Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, June 21, 1883, Image 1
lewis m. g-rist, proprietor. | % |itbejpbent Jfamilj ftefospager: Jor % ^rontDfiim of tjte |)oIiticaI, Social, ^grimllnral anb Commereial Interests of tjje Sratjj. |terms--^2.50 a year, in advance.
VOL. 29. YOEKVILLE, S. C., THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 1883. , NO. 25.
* ???? i????????
itigwal f flftjig. |
"SOON CUT OFF." JJ
Psalm 90: 10. o,
IN MEMORY OF MINNIE SMITH. Jj
Each morn, the robins say, bright angels spring r(
From brooks that roll o'*er flowers in Paradise; -y
Their life a love-song trilling on till eve, ,
And then they are seen no more by ravished eyes. "
Why must we love, when from the dark unknown, Pi
Through the bright window, flies the lovely dove; ?
A moment sits and coos, then spreads her wings, ni
And through the night beyona makes haste to
rove? . tt
th
Life's song's the flutter of departing wings,
Life's light, that beamed like morning's earliest ,v
smile,
But sunset glory shimmering on the sea? \v
Love burns undimmed; Life flickers but a a
while! tl
"Stronger is love than death.'' The dear heart aJ
seal . M
Survives all absence and the grave's cold night; oi
Love is the holy seal of Jesus' blood, ol
Pledging re-union in the realms of light. fr
Hope's withered laurels there shall flourish 61
green; N
The disappointed wave the rustling palm; p
Jeans, the death-song, swells her lyre above? th
Death's but the Selah in the eternal psalm. ln
The paths of those who love the Lord below w
Draw nearer each to each, and nearer heaven in
come;
And'fleeting time the fiery chariot speeds
To haste the travelers to one glorious Home^
Itotes of iravri. !
^ L
A VISIT TO TEXAS. ?
?? . p
Xotra and Observations on the Advantages and 10
Disadvantages of the Lone Star State. til
eo
In fulfillment of a desire long entertained ei
to visit the great State of Texas, on the hi
morning of the 4th of last month, aceom- az
panied by our "better-half," we left York- K
ville, via Chester, for Charlotte, from which le
latter point we could avail ourself of the ex- or
cursion rates offered by the railroad compa- E.
nies to persons who wished to visit Texas sis
on the occasion of the meeting of the South- th
ern Baptist Convention, which assembled is
at Waco, on the 9th of May. In undertak- so
ing the trip, we had two objects in view, is
one of which was to visit kindred who had an
made their homes in Texas; the other, to is
see the country and things of which we had sh
read and heard so much. H
On arriving at Charlotte, we were met at w<
the Air-Line railroad depot by Rev. O. F. kr
Gregory, the pastor of the Charlotte Baptist ha
Church. Mr. Gregory, who is one of the
secretaries of the Southern Baptist Conven- sit
tion, having given public notice that he M
ij ??' ? omonmnnonts fnr Via
WUU1U 1I1U&C III1C lictcxxuj aiiiugviuv/iiu w> mi
all who desired his services in connection po
with the trip, and having availed ourself of sit
his kind oner, we founa that he had dis- su
charged the trust in a manner so very satis- soi
factorily, that we had nothing to do except de
await the time fixed for the departure of Ci
the train for Atlanta. gr
After spending a few hours with the fam- so
ily of our hospitable friend, Mr. T. R. Ma- to
gill, we went on board the sleeping-car di
which had been provided to take our party se:
through to New Orleans without change, co
When we started from Charlotte, at 1 o'clock lei
on Saturday morning, we found as our com- re
panions, Mqj. John W. Wilkes and lady, of
Chester county; Rev. O. F. Gregory, Col. C. ea
R. Jones, formerly editor of the Observer, let
and Master Jennings Kerr, of Charlotte ; pr
Mr. B. Wilkinson and lady, of Robeson wi
county, N. C.; Rev. Dr. W. A. Nelson, and in
"Dr. McBrayer, of Shelby, N. C.; Mr. Rob- sti
ert Steele, of Rockingham county, N. C., bu
besides a number of other persons with th
whom we have no acquaintance. re
At Gaffney City, we were joined by Rev. an
W. L. Brown, who will be remembered as 9?
having preached to the Baptist congrega- }n
tions of Union and Yorkville churches last kr
year. Spartanburg was reached about daylight,
and Greenville an hour and a half ict
later, at each of which places accessions th
were made to the p&rty. At the several so
v points along the route, where other roads re:
connect with the Air-Line, we received pa
' additions, and by the time the train arrived ol<
at Atlanta, it was uncomfortably crowded, be
Atlanta was reached at 1.80 P. M., a dis- wi
tance of 276 miles from Charlotte, which Li
was made in about twelve and a half hours, of
There 45 minutes were allowed in which vc
to get dinner and shift the cars to the track' ar
of the Atlanta and West Point Railroad, ag
when we were off again. Montgomery, in
177 miles from Atlanta, was reached at 8.55 rr
P. M. At the former place an attempt was bi
made to get supper; nut the attempt re- fh
suited in a dismal failure to a great many of cii
the passengers, ourself."among the number, de
for the reason that sufficient preparation st
had not been made for the unexpectedly di
large crowd. Night having closed in, we in
were soon comfortably ensconced in our w
berth, and in a short time were oblivious of ni
our surroundings until Mobile, 180 miles sa
from Montgomery, was reached at 4.15 on
Sunday morning. eq
But a short stop was made, and before it pr
was sufficiently light to more than distin- cii
guish that we were in a city, we had passed an
beyond its limits. After leaving Mobile, sp
the country is low and flat and the soil is is
sandy and poor. We soon entered what, for W
a time, appeared to be an endless pine forest, St
with few indications of the country being al
inhabited, except an occasional railroad sta- te
tion with a few houses in sight, steam lum- it:
l>er mills at intervals along the road, and ar
small herds of cattle grazing on the short til
orwl ls\s\lrir>ry nerouo uriHi fhtttrrmillfl Wl
imu VAX J X Wftllig W&C&& TV lllVtl
was covered. dc
At 7.48, Bay St. Louis, Miss., was reached. co
Here it was announced that twenty minutes
would be allowed in which to get breakfast, pi
The time was ample, but in consequence of th
the large demand and the small supply of Tl
breakfast, we fared as we did at Montgome- th
ry, and were compelled to content ourself N
with a cup of cotfee and a sandwich at a a
luuch-table. At the expiration of the time cl
allowed for breakfast, we were en route p<
again, and were soon skimming along to- cc
ward New Orleans, traveling for mile after 01
mile on embankments across the marshes, di
and over bridges and trestles that have been cc
constructed across the numerous swamps, ai
lakes and bayous on the route. As the train m
, sped along, alligators could be seen in large
numbers, some with their noses protruding b<
above the water, and others lying 011 the tl
banks of the swamps contiguous to the rail- O
road embankments, or basking in the sun- w
shine on driftwood and logs. at
New Orleans, 141 miles from Mobile, was tl
reached at 9.40 A. M. Arrangements hav- tc
ing been made for such of the party as de- ir
sired to do so to remain in New Orleans un- us
til 12 M., on Monday, we decided to avail oi
ourself of the privilege.
