ribbons.
There are some delightful stretches of
road that winds it's way through thrifty
on the Webbervlle road a most pleas
ant one. Yesterday in the invigorating
air it was especially so.
A mile or more beyond Walnut creek
the county road gang under Mr.. Tom
Moore, is camped, and at that point
gravel is taken from pit to be spread
| on the Decker road. Mr.. Moore has
| nine hands, twelve mules, six wagons,
ten scrapers and ditch and grading
machine in his outfit. and he has built
| many miles of as fine macadamized
roads as you'll find anywhere. The
mules he has, owned by the county, are
large, well built animals, and they are
in splendid condition. In addition &c
these teams, the happy, prosperous
Swedes through whose farms the Deck
er road runs, had three of theirs al
work y sterday, and today they expect
to have five or six teams and wagons
hauling gravel, their services being en-
tirely without cost to the county. Mr.
Ed Rogers also expects to have one OF
two of his teams at work in few days
The Decker road, which is being i'm
proved, leads from the splendid Weber
vile pike to the Manor road, n distance
of some four or five miles. and it is the
intention of the commissioners to grave
the whole of it.
The matchless prairies, with theil
luxuriant grass, have disappeared from
that locality and every foot OF grount
is in cultivation.
Thrifty Swedes own the land, and thu
long, easy swells of the prairies are nov
covered with fine crops of cotton tina
will yield from half to three-quarter'
of a bale per acre. The cotton patches
are as clean as garden, the houses
are neat and inviting, the fences are VI
and the whole settlement bears evi
dence of unbounded prosperity. In tn
midst of the settlement is q commodi
Gus church. and hard by is neat schoo
house. From the high points the scener.
is grand. and in all the county ther
isn't a more attracting and picturesqu
spot.
Alfred Anderson is the local oversee
of the Decker road. and he has it !
good shape, but as it traverses black
sticky land, it is eminently desirable tina
it be put in condition for winter travel
, Mr.. +. G. Swenson. Lex. Johnson an
Claud Lundell own beautiful farm
through which the road passes. Ther
are other farms in n high state of Gu
tivation. the names of whose owner
could not be learned
Mr. Ed Rogers. brother of Commits
sioner Rogers, has recently erected
three-stand gin on his place, and he !
doing the ginning for the neighborhoot
= All the old citizens in Austin know hi
: hospitable home and superb plantatio
on much of which, he says. he will ma
over a bale of cotton to the acre. AZ
} joining it is Capt II. 7. Bulls place
5 and from the looks of the cotton muc
= of it will yield n bale to the acre. u
all sides splendid corn crops have bee
made. and the very air was redolent {
! contentment. happiness and prosperit,
: Political calamity howlers. who valu
their health are kindly advised to kee