Fayette County, Texas - The whole text, 1902 (part 1 of 8)

F. Lotto

From wandering on a foreign strand ? If such there breathe, go, marlt him well: For him no minstrel raptures swell. High though his title, proud his name. Boundless his wealth as wish can claim; Despite those titles, power, and pelf, The wretch, concentred all in self. Living shall forfeit fair renown. And, doubly dying, shall go down. To the vile dust from whence he sprung. Unwept, unhonored, and unsung.

Preface

It is customary for a writer to have in the preface of his book a sliort address to the reader either to reconiraend his work, or tell of its aitrits, its history and the difficulties encountered in preparing it. The writer of this book has chosen for his theme the description and liistory of the%rai1"d old county of Fayette. If works of fiction find the approval of an enlightened public, the writer hopes that his book, wherein he has shown, on the hand of public records, the development of a struggling community to a prosperous county, one of the proudest and foremost in tlie state, the home county of the reader, where the scenes of his childhood lie, where he has grown to manhood and of which he is a political factor, will appeal to his love of home and be a source of interest to him. History is nobler than fiction, a grand fact greater than a noble thought. The book contains a world of grand facts. If they have not been always treated with the dignity of critical exposition and embellished by philosophic thoughts, there is nothing to hinder the reader to improve these shortcomings and to recall, on hand of these furnished facts, a more vivid picture of the scenes and the life of the past.

Some friends of the writer have asked him to place his biography in this book. Ihis he does not feel inclined to do on account of his short residence in the county. But to a history of the preparation of this book the reader is entitled, the more so as it refiects the greatest credit on the people of Fayette County and is also in many other respects quite interesting.

The intelligence of the writer had secured him the position as traveling agent of that great German weekly, "La Grange Deutsche Zeitung," in which position he became afilicted with /

Here, in his fever visions, the scenes of his childhood and the chronique of his native place which he had read in his youth presented themselves before his mind so often that after he grew well, he considered the question of writing a book on Fayette

County. Kealizing that the people of tliis county are as enlightened and patriotic as those of his native land and realizing tliat his book would take in a wider scope, he talked the matter over with his friend Jake VVolters, who quite approved the idea. In January, 1901, Mr. \V. R. King and Mr. Chris. Steinmann, wh ) both approved the idea, saw the writer in regard to his prospective book at the County Hospital, and Mr. King made a verbal agreement witli him about printing it. The writer thought a book like that could be gotten out in about six months. But in this he was mistaken. He has worked at it for about fourteen months. It took him more than six months to procure data and notes and go over the records. As the progress of the work was rather slow, his practical friend "Jake," a leading lawyer of La Grange, whom the writer sometimes went to see, one day asked him: "Now, look here. Lotto, on what are you going to live while writing this book? You have not a cent." To which he replied: ''Well, Jake, I have studied Thackeray's chapter 'How to live on nothing a year,' and my friend, Judge Kennon of Colorado county, claims that I could have given Thackeray pointers on this. I am just going to freeze it out." "You mean sweat it out." "Well, that may amount to the same." But a man cannot live on i)rospects; he has to have something more substantial. Thus, the writer accepted again the position as traveling agent of the great German weekly and gathered material and notes for his book whenever he could. A great many citizens of Fayette county welcomed the idea and gave tlie writer all possible assistance and encouragement. In a great many cases, or rather, to be truthful, in must cases, they went so far as to secure him patronage for his book and even bore the expenses of obtaining it. He received numerous invitations to come and see them and make his sta}'' with them while engaged in his work. Where he had no invitation, he was a more or less welcome guest anyway. The writer can not thank them too much for their kindness. For, without their generous assistance and encouragement, he would have despaired of his work. If, on his canvass, he sometimes found a man who ridiculed the idea of writing a history of Fayette County and in his feeling of the superiority of his nothingness looked down on him and refused him his patronage, the thought of the generous friend ship of the majority of the people upheld him. The people - the generous, liberal, patriotic people of Fayette county - were on the side of the writer and this was the greatest source of pride and pleasure to him and on that account he could well afford to overlook the remarks of cutting sarcasm which werfi intended to hinder the author in liis work. The fact remains that the generosity of the people of Fayette county enabled the writer to get out his work without having a cent in his pocket, a fact which reflects still greater credit on them than on him. In fact, such could be accomplished only among people of the very highest intelligence, among people who judge a man by his acts rather than by his money-purse. To have secured tlieir friendship, or, at least, patronage and good will, will be a source of everlasting pride and gratification to the writer.

The author had labored all these months without money, but now he had come to that stage in his work where he must have money to procure engravings, binding and a hundred and one things which required money. It. was now a question whether the work of all these long months should be thrown away or whether tiiis book should yet reach the hands of the public. The author again turned to Jake Wolters and laid the matter before him. With him it was only a question: "How much do you i eed, Lotto?" Then he talked to John B. Holloway, the big-hearted and patriotic cashier of the First National bank, and the cashier and Jake fixed it up. Thus the writer found his Maecenas in Jake Wolters. To him he is indebted for financial aid as well as for his encouragement and influence. For the writer must confess that there were times when he felt discouraged and felt inclined to throw up the undertaking. But words of good cheer always roused him up to move forward.

The works of reference that have been used in the History of Fayette County are John Henry Brown's History of Texas, W. C. Crane's Life of Sam Houston, the Minutes of the Commissioners' Court of Fayette County, the Election Records of Fayette County and a great number of official bonds and other documents.

The writer has striven to be as exact as possible, he deeming exactness the main quality in a work of this kind. Still, a few errors, caused by incorrect spelling in the records, may have crept into the book. Of such errors as he has found himself or as have been pointed out to him, he has made a list of errata in order for the reader to correct the text. Considering the large size of the book, they are exceedingly few, and he begs to be excused for them. No matter how much care and attention one may pay to a book and its printing, there never was a book printed yet entirely without errors.

List Of Errata

In line 26 on page 207 instead of "Willow Bayou" read "Yellow Bayou" and insert, "and the skirmishes from Double Bridges down to Yellow Bayou."

Boundaries, Area And Population

Fayette County is situated at a distance of about eighty miles nortlivvest from tlie Gulf of Mexico in the southern portion of Central Texas. It is traversed by the Colorado River, which divides it into two nearly equal parts. The thirtieth degree of latitude and the ninety-seventh degree of longitude west of Greenwich cross each other in the northwestern portion of the county near the town of Winchester. The county seat, La Grange, is under the same longitude as Dallas, Texas, and Lincoln, Nebraska, which are due north of it, all three places being some twelve miles east of the ninety-seventh degree of longitude. LaGrange, the county seat, is also under the same latitude as New Orleans,

The climate of Fayette County is delightful. Though the county lies in the semi-tropical zone, the heat of the summer is never excessive; it is tempered by refreshing south-winds, called Gulf breezes; these winds generally rise in summer time about ten o'clock ill the morning and last during the balance of the day. The winter, too, is very mild. Some winter days are as warm as summer days in the North. Seldom the thermometer stands at or little beluw the freezing point. That is the time when a northwind, called norther, sweeps the vast slope of Texas; but before it reaches Fayette County, its force is generally spent. Nor do these northers last for a considerable time, hardly ever longer than two days. Still, when they do come, the people, being accustomed to warm weather, feel their disagreeable effects. Overcoats, long stowed away, hardly ever used, are taken from their hiding places. People change their slow walk to a quick tramp. Then, too,is the time when resolutions to reform are most liable to be broken. But even those cold northers are not without scenes that speak to the heart. At that time, on the farm, the 'pater farailias' stands by a huge fire in the yard, butchering his fatted hog; inside the women folks are busy salting the pork, frying the fat, making sausage and preparing choice morsels for dinner. The children who want to see papa kill and butcher the hog have to be sent back into the house out of the cold wind time and again. Our friend goes with his helping neighbor time and again to the smokehouse where, from a corner, he takes a brown jug and they drink. Probably, his good wife does not know if vinegar or molasses is in that dusty jug. They, of course, know and seem to enjoy it. No wonder that they are unusually bright and cheerful at dinner and the good humor and glee spreads over the whole family. They have a hogkiUing time. Thus, even northers are not without their pleasures. But very often a winter is so mild that it is hardly cold enough to kindle a fire in the fireplace. Very often roses and other flowers are blooming in January in the open air. Greens, mustard, turnips, radishes, etc., may be had constantly for the table. Jt is not the intense heat or cold that makes a climate insufferable and unhealthy, but rather the great change from intense heat to intense cold. While the summer in the North is as hot as ours - and some people claim it hotter - the winter up North is as cold as the summer is hot, thereby causing a great change of temperature. Here, in Fayette County, the mercury in the thermometer climbs up even in the winter time very often to 80 degrees Fahrenlieit; and in summer time, it does not go much higher (hardly ever to 95 degrees and never over 100 degrees) so that we have a warm climate all the year around without any great perceptible change. Sunstrokes which are caused up North by the great change of temperature from cold to heat never happen in Fayette County; unknown cause of death to us, only heard of and read of in newspapers.