In accordance with an understanding be- b
fore leaving home, on the arrival of the
train at New Orleans, we were met at the si
depot by Mr. Robert C. Kerr, who was a c(
resident of Yorkville from July, 1833, to I1
November, 1834, and an old friend of our tl
parents. We were soon at the residence of s(
our parents' friend, where we were intro- tl
duced to his sister. There we soon felt at t<
home, and after a short rest and the necessa- ri
ry change of apparel, we accompanied our u(
hosts to the Memorial Presbyterian Church,
where we had the pleasure of listening to a n
well-prepared and well-delivered sermon by w
the pastor, Rev. Mr. Flinn, founded on the fa
"ith verse of the 4th chapter of Matthew : w
"It is written, Man shall not live by bread w
alone, but by every word that proceedeth ai
out of the mouth of God." oJ
Immediately after the conclusion of the b
service, we returned to the residence of our ii
friend, where we partook of the first square C
meal we had eaten since leaving Atlanta on
the previous day. At night we attended tl
service atthe Coliseum Place Baptist Church, d
and listened to an excellent sermon, deliv- c<
ered by Rev. (). F. Gregory, of Charlotte, tl
N. C. st
Just here we will take occasion to men- tl
tion that our hosts, Mr. Robert C. Kerr and u
his sister, Miss Mary, are natives of the e:
teel Creek section of Mecklenburg county,
[. C., and are proud of the fact that they are
tar-heels," and are willing to acknowledge
lat a ripe persimmon is one of the most
iscious fruits that grows in the Old North
tate! They are not related to the family
F the same name, some of whom formerly
;sided in Charlotte and others in Yorkville.
fhile in his teens, Mr. Kerr engaged with
le late Thomas J. Holton, of Charlotte, the
roprietor of the Charlotte. Journal, to learn
le printer's art. There he remained until
e had acquired a fair knowledge of the busi3ss,
when a desire possessed him to leave
le land of his birtn. Quitting Charlotte,
le first place he stopped was at Yorkville,
here he was employed as a printer by the
,te "VV. C. Beatty and George W. Williams,
ho were publishing the Yorkville Patriot,
paper established by them as the organ of
le Union Party, of what was then known
i York district?the Nullification excitelent
then being at the highest. The father
' the writer was employed in the Patriot
fice at the same tjme, and then began the
iendship which was cherished by the fath
~At- ? ? !lift\ 1 nd^A/1 Tn
U1 lilt! Wlilt'I WiliiC 1119 lilt laoitUi xu
ovember, 1834, the publication of the
atriot was discontinued and Mr. Kerr was
irown out of employment. Desiring to see
ore of the world, he left Yorkville and
ent to Columbia. From there he drifted
ito Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Cuba and
imaica?now working as a printer, then as
pilot and captain of a steamboat?until he
ought up at New Orleans in 1852. For
vre years previous to the occupation of
ew Orleans by the Federal forces during
ie war, he occupied the position of City
ibrarian, from which place he was ousted
id forced to leave the city for the reason that
3 would not take the oath required by the
ederal commander. He returned to Chartte,
N. C., visiting Yorkville in the meanme.
After the close of the war, he remainl
in Charlotte for several months, and was
nployed by Gen. D. H. Hill to print for
in the earlier numbers of a monthly mag;ine
called "The Land We Love." Mr.
err, longing for familiar sights and sounds,
ft Charlotte for New Orleans. Upon the
ganization of the New Orleans Cotton
xchange in January, 1871, he became Asstant
Secretary, and is so very efficient in
e discharge of his duties, the probability
that his connection with it will continue
long as it may be agreeable to him. He
now seventy years of age, is lithe, active
id vigorous, in mind and body; but as he
a bachelor, we do not know that we
ould have said anything about his age.
owever, "what is writ is writ," and he
sll remembers that he dandled us on his
lees when we were a toddler, and now we
ive lived more J ban half a century.
New Orleans, as our readers know, is
;uated on the left, or east, bank of the
ississippi river, and by the census of 1880,
d a population of 216,090. The older
rtion of the city is built 011 the convex
ie of a bend of the river, which here
reeps around in a north-east, east and
uth-east course. From this location it
rives its familiar name of the "Crescent
fcy." However, in the progress of its
owth up stream, the city has of late years
extended itself for six or seven miles, as
fill the hollow of a curve in the opposite
rection, so that the river front now prents
an outline somewhat resembling two
njoined crescents, or, more properly, the
tter S. This configuration necessarily
ndersthe direction ot the streets irregular.
As a rule, all American cities resemble
ch other. To this rule, however, New Orins
is an exception. It is a city of surises,
and even duringa brief stay, a visitor
ill be struck with the great contrasts in the
habitants in merely walking from one
eet to another. He will find the restless
?ir?psmlifp of thcYnnkoc. in contrast with
e indifference of the Creole ; he will meet
presentatives of every nation in the world,
id hear languages and dialects of every
untry. He will soon discover that he is
a city requiring a long stay in order to
tow much about it.
New Orleans, unlike the majority of Amerin
cities, is not laid out in squares. Alough
a few of the streets are straight, and
me parts of the city are built with strict
gularity, many of the thoroughfares are
Tallel with the bends of the river. The
dest and real business part of the city has
en built into a curve in the Mississippi,
hile the new parts lie in the direction of
ike Pontchartrain, five or six miles north
the city. A few bayous and canals tra(rse
the city in various directions, which
e especially useful in removing the garble
and filth which necessarily accumulate
a large city. Those streets next to the
yer are in the centre of the business life ;
it if you follow their windings, you will
id yourself in the quieter portions of the
ty, and finally be lost among private resimces,
alleys and gardens. A number of
relight avenues cross the squares in various
rections, converge and deverge, and lead
some places to the river, or to the lake,
?+V*nn4- o vnol /mnfvu Ihu
ILUVJUl> CVU UClYlil? il lUil UliV&Vt VI VI1V
ultiplicity of streets, but few run in the
me direction.
New Orleans is divided into two almost
ual portions by Canal Street, which is the
incipal and most beautiful street in the
ty. It is the Broadway of New Orleans,
id shows us the whole continent in the
ace of a few miles, a street whose one end
Europe, and whose other end is America,
'hat Broadway is to New York, Canal
reet is to New Orleans, alike impressive,
ike grand and perhaps even more characristic.
The manner in which it is laid out,
> appearance, the crowds of pedestrians
id vehicles of every description, the beaut'ul
residences, intermingled with immense
arehouses, showy shops and stores, bewil>rs
one by the sudden contrasts, and this
ntinues for miles.
The whole of Southern Louisiana is avast
ain, but the land immediately adjacent to
e river is more elevated than elsewhere,
here is, therefore, a gradual descent from
te river to the swamps lying in tne rear 01
ew Orleans, at a distance of a half mile to
mile and a half from the levee. It is a
laracteristicof the Mississippi river at this
lint, that it is higher than the surrounding
mntry, rendering the levees necessary, in
der, so far as practicable, to prevent munitions.
