The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-08-19

Bert Crunfil handed the editor the
following article written by his grand
father, Thomas Cranfill in 1853, about
prices and conditions in Upshur coun-
~, Texas, at that time:
l suppose there are cultivated in
this county in cotton, about 5000
acres, in corn about 10000, in wheat
about 1000. The average per acre, 700
pounds of cotton, of corn Is bushels,
and OF wheat 10 bushels. The number
of acres cultivated, per head, will aver
age about Is. The average value of
improved lands in the county is 500
per acre. Unimproved about $500.
There Is little or no public land liz
this county. Some of our lands have
been cultivated for Is years. They do
not produce as well as at first. The
general character of our soil is loose
and sandy, Of gray color. Some por'
tions are red land. The depth Of the
soil is from to IS inches. The aver
age value OF cattle Is about SO, OF
horses about SIS, of sheep about $3.50.
Of hogs, at this time, S1.50. The value
Of beef per pound, cents, OF pork
s cents. The price of corn is 81
per bushel, wheat $50, potatoes
75 cents, bacon 10 cents per pound,
flour $40 per barrel. Sheep are sue
cessfully raised here. They are not
much subject to disease, need but lit
tie attention and expense. The fruits
in this county are peaches, apples,
figs. etc Peaches succeed best. The
most common wild animals are deer,
raccoon opossum and hare. The
county seat is Gilmer. The public
buildings are a court house, Jail and
two church houses. The number OF
churches in this county is unknown
to me. We have Baptists, Methodsts'
Presbyterians, etc. We have high
school in Gilmer for males and one
for females, in both these schools
all the branches Of science are
taught necessary for a good English
The male school is conducted
by A. f. Galloway, the female by
S. NJ. Johnson. In this county we have
plenty Of common schools under the
free school system.
Big Sandy runs through the south
west corner of the county and empues
into the Sabine. The Sabine is the
south boundary of the county. Bls
Cypress is the north boundary up
to near the northwest corner OF the
county, where the Dry Fork is the
line from there to Wood county line
Little Cypress heads in this county
or rather in Wood, near the west side
Of this county and runs in an east
erly direction through this county
This county was organized about the
year lS47 it was taken from HARRISON
county. P. r. Wilson, Ballaam Brewer
John Marshall and Thomas Kelly
were among the early settlers. The |
principal markets are shreveport
jefferson and New Orleans. Ihe
is by wagons and poats'
by way of the Sabine. The COST
is from 75 cents to S1.25 cents per
hundred pounds. The distance TO
Jefferson is 45 miles from the coun-
ty seat to Shreveport s. miles.
The Southern Pacific railroad Is
in contemplation to run through the
south part Of this county. NO part oil
the road has been worked on in this
but it has been surveyed.
Emigrants come TO this county by |
way Of Red river and overland. There
are but few cattle raised for the mar
ket, here, our stock range being .
only tclerably good The kind of lum- I
Der used here is mostly pine, it Is
abundant and good-price $40 per |
thousand. We have many mills. Brick
and stone could be used for building |
but pine lumber is much cheaper. The I
fences in our county are of rails. Gold
and silver are the chief currency,
though We have some Louisiana paper
in circulation. Money is scarce. The
usual interest is 10 per cent. Louis
lana money is at par, all other paper
1t discount of 1-2 per cent. Our