As Fayette (bounty is not far from the sea, abundant rams are most propitious to crops, while the rolling country well drained and about 400 feet above the level of the sea, at the same time, gets quickly dry and, therefore, is healthy. Statistics about the rainfall in Fayette County could not be obtained, but it may be estimated that the rainfall is about twenty to forty inches per year. Big winter rains are considered very favorable to crops, as the country, in that case well soaked, retains sufficient moisture for the growth of plants till late in the summer.

Fayette County is bounded on the east by Austin and Colorado Counties, south by Lavaca County, west by Gonzales and Bastrop Counties, north by Lee and Washington Counties.

The topography of the county may be reduced to a very few simple features that form the frame of the description. If the reader has mastered these, he may, if interested, i)roceed to the details without fear of becoming confused by their mass. To describe the surface and soil of a whole county clearly and exactly is always a difficult task, and no matter how clear the description, its perusal will always be a constant strain on the attention of the reader. For clearness sake, the main features are treated of first, in order for the reader to have a frame around which to group the details. In the eastern part of the county are two gravel ridges, one north, one south of the Colorado River. These ridges are covered with post-oak. East of them are prairies that extend into adjoining counties, west of them are large prairies that are entirely in the county. Again, west of these latter prairies begins post-oak, enclosing small prairies and extending into adjoining counties.

To reduce this statement still farther: From the eastern part of the county prairies extend into adjoining counties; from the western part, post-oak; in the middle are extensive, rich, black land prairies, surrounded by post-oak. Very simple features, if the reader stops to make a picture of them.

The reader remembers the two gravel ridges running in the middle of the eastern part of the county in a northerly direction, north and south of the Colorado River. Pay your attention to the northern half of the county, i. e. north of the Colorado River first. The mentioned northern gravel ridge runs for the most part on the left or western bank of Cumming's Creek. On both sides of this ridge is a small belt of sandy post-oak, on the outer edges of these post-oak belts are rich black land prairies. On the prairie east of this gravel ridge lie the towns of Round Top, Haw Creek, and Zapp. This prairie extends far into Austin and Washington Counties, being their richest lands, as also the Fayette County part of this prairie is one of the richest sections in this county. On the prairie west of this gravel ridge lie the towns of Rutersville, Oldenburg, and Warrenton. This rich prairie is bordered north and west by sandy post-oak which extends for a great many miles north through the whole of Lee County, far eyen into Milam County, west through the largest part of Bastrop County. This post-oak forms the northwestern part of Fayette county; in it are the towns of Warda, Winchester, and Ledbetter, This large sweep of post-oak contains in the Fayelte County part several islands of pine woods, notably between Warda and Winchester; also several prairies of small extent, notably the Cunningham and Ingram Prairies in the neighborhood of Winchester, the Cottonwood Prairie with the town of Walhalla, and Long Prairie with the towns of Nechanitz and W'ahlock. The soil of all this post-oak and these pineries is for the most part sandy, with red and yellow clay for subsoil, The prairies have ricli black soil. The whole swec]) of country is drained and traversed by a great many creeks which have very good bottom lands.

The southern part of Fayette County is somewhat analogous to the northern part. In sight of LaGrano;e a high rock and gravel ridf^e covered with post-oak, called the Blufi', rises abruptly from the river. It stretches in a southeasterly direction, sometimes receding from the river, thus giving place for the bottom lands. South of Williams' Creek, it is continued bv postoak which extends into Lavaca County. East of this post-oak is the Mullins prairie which towards Weimar takes the name of Weimar Prairie, rich black land, part of it still in Fayette County. West of this post-oak is the black land Navidad or Schulenburg Prairie, rich and extensive, studded with many prospering towns and villages. It extends west to the neighborhood of Flatonia. In the south, this prairie is bordered by black liveoak and sandy post-oak lands of Lavaca County. From this southern post-oak a big tongue or peninsula of live-oak and post-oak stretches into the prairie lands through Engle to the neighborhood of Freyburg in a northerly direction. In the west this prairie is bounded, like the prairie in the northern part, by sandy post-oak. In this post-oak are also small prairies, notably one at Cistern, northwest of Flatonia. In spots in this section the post-oak soil is of a chocolate color like the soil in Cistern Prairie. The subsoil here too as generally in Fayette County, is red and yellow clay. In the neighborhood of Muldoon in this postoak, the thin surface soil is broken by big, hard sand rocks. Here are the Muldoon quarries that furnish rocks for the Galveston jetties.

It remains for the reader to pay attention to the bottom lands of the Colorado Kiver. This river flows through the middle of the county. At places high ridges and bluffs fall precipitately nito the river; at other places they recede even for several miles from the river, thus giving place for rich bottom lands. These ridges are grown with post-oak which continues further on through the whole county, as in the western part or forms the border of rich black land prairies as in the eastern part. Thus, the prairies in Fayette County are like costly pictures set everywhere in a wooden frame, iierc of post-oaks, the picture being the more valuable.

black lands from the sandy, it remains for the reader to notice that the surface is of a rolling nature, not only in the prairies, but also in the post-oaks, though more so in the prairies. It rises gradually towards the west. It has already been remarked that the subsoil of Fayette County generally is red or yellow clay. The black land humus which covers it is one to two feet deep, therefore very fertile and lasting. The sand is not very deep, but rests on a rich loam- bed which makes it fertile. Very few complaints, if any, are heard in Fayette County thot the land or rather the humus washes away during big rains. The slopes of the hills in this county are very little slantinfj, falling only very gradually. Besides, the fields are generally small and separated from each other by strips of grass, thereby breaking the force of the running water. Still it may not be amiss to repeat here the advice of the U. S. Agricultural Bureau in regard to preventing land from washing away during big rains; First, to plant trees on the top of the hills. There the water starts. The rcots of the trees suck up the water and thus prevent it from getting a forcible start from the top of the hills. Second, to plow not down the hill, but across it. Third, to leaye at short distances strips of grass, thus preventing one downright fall of the water. Fourth, where gullies are already caused by rains, to fill them with brush and place rocks on top of the brush to the brink of the gully at proportionate distances, thus the gully will gradually fill up and be arable land again. Advice not necessary for Fayette county, still worth considering in a few parts. Some of these ideas are carried out in Fayette County anyway; farmers that had cause, have found them out themselves. 'therefore, big rains generally do very little damage in the county by washing the laud awav.

The reader knows that the Colorado River runs through the county from northwest to southeast. This river, with its numerous tributaries, is the mam drainage channel of the county. Its tributaries in the north are Ilabb's Creek and Cumming's Creek; they run nearly parallel to each other in a southerly direction; Rabb's Creek in the west, Ciunming's Creek in the east. The main tributary to llabb's creek on the left or eastern bank is Owl Creek, running west; to the Cumming's Creek, on the right or western bank, the Clear Creek, running east. The main tributaries of the Colorado on the southern bank are Buckner's Creek and Wiliianis' Creek, running in an easterly direction; Euckner's Creek meeting the Colorado at LaGrange, Williams Creek, some eight miles below, in the southeastern part of the county the Navidad River and its tributaries, one of them the Mixen Creek, drain the surrounding country. All thesei creeks are running the whole year, thereby contributing greatly to the fertility of the country, Kor is tT^iere any need of water for cattle and horses. Strips of bottom timber are bordering these creeks preventing greatly their drying out or being ruled up with washed up land. May they never be cut down. In some parts of other counties where this has been done the creeks have been filled up with washed up land; they are changed to dry gullies and; at the time of big rains, overflow and damage the adjoining farm lands. Therefore, let the trees stand at the border of creeks; they also help to retain the moisture in the ground. For this reason, water in abundance car- be found everywhere in Fayette County at a short distance under ground, say from 20 to 60 feet.

Fayette County, as the reader has seen, having good soil and subsoil, being well watered and drained, vvitli sufhcient rainfall and delightful climate, is necessarily a fertile and productive county. The staple product is cotton. The inexhaustible bottomlands of the Colorado River and some creeks produce, according to the season, from one to two bales of cotton per acre and from forty to eighty bushels of corn. The fertile prairie lands bring from one-half to over one bale per acre, the sandy post-oak lands, in wet seasons, the same amount: in dry seasons, considerably less; nor is the sandy land as lasting as the black, waxy prairieland; its fertility has to be kept up by manuriufj. The i)ost-oak land is not very good land for corn. While forty to sixty bushels of corn is only an average crop in the black prairie, twenty-five bushels is a good crop for post-oak land; and very often it happens that instead of hauling a crop of corn from the field, the post-oak farmer gets only some twelye barrels of nubbins per acre for his work. Still, where the land is well manured and the farming well done, quite satisfactory corn crops are obtained even in post-oak-lands. While post-oak land is not as favorable to corn as the rich black prairie, it beats the latter for raising tobacco and wine, two products that do not require a rich soil,^ but do better on sandy land. Though both these latter crops do well in Fayette County, they have not been raised yet for the market, but only for home consumption. Other counties with the same soil and climate as, for instance, Montgomery and Lavaca Counties, have raised excellent qualities of tobacco and found it a very profitable crop. There is no doubt that in future time Fayette County post-oak owners will engage more extensively in tobacco culture. Till now inexperience to some extent in curing the tobacco and bringing it into salable shape, also the only small amount raised have not been lavorable in obtaining a ready market. But these obstacles will be overcome as the tobacco culture progresses.

