USA > Texas > Tarrant County > Fort Worth > History of Texas : Fort Worth and the Texas northwest edition, Volume II > Part 30
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The population of Borden County in 1880 was thirty-five; in 1890, 222: in 1900, 776; in 1910, 1,386, and in 1920, 965. The county town is Gail, and the county seat and the county were named in honor of
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Gail Borden, a prominent early Texan. Other towns in the county are Durham and Treadway.
In 1920 the number of cattle found by the tax officials was 13,375 : horses and mules, about 2,700, and sheep, 15,390. The total area of the county is 572,800, of which 271,150 acres were included in farms and ranches in 1910. About 26,000 acres were reported as "improved lands," as compared with about 3,500 in 1900. The number of farms and ranches in 1910 was 228, and in 1900, 129. The largest crop in 1909 was in kafir corn and milo maize, with 5,283 acres; in cotton. 2.206 acres; and in corn, 235 acres. The property valuation in 1903 was $996,001 ; in 1913, $1,526,540; in 1920, $1,954,585.
BREWSTER COUNTY
Brewster County was created from Presidio County in 1887, and the first election of county officers occurred in February of the same year. It is one of the immense county areas of the Trans-Pecos region, with an area of five thousand and six square miles, and its surface consists chiefly, of high rolling prairies and mountains.
The Southern Pacific Railway was built across the north end of the county in 1880, and in 1912 the Kansas City, Mexico & Orient was put in operation as far as Alpine. Both these roads furnish transportation to the north end of this immense county, while the vast area in what is known as the "Big Bend" of the Rio Grande is an isolated district. rich in mineral resources and with some of the most magnificent scenery in Western Texas, but on account of its isolation little known to the outside world. Brewster County contains some of the highest mountain peaks in Texas, several of them reaching altitudes between four thou- sand and eight thousand feet. The Grand Canyon in the southern part of the county, on the Rio Grande, has walls which in places rise per- pendicularly a distance of 1,700 feet. The width of this canyon at places is less than 100 feet. Brewster County is in the mining district of West Texas, and the mineral resources stand first in an economic survey of the county. One of the largest quicksilver mines in the United States is operated in the Terlingua district, in the southern part. and several other similar mines are operated. A number of mines are in operation in that district, and have been producing for several years. The quicksilver output in this district, beginning in 1899, showed a pro- duction in that year of 1,000 flasks, a flask approximating seventy-five pounds. In 1910, 3,320 flasks were produced and in 1917. 11,753 flasks. There are also rich silver mines, and one was worked in the vicinity of Alpine until the low price of silver made it unprofitable. There are large quantities of excellent marble, iron, lead and copper, and the min- ing interests engage a large number of laborers. Because of the lack of transportation and inadequate water supply the great mineral wealth of the county has not been fully developed. Next to the mining inter- ests stands the livestock industry, and on limited areas in the valley irrigation has been employed for the raising of the forage crops and fruit. Another possible source of wealth is oil, which has been dis- covered there.
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At Marathon, on the line of the Southern Pacific, is a rubber factory, manufacturing rubber from the Guayule, which grows luxuriantly on the mountains. This factory is closed at present.
The population of Brewster County in 1890 was 710; in 1900, 2,356; in 1910, 5,220, including over 2,000 Mexicans; and in 1920, 4,822. The immense area of Brewster County comprises 3,203,840 acres, and about a third was included in farms or ranches at the last census report. The amount of improved land in 1900 was 743 acres, and in 1910 about 2,300
BREAK PLOW
acres. There were seventy-seven farms or ranches in 1900 and 190 in 1910. The stock interests in 1910 comprised 59,671 cattle ; 3,700 horses and mules ; 6,704 sheep, and 9,321 goats; in 1920, 52,453 cattle; 4,662 horses and mules; 992 sheep; 2,110 goats. The production of agricul- tural crops was limited to a small acreage in corn, kafir corn and milo maize and hay and forage crops, and until recently most of the farming has been done by the Mexicans along the river valleys. About 3,000 orchard fruit trees were enumerated at the last census. The valuation of property in the county in 1903 was $3,543,083; in 1913, $8,439,882 and in 1920, $9,430,989.