The swamps in the vicinity are
ivered with a dense growth of cypress trees J
id underbrush, affording a habitation for j
lultitudes of alligators and other reptiles.
Texas being our objective point, just
ifore noon on Monday, it was with regret
nit we took leave of our friends in New
rleans, and were soon at the ferry-boat
hich was to transport the train of cars
ross the the Mississippi river to Algiers,
te depot of the New Orleans and Hous>n
Railroad. Securing a berth in a sleepig
car?a long night's ride being before
s?we were soon landed 011 the west bank
f the river.
Here we will mention that we innocentr
inquired why it was, with all the wealth,
lergy and enterprise, visible on every
de, that a railroad bridge had not been
instructed across the river at this point,
nagine our surprise, when we were told
rnt it would be impracticable, for the renin
that the varying depth of the river in
if? vicinitv. is from one hundred and fifty
) two hundred feet! The width of the
ver where it is crossed by the ferryboat, is
early three-fourths of a mile.
After a little delay in completing the
taking up of the train, we were under
ay; and soon found that a number of new
ices had joined our party. Among others,
e were pleased to greet* Rev. Dr. Griffith,
ho is known to a number of our readers;
nd Col. James A. Iloyt, one of the editors
f the Baptist Courier] both of whom were
ound for Waco, for the purpose of attendig
the meeting of the Southern Baptist
onvention.
Only a few miles on the route, we entered
le sugar and rice plantations, which roller
this section famous. Looking over the
>untry, as the train rushes along, we saw
le pale green sugar fields, under a high
:ate of cultivation ; the fields of rice with
le tiny blades just protruding above the
ater; ditches running here and there ; fords
looking hazy-blue in the distance; and
sugar mills, with their tall chimneys, on the J1
plantations near at hand. Farther on, we 11
catch glimpses of cottages, gardens and busy :
I workers in the fields of sugar and rice. On i (
we go, cane fields, rice fields, corn fields, i
dark forests, low shrubs, tangled vines, prai- f
rie lands, lumber and sugar mills, houses
and hedges on both sides. As we pass i
through dense swamps, with water in the (
ditches on each side of the railroad track, <
alligators could be seen basking on the logs j
and brush, or with noses protruding from t
the water. The passengers?and especially 1
our young friend from Rockingham?as the 1
trains sped along, frequently made them ]
targets for their pistols; but without further r
result than that the ugly reptiles would \
plunge into and under the water and disap- j
pear from sight. (
Further on we came to cypress and water s
oak swamps, the resort of alligators, turtles l
and water snakes. Here and there were i
large numbers of cypress logs which had <,
been cut in the swamps and floated on the (
water to the saw mills located where the i
logs could be conveniently gathered, and j
whence the sawed lumber could be shipped <
to points where it is in demand. t
Vermillionville, La., the supper house, 1
144 miles from New Orleans, was reached [
about nightfall. Profiting by the experi- <
ence gained at Montgomery and Bay St. s
Louis, Rev. Mr. Gregory, who was the .1
major-domo of our car, had telegraphed the (
coming of the crowd, and, as a result, the '
majority of the passengers succeeded in par- 1
taking of a bountiful and well prepared ]
supper. Being one of the lucky number, i
and feeling well satisfied that such was the j
case, after a short interval we retired to our 1
berth and were soon asleep. 1
Consulting the railroad schedule for infor-. t
mation, we find that our train crossed the
Sabine river, which is the boundary line at
that point between Louisiana and Texas,
on Tuesday morning, the 8th of May. The
map of Texas shows that we entered the
State in Orange county, and upon investigation,
we find that it has an area of 396 square
miles, and a population in 1880, according to
the census, of 2,938, of which 16 per cent,
was colored. Our information is that the
county is situated between Sabine and Neches
rivers, and that the general surface of
the country is a slightly undulating plain,
the southern portion being mostly open
prairie, and the northern uplands covered
with a heavy forest of pine and several
kinds of oaks ; while in the bottoms of the
rivers is a growth of water oaks, white oak's,
beech, hickory, cypress, walnut, and other
varieties of hard woods. The soil on the
streams is a dark alluvial. On the timbe red
uplands and the prairies the soil is light, interspersed
with a dark loam. The lumber
business is the chief pursuit, and pine lumber
is worth from $10 to $12 per thousand
feet at the mills. Unimproved land, suitable
for farms, is quoted at from 50 cents to r
$2 per acre; well timbered pine lands at $5
to $8, according to location; improved tracts
are worth from $3 to $10 per acre; and land
in cultivation rents for from $3 to ?4 per
acre ; fencing costs $100 per mile. With or- a
dinary cultivation and good seasons, cotton a
trinlrla frAm OAfl tn .1 flA "rvAii nrlo nf lint nor o ?
J ItiUO liVUl <-W IV TVV/ JJ/VUliVAO VI Alii V J^/Vi IV\/A V ^ )
corn 20 to 30 bushels. For domestic purpo- c
ses cistern water is almost exclusively used, p
The town of Orange is the county-seat, and c
it is claimed that it has a population of r
about 2,500. -\
The next county entered was Jefferson, e
The area of the county is 1,032 miles. The c
population in 1880, was 3,$89?one third col- i\
ored. All the southern part of this county 1
is represented as nearly level and almost en- a
tirely devoid of timber, the soil being light "]
and not well adapted to farming purposes. 1
The northern portion of the county, con- 1
tiguous to the streams, is covered more or >
less densely with different varieties of oak, c
hickory, ash, cypress, pine and other kinds I
of timber: From about ten miles above 2
Beaumont, heavy pine forests extend for c
about 120 miles northward. The lumber 1
and stock interests are the leading and most i
profitable industries of the county. Unim- t
nrnvprl farming lnnrl? nrp minfpd fit, from SI t
to $5 per acre ; anil pasture lands at from 50 t
cents to $1. Tracts with a portion in cultivation
and the necessary houses, are held c
at $10 to $12 per acre. Fencing costs from t
$100 to $125 per mile. Cistern water is pre- f
ferred for domestic purposes and is niost r.
generally used. Beaumont, the county seat, c
is claimed to have a population of about >
1,500.
The next county traversed was Liberty, t
The area of the county is 1,172 mile?? and the t
population is reported by the census of 1880 ]
as 4,999?one-half colored. We are inform- i:
ed that the surface is generally level. The s
Trinity river flows from north to south near- a
ly centrally through the county : and the t
East San Jacinto river through tne north- s
west corner. The bottoms of the rivers are t
covered with several varieties of oak, to- j
gether with ash, elm, walnut, pecan, gum, c
etc. Unimproved lands are quoted at from t
$2 to $5 per acre. Improved lands at from 1
$5 upwards, according to quality, location, (
and the proportion of enclosed land. Farms, ?
with houses for tenants, are rented at from i
$2.50 to $4 per acre, or more generally a share i
of the crop. Fencing costs from $100 to $150 i
per mile. Cistern water is preferred for do- t
mestic purposes and almost universally used, i
It is said that the best lands, under proper s
tillage, with good seasons, will produce trom i
1,000 to 1,200 ]iounds seed cotton per acre. 1
Liberty is the county seat and has a popula- i
tion of about 500.