Wine, too, of a very good quality, equal at least to the better California grades, can be raised in this county and in some places, is raised; but also only for home consumption. In Fayette County and in Texas in general, the market for wine is not very favorable, as here beer and whiskey are the going beverages. Barkeepers who sell wine charge for Texas wino the same price as for imported wines, and, in comparison, Texas wine is well worth its price. Still, if they would sell it at half the price of other wines, thev would still make a very good profit and also start and introduce a new industry that would benefit the whole county. Besides, the wine-growers should sell their wine m attractive bottles. Instead of filling it into empty beer bottles and flostetter Bitters bottles, let them buy wine bottles, ])ut an attractive label and a nice gold or silver seal on it, in short, bring it into sliape attractive to the buyer and spend some money for advertising. Keej) on pusiiing it and see if a paying niarket will not finally be opened for tiiis product. All wine- growers do not raise the same quality; some know tlie processes of obtaining a good wine better than others; here experience again will come with a more extensive culture. The wines raised and that do best in this county are the Herbemnnt and Black Spanish; the lirst of a golden, the latter of a dark red color. Wine culture requires great care and experience. Wine has in nature many enemies, the greatest of them, black-rot which destroys the vines. Besides these tame wines, Mustang wine from the wild growing vine of the same name is produced in Fayette County. It is of different quality according to the knowledge and experience of the maker in the i)rocesses of obtaining a good wine. While some i)roduce a tolerable wiae, the product of others is of an inky taste. If this writer has complimented some people on their self made Mustang wines and, a})- preciating their good will towards him, from excessive politeness, acknowledged that their Mustang wines were of superior taste, flavor and quality, even if they were only a few months old and sour enough to draw up shoe-leather, his great love of veracity prevents him from admitting in writing that all Mustang wines are good.

Of fruit-trees, peach and pear trees do very well everywhere in Fayette County. Other varieties of fruit-trees also do well here, but are not so extensively planted as the former. The fruit is very good and enough of it is raised that shipments should pay. But the people are too busy raising their other crops, especially corn and cotton so as to pay much attention to this crop, though there is little doubt that if done so, it would pay well. All the good house-wife can do is to save time to cook a small and choice part of the fruit and make preserves of them. Of these, a very large stock is found m nearly all households. The balance of the fruit is either gathered and given to the hogs, or, if there is no time for tliis, as sometimes there is not, it rots on the ground.

Oats and rye are the small grains tnat are raised in the county. Both grains make good crops. Rye is planted to some extent in the eastern part of the county by German farmers. It produces from twelve to fifteen bushels ])er acre. Ground to flour, it is used for bread. A great many crops are new in Fayette County; as for instance, the rye crop; the longer the experience in these crops, the better will be the results.

Garden vegetables grow in abundance and are of the choicest quality. Tomatoes, turnips, carrots, beets, radishes, mustard, cabbage, asparagus, squash, green pepper, cucumbers, beans, peas, watermelons, cantaloupes, pumpkins, cauli-flowers and a great many other vegetables which the writer does not know the name of grow luxuriously in all varieties. Their shipment would hardly pay. Still, if they would be raised in large quantities so that it would pay buyers to look after them, and if they were paid for on delivery at the shipping place, they would be a good money crop, and Fayette County vegetables soon would conquer a market and gain a reputation for their choice quality. The difficulty in marketing garden-vegetables is that they are of a perishable nature and cannot be held like corn or cotton for speculation, but must be sold quickly and at any price. It would hardly pay the owners to ship them without having previously found a market for them and entered into contract with the buyers for the terms of their delivery and payment. In that case, money may be realized and a good profit made; but if the owner should ship them at haphazard to some commission house for sale without first having figured on the railroad rates, he may find to his great regret that he has shipped them with no proceeds whatever, the proceeds only covering expense of railroad freight and commission. Some Austin and Colorado County farmeis experienced this with a shipment of a car of watermelons to Chicago, some years ago. The shippers of the Colorado County car were called on by the Chicago commission house to pay in addition to the proceeds of their shipment $5.00 for sale of melons and for freight. The Austin County shippers were luckier and realized from the proceeds of the sale of one car of watermelons S 16.00, about enough to pay them for hauling them to the depot. Still, if they are raised close to a shipping place and care is taken to have a market for them, they may be shipped with profit. Careless shipments made in such a way are liable to ruin a new industry in the county. Nobody doubts tb.at he can raise vegetables of the most excellent quality in any amount, but before engaging into the business of raising them for the market, he should provide for a market first and be sure of it. Then there will be great profit in it.

Sweet potatoes, Irish or white potatoes do splendidly in Fayette County. Of sweet potatoes as many as 150 bushels have been gathered from an acre. As these products are not of such a perishable nature, they are often disposed of in the market with profit. If this fails, they are excellent feed for hogs and may be used for that purpose.

Sorghum-cane and ribbon-cane do well. Though I believe that instead of ribbon -cane other crops could be raised with greater profit. It is raised only for home consumption. Sorghum-cane makes two to three cuttings a year. It makes a very good molasses, far better than the molasses bought in stores for thirty-five cents per gallon. This store-molasses, made from corn and broomcorn-stalks, is of poor taste and not considered healthy. Besides this, sorghum cane is excellent feed for horses, cattle and hogs and is raised chiefly for this purpose. Now, as some attention is paid to fattening: cattle for the market and cottonseed meal and hulls are mostly used for that purpose, it may be worth considering the question, if even better feedstufis cannot be raised cheaper.

One crop that would do very well in the rich black land prairies, but is not raised in the county, is broomcorn. It brings about half a ton to the acre. The price fluctuates from seventy to two hundred and forty dollars per ton, according to quality and demand. It requires less work in cultivating than cotton, but wears out the land, if planted several years in succession in the same field.

Horses, cattle, hogs, sheep and poultry are raised by nearly every farmer. Of late years, great attention has been paid to the improvement of stock. The stock farm of Dr. I, E. Clark, near Schulenburg, has acquired a reputation eyen beyond the limits of the state. Horses and cattle are raised enough for home needs and even for sale. While formerly bacon and pork was shipped to this county, enough hogs are raised now iu the county to meet the home demand. The hens of some farmers are (|uite industrious so that some farmers meet their whole store bills from the proceeds ot tlieir poultry-trade. It seems to this writer that in comparison to other meats the price of turkeys and geese is not what it should be; they are at least half as cheap as beef. Still, they are used only for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.

Well, has the kind reader thought something in perusing all this? May be only that it was tedious reading. Very unprofitable thought that is and very uncomplimentary to the author. But here is one profitable. Fortunes may still be made in Fayette County and the men that provide or find a market for the great variety of products that can be raised with ease and with profit in Fayette County and are as yet without a market will make them. There is always profit in introducing and developing new industries. This will happen in future time. We do not need to be in any hurry about it. Neither soil nor its ability to produce these crops will disappear. Considering that eighty years ago Fayette County was a wilderness, we should feel proud of the achievements of the past and feel happy that soiiie work is still left for the future.

Outside of tlie cities and towns the farming countrj' at large is densely settled, may be more so than any other portion of the state. For this reason, land prices in Fayette county are reasonably high, not inflated by a boom like in some other counties, but because the lands value more on account of conveniences of schools and churches and the comforts of neighborhood enjoyed in densely settled districts. Lands of the same quality, but removed from the market and the conveniences of modern comfort, would not bring half the price;and quite right so, considering only one item that their products have to be hauled for long distances to a market. Still, lands are not excessively high in this county. As the reader knows that there is a great variety of soil in Fayette county, gravel, sandy, prairie and bottom land, the price varies greatly with the quality of the land. Post-oak land may be bought at from two to fifteen dollars per acre according to improvements and state of cultivation; prairie

- islands are sold from twenty to forty dollars per acre; bottomlands, still higher. There are farmers owning well improved farms who would not part with them for lifty dollars an acre. Land prices are less fluctuating in Fayette County than elsewhere for the reason that there have never been any crop-failures in the county. No one who comes to Fayette County to make his living by farming has to pack up again on account of crop-failure. How often have not people bought land in otlier counties, the value of which was inflated by a boom and after several crop-failures had to give it up, having lost their all. Such never was the case in Fayette County. Here the farmer, knowing what he has, is not anxious at all to sell his farm and if he does, the buyer gets it at value received. For the reason that there are no crop failures, even the fluctuation of prices of the staple product of cotton does not affect the value of land, the farmer being well able to weather low, cold prices for years.