VOL. II-18
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ALPINE
Alpine, the county seat, was founded in 1883. The present popula- tion is about 2,500. Alpine has an up-to-date electric plant, a modern laundry, modern sewer system, between seven and eight miles of cement sidewalks. Methodist, Baptist, Christian, Presbyterian and Catholic Churches have their own buildings and the Episcopalians worship in the building of one of the other denominations. Two banks are repre- sented, a State Bank, with capital and surplus of $75,000, and a National Bank, with capital and surplus of $100,000. The assessed valuation is $1,250,000, altitude is 4,484 feet, climate unsurpassed in the United States. Besides the High School and Mexican Ward School it has the Sul Ross State Normal College that was completed last year and opened for the first fall term last September.
BRISCOE COUNTY
Briscoe County, created in 1876 and organized March 15, 1892, lies on the southern border of the Panhandle and is one of the few counties in that section of the state not yet penetrated by railways. The Altus, Roswell & El Paso Railroad has for several years been under construc- tion, and some miles have been graded in Briscoe County, but that line is not yet in operation. The chief town and county seat is Silverton, with a population of about 650. Another town is Quitaque, with a population of 200. Topographically the county is divided in two distinct areas, and the development of the natural resources is closely dependent upon the physiography. The Western and Central portions are on the staked plains, with one running stream and without hills, though the surface is gently undulating. The edge of the plains is an irregular and precipitous bluff from four hundred to eight hundred feet in height. About 50 per cent of the county not on the plains is in Palo Duro Can- yon. The country below the plains and outside of the canyons is undulat- ing prairie. A large portion of the plains is underlaid by the shallow water supply of Northwest Texas, and while irrigation has been limited chiefly to small gardens and orchards, it will undoubtedly be an impor- tant factor in the near future. At the census of 1880 tweleve inhabitants were credited to Briscoe County, but no separate enumeration was made in the county in 1890. In 1900 the population was 1,253; in 1910. 2,162; in 1920, 2,948. In 1903 the value of property in the county was $1,146,- 656; in 1913, $2,581,837 ; and in 1920, $3,569,544.
A few years ago the county was divided among large pastures, and the one outfit controlled several hundred sections of land. Stock raising has naturally been the chief industry for nearly forty years. The de- velopment of the water resources, together with improved methods of cultivation, is making diversified farming an important and interesting feature. Practically seventy-five per cent of the county is tillable. For many years the ranchers have had small orchards of apples, peaches and other fruits, and these have demonstrated that both soil and climate are adapted to horticulture. The total area of the county is 577,920 acres, of which 480,078 acres were included in farms in 1910. At that date there were 307 farms and ranches, as compared with 170 in 1900. The amount of "improved land" increased from 9,434 acres in 1900 to
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about 92,000 acres in 1920. Statistics on livestock and crops prepared by the last census are as follows : Cattle, 48,749 ; horses and mules, 5,374.
BROWN COUNTY
Much of the early development in West Central Texas was cen- tered in Brown County. The first permanent settlements were made there before the war, but for many years the cattlemen had possession undisturbed except by Indian and outlaw. A little more than thirty years ago, in 1886, the first railroad, the G. C. & S. F., was built, and while some of the old stockmen directed their attention to banking and merchandising, the influx of many farmer settlers wrought more important changes over the county as a whole. For many years the county has possessed a particularly energetic and progressive citizenship, and the development of individual holdings has been accompanied by the building of good roads, the founding of church and school and the introduction of other conveniences which advance living conditions.
Brown County was created by act of the Legislature August 27. 1856, but there were only about a dozen pioneer families in the county. and county organization had to wait until 1858, when the coming of new settlers permitted the establishment of a local government. The Legislature directed that the County Court should select sites to be voted on as a county seat, and should also choose the name for the town, but the supplementary act of February 5, 1858, designated the name Brownwood for the county seat. The location of the old town was several miles down Pecan Bayou from the present site. The county was named in honor of Capt. Henry S. Brown, a prominent Texan who died in 1834. John Henry Brown, his son, writing in the Texas Almanac for 1859, said of the county: "Held back by Indian depredations, it has still grown rapidly since its first settlement three * years ago * * Brownwood is the county seat, beautifully located in the center of the county and on the west bank of Pecan Bayou." Bayou."
In 1856 Maj. Van Dorn had established Camp Colorado on Jim Ned Creek, in what is Coleman County, and under the protection of this post the settlement of Brown County began. In 1859 about 4,000 cattle were assessed in the county. The population was sparse, and the only form of wealth was the few herds that grazed over the range. During the decade of the Civil war many of the settlers were forced to retire, so that the county was practically undeveloped up to 1870.