Daylight found us in Harris county, at i
East San Jacinto river. We were soon up (
and dressed, and on the lookout for the won- i
ders of Texas. After passing out of the i
timber adjacent to the river, we expected i
to see the prairies covered with thousands c
of fat cattle, tall grass, blooming flowers, >
verdant fields of corn, wheat and oats, beau- '
tiful residences dotted here and there, with
everything to please the eye and gladden t
the heart. But the reality disclosed few of 1
these imaginary sights. On the contrary, 1
the settlements were few and far between, t
and but little of the land contiguous to the J
railroad was in cultivation. Small herds 1
of cattle, in fair condition, could occasional- 1
ly be seen grazing on the short grass afford- (
ed by the prairies. The surface of the prairies
presented an alternation of long and i
gentle swells and depressions, dotted here J
and there with solitary scrubby trees. As T.
we approached Houston, the county-seat of t
Harris eountv. the character of the countrv 1
changes. Timber is more abundant and 1
we pass through alternate" strips of prairie (
and timber situated on the margins of the (
creeks and bayous along the route. The 1
soil of the prairie in the southern part of 1
the county, is a black, tenacious lime land; (
that nearer the city is a dark friable earth, r
with an admixture of sand. On the mar- 1
gin of the prairies, where there is a growth 1
of small pines, it is a light grey or yellow- '
ish, compact soil. Cotton, corn, oats, etc., '
are grown in the county. The popula- <
tion of the county in 1880 was 27,985?39 1
per cent, colored. The area of Harris coun- (
ty is 1,800 square miles. It is estimated i
that there are only about 30,000 acres in 1
cultivation out of a total of 1,152,000 acres. 1
Unimproved lands suitable for farms, are 1
are quoted at from $1 to. $5 per acre; and
tracts with a portion in cultivation, witli (
r Am 4.,. M I
necessary uuuumgs, uu irum ?n; u? ?_ ) pei (
acre. The rental of farms, with houses for t
tenants, is from $3 to $f> per acre. Fencing 1
costs about &M0 per mile, and sawed lum- (
her from $18 to $22 per thousand feet. For ]
all domestic purposes, cistern water is 1
preferred and most generally used; but it <
is claimed that in some sections of the i
county, palatable water can be procured ;
from wells and springs. '
We reached Houston at 6.4"), A.M. Ac- j
cording to the censijs of 1880, it had a popu- j I
lation of 18,610. The population in round <
number, is now estimated at 20,000. The 1
city is situated on the west bank of Buffalo
bayou, at the head of tide water navigation .
on" that stream. It is the chief railroad 1
centre of the State, eight railroads radiating
from this common centre, to different ]
parts of the State, viz: The Houston and ]
Texas Central; the International and Great I
Northern ; the Galveston, Harrisburg and j
San Antonio; the Texas and New Orleans; i
;he Galveston, Houston and Henderson; |
:he Houston East and West Texas; the i
Texas Western ; and a branch of the Gulf,
Colorado and Santa Fe. The manufactur- j
ng interests of the city are of large and con-1
<tantly increasing importance.
After a short delay, we left the car in which
,ve had come from New Orleans, and boardid
one of the cars of the Houston and Texas
Central Railroad. We were soon en route
md outside of the city limits. The first coun;y
entered after leaving Harris county, was
waller. Hempstead, the county seat of
Waller county, is 51 miles north-west of
Houston, by the line of the Houston and
Texas Central Railroad. The Brazos river
orms the western boundary of the county
nkAiit miloo K\r +lin
Ul iv UlDtaucu ui avwut lmi^y mn^O) w**v/ .
jourse of the stream, and its bottoms are
said to be covered with a growth of timber,
consisting of several varieties of oak,
plack walnut, hackberry and elm. The
soil of the Brazos bottoms is reported to be
juite rich. The section of country througli
which the railroad passes is principally prai ie
land. The soil i$a lignt, sandy loam,
covered with a short grass, having the general
appearance of the grass which, grows on
;he worn out old fluffs of York county,
rhere are but few settlements along the line
)f the road between Houston and Hempstead,
and the cultivated farms are few and
'ar between. Occasionally, small herds of
:attle and small flocks of sheep could be seen,
rhe timber in sight of the railroad is mainy
scrubby post oak and blackjack. Unimproved
lands in Waller county are quoted
it from $2 to $3 per acre; bottom lands, $5
per acre: improved tracts, with necessary
arm buildings, at from $6 to $15 per acre;
arms are rented at from $3 to $4 per cultivaed
acre. The Brazos bottoms, under favorible
conditions, are said to yield from one
lalf to a bale of cotton to the acre; and from
to to GO bushels of corn; but the average
+ho ponntv will not, rpnnh nnp-half
;hese outside figures. In this county it is
isserted that pure water, for domestic purjoses,
can be obtained from wells at different
points throughout the county, at an average
depth of 40 feet. Cistern water is also
ised and is esteemed the more healthful,
rhe area of the county is 499 square miles,
md in 1880 contained a population of 9,024?
144 per cent, being colored.
Hempstead, the county seat, claims a popllation
of about 2,000. It has four churches
or the whites?Methodist, Presbyterian,
Baptist and Episcopal?some handsome resdences
and a number of substantial business
louses. At this point, the branch of the
louston and Texas Central Railway, leadng
to Austin, 115 miles distant, connects
vith the main line.
Skirting along east of Brazos river, with
kVashington and Burleson counties to the
vest, we crossed Navasota river and entered
he southwestern corner of Grimes county.
Che population of this county, according to
he census of 1880, was 18,603, of which nura>er
10,280 are colored. The area of the couny
is 78?1 square miles. Three-fourths of the
:ounty is represented as being tableland,
uid the residue river and creek bottoms,
i.hont two-thirds of the whole hein? covered
vith timber, efnbracing the several kinds
>f oak except white and live; hickory, elm,
ish, pecan, mulberry, pine and cedar. It is
iaimed that in this county there are nunerous
bold springs of pure freestone, as
veil as limestone water, and that wells of
squal ly pure water are obtai ned at a moderate
lepth. The soils of the uplands range from
l light, thin, sandy land, to a dark, deep
oam, and where timbered, usually covered
vith a growth of post oak and black iack.
flie Brazos river, bottoms are of a reddish
irown alluvial soil and are very productive.
The yield per acre, under proper tillage and
vith favorable seasons, on the uplands, is,
>f cotton in the seed, 800 pounds. On the
lottom lands, 1,200 pounds of seed cotton ;
15 to 40 bushels of corn; 40 to 50 bushels of
>ats. Fencing costs about $00 per mile.
Jnimproved lands are quoted at from $1 to
15 per acre ; and tracts with a part in cultivaion,
and necessary buildings, at from $5 to
o $25. Lands are rented for one-fourth of
he cotton and one-third of other crops.