The various products that may be raised in this county have been treated of very extensively under another heading, may be too extensively even for a patient reader. Besides these, the resources of the county are abundant in the greatest varieties of timber. This subject will be given an entire chapter latter on. We will look here for the resources underneath and this writer cannot do better than refer to an article on "The Oil Deposits of Texas" by jNIr. Dumble, the Texas state geologist, published sometime in January 1901 in the Houston Post. "The next important horizon is that connected with the belt of lignites, one bed of which is exposed at Manton Bluff, above LaGrange and the sands which overlie them. In this immediate vicinity the natural production of oil from lignite beds can be seen in progress. Positive proof o-f the presence of oil and gas in these beds is found in the Cervenka well near LaGrange, and the Greenwine well of Washington County." Not alone lignite beds and oil fields are found in Fayette County, but also a great variety of other minerals. Mr, J. C. Melcher, of O'Quinn has for the last twelve years paid liis closest altention to the discoveries of minerals in the county, he has made extensive prospecting tours and is well qualified to speak on the minerals of the county. The following article is prepared by him for this book and deserves tlie careful attention of the reader.

A deficiency in the railroad laws proves very disastrous to the mining interests of the state. Railroads have no right to condemn a man's land and pay for it at the assessed value in order to build a spur to a mineral section of country. Thus, a man owning a few hundred yards between a railroad and a mineral deposit may jirevent its development by asking an exorbitant price for it or by refusing to sell the right of way at all. Amongst others, I haye several times suffered from the deficiency of such laws. In consequence, my attempts to find gold and other precious metals or ores have been very limited, more than they would have been otherwise. Many people imagine that there might be millions in the ground and that the prosj)ector is tryingto steal them. I have found several valuable minerals on the Walter Hamilton and Muldoon Leagues, but failed to make contracts with the land owners to develop their properties for a reasonable compensation. I have some very interesting assay certificates, but they do me no good, as the land does not belong to me. We need outsiders to come in and take hold of these things, as the people are more willing to bargain with them than with their neighbors.

I am of the opinion that even gold may be found in Fayette County. Old theorists said, 'Precious metals are found only in volcanic countries.' Precious metals are found in some, but not in all volcanic countries. Eminent geologists say, 'Grold is where you find it.' Placer or drift gold may be found anywhere, but not veingold. Fayette County bears a great many evidences of volcanic upheavels. The great bluffs and hills north and south of LaGrange and east of Winchester and the rocky ridges near Muldoon are positive evidences. The many gravel hills and deposits in this county show that there once was a very strong current of water coining down from the Rocky Mountains which brought the rocks and gravel down from the mountain sides. We know that there is gold in the Rocky Mountains, and some of it must have come down here with the drift rock and sand. Wherever we find much quartz among the rocks, sand and gravel, we may look for some gold or silver in the form of placer of drift metal. Mineral springs and sulphur and gypsum in the earth are also usually good indications of more or less minerals in the vicinity. These we have in many places in this county. I have a piece of very rich gold ore, found by a negro in a gravel bed near O'Ciuinn Creek. I have heard of an outcrop of blue quartz, containing considerable pyrites, south ot the Bluff near LaGrange. I have found pyritic sands and sulphites in Buckner's Creek and Iron Ore Branch.

We have many sulphur veins and springs in this county, but I do not know of any sulphur deposits large enough to be worked. There is a large territory along Buckner's Creek in this county where it is almost impossible to get good well water on account of the ground containing too much sulphur and other mineral matter. There are many sulphur and mineral wells in other parts of this county, bnt there is also generally enough of good water to supply the neighborhoods.

I think Fayette County has more lignite than any other county in the State. One coal belt extends nearly, if not quite across the entire county, from near Carmine to Waelder. This lignite belt seems to be in places seven miles wide, but it is not a solid sheet all the way; in manv places it is broken up. The biggest and finest out-crops seem to be between LaGrange and Muldoon. One mine, or rather a coal quarry was in operation on the Colorado River bank, three miles above LaGrange, in twelve to lifteen feet of lignite. They have stopped working; for what reason, I do not know. I suppose that the oil boom has scared them out. Other lignite beds have been discovered along the S. A. & A. P. R. R., bui the oil boom has kept them down, A number of successful tests have been made lately with Beaumont oil and lignite combined. The combination burns and heats much better than either alone. It is the cheapest and best fuel for smelting iron ores and several other purposes.

Tliere are many si»ns of oil in the lignite and sulphur districts of this county. One good sign is said to be on the Tansey place, three miles west of Muldoon. Genuine blue 'mineral oil sands crop out in many places below the lignite beds. These sands as well as the lignites dip to the south-east and that is the direction in which the oil goes or comes. It the theory is correct that oil rises (and I have no doubt that it does, until it gets near the surface of the earth, when it will disappear again,) then the oil may come from the Gulf, crop out here and be the cause of the formation of lignites here. If, however, the oil was formed here among the lignites and followed the dip to the south-east, then we may look for oil on the dip (slope) south-east of here or we njay strike the oil vein from the Bastrop County lignites.

There was some talk about drilling for oil in the north-eastern portion of the county. Gen. H. Loessin had leased lands for oil near Muldoon. The present cheapness of Beaumont oi) will keep the oil and lignite prospects in the county down for some time.

I know of only one gas well in this county, but there are a number of ordinary water wells which contain small quantities of gas. To my knowledge, a well has never been dug in this county for the purpose of obtaining gas or oil. The gas well in this county was struck while drilling for water at a depth of 124 feet, about four miles south-west of LaGrange in 1897. One day the gas was set afire by an inquisitive experimenter who in consequence carried away a considerable amount of experience. The hole had to be filled half full of dirt before the blaze could

- lube checked. It was said that a local oil company intended to reopen the well and go down to considerable depth, if necessary. I hear nothing of them now, 1 suppose the Beaumont oil is holding them down.

Kaolin is the finest of white clays, used in the manufacture of porcelain ware and for many other purposes. Large beds of kaolin are found near Flatonia. There is a great difference in the quality and color of kaolins. I have found a large bed of the finest kind of kaolin on the S, A. & A. P. railroad, near thg Muldoon rock quarries, five miles north-east of Muldoon. Kaolin deposits have also been found in the hills east of Winchester.

Gypsum is scattered over many places in this county, but I have never found enough of it to pay working, I think it will be found in sufiicient quantities in the future. Tlie specimens thus far found are very clear and transparent.

Feldspar is found m payinor quantities in many places between O'Ciuinn and Flatonia. It may be used in the manufacture of pottery and crockery, after it has been prepared.

Alumina is mostly found among the feldspathic and silicious clays. It can be found among our valuable white clays in the county. I have a sample before me which is white and very light, almost like magnesia.

Common or Potter Clay is abundant in many |)laceH. A good clay bank of the right kind near the railroad is very valuable. It will all be needed by and by. especially for good bricks, fire-proof bricks, ornamental works and house fronts.

Tile and Pipe clay will be needed, and we have worlds of it, of all grades and colors. Red clay is also iu abimdance. People have learned to make a very valuable cement out of certain clay. Probably old Fayette has th:=^ very stuff for this. Would it not be a great thing, if old Fayette should furnish Galveston with rock and cement to build the great sea-wall around Galveston? They could have the rock and cement all in the same place, at very little cost.

Many years ago, some people burned their own lime in this county, and a durable lime it was. I will try to give the names of some of the old lime makers of this county. They were H. L. Kreische. and Kucik on the Bluff, Tiemann on Cedar Creek, and Wm. Duelberg at O'Quinu. 1 don't think any lime was burned here in the last thirty years. I don't tliink it was the lack of material which stopped the manufacture of lime, but we could get it elsewhere, just in quantities needed and ready packed. What is needed is that some one starts the work again and a barrel factory close by.

Most of our building stone would be called sand-stone, some of it is mixed with lime and micaceous matter. I think the best, handiest and most availiable building stone is at or near Muldoon. Thousands of carloads have been taken therefiom and millions of tons of fine rock are still left there. The rock there is a stratified sandstone, mixed with lime and micaceous matter so that it cracks and splits very readily under the hammer in desired directions. It lies in straight layers, already cracked in large cubes, therefore very handy to quarry, break and load. I know that sandstone formations and petrifications are going on Ibis day. Some sand-stone which was very soft when I was a boy is hard enough now. Tlie next big rock quarry in this country is about four miles south-east of Ledbelter. Rock fram this ])lace has also been used for the Galveston jetties. Tlie great and celebrated Bluff, south of LaGrange, contains millions of good rock of many kinds and colors, but it is diilicult to get them into market, as the place is not easily accessible for railroads. There are several smaller rock quarries, three to five miles south-west of LaGrange. From the High Hill Creek, east of La- Grange, ver}^ good thin building stones have also been quarried. A nice red sand-stone is found three miles west of Serbin. A church house was built of this stone in 1868 which still looks very well this day.