Several years passed before the danger from Indian raids was over, but during the latter '70s the county received a large immigra- tion, and other industries than stock raising were engaged in on a commercial scale. By 1881 the county had three cotton gins, six or seven flour mills, a sawmill and other minor industries. Numerous schools and churches had been established and there were five centers of settlement-Brownwood, Williams' Ranch, Clio, Byrd's Store and Zephyr.
In January, 1886, the main line of the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railroad was completed from Lampasas to Brownwood. In July,
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1891, Brownwood became the terminus of the Fort Worth & Rio Grande. These two roads have been the chief factor in making Brownwood a commercial center for a large territory, and in origina- ting and maintaining the general agricultural development. In 1912 was built what is known as the Brownwood North and South Rail- way, a line twenty miles in length, and financed and constructed by citizens along the route. Its northern terminus is May. It is now a part of the Frisco System. During the last twenty years Brown County has received a large immigration of settlers, especially from the North Central States, and its lands are largely occupied as farms, although live stock is still a large item of productive wealth. Agri- culturally it is a section of well diversified farming. The soil pro-
WILD TURKEY
duces almost every crop known to Texas, including cotton, wheat. corn, oats, rye, alfalfa, millet, sorghum, kafir corn, milo maize, pota- toes, barley, vegetables, and the orchard and small fruits and nuts. More than half of the lands of the county are arable, and at the last census there were enumerated 2,741 farms, as compared with 2,044 in 1900. Of a total area of 611,840 acres, 542,843 acres were occupied by farms, with about 174,000 in "improved land." In 1909 twenty-five farms were irrigated, comprising a total of 715 acres. In 1913 it was stated that approximately 3,000 acres were irrigated from the creeks and rivers. The chief crop was cotton, to which 82,716 acres were planted in 1909; hay and forage crops, 13,611 acres : corn, 9,503 acres ; besides a considerable acreage in oats, wheat, kaffir corn and milo maize. About 450 acres were in potatoes and other vegetables,
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113,000 trees were enumerated in orchard fruits, besides 46,000 pecan trees, and a large number of grapes and tropical fruits.
Live stock farming is now largely combined with stable agricul- ture, and the figures supplied by the last census for live stock were: Cattle, 29,251 ; horses and mules, 11,215; hogs, 4,121 ; sheep and goats, 7,530. Among the mineral resources are limestone and brick clay, while the natural gas fields near Brownwood and Bangs are being developed. Brown County produces a large crop of pecans each year, and Brownwood has long held the honor of being the chief pecan shipping point in the state.
Brown County has taken the lead among West Central counties in the construction of good roads. Its road district No. 1 was the first to take advantage of the road law passed by the Thirty-first Legisla- ture, voting bonds of $150,000 for road improvements. Forty miles of paved highways were constructed at a cost of $150,000, the mileage cost running from $1,500 to $2,500.
In 1860 Brown County had a total population of only 244; in 1870, 544 ; while the following decade brought increase along all lines. The population in 1880 was 8,414; in 1890, 11,421; in 1900, 16,019; in 1910, 22,935; in 1920, 21,682. The value of the county's taxable property in 1881 was $1,565,213; in 1903, $5,326,275; in 1913, $11,493,- 835; in 1920, $12,210,570.
In 1890 Brownwood had a population of 2,176 and was the only town of any size in the county. Its population in 1900 was 3,965, and in 1910, 6,967. Brownwood is one of the progressive small cities of West Texas, and in recent years civic energy has been concentrated in promoting the general welfare and improvement of the town. It has a large wholesale and jobbing trade, with several wholesale gro- cery, produce, hardware and packing houses. Under municipal own- ership a system of dams was constructed along the Pecan River, furnishing an unfailing water supply both for domestic and factory use. A large amount of money has been expended locally for street paving and other improvements. Brownwood is the seat of Howard Payne College, a co-educational institution now under the control of the Texas Board of the Baptist Church; and of Daniel Baker College, under the control of the Texas Synod of the Southern Presbyterian Church.
Outside of Brownwood the principal towns of the county are Blanket, May. Winchell, Zephyr and Brookesmith.
CITY OF BROWNWOOD
According to the last census Brownwood has a population of 8,300. It is claimed by the residents that the actual population is over 10,000. The assessed valuation for 1920 was $10,300,000.