Anderson is the county seat of Grimes
lounty; but Navasota, situated on the IIouson
and Texas Central Railroad, 71 miles
rom Houston, is the chief commercial town,
rhe Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad
extends easterly across the county from Na/asota.
We next passed almost centrally through
he county of Brazos, which is situated in
he southern portion of Central Texas. The
jopulation ot this county, in 1880, was 13,>60?KJ
per cent, colored. Its area is 519
?; l? + K rsf
>4uurc nines, nut mure uiuii uuc ujiilu ui
,vhich is reported to be under cultivaion.
Along the line of the railroad, the
soil is thin, interspersed with prairie and
imber, the latter being generally scrubby
jost oak and black-jack. The usual yield of
:otton per acre is reported at from one-third
? one-half of a hale; corn, 35 bushels on
jottom lands. Unimproved lands are quoted
at from $1.50 to $5 per acre. Uplands,
,vith a portion of the tract in cultivation,
tnd the necessary farm houses, are held at
53.50 to $10 per acre; whilst the bottom lands
ange from $8 to $20, according to quality
md location and the character of improvenents.
Fencing costs $90 per mile and
tawed lumber $18 per thousand feet. Lands,
ent at from $2.50 to $5 per acre. For donestic
purposes, cistern water is preferred
md generally used.
Bryan is the county seat of Brazos county,
md has a population in the neighborhood
if 2,500. It is a thriving, enterprising town,
tnd is the seat of considerable trade. Four
niles from Bryan, on the line of the rail oad,
is located the Agricultural and Mechanical
College of Texas, a branch of the
hate University, liberally endowed by the
itate, and also in part by the United States,
rhis institution not only furnishes instruc:ion
without charge to all its students, but
loard as well to ninety-three students se
ectod by competitive examination from the
hirty-one senatorial districts of the State,
[t is at present under the management of
Professor James R. Cole, formerly of Greensjoro,
N. C., w*hoin we were pleased to meet
in the train between the College and Bryan.
Robertson is the next county through
vhich we passed. Its area is 869 square
riiles and in 1880 had a population of 22.383.
rhe general character of the county along
:he line of railroad, is much the same as
:hat of Brazos county. Our information is
;hat about four-fifths of the county is eov?red
with timber, consisting on the uplands
jhiefly of post oak, red oak, black-jack,
lickory ana elm, and in the bottoms, contiguous
to the streams, of walnut, pecan,
:edar, ash, cottonwood and other varieties.
Hie uplands, yield from one-third to oneialf,
and the bottom lands, from one-half
:o a bale of cotton per acre. Uplands from
V) to 30 bushels of corn, and the lowlands
15 to 50 bushels. Unimproved uplands are
quoted at from $2 to $5 per acre; bottom
ands $5 to $10; and improved tracts at
louble these figures. Cultivated uplands
*ent for from $2 to $4 per acre; and bottom
ands for from ?4 to $;"> per acre. Pine lumjer
is worth $17 per 1,000 feet. Cistern
tvater is preferred and generally used.
Franklin is the county seat of Robertson
jounty. There are several towns in the
xjunty of considerable size. Calvert, has
i population of about 2,000; Hearne, about
1.200; Breinond, 700, and Franklin, 400.
Jalvert was formerly the county seat.
Hearne is the point of junction of the Houston
and Texas Central and International and
Jreat Northern Railways, and Bremond is
the point of deflection of the Waco and
Northern division of the Houston and
Texas Central Railway.
At Bremond, we left the main line of
the Houston and Texas Central Railroad,
>ur cars being transferred to the Waco
Branch of the same road. We soon entered
Falls county, the railroad running east of
Brazos river to Waco, in McLennan county,
42 miles distant.
Falls county has an area of 92"> square
miles. Thepopulationin 1880was 10,240?40
per cent, colored. The surface of the country
along the line of the railroad is level or
gently undulating, with a general and gradual
declination towards the streams. The
Brazos river flows nearly centrally through '
the county from northwest to southeast, a
which, together with the other streams, >
furnishes a good supply of water to differ- 1
ent portions of the county. Cistern water 1
is generally used for domestic purposes, 1
although it is claimed that wells ol pure j i
water are easily obtained at a reasonable j <
depth. Unimproved uplands are quoted i
at from $1.50 to $5 per acre, and tracts, i
with a portion in cultivation and ordi- t
nary buildings, at from $2 to $15 per acre, i
Cultivated lands are rented at from $2 i
to $4 per acre. The soil of the upland t
prairie is generally what is called in Tex- t
as, "black waxy," and very well suited to 1
com and cotton ; of the post oak and black (
jack lands, a gray, sandy ; the bottoms, a s
reddish hrown alluvium. The usual yield (
per acre on the best lands, with good culti- 1
vation, is, oi cotton in tneseeci, auuto i,uou 1
pounds; corn 30 to to bushels. Fencing *
costs about $12o per mile; and pine lumber j
$18 to $20 per thousand feet. 1
Marlin is the county-seat, and is situated <
near the centre of the county, on the Waco 1
branch of the Houston and Texas Central t
Railroad. It is credited with a population i
of 2,000, and is the seat of a considerable t
trade. <
The next county entered was McLennan, ;
the county-seat of which is Waco. From i
the edge of Hill county to Waco, the gener- $
al characteristics of the country are main- <
tained. We reached Waco on Tuesday af- 1
ternoon, May 8th, at 0.30j having traveled a (
distance of 1,388 miles since leaving York- c
ville. 1
Soon after our arrival, we were taken in
charge by Mr. E. Rotan, and conveyed to ]
the residence of Mr. C. II. Higginson, where i
we had been assigned by the committee of 1
hospitality. We were kindly received and j
introduced to the members of his family,
and two of his guests who had preceded us 1
to his hospitable abode, Mr. and Mrs. John s
W. Givens, of Providence, Kentucky. We (
were soon comfortably quartered, and take c
this occasion to say, that if the other stran- (
gers in Waco fared only half as well as we r
did during our stay, they have but small ?
room for complaint. i
The next morning, after breakfast, we t
strolled out to look about the city and ac- t
?|uaint ourselves with the surroundings. 1
'artly from force of habit, we wended our (
way to the office of the Daily Examiner, ?
where we made the acquaintance of several i
of the gentlemen connected with the estab- s
lishment, and especially, Mr. John R. Luns- (
ford, the city euitor, who was formerly a i
resident of Charleston. Inquiring of him 1
as to the names of South Carolinians resid- t
ing in the city, among others, he mention- (
ed the name of Minter. Recognizing the t
name as one familiar in York county, and a
mentioning the fact to Mr. Lundsford, he (
kindly proposed to go with us and introduce t
us to Mr. Minter. We soon were at his (
place, and after an introduction, it was f
develoDed that we had found Mr. W. A. I
Minter, who merchandised for a number of 1
years previous to the war, at Sandersville, i
Chester county ; but is now the landlord of <
the Grand Central, one of the principal t
hotels in Waco. An hour was spent very 1
pleasantly in social chat with regard to 1
things in Texas, and persons and things in (.