Petrifications are very numerous in this county. Tliey are great curiosities in other counties, wliilo we do not pay any attention to them here. The largest and most interesting pieces are three trees on the Leitenberg place near the S. A. & A. P. R. R, each of which was over four feet in diameter and forty to fifty feet long to the first limbs. The choicest pieces liave been hauled away for orupmcnts ; there is a pair still left, twenty-two inches in diameter and fourteen feet long, without a crack or knot. Many p^etrified bones of antediluvian animals have been found. The most numerous petrifications are found between Swiss Alp and West Point. I think they probably will be looked after in the future,

A fine large bed of limonite ore has lately been discovered on the V/alter Hamilton League and secured l>y a twenty-five years' lease. It overlies a thick bed of iron ochre. Plematite and oxide of iron eroji out in several places on the Walter Hamilton and Muldoon Leagues. Iron oxide mixed with sand and clay is found in many places in this county. When pure and strong, it is a valuable insecticide, fertilizer, and color maker, like the ochre; it is used also as a cheap paint; some of the clay mnkes line red pottery, tiling and pipes ; mixed with sand, it makes nice red brick. If applied to the cotton plants on blacklands with calcareous subsoils, before they die, or if such lands are fertilized with the oxide of iron, I think it will prevent the cotton from dying. Oxide of iron is a poison to all aoisnal lilc having white blou(l, and it is necessary to all animal life having red blood. Fayette County has millions of tons of this slufT", and the time will come when it will be looked after. Old Fayette has nearly everythiuo; in the mineral line you may call for. The other day I came accidentally across a vertical vein of metallic ore on top of a hill one hundred feet high, about six miles northeast of Flatonia. Another positive proof that parts of this county are of volcanic origin.

There is one more interesting mineral in the county to be mentioned, magnetic sand. Your readers will notice directly after a rain on roadsides or ditches streaks of blue metallic sand. If they will pass a magnet over these blue streaks, the magnet will pick up the bluish black metallic ore. We have places in this county where lightning strikes very often. This is mostly due to the metallic magnetic sand in the earth. Yours very truly,

1. There is an outcrop of iron ore in the western part of the coanty, beginning near Peacii Creek about ten miles west oi Flatonia, thence in a northeastern direction to the Colorado River near West Point. Indications show that there is a heavy deposit of iron ore beneath the outcrop]jing which is generally on toj) of a hill or on the hillsides. There is an immense quantity of iron in the ground near the outcroppings of tiie ore on the surface of the ground.

Of course, this is not taken from a geological or topographic survey or standpoint, and is only viewed by outcroppings of said lignite coal on different places along hillsides, branches or washouts. These outcroppings indicate in which direction the veins, or lodes, of the lignite coal are dipping or traveling,

The first vein, or lode, which is undoubtedly the mother vein, or lode, begins on the Gorham Branch about Ij miles west of Hermann Loessin, better known as General Loessin's place, where the first outcroppmg of lignite is plainly wa=ihed out, and can be traced for several hundred yards in a northeasterly direction. Thence it travels to Shed Clayton (col.) or Otto Polsin's place on Cedar Creek, where an outcropping in tiie latter creek shows a heavy bed of lignite coal. Thence in a northeasterly direction to the O'Quinn Branch, near or at Ernst Hengst's place, at a washout in this branch ; lignite coal, mixed with sulphur, protrudes in the bed and banks of said creek. Thence in a northeasterly direction to Iron Ore Branch near or at Henry Duelberg's place, where sulphurous deposits mixed with copper, also lignite, protrude out of the bed. Thence in a northeasterly direction to Buckner's Creek near or at the place known as the Dr. Denker place, where lignite protrudes in great quantities and burns freeJy in an open blacksmith hearth.

Thence in a northeasterly direction to the Colorado River near or at the Manton farm, about three miles above the city of LaGrange, where lignite coal is now mined and proves to be very satisfactory.

Thence northeasterly across the Colorado River, creeping under the chalk bluff about three miles above LaGrange, where the mother lode is cut off and expires. It undoubtedly has been produced and formed at the time when the chalk bluff and the bluff at LaGrange, better known as Kreische's Bluff", were upheaved.

Now to the tributaries or branches as they zigzag from tne place to another, creeping in the direction of the mother vein where they will intersect and unite with their mother lode.

The second vein begins at Henry Leitenberg's place on Buckner's Creek and travels in a zigzag line to J. C. Melcher's place, where a shaft has been dug and a solid bed of lignite coal twelve feet thick was struck. This coal was tested at Yoakum and several other places and proved to be a very good coal.

This vein still continues on in a zigzag line towards its mother lode and intersects the same near Henry Duelberg's and John Laux's places on Buckner's Creek. Indications and outcroppings on the surface of the ground are plainly visible and show in which direction the yein travels,

The third vein begins somewhere near West Point, travels in an easterly direction along the divide between the Colorado River and Buckner's Creek, also in a zigzag line toward its mother lode and intersects it at the same point where vein No. 2 intersects.

Now to rock. There is a layer of a very coarse, blue-grayish looking rock, which lies parallel uith the mother lode of lignile. By examining this rock any person can see that it ia formed of nothing else but sea shells or shale and is undoubtedly the cap rock of the lignite. Tliere is another layer or vein of rock also running parallel with the coal vein. This rock is what is called sand rock and is wery good for building and masonry work. This layer begins east of the town of Flatonia, thence travels in a northeasterly direction to the bluff near the city of LaGrange where an immense quantity of this rock has been upheaved and forms the bluff, which is 300 feet high. The bluff in some places is i)erpendicular, from 100 to 200 feet high, and of good solid rock ; immense boulders of this rock weighing from five to ten tons can be found in Mr. Knigge's pasture. These boulders are all sticking edgewise or upright in liie ground, and all indications show that tht-,se great boulders have been blown up under great pressure and have remained in such position ever since. There is no telling what pressure yet remains underneath the bluff.

Now as to gas. First, gas has been found in a well about 80 feet deep and riglit on top of a hill on Mr. Fritz Nollkaemper's place near Swiss Alp. about eight miles southwest of La Granoe. Eighteen years ago this well was called the singing well, and no well digger would go into it tor anything in the world ; hence the well w:is abandoned and covered up.

depth of 128 feet on Mrs. Cervenka's place, about five miles south of LaGrange, and almost at the base on the south side ot the bluff. The roar and rumbling of this well could be heard for a distance of 400 or 500 yards.

The well caught fire from strikmg a match near it. by an onlooker, and endangered ihe dwelling which stood near by. It required ten or twelve men to drag water and earth over and into the well to extinguish tlie fire. The well was then tightly covered up and abandoned; there it still remains. This gas well is about 2i miles northeast of the Nollkaemper well and on the same ridge which is an extension of the bluflt". This well is also on top of a hill.

In a washout on a branch on the place of Mr. E. Knigge, Jr., near Swiss Alp, and about eight miles south of LaGrange. an immense lot of bones of all kinds from the smallest rib up to teeth tliat weigh 4 J pounds have been found and can be found yet. These bones are very brittle and will fall to pieces as soon as they get dry. The deposit of bones lies under a soft, whiteyellowish looking sandstone.

Now, from the above can be seen and readily understood that this (Fayette County) has an ample amount of iron, lignite, gas, hundreds of thousands of car loads of good rock for building purposes, and very good indications for oil and other minerals.

4th. The upheaved bluff with its extension lies on the east side of the shell rock, also traveling parallel with the shell rock vein from southwest to northeast. The deposit of bones is on the east side of the southwest extension of the bluffj but it can not be traced in which direction it travels. I think it is only a pocket and was formed during a great flood, when the various animals were washed and lodged and covered np with earth at the time the bluft' was uplieaved,

This so far ends my description of Fayette County concerning minerals, etc. It is not written from what people say, but is all from my own knowledge.

I was raised in this county and know almost everv foot of ground, and if any person desires to go, 1 will take him over the ground, and he can convince himself.

The heaviest timber grows in and near the principal bottoms of rivers and creeks viz., in the Colorado River bottom, in the bottoms of Cummin's Creek and Rabb's Creek and their tributaries, north of the Colorado River and in the bottoms of Williams' Creek and Buckner's Creek, south of the Colorado. About one-half of the county was timbered, but large portions of land are cleared of timber every year and put in cultivation. A great mass of useful timber has been destroyed and burned in this clearing of lands, valuable and useful timber at that ; but fur the reason that it was too far from the market, no use was made of it. This destruction of timber goes on year by year. There is an immense quantity of valuable timber, especially hard timber, in the county that may be used in manufacture. But we have no factories of that kind in the county. A factory which works our hard timber would be a success and a blessing to the county. A capitalist would find a good chance to invest his money in a factory of this kind. I will now give a description of the most common and useful timbers of this

Ash grows in nearly all bottom lands (by bottom lands I mean the low, rich, heavily timbered lands along the streams). Ash grows to a height of forty to ninety feet, and to four feet in diameter. It is generally harder and tougher than the northern ash, makes a splendid wagon timber, and is found in sufficient quantity to supply all the wheelwrights of this county. A great deal of it is sinfully used for firewood, still more of it is deadened and burned in clearing bottom lands for cultivation, because there are no mills, factories or markets near by.