Among the industrial enterprises is the cotton compress, cotton oil mill, electric light plant and ice factory, four oil refineries, with a capacity of 2,000 barrels per day.
There are four banks, with a combined capital of $1,000,000. Its educational facilities are represented by two colleges and a public free school system which is operated nine months in the year.
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It is a division point for both railroads entering the city, which give employment to about 150 men.
It is supplied with an abundance of natural gas coming from the wells twelve miles southwest of Brownwood, which supplies the city with fuel at the maximum rate of 50 cents per 1,000 feet.
CALLAHAN COUNTY
The Legislature of 1858 gave the boundaries to Callahan County, but its population did not justify a county organization until 1877. The first county seat was Belle Plain, but when the Texas & Pacific Railway was constructed through the county in 1881 its line was six miles from the county seat and the Government was subsequently transferred to Baird. The other railway stations established soon after the railroad came were Clyde, Vigo and Putnam.
From the early '70s, when the cattlemen first occupied the county, its distinctive character has been that of a stock raising region. The greater part of the county's area is a rolling prairie, best adapted to pasturage, while the best agricultural lands are found in the valleys. Thirty years ago many of the stockmen gave their attention to sheep raising, but with the narrowing of the range limits the modern rancher has concentrated on cattle, and the general activities of the farmer have been greatly diversified.
Of a total area of 546,560 acres, the last census reported 466,482 acres included in farms, and about 120,000 acres "improved land," as compared with about 66,000 acres at the preceding census. There were 1,837 farms in 1910, as compared with 1,176 in 1900. Stock interests were enumerated in 1920 as follows: Cattle, 18.000; horses and mules, 7,105.
Some noteworthy progress has been made in elevating Callahan County to a place among the fruit sections of West Texas, and the last census found about 102,000 orchard trees, besides approximately 17,000 pecan trees.
Previous to 1880 there was no separate census taken in Callahan County. In 1880 the population was 3,453; in 1890, 5,457; in 1900, 8,768 ; in 1910, 12,973; in 1920, 11,844. The value of taxable prop- erty in 1882 was $1,174,389; in 1903, $3,192,890; and in 1913, $6,073,- 539 ; in 1920, $7,343,987.
While the Texas & Pacific was constructed across the county in 1881, the line of the Texas Central crossed the extreme northeastern corner in 1882, and within the present decade a branch of the same road has been constructed across the south end of Eastland County to the town of Cross Plains in Callahan. The chief city is Baird, the county seat, which in 1900 had a population of 1,502, and of 1,710 in 1910. Other towns are Cross Plains, Clyde, Putnam, Cottonwood. Eagle Cove and Eula.
In the midst of the many large herds of cattle and sheep in Calla- han County was planted the county seat, Belle Plain, in 1878. This place was described at the time as having "every indication of a rapidly growing frontier town; the livery stable is the out-of-doors, the hotel a storehouse, and the county officials do business in one and
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the same room. Business being dull, the citizens are found playing quoits on the public square most of the time." Continuing the same quotation : "A few miles east from Belle Plain is Callahan City, but, failing to receive the appointment of county seat, its days are num- bered, there being only one store, constructed of upright posts with ground floor."
As already mentioned, when the railroad came through Callahan County Belle Plain was left to one side, population centered about the principal railroad station, and when the people again expressed preference for a county seat the railroad town won.
BAIRD
Is the county seat of Callahan County. It is a division point on the Texas & Pacific Railroad and has the shops of the division, which
MULES
adds many hundreds to the population of the town and contributes very largely to the business of the city.
Baird has the usual number of churches and schools incident to a town of this size, and its mercantile establishments are substantial and prosperous. The city owns and operates the water system and has an abundant supply of pure water which comes from the moun- tains to the southwest of the town. It is on the Bankhead Highway, which is nearly completed through the county.
CARSON COUNTY
The general topographical features of the Panhandle region per- tain to Carson County. Its undulating prairies are almost devoid of timber, and in the absence of flowing streams it has an underground supply of water found at a depth of about 300 feet.