Chester and Yorkville. Subsequently, we '
had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. Minter, i
nee Dunnovant, a sister of the late Quay 5
l)unnovant. t
This being the time?Oth of May?appoint- 1
ed for the 28th annual meeting of the South- (
ern Baptist Convention it convened at 10 f
o'clock, A. M., in the F#st Baptist Church i
of Waco. This is a largeand handsome brick
building, with a seating capacity of 860 per- i
sons, but proved to be entirely inadequate s
to the accommodation of the delegates and '
the large number of visitors who desired to (
witness the proceedings. ]
The Convention was called to order by the i
President, the venerable Rev. Dr. P. H. 1
Mell, of Georgia. The secretaries, Revs, i
Lansing Burrows, of Kentucky ; and .0. F. 1
Gregory, of Charlotte, N. C., were prompt- <
ly in their places. After devotional exer- 1
cises, delegates were enrolled from the I
States of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Ken- 3
tucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, f
Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, $
Tennessee, Texas and Virginia, aggregating ?
G34, of which about 60 were from South Car- 1
olina. <
A ft XI - X* _l _ 1 X 1 .1 1- J
Alter me names ox ueieguies nuu ueeu ku- >
rolled, the Convention proceeded to the ]
election of officers for the ensuing year. P. <
H. Mell, LL. D., of Georgia, was re-elected
President, by acclamation. The following ]
were elected vice Presidents?S. B. Maxey, j
of Texas ; Joseph E. Brown, of Georgia ; 1
Rev. J. C'. Furman, of South Carolina; Rev. s
J. W. M. Williams, of Maryland. Lansing
Burrows and 0. F. Gregory, were re-elected '
secretaries.
After the reading and referring to com- !
mittees of sundry reports, Rev. Dr. B. H. 1
Carroll, the pastor of the First Baptist i
Church of Waco, by permission, made an 1
interesting speech of welcome to the Con- 1
vention, which was felicitously responded i
to bv Judge Stewart, of Georgia, President 1
of the Baptist Home Mission Board. <
Among the distinguished delegates in at- i
tendance, were Joseph E. Brown, United ]
States Senator for Georgia; S. B. Maxey, 1
United States Senator for Texas; Major W. ;
E. Penn, the Texas Evangelist; Rev. Dr. 1
J. L. M. Curry, the agent of the Peabody i
Fund; Kev. i)r. J. k. craves, eairor 01 ine s
Memphis Bapti.it', Rev. Dr. Tupper, of Rich- <
raond, Va.; Rev. J)r. Pritchard, of Kentucky
; Rev. Dr. Nelson, of Shelby, X. C.; }
Rev. Dr. Lawton, of Atlanta, Geo; Rev. i
Dr. J. A. Broadus, professor of Old Testa- i
ment History in the Southern Baptist Theo- i
logical Seminary at Louisville, Ky; Rev. i
Dr. W. M. Williams, of Baltimore ; Rev. i
Dr. Bailey, of Alabama. 1
The convention was in session for live
days, having adjourned on Sunday night (
the 13th of May, to meet next year in Bal- 1
timore. 1
The delegates and visitors in Waco during (
the sitting of the Convention, numbered '
between 2,500 and 3,000. The most open- j
handed hospitality was extended to visi- t
tors and delegates alike, and each and every (
visitor was made to feel that he was better i
cared for than any one else, and that special t
preparation had been made for his individ- i
ual comfort. 1
Waco, is the county seat of McLennan <
county, and is one of the chief interior cities i
of the State. It is in Central Texas, and is ]
188 miles north west ot the city of Houston, 1
by the Waco division and the main line of t
the Plouston and Texas Central Railway, i
The city is eligibly si tuated on a commanding i
eminence on the west bank of theBrazos riv- i
er. The place was tirst settled in the year i
1849. Up to the close of the war, the popula- 1
tion did not exceed one thousand. It has ]
now grown to a city with a population of not s
l^"-' PLAii^AMfl o?\/l if icj nrnhoMn 1
iroa tiuiu it'll tiiuuiXiiiUj auu i v 10 j[7ivuuwiv I
that a larger number of bale# of cotton are i
purchased in this market from wagons, than i
at any other point in the State, the receipts s
aggregating about 50,000 bales annually. 1
The city's estimated annual sales of gener- t
al merchandise, aggregate $4,500,000; the >
receipts and shipments of wool, 700,000 Its; <
hides, 400,000 tbs; live stock, 7,000 head;
and miscellaneous articles valued at $300,000. 1
The city is chiefly built of brick, includ- (
ing many elegant public buildings, private t
residences, business houses, manufactories, J
shoos, etc. Its manufactories are represent- i
ed by one cotton factory of yarns and seam- a
less sacks, one cotton seed oil mill of large i s
_ xi ii ~,i ,v?:iL I
cupacuy, uireu wen equippuu iiuumig mm;?,
two iron foundries and machine shops, one
manufactory of rotary plows, and an extensive
manufactory of carriages, wagons and
agricultural implements. The price of building
material in Waco is for pine lumber $21)
per 1,000 feet; bricks, $10 per thousand;
shingles, $11.50 to $5 per 1,000.
Its transportation facilities are very tine,
this being the point of junction of the northwest
branch of the Houston and Texas C'en- :
tral, the Missouri Pacific, and the Texas
and St. Louis Railways. The Brazo river
is not navigable at this point. It is, however,
scanned by three bridges. An iron
suspension bridge of 475 feet span; and the
bridges of the Missouri Pacific and the Tex- si
as and St. Louis Railways. 1
McLennan county occupies a central po-:
iition in the great belt of black lime lands,
,vhich extends in a somewhat north-eastery
direction from the Lower Rio Grande to
lied river, and also in the live oak region,
lere about fifty miles wide, which extends
learly north from the Gulf, through the
?ntire State. The surface is elevated and
oiling, two-thirds of the area being prairie,
md the remainder lying for the most part
dong the numerous streams, covered with
t more or less dense growth of live oak,
jost oak, Spanish oak, walnut, pecan, cedar,
;tc. The soil of the upland prairies is. for
he most part, a black, tenacious waxy lime
and; of the valleys, a dark, friable loam ;
>f the timbered uDlands. a lierht or srrav
sandy, with a substratum of red clay; anil
)f the Brazos bottoms, a dark, or reddish
jrown alluvium. We were informed by a
eliable gentleman in Waco, that with fair
seasons and proper cultivation, the ordinary
field of cotton per acre, on upland, is one
lalf a bale; on bottom land three-fourths to
>ne bale; oats, on good lands, 45 to GO
jushels; wheat, 15 to 20 bushels; corn, 25
:o 40 bushels. Unimproved lands, suitible
for farms, is worth from $3 to $10 an
lcre, and improved tracts from $5 to $40.
Cultivated lands rent from $4 to $5 an
icre, or one-third of the grain and oneburth
of the cotton. Fencing cost from
5135 to $200 per mile. Never-failing springs
>f water, but more or less impregnated with
ime, are found in many sections of the
.ounty, and wells are easily obtained, but
;isterns are preferred and generally used
or an domestic purposes.