Black Jack is scattered all over the woods. It is the most useless wood we have, good only for fence rails and firewood. It resembles Spanish Oak, but is more dwarfish, grows to a height of fifty feet and sometimes measures thirty inches in diameter, but generally is only ten inches in thickness. The tree bears many large acorns. Its bark contains a great deal of tannin and acid.

Bois d'Arc is native in a few places in the northeast portion of this county and has been transplanted and seeded nearly all over the county some twenty to thirty years ago for ornament and as hedgeplant. It is one of the hardest woods we have, grows rapidly, splits tolerably well, and makes excellent fence posts and good wagon timber, although it is a little too heavy for the latter purpose. Bark and roots somewhat resemble the mulberry and its leaves are equally good silkworm food. The seeds cluster into an immense ball wiiich looks like a mammoth orange. The color of the wood is yellow. Nice walking canes may bo made of the young shoots. Although it is used as a hedge])lant, it grows to a thickness of several feet and sixty feet hign.

Box Elder is something between the ash and the maple, more resembling the ash in its leaves and therefore often called water-ash. It grows among the ash in the bottoms along creeks and branches to a height of fifty feet and often reaches thirty inches in dian)etei% The wood is smooth and whit«, ^^I'liost a,^ white as the white liolly of the North, hut is not quite so hard. It is excellent material for scroll-sawyer's work and for furniture. It makes good fence-posts when put into the ground thoroughly dry ; also splendid doorsteps and sills. It splits and is worked very easily when green, but when dry it is rather hard. The seeds are very small and resemble the seeds of the ash.

Burr Oak grows along the bottoms, but is not so very plentiful now. It is much sought after for wagon timber and other purposes where good hard wood is required. It has the largest leaves and acorns of all the oak family and grows to good sized trees.

Cedar (Red Cedar) was the most valuable timber in this county, but nearly all the large trees have been used up. I believe that Fayette County had as much or more red cedar than any other county in the state. There are a great many young cedars growing up again, nnd as wire fencing has come into use, cedar rails will not be needed now and the young cedars will have a chance to become fair trees. They grow tolerably fast, averaging about one-half an inch in the growth of diameter every year. I have some cedars in my yard which average more than that. I like them better than any other trees for ornament and shade. They are a beautiful evergreen and may be clipped into almost any shape. They emit a very pleasant aroma, grow in nearly every bottom and often among the postoaks, and are not at all particular as to the kind of soil. The best time to transplant them is in the months of September October, as they grow most in the fall of the year. In the rich bottoms they grow to a height of one hundred feet and to several feet in thickness. There is no timber ahead of them for fencerails, pickets and shingles. For posts and well-curbing, liveoak, bois d'arc, mulberry, and mesquite may excel them, but I believe that in black ground ced\r excels them after all.

Cottonwood is a species of the poplar family and grows along the streams, creeks and branches, and also in the pretty ])rairies of our county, to a height of over one liundred feet ; the thickest 1 ever saw was six feet in diameter. If cut in the right season of the year, the old trees make splendid limber for box- ing, ceiling, franiing and shingles. The younger trees are generally rather tough to work and too apt to spring, warp and rot. My whole storehouse is ceiled witli cottonwood from only one tree ; the same made two thousand six hundred feet of good lumber. Cottonwood grows very well after transplanting, but only in rich soil,

SYCAiMORE. I don't think ours is the sycamore of the Nortli; ours resembles more the silver poplar. It grows natively in the bottoms among the cottonwoods which it somewhat resembles, only that the leaves are much larger and the bark is almost snow white. It is quite an interesting sight to see the large, huge white limbs in the green foliage. When the wind sweeps through the large leaves, they rattle against each other like a coming hail storm. Sycamore grows to a height of over one hundred feet and several feet in diatneter. If trees -are selected and cut in the right time, they make lumber of good quality, andsif nicely dressed, the prettiest kind of inside work and also good looking furniture. Tiiey furnish very often over a thousand feet of lumber.

Cypress is in resemblance between the cedar and the pine, coniform, and known all over the world better than I can describe it. It grows along some of the streams east of the Colorado. Some fair sized trees still remain standing. The balance has been felled and worked up. They are evergreens and, like the cedar, grow from the seeds. They grow to a very large size and make fine, straight, round saw-stocks. The lumber is light and soft, but hard to beat. It is getting scarce too soon.

China (Wild China) is found scattered in the bottoms. It grows to a height of twenty to fifty feet, and ten to sixteen inches in diameter. It resembles the tame china in fruit and bloom, but the bloom is lighter in color and larger in cluster and contains much more nectar than the bloom of the tame china; a good place for bee hunters in early spring. The bark is very rough, the wood, hard and heavy ; it makes good baskets and does not rot easily. The leaves resemble those of the tame and umbrella china, but don't make as much shade. The kernel of

Red Elm grows tall and straight to a height of over one hundred feet, and to thirty-six inches in diameter. It splits well and makes good fencing plank, framevvood, wagon axles, tongues, etc. If cut in the riglit season of the year, it will make good fence-rails, but is unsuitable for posts, It makes beautiful furniture, takes a fine polish, but is very hard to dress.

White Elm grows among tlie red elms to the same height and shape, but even to a thicker size. It is a very j^retty wood, but apt to warp and almost impossible to be split. The wood laots as long as that of the red elm, but is not so hard and tough. It is a pity to see these fine looking trees destroyed by fire in clearing the lands for cultivation.

Gum (Sweet Gam) is scattered all over the county and found amongst all kinds of timber. It does not require a particular soil, only it grows larger in the bottoms. Its height on the high lands is about twenty feet, in the bottoms, forty feet. A tree of one foot in diameter in the bottom is of large size. The bark is dark gra}^, rough, and finely cracked. The gum looks like milk, tastes sweet like good cow milk, and is found between the second bark and the tree. Ciiildren love to chew the crude bark for its taste and extract from it the gum to play therewith. The little flowers of the gum tree are sweet and full of nectar ; its fruit is a black berry of sweet taste, of oblong shape, and about three-fourths of an inch in diameter. Tiie tree has a great many thorns on the smaller twigs, but not as many as the mesquite.

Hackberry like sweet gum is found all over the county. Many of these trees are planted for shade and ornamental purposes. After transplanting they are sure growers even if they have but few roots and are ten years old. The leaves resemble those of the elm. The bark is very rough and covered all over Avith hard warts so that the boys cannot well climb the trees.

The fruit is a small, hard eatable berry of red color and of the size of buckshot. In rich bottoms it grows to a height of sixtyfeet and two feet in diameter. The wood is like that of the elm, but lighter in weight and color and much softer. It splits, saws, and works well.

Hickory is scattered over the wooded highland portion of this county, but good large trees are scarce. But, even if they were plentiful, I think they hardly would be utilized as nearly all the manufactured articles for which hickory is used are imported ready-made from the North. 1 sincerely wish we would get factories in this county to utilize our many good hard woods of which we have immense quantities,

Mesquite is found scattered in the county. It is a tliorny, dwarfish and brushy tree and bears long pods with beans which make a good food for cattle. The pod is sweet and tender. The timber of the mes(iuite is very hard and not apt to rot.

Mulberry. This valuable timber grows in our bottoms to a height of thirty-five feet and to a size of twenty-four inches in diameter. The wood is of a golden yellow color, saws and works well and makes the best fence posts, good furniture, and splendid wagon timber. Mulberry trees are sure and prolific bearers and fast growers. They grow well after transplanting and are often planted for shade and ornament. The berries are over an inch long, nearly half nn inch thick, dark red, very pulpy and sweet. The leaves are the well known food of silkworms.

Live Oak, These beautiful trees are found nearly everywhere in the county. In the prairies they stand singly, giving shade to cattle and increasing the good looks of the country. They are beautiful sights. Covered by silver-gray moss which hangs from their limbs like a beard, they stand like aged giants to speak to man of the time of ages. Tiiey are the most gigantic of the oak family, and grow sixty feet high and five feet thick. Its acorns are oblong and black, a splendid mast for hogs ; the wood is the hardest known.

semble the white oak, but the wood is of darker color and not quite as liard and tough. It saws well and makes good framewood, good fence rails, in case they do not rot before they get dry, good flooring and fine roofing boards (called clap boards by most of us). Pinoaks are a very fine large timber. A great many of them are deadened for clearing,

Pecan is scattered nearly all over this county and grows to a large size, to about one hundred feet in height and three to four feet in thickness. It resembles black walnut in leaf, bark and shape, but its lumber is not so valuable, it ranks between Jiickory and walnut. The wood is nearly as hard and tough as hickory wood. The old large trees make splendid framing and fairly good weather boards. The nuts are preferable to all others.

Persimmon (Red Persimmon) grows along some watercourses, but not very plentiful. They measure up to twenty feet in height and eight inches in diameter. The fruit is of a yellowish red, very pulpy and sweet.