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In 1890 the population of the county was 356; in 1900, 469; in 1910, 2,127, and in 1920, 3,078. The town of Panhandle at the last census had 638 inhabitants. In 1887 Panhandle City was fixed as the terminus of the Kansas Southern Division of the Santa Fe, then in course of construction. For some years the town was one of the most important in the entire Panhandle, and the first banking institu- tion in all that region was established here about 1888. In 1888 the Fort Worth & Denver City Railroad was built, touching the south- west corner of Carson County, and a little later the Santa Fe found entrance to Amarillo by extending its line south to Washburn, and subsequently being built direct to Amarillo. In 1903 a portion of the Rock Island line was constructed across the southern border of the county. Along the latter road are two towns, Conway and Groom.
Carson County was organized June 26, 1888. In 1903 the assessed valuation of property in the county was $1,599,805; in 1913, $3,858,- 933, and in 1920, $4,271,567. The progress of agriculture since the beginning of the present century is indicated by the increase of what the census denominates "improved land" from less than 5,000 acres in 1900 to about 86,000 acres in 1910. In the same time the number of farms increased from 57 to 284. The total area of the county is 571,520 acres, of which 468,275 acres were included in farms at the last census. The enumeration in 1920 showed 27,024 cattle and 4,768 horses and mules. The acreage planted to hay and forage crops in 1909 was 14,248; in kaffir corn and milo maize, 6,948; in oats, 6,910; in wheat, 6,025, and in corn, 1,472. Up to 1920 the county had made less progress in horticulture than other adjacent counties in the same district.
CASTRO COUNTY
Created from Bexar County August 21, 1876. Named for Henry Castro. Situated in the plains of Northwest Texas, and separated from New Mexico by the county of Parmer. Organized December 18, 1891. Area, 870 square miles. County seat, Dimmitt. Popula- tion of county in 1900, 400; in 1920, 1,948. Surface, rolling prairie. Soil, a reddish, sandy, very fertile loam.
Stream channels: Running Water draw, a tributary of the Brazos; Tule Creek, a tributary of Red River, and Frio, a tributary of the Terra Blanco fork of Red River-wet weather water courses. An abundant underground water supply exists along the creek beds and contiguous to them and is tapped by wells of from 50 to 100 feet in depth. Farther away from them water (of most excellent quality) can be obtained at an average depth of 200 feet. The rich growth of native grasses, supplemented by forage crops, renders the county an ideal one for cattle and general stock raising, which are the prin- cipal industries and are conducted on a large scale. During recent years attention has been directed to farming, with an encouraging degree of success. Whenever rainfall is sufficient or water is put on land by irrigation good crop yields are assured.
Taxable values of county in 1920, $4,022,404. The Pecos & North Texas Railroad crosses the northwest corner of the county.
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DIMMITT
Dimmitt, the county seat, is a very nice and thriving country village, with the usual complement of business houses, a fine brick school house, and the town is noted for its superior schools in that part of the state.
CLAY COUNTY
Though Clay County was detached from Cooke County in 1857 and given separate boundaries, the line of settlement barely reached within its borders previous to the war. In 1860 the census enumera- tors found only 109 people in the county. As a result of the popula- tion which came in during the '50s a county government was organ- ized in 1860, but the organization was soon abandoned. With the Red River as its northern boundary and located within what was then regarded as Northwest Texas, no progress was made during the decade of the '60s, and at the census of 1870 no figures were credited to the county. The population at successive decades has been: In 1880, 5,045; in 1890, 7,503; in 1900, 9,231; in 1910, 17,043; in 1920, 16,864. A writer in the Texas Almanac for 1861 said: "Our county is just settling up, mostly from Illinois, Missouri and Arkansas. White labor makes the truck, but it is only because we are too poor to buy darkies at the present high prices-we want them bad enough. There is only one village started, Hubert Postoffice, lying between the Red River and the Little Wichita. There is no military post in the county, Van Dorn's Station being beyond us, and his supplies of corn and other provisions are hauled through our county." The fol- lowing item is from the Texas Almanac for 1867: "Stock raisers commenced moving in about 1858, but have mostly left on account of the Indians." During the early '70s a sufficient population settled in the county to justify a county organization on November 24, 1873: A correspondent of a Fort Worth paper in 1878 noted a rapid increase in the population in the county, basing his observations mainly upon the many new houses that were conspicuous objects along his route of travel, the timber sections seeming to receive the bulk of this influx of settlers. Henrietta, the county seat by choice of the people over its rival, Cambridge, was reported as a thriving business center in those days, obtaining of the stockmen and hunters for 100 miles to the west all trade, and it was also a considerable market for hides.
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