On Saturday morning, the 12th of May,
,ve took leave of our kind host and his famly,
and at 7.35 started for Corsicana, in Navarro
county, over the Texas and St. Louis
Harrow Gauge Railroad. After leaving
Waco, we traveled for about ten miles when
,ve entered the north-west corner of Lime>tone
county, and crossing the south-eastern
orner of Hill county, were in Navarro
:ounty. Limestone, the lirst county enterHi,
occupies the dividing ridge between the
rrinity and Brazos rivers. The surface is
somewhat broken and uneven, without risng
into abrupt hills. In the valleys near
he streams, the soil is a deep alluvial; on
:he prairies it is divided between a deep
flack and chocolate colored lime land ; and
in the uplands it is usually a compact gray,
>andy land on a clay foundation. In the
ireas that are called "sandjack flats," the
soil is loose, sandy and of very inferior
quality. Contiguous to the streams there is
:onsiderable timber, consisting of ash, elm,
lickory, hackberry, walnut, pecan, etc. On
;he uplands, the timber consists principally
)f scrubby post oak and blackjack. Along
he line of the road, at frequent intervals,
,ve observed nice farms under a good state
>f cultivation, and the crops, including cot;on,
corn, wheat and oats, in a flourishing
condition. The settlements were nearer together
than we had observed at any other
x>int, except contiguous to towns and vilrni,?
;?0 <>>-. n.f 07 1
uir twuiuy uwnuiim an aiui w 1 ?y?-x
rules, and in 1880 had a population of 10,246.
)f625,360 acres in the county, it is estimated
ihat only about 45,000 are in cultivation.
[Jnder proper tillage, the yield of cotton is
rom one-fourth to two-thirds of a bale of
otton to the acre ; corn, 25 to 35 bushels.
Unimproved lands are quoted at from $1 to
>5 per acre; and improved tracts from $5 to
>15. The usual rental is from ?2.50 to ?4 per
icre. Fencing costs about ?150 per mile.
Pine lumber ?20 per 1,000 feet. In the saniy
sections the wells and springs afford palitable
water; but in the lime lands, cisterns
ire in general use.
Ilill county is in Central Texas, embraces
in area of 1,030 square miles, and in 1880 had
i population of 16,554, about 500 of the numaer
being negroes. The section of this
;ounty through which we passed, is composed
of alternate strips of rolling prairie
ind timber. Near the water courses, the
:imber common to the bottoms, and on the
iplands, post oak and blackjack. Well cul:ivated
farms were frequent on either side
pf the railway track, and the growing crops
ivere in a flourishing condition, and neat,
frame farm houses were to be seen at short
ntervals. In this county, unimproved land,
juitable for farming, is quoted at from ?1 to
$ per acre; improved farms from $16 to ?25,
iccording to the proportion of cultivated
land and value of the improvements. Fencing
costs about $150 per mile; pine lumber
$20 per 1,000 feet. Water for domestic purposes,
is obtained from springs, wells and
nsterns.
Corsicana was reached about noon. We
were soon at the residence of our kinsman,
Mr. Frank M. Holmes, in the suburbs of the
town, where we had arranged to remain for
several days. After the greetings usual on
rnch occasions and a hearty welcome, we
were soon comfortably quartered.
Corsicana is situated on gently rolling
ground in an extensive prairie, and contains
Detween 2,500 and 3,0(H) inhabitants. It has
i handsome court house, built of stone which
was brought from the neighborhood of Aus:in;
two large and commodiousschool buildings?one
for the whites and one for the
Mucks; six churches, several of them spanous
and tasteful structures; a very large
md handsome hotel building, handsome
private residences, and numerous substan;ially
built brick business houses. The aggregate
annual trade of the town, much of
which is wholesale, is put down at about
$,500,000, large quantities of goods being
iold to dealers in the villages and at the traling
points scattered throughout the county,
rhe general health of the town is considered
*ood. For domestic purposes, cistern water
Is almost universally used. The Houston
md Texas Central Railroad, running north
md soutli through the county, and the Texis
and St. Louis Narrow Gauge Railway,
mi mi in or enst nnd west, form a junction at
:his piuce.
Navarro county, of which Corsieana is tlie
;ounty seat, has an area of 1,055 square
niles?about the size of Spartanburg county,
>. C.?and a population, according to tne
jensusof 1880, of 21,702,?one-fourth colored.
The surface of the county is, for the most
iart, rolling prairie, without being broken
md rough. The Trinity forms its northeastern
boundary for a distance of thirty-five
niles, and Chambers and Iiolaml creeks flow
;hrough the county. Tributary to these are
i large number of smaller streams. The
jottom lands are covered with a growth of
mk, hickory, pecan, cedar, etc. Mesquite,
i species of locust, is scattered over the
muries, and post oak and black-jack are
bund on the sandy uplands. It is estimated
hat about one-fifth of the area of the county
1 i-?--1
S covereu Willi uuiuer. nil' unan itviiviD,
.vhich are generally prairie, predominate,
ind are considered best adapted to cotton
md grain. The sandy post oak uplands are
lardly worth cultivating. Unimproved
jrnirie land is quoted at from $3 to $10 per
icre, and timbered land from $8 to $20 1111jroved
farms are held at from $10 to $25 per
icre. Fencing costs from $175 to $250 per
nile. Under proper tillage, with good seaions,
the yield of cotton is, on the best lands,
rom one-half to three-fourths of a bale to
she acre; corn 25 to .'15 bushels. Cistern
vater is preferred and generally used for
lomestic purposes.
We left Corsicana on the morning of the
5th of May, by the Houston and Texas
Jentral Railroad, for Deunison, in Grayson
:ounty, this county being separated from
Indian Territory by Red river. After leavng
Corsicana, the counties through which
ve passed are Ellis, Dallas, Collin and Grayson.
Ellis county has an area of 940 square
niles. and the census of 1880 ffives it a popu
ation of 2lj294. Its general surface is high
oiling nrairie. Only about one-eighth of
he land of the county is in cultivation.
[Jnder favorable conditions, the yield of
:otton per acre is 800 lbs in the seed; corn,
55 to 30 bushels; wheat, If) bushels. Unimproved
lands are quoted at from $3 to $10
per acre; and improved tracts at from $10 to
>30, according to location and improvements.
Fencing costs from $150 to $175 per mile.
?ine lumber is worth $18 to $20 per 1,000
eet. Well water can be procured at a
lepth of 18 to 25 feet, but cistern water is
preferred. Waxahatchie is the county seat
md is said to have a population of about
5,000.
%
The next county on our route is Dallas,
situated in North Central Texas. Its area
is 900 square miles, and in 1880, according
to the census, had a population of 88,488;
of which 4,9o8 were colored. With one exception,
it had the largest population of
any county in the State. Much of the area
of the county is high, rolling prairie. The
Elm and east and west forks of Trinity
river, and Mountain creek, about equidistant
from each other, flow in from the
westward and unite their waters near the
centre of the county, forming the main
river, which passes out near the southern
corner. Along una Between tne ioras 01
the river and on the main stream, is found
several varieties of oak, cedar, pecan, walnut,
hickory, bois d'arc?known in York
county as Osage orange?hackborry and cotton
wood?the latter a species of poplar?and
other varieties suitable for fuel, and which
can be used for fencing purposes. Fences,
however, are generally constructed
of posts, plank and barbed wire, the usual
fence of one plank and only two wires,
costing about $225 per mile. Pine lumber
is worth from $20 to $22 per' thousand feet.