Peach (Wild Peach). I don't know why this tree is called wild peach, as it resembles the peach tree very little. It grows in the richest bottom lands. Wild peach bottom lands are considered the very best for agricultural purposes. The peach tree grows about thirty-five feet in height and twelve inches in diameter. It is a beautiful evergreen, may be clipped into nice shapes and then be used for ornamental hedges in the yard. It is a fine shade tree, blooms very early, and excels in aroma the china ; bees work on its blooms very lively Leaves and bark have medicinal properties. The bark is nearly black and is cracked all over except on young twigs. The fruit is a slick, shining black, round berry of bitter-sweetish taste, and is eaten by birds. The wood is hard and tough and a little darker than the tame peach.

Prickly Aph is found all over the county and grows twentyfive feet Jiigh and ten inches in diameter. It has thorny i)rickles all over. It blooms early in the spring and has aromatic white flowers, liees like the flowers ; birds, the little black seed. The bark and leaves have a very strong smell and taste, almost like hartshorn (Ammoniac.) They contain valnable curative properties.

Walnut grows in some places on Cummins Creek and on Criswell's Creek to fair sizes ; also some on the Colorado lliver below LaGrange. Lumber and nuts are harder than those of the northern walnuts. It is an excellent timber for every pur])ose. Some mills made it a business to export it ; this waa several years ago ; they have quit now. Large old sawstock trees are getting scarce now, but many young ones are growing up again. In some places, tiiey are planted. The wood is known all ovj.r the world so that I do not need to describe it.

Whitp: Oak. This valuable timber is not spread all over our woodlands like in the northern and eastern states. It is confined to a few bottoms near and on the Colorado River, and a few are scattered in the northeastern portion of our county. It grows to one hundred feet in height and measures many mches in diameter. The wood splits well, but is harder than the northern white-oak and. therefore, does not work so well under the tool. It makes the best wagon timber, very good tence-rails and posts. VViLLjw, We have only one kind here, the common water willow (salix). The tim,ber is of little use. In tlie i)rairies, willows are planted around tanks and springs for siiade and ornament.

I will now describe some of our commonest vines and bushes, Spanish Mulberiiy, This is more a weed than a tree, and why they call it mulberry, I caimot understand. I don't think that this is its proper name. It grows in most of our woods and the land on which it grows is generally considered rich land. It grows to a height of from four to eight feet and is about one inch thick. J. eaves and bark resemble some yi>ung wild mulberries. Its fruit is a puri)lish red berry, wliich grows in clusters ; birds like to cat the berries,

Su.MACH. I know of but one kind ; it is the kind used for dyeing, and it was used extensively for tiie purpose of dyeing cloth during? the latter part of the Civil War. It does not grow everywhere in this county, is more a shrub than a tree, and attains a height of fourteen feet. The leaves are formed somewhat like the tame China, bat are generally of a reddish color. The bloom and seeds grow out on the utmost top of each branch in the forni of an upright tassel of four to seven inches in length and of deep red color, presenting a pretty appearance.

Spanish Rattan. The kind which is occasionally found natively in this county does not resemble the rattan of South America and India. Ours belongs to the Mesquite (chaparall) family of Mexico. It grows in almost any soil, is dwarfish, hardly ever over ten teet high, and several inches thick, It branches from the bottom up and has but few side branches. The bark is smooth and green ; the flowers, fine, yellow, and containing much nectar. It bears a bean. The wood is hard and heavy and makes good walking canes.

Rattan Vine (Blueberry Vine). This vine is plentiful all over the woods, but grows mostly in the bottoms. It grows to considerable height and measures several inches in diameter. The only point in which it resembles the rattan is in the bark, the same being hard, smooth and green. It may be twisted so as to grow into peculiar and pretty shapes ; it makes splendid walking canes, its hard bark taking.a natural polish by use and wearing. The leaves are dark green, oval, smooth, and nearly the size of half a dollar. Tiie vines bear blue berries of which children and bird;5 are very fond.

Spanish Grape (Winter Grape). This is a small variety of grapes which ri{)ens in September and October. The berries are tlio sizo of buckshot, black, not very pulpy, seedy, and somewliat .icid. I don't know if tlioy would make good wine. They arc eatable and taste well. The vines and leaves resemble some of our tame varieties. It is scattered mostly over the woods south of the Colorado River, and some is found on the northeast side of the county.

the woods, but may be found on every creek and along some fences in the prairies, It climbs to the top of our highest trees and goes even much further than that, and if straightened out, would measure several hundred feet in length. It sometimes reaches ten inches in diameter ; the average diameter is about four inclies. It resembles several of our domestic varieties, but the berries are larger, of black color, round, very juicy and pulpy. The hull of tiie pulp contains acid and tannin, but is easily removable, leaving the very sweet and palatable inside juice and pulp. The vines are very prolific ; some vines produce as much as four flour barrels of grapes, which quantity will make about a fifty gallon barrel of wine. The wine is very good and healthy, and if properly made, I like it as well as any wine I ever tasted except champagne. The people are learning fast how to make it, but the trouble is that they very often do not let the grapes get ripe. In the more unsettled woods there are thousands of tons of these grape? going to waste every year. I have been successful in making good mustang wine for the last five vears and if you wish, I will give you my recipe for making it.

Black Persimmons are very scarce in Fayette County. The trees grow about sixteen feet high and three to six inches in diameter. The Iruit is bluish black and about the size of a wild plum or a good sized tame plum. Some people like to eat them; birds and some animals are very fond of them. The wootl is very hard and when cut in certain seasons of the year and turned on a lathe when green will turn black while drying.

Buckthorn (Rhamnus) grows in wet places and along some branches, but not to a great extent in this section. It grows to a height of sixteen feet, and five inches in diameter. The bark is rough and diagonally cracked on old trees ; the young trees and the limbs have smooth bark. It is used for yellow dyes. It bears black, bad smelling and tasting berries. The charcoal pf the tree is preferably used in the nuinufacture of powder.

Buckeye grows only in some of the richest bottoms and to a height of ten to sixteen feet. I don't think it grows over tiiree inches thick. It bears nuts of the size of hazelnuts. These nuts are enclosed to the number of three or four in one capsule. When ripe, the capsule bursts open and the s^eds fall to the ground. They resemble a buck's eye of black color, hence their name. They are considered poisonous ; some people carry them in their clothes to cure rheumatism. The wood is very soft, but tough and hard to saw ; the bark is tolerably smooth.

Bamboo Thorx (Mammoth Brier) is found, but scarcely, in rich bottoms. It grows to a length of sixty feet and one inch thick. Every fourth of an inch it has a long thorn or needle about one-half an inch long. The plant has no fruit.

Currants (Huckleberries) grow to a heiglit of twelve feet and are about tliree inches m diameter. They are scattered in the woods over rocky and gravely places. In the northwest corner of our county there are thousands of acres thickly covered with them. They generally bear every year profusely. The berries are nearly as large sm the tame ones, but not so imlpy and sweet. They are relished however by boys, beasts aiul birds.

Dogwood We have but very few of the large kind on the south side of the Colorado River and very few more on the north side. We generally have ni tiiis c»unty the dwarf kind. It grows ten feet high in some thickets along branches and in some bottoms. Tlie wood is very hard. From the blooms of the tree the bee draws honey.

Elder (German Hollunder) grows native in some ot the heaviest and richest bottoms to a height of ten feet and measures several inches in diameter. It is almost an evergreen. The flowers when dried make a fine tea. The berries are black and possess medicinal properties. It is often planted in some corner of the premises in order to have some flowers and berries for family use. The wood is liard and has a large pith which hardly can be pushed out. Who remen^bers not his boyhood days when lie m:ide pop-guns and squirts of the hollow stems? Who does noL aladly think back of the i)leasure attending the making and liie use of these ])op-guns and squirts?

bears a beautiful red trumpet-shaped fiower about four inciies long and two inches wide at the brim of the trumpet, of attractive shape, size and color. The fruit is a pod with beans of the size of lima beans. During their blooming the wliole plant and bloom is very poisonous to some people, while it does not affect others. The simple touching or smelling of it will cause a feeling of sickness ; the skin will blister and rot off even in places not touched by the plant ; this sometimes terminates fatally and recjuires often months of skill and care to cure the unfortunate patient. I find in the Scientific American a number of receipts and treatments for its cure, but don't know which is the best.

Poison Oak is more plentiful tlian poison ivy ; its vine grows thicker and longer than tlie latter. There are two kinds of poison oak ; one has tlirec i.u'onged leaves, the other, four pronged leaves, otherwise they are alike. Some people hold only the four pronged leafed poisonous, but I think they are all poisonous at certain seasons of the year, namely in May and June.