The prairies are generally of a black, tenacious,
waxy soil, and on walking over
places where there is no grass, when the
ground is wet, the soil sticks to the shoes
like wax or tar, and is about as difficult to
remove. Where there is timber on the
upland prairies, the soil is a light sandy,
and in the river and creek bottoms it is a
dark loam. The black-waxy soil and the
soil of the bottoms are very productive.
With favorable seasons and proper cultivation,
the yield per acre is, of cotton, onethird
to three-fourths of a bale; corn, .'10
bushels; wheat, 15 to 20; oats, 40 to 60.
Unimproved land is quoted at from $5 to
$20 ner acre, according to location and dual
ity. Tracts, with a portion in cultivation,
and the necessary buildings, range in price
from $1") to ?30. The rental value of cultivated
lands is from ?1 to ?3 per acre. Farm
laborers command from $12 to $15 per
month, and are difficult to obtain. Work
horses range in price from ?30 to $80; mules
from $80 to $150. Water can be obtained
from wells at a reasonable depth, but cistern
water is much preferred and generally
used.
The city of Dallas, is the county seat of
Dallas county. It was first settled in 1841,
and named after Hon. George M. Dallas, of
Philadelphia, who was viee-President in
1844. In 1850, the census of the city showed
less than 3,000 inhabitants. In 1870, the
population of city and county, was 13,314 ;
but now, the population of the city alone, is
estimated at 20,000. It is eligibly located on
the east bank of Trinity river, which is
spanned by a substantial bridge belonging
fn tbo on/1 ifv no/i Sc oil /?/un.
LV U*t WU111J j < VI <\ ( JIO UOVi 10 ILVVi IV (111 VW1<>~
ers and goers.
The city has quite a number of large and
imposing structures, embracing churches,
public buildings, substantially built business
houses and handsome'private residences.
The immense wholesale and retail dry goods
house of Sanger Brothers, with its army of
salesmen, clerks and attaches, would attract
attention in any of the larger cities 'of the
United States. In the way of manufactories,
there is one of the largest cotton seed oil
mills in the State, the capacity %f which is
.3,000 gallons of oil per day ; the Dallas C'ar
Works, for the manufacture of railway cars,
wagons, carriages, and furniture, with a
capital of $150,000, and employing 75 men ;
an iron and brass foundry, doing a business
of $150,(MX) per annum ; two soap factories ;
an ice manufactory with a capacity of 20,(MM)
pounds per day ; besides many other manufactories
of less note. Water works, owned
by the city, is in successful operation. There
are Ave banks in the city with an aggregate
capital of nearly $1,000,(XX). The estimated
wholesale and retail trade in general merchandise,
is estimated at $.30.000,(XX). The
Houston and Texas Central; the Texas and
Pacific ; the Dallas and Witchita ; the Texas
Trunk Line; and the Chicago, Texas
and Mexican Central Railways, all centre
at Dallas.
Collin is the next county on our route.
The Houston and Texas Central Railroad
passes nearly centrally through the county
from south to north. The area of the county
is 884 square miles. The population in 1880
was 25,5)8.3?71 percent, colored. This county,
excepting those in which are located
large cities or towns, is probably more densely
settled than any county in the State; at
least, the rural settlements are thicker than
any county through which we passed. It is
estimated that three-fourths of the area of
the county is rolling prairie, in some places
rising into hills of considerable elevation,
in others gently sloping down into wide valleys.
The east fork of Trinity river in this
county and its tributaries, are fringed with
belts of timbermore or less wide, me leading
varieties of timber are the several species
of oak common to this section of country,
including ash, elm, pecan, hackberry,
Osage orange, etc. There is but little timber
in the county suitable for building purposes.
In many places along the line of the
railroad, there is a succession of pastures
and well-tilled farms, both enclosed with
wire fences. Much of the area presents a
continuous surface of black waxy, tenacious
soil, without any admixture of sand, and is
quite productive. The crops of corn and
cotton in this and Dallas counties, presented
a better and more uniformlv flourishing
condition than any counties through which
we passed 011 our entire route. We were informed
that the usual yields per acre, of the
principal crops, under favorable conditions,
is, of cotton three-fourths of a bale; corn,
.'10 bushels; wheat 15 bushels; oats, 40 bushels.
Unimproved land is quoted at from $3
to $15 per acre, the highest priced being for
prairie, for the reason that when it in fenced,
it is ready for cultivation. Farms are generally
fenced with posts and rails, or v'.re
and planks, the cost being from $150 to $250
per mile. Pine lumber is worth from "20 to
$25 per 1,000 feet. Improved farms, with
necessary buildings, range from $10 to $30
per acre, according to location and ti e value
of the improvements. Improved land is
rented at from $3 to $4.50 per acre. In dry
4-Kr. >,0 nmmo tn run hill \L-nlAr
SCilfHSll*? tiiu otiuanjo vtao\y tv iun ) wuv it?<w*
is generally left in the depressions in the
beds of the streams. Water for domestic
purposes can be obtained from springs in
some sections of the county, and from wells
at a reasonable depth; but cisterns are preferred
and are in general use.
McKinney is the county seat of Collin
county, and has a population of about 2,000.
In it are a number of substantial and handsome
buildings, notably the court-house and
the "Foot House," the principal hotel. We
were informed while there, that the court
house cost the county about $50,000. The
town is growing rapidly, and is the market
for a considerable section of country. The
East Line and Red River Railway (narrowgauge)
forms a junction with the Houston
and Texas Central Railroad at this place.
Grayson county adjoins Collin, and is the
next 011 our route. It lies on Red river,
which separates it from the Indian Territory.
It has an area of !M>8 square miles, and
in 1880 had a population of 38,108. Grayson
is the most nonulous county in the State,
which may be accounted for in part, by the
fact that in it are two good-sized cities, only
13 miles apart?Sherman and Dennison.
The general characteristics of the county are
much the same as those of Collin county,
with the exception that in the latter county
there is probably a larger area of blackwaxy
land, which is esteemed so highly.
As in Collin county, many of the streams
cease to run during a portion of the year ;
but nearly all retain water in pools in their
beds. Water can be obtained from springs
in some localities, and from wells at a moderate
depth, the water in the timbered uplands
being freestone, and that in the black
prairie lands more or less impregnated with
lime. For a supply of drinking water, cisterns
are in general use. On the best lauds,
with the same conditions, the yield of cotton,
corn and wheat, is about the same as in
Collin county. Unimproved land is quoted
at from $3 to $10 per acre ; improved farms
from $10 to $25, according to location, the
proportion of cultivated land and the character
of the improvements. Pine lumber is
worth from $18 to $20 per 1,000 feet, and fen[CONTINUF.P
ON FOURTH PAGE.]