If by this title the expectations of the readeis siiouid be raised to such a ]jitch as to look for a })oetic:d flight describing the beauties of Fayette County as they deserve to be described in poetical language, this writer may state at the very beginning that they will be disappointed. Old poets used to place songs and poems praising the beauties of londscnpcs in tiie mouth t)f the animal world, thereby i)roducing ma'«ler|)ieces of art. Grand as the tlieme would be, it this writer could put a song praising the beauties of our county into the mouth (if a bird, lie feels that even if he ever had this thought, his wings are somewhat cli|)ped and jjerhaps never were vigorous enough to carry him on such afliujht mueh less an impatient reader with him. To carry him on a poetical flight, the reader must look to some other person. May be some fair lady being called in the tenderness ot love bird or birdie, and being used to the name, perhaps possessed also of its qualities, may carry him on the wings of her poetical strength to these elevated realms. As for this author, he can proceed only to point out some of the poetic beauties of our county in his own very prosaic vernacular.

The author remarl^ed somewhere that the prairies of F.i}-- ette County were set like pictures in a wooden irame of postoaks. And a pleasant picture they are in summer time. The scenery is nowhere grand, but always pleasing. Large dark green corn and colton fields, checkered with pastures and meadows like a chess-board ; the tall corn bowing slightly before a gentle south breeze ; stri])s of green trees, b)rdering little rivulets and creeks, intersecting meadows and fields ; sliglit hills interchanging with valleys, tlie whole surface studded with many neat cities, towns, villages, and farmhouses; church steeples and house-roofs looking forth out of groups of green trees ; white hous^es with green blinds shining through them, sometimes, hidden behind thfui ; here and there, a smoke stack of a gin, heated now only by the rays of the summer sun ; in tlie woods, farm openings intercepting tlie monotony of the woods ; the whole picture enlivened by teams and people working in the field and by grazing cattle.

These prairies are a beautiful picture, pleasing alike to man, beast and bird. The writer of idylls may find plenty of scenes in Fayette County worthy of his pen, the painter of still life, scenes worthy of his brush. If the writer tries to describe some of these scenes and fails, may the reader forgive him his failure on account of good intentions. After all, a book on Fayette County would be incomplete, if the writer should not at least attempt to describe some of its scenes of still life and beauty. Yonder, at the beginning of a cotton row stand a pair of sleek horses hitched to a cultivator. The farmer, an elderly man, has worked steadily all the morning. He now squats down to light his pipe and as he stops, he may just as well clean it. His morning's work is well done as his whole life's work - greatest i)art behind him now, with less before him - deserves

- Boat least the comfort of a pipe of tobacco. May he well enjoy it and many more too. In the field on the other side of the road, an impatient man witli a patient team ; soon one thing is wrong, soon another; he will soon make his team so wild that they do not understand what he wants of them, and then it shall be still worse. In the garden by tiiat large fine white house witl) its green blinds and lofty windows a tall, lithe girl, lier fair face, Hushed by the heal of tlie sun, glows like arose. She works will) care and knowledge, altoiuJing to her more heirless sister iiowers, freeing them from weeds tiiat want to take all the sunsiiinc and all the dews of tiie morning; she, "fairer far than any blooms of summer are." And there, on the side of the hill, an old gray little house, vines ranking to the top of the gallery; the little bird finds tliere its ilk; a fair young girl standing in the door way, lier fresh rosy face nicely set in the green vines ; a i)roper setting.

Here the writer stops to bring in a word from the reader. For (|uite a time this writer has seen his elderly gentlenian shake his head as if in disapi)roval, until it became (juite a matter of solicitude to him. The elderly gentleman reader who has had his experience with ihe ladies and now has struck his b:>lance sheet and settled their accounts with him and after that has settled down to a (}uiet life with his pipe of tobacco, his daily Houston Post or Galveston News and his three drinks a day before meals, quite disapproves of the passage about the fair girls and thinks that in an enumeration of the beauties of Fayette County, they should be left out. Dear friend, in pointing out beauties, should tiiis writer not passingly mention the greatest of them all? Their presence gives the complexion of beauty even to a desert and how much more to this beautiful spot of old Fayette. But, my elderly friend, let us make peace. The ladies of Fayette County will cross you in this book seldom, not because they are not tlie worthiest subject to be written about, but this author with all his efforts should not be able to treat this subject well enough. WMien we come to the subject of Statistics, we shall light our pipes and muse and be friends again.

Farming and oardoning have been treated of extensively under the head of pro<Jucts ; stockraising also has received there some attention ; quarrying, as the reader l)as seen, is carried on at Muldoon ; coal-mining at LaGrange. It remains to state that numerous gins bring the staple product, cotton, in:o marketable shape and that at the same places, mills grind the corn to meal for home use. At Warda and several other places saw-mills cut lumber for their neighborhoods, but none is cut for the market; for that purijose the wood is too far removed from the railroads. At LaGrange and Schulenburg there are oil mills which separate the cotton seed into oil, meal and hulls. Their output is (]uite considerable. All these cottonseed products iind a ready market mostly outside of the county, LaGrange, l^'Iatouia and Sciiulcnburg have electric light plants. In IjiiGrange the [)lant is run in connection with the water works system. The >Schulcnburg electric light plant was run in connection with a gin. The latter was destroyed by lire and tlie electric light plant with it. It is intended to rebuild it this fall. Flatonia has a foundry which turns; out good work. There is considerable activity in the county to enlarge the field of industries. Thus, Fayetteyille built in 1901 a creamery; at ju'esent, it has stojjped woiking, but as soon as satisfactory arrangements are made, it is intended to run it again. West Point has erected a cannery in the jn-eseut year. The prosi)ects for its succes, it being situated in the center of a fruit producii g country, are very bright. Numerous mechanics as blacksmiths, tinners, saddlers, siioenuikers and tailors are sullicient to do all repairs and also t^ manufacture several articles in their lii e which either are made to order or easily sold in the county.

Com Merci A L High Ways

IIailuoads. One of the reasons that Fayette Count}^ ranks to-day as one of the most populous and pros[)erous counties of the state are her great railroad facilities. Shipping places for the various larm i)roduets within easy reach are a great conveu- ience and not the smallest inducement to settlement. Quite a net of railroads covers the county so that a farmer has to luiul his products only a few miles to get to a shipping point. Two large througii lines and several large hranch roads constitute the main arteries of commerce of Fayette County. Tlic Missouri, Kansas and Texas jjasses through the center of tlie county, through its whole extent. At LaGrange, it crosses the (\)lorado River. Soutli of this road, another large through lino, the Southern Pacilic, passes througii tlie whole southern extent of the county within a* few miles of the southern b'jundary. Tlirough the whole extent of the northern i)art runs the iVuslin branch of the Houston and Texas Central. Tn the western jjart of the county, a branch of the San Antonio and Aransas Pass crosses these above named three roads. A branch-road of the Southern Pacilic connects the county seal with its main trunk line. This is'the railroad net that covers tiie county. Thereby, the latter enjoys shipping facilities enjoyed onlv by few counties 'inthis state to a similar extent. Nor is it excluded that great.as these facilities ai'e, they may not increase as the location of the county, the fertility of the soil and the industry of her people would still prove a ]jr(j(itable iiekl fur future railroad buikling. As the matter stands, Fayette County is well connected with the outside world; the news of the day are read with more or less eagerness next mornmg. Even nearly all country places get their mail daily, some even twice a day, and the news of the achievements and the glory of the world ])olicy of our present administration may gladden the heart of the patriot soon enough, provided he approves this policy.

Public Roads. Fayette County has as good roads as few counties in the state. She has excellent road material and for large tracts the roads have been graded. Parts of th3 roads are not inferior to macadamized roads. Vast sums of money have been expended for road improvements. An iron bridge crosses the Colorado River at LaGiange and numerous smaller iron bridges lead over the smaller waters of the county. The roads are passable during all kinds of weather. First-class roads lead from the county seat to all larger places of the county ; the latter also are generally connected with each other by first-class roads. The roads are divided into road overseer precincts. (For further Information on this subject see Public Roads in Part II. History of Fayette County.)

Character And Elements Of Population

The times of the early settlement of Fayette County whcru man was left to a great extent to his own resources, were favorable to the development of individuality ; the great later achievements, gained against overwhelming odds, proved that this individuality, by its strength, was worth its life ; it also gave the people a self-consciousness and self-conlidence based ou their own merits. How far time and events liave modified this individuality in their descendants would be an interesting subject for study. The early settlers of Texas came from different parts of the United States, mostly from the soutliern states ; already, at a very early date, a large German immigration, supplemented later on by a Bohemian immigration, came to this county. How tliey amalgamated to a harmonious union ; how far the individuality of the early settlers impressed its stamp on them, to what extent the cliaracter of the descendants of these settlers was intluenced by these new elements or shaped by new conditions and circumstances created by them, this also would be an interesting subject. How climate, the nature of the country, the conditions to gain a livelihood influenced and shaped old traits of character and brought out new traits, - all this and a great deal more will be a profitable subject for consideration. The reader may estimate from this the difficulties of a conscienscions author. If conclusions do not come up to the reader's ideas on this subject, let liiin consider that important as it is that the conclusions on this subject should be correct, tlie most important object for the reader is that he himself have correct conclusions, and this he may' do by correcting tiiem from the facts given and from his own experience.