USA > Texas > Bastrop County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 20
USA > Texas > Travis County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 20
USA > Texas > Burleson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 20
USA > Texas > Lee County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 20
USA > Texas > Williamson County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 20
USA > Texas > Milam County > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties. Pt.1 > Part 20
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that portion of the law of 1881 authorizing the lease of the penitentiaries, and conse- quently the contract and State account sys- tems only are allowed.
At this time all of the industries at both the prisons, Huntsville and Rusk, are operated on the State account system. Between 800 and 900 convicts are worked on farms, and about 463 on railroads, under the contract system. Nearly 200 convicts are worked on farms on shares, and about 200 on farins owned by the State, on State account.
The organization of the penitentiaries con- sists of a penitentiary board composed of three commissioners appointed by the gor- ernor, a superintendent of penitentiaries, a financial agent of penitentiaries, two assistant superintendents of penitentiaries, and two in- spectors of outside convict camps, all ap- pointed by the governor. For each peniten- tiary a physician and a chaplain are appointed by the penitentiary board. The assistant superintendent of each penitentiary appoints, with the approval of the superintendent, such number of under officers as may be necessary to preserve discipline and prevent escapes. And the superintendent of penitentiaries, when the penitentiaries are being operated on State account, may, under the direction of the State board, employ such number of skilled workmen or other employes as nay be deemed essential to the successful opera- tion of the penitentiaries.
The gangs or forces of convicts worked on farms and railroads, whether worked under contract or on State account, are each under the control of an officer designated as a ser- geant. who is appointed by the superintend- ent of penitentiaries, and, under the direction of the said superintendent and inspector of outside forces, has charge and control of the management and discipline of the convict
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
force for which he may have been appointed. This sergeant, under the direction of said officers, has the appointing and control of the guards necessary to control such force. The contractor has nothing whatever to do with the discipline of the convicts. He is only entitled to a reasonable amount of labor within hours, etc., prescribed by contract and provided for in the penitentiary rules and regulations. On the contract farins the con- tractors feed the convicts as preseribed by the rnles. At all other places the State feeds, clothes and furnishes bedding and all medi- cines and medical attendance, and pays all sergeants and guards. The law provides that no contract shall be made by which the con- trol of the convicts, except as to a reasonable amount of labor, shall pass from the State or its officers, and the management of convicts shall, in all cases and under all circumstances, remain under control of the State and its officers.
PENITENTIARY INDUSTRIES.
At the Huntsville penitentiary there is the wagon department, in which are built wagons, drays, cane and log wagons, buggies, hacks, etc. In the cabinet department are made chairs and furniture, mostly of a cheap class.
In the machine rooms are made engines, boilers, hydrants, etc .; in the foundry vari- ons kinds of castings. There is a factory in which is mannfactured mostly the stripes for all the clothing for the convicts. In the shoe and tailor shops are made convict shoes and clothes, and there is also done on order some citizens' work.
The State owns and works on State account with convicts a farm about two miles from the Huntsville penitentiary, on which is raised cotton for the factory, corn for farin and prison
consumption, and vegetables for the prison.
At the Rusk penitentiary the principal in- dustries are the making of pig iron, man- facture of castings of various kinds, and making of cast-iron water and gas pipe. A large number of convicts are engaged in making charcoal and digging iron ore for the smelting furnace.
In connection with the Rusk penitentiary some of the land belonging to the State is used for raising fruit and vegetables for the convicts, and other lands have been rented contiguons to the prison, on which has been raised corn, peas, etc., for prison nse.
Another farm belonging to the State, in Fort Bend county, on Oyster creek, and known as Harlem, is worked on State acconnt, and raises cotton, corn and sugar for the gen- eral market. All of these farms are operated with second and third class convict labor --- convicts not fit for much other kind of labor.
There are two farms worked on the share system, by which the State furnishes the labor and the owners of the farms the land and teams, and crop divided. One of these belongs to the estate of J. G. Johnson, abont seven miles from Iluntsville, and employs about forty convicts, and the other belongs to Colonel John D. Rogers, in Brazos county, on which are employed about 160 convicts. There is the same class of convicts on these share farms as on the State farıns.
The officers of the penitentiaries appointed by the governor are: three commissioners, constituting the penitentiary board, one su- perintendent of penitentiaries, one financial agent of penitentiaries, two assistant superin- tendents of penitentiaries, two inspectors of ontside camps.
The officers appointed by the penitentiary board are: two penitentiary physicians, two chaplains.
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
The under officers appointed by superin- tendent of penitentiaries are: twenty-five sergeants of outside forees, six assistant ser- geants of ontside forces, two stewards of ont- side forces.
The under officers appointed by assistant superintendents are: two under keepers, two night sergeants, two stewards, seven ser- geants, two assistant sergeants, eighty-five guards, etc.
The under officers or guards appointed by sergeants are: 300 guards.
The foremen and other eitizen employes employed by superintendents are: seven at Huntsville penitentiary, eight at Rusk peni- tentiary.
The clerks employed by financial agents are: seven at Huntsville penitentiary, two at Rnsk penitentiary.
The outside physicians appointed by super- intendents are seven in number.
Total number paid monthly by the finan- eial agent-officers, guards, foremen, and other employes-470.
The value of State property belonging to the penitentiaries is fully set forth in the re- port of the superintendent, up to November 1, 1890, as follows:
Huntsville penitentiary. $769,096.72
Rusk penitentiary
720,245.62,
State farm, Harlem 266,074.83
Rogers' share farm 21,062.48
Contract farms 9,702.32
Railroad trains . 10,152.27
State penitentiaries, cash on hand, etc ... 43,621.28
Total valuation of penitentiary property,
November 1, 1890. $1,840,955.52 Total valuation of penitentiary property,
May 16, 1883. 931,149.32
RELIGIOUS.
As one might guess from the early history of Texas in a political point of view, the Mexicans and pioneers of this region were
not demonstrative in their piety. Down to the time of independence Catholic intoler- ance prevailed, and the Catholics themselves, in Spanish America, were not zealons in secular education.
Prior to the era of independence about the only efforts, of which we have record, to establish Protestantism in Texas were those of the Baptists, who failed to make their in- stitutions permanent. In 1837 a Baptist church was organized at Washington, Z. N. Morrell, being chosen pastor, and money was subscribed to build a house of worship. The first Protestant Episcopal cliureli was estab)- lished in 1838, at Matagorda, by Caleb S. Ives, who collected a congregation, estab- lished a school and built a church. During the same year R. M. Chapman organized a parish in Houston.
For the purpose of this volume, with refer- ence to church statistics, probably the only feature that would be of general interest to the general public will be the total member- ship; for all other statistical matter in regard to religious institutions is about in a certain proportion to this. The following table, therefore, gives only the total membership:
DENOMINATION. MEMBERSHIP.
Methodist Episcopal, Sontlı 151,533
Baptist 127,377
Episcopal.
9,982
Methodist Episcopal (North) 25,739
German Lutheran (1877). 2,270
Presbyterian . 2,414
Southern Presbyterian (1877) 13,555
Cumberland Presbyterian . 24,257
Christian 55,000
Primitive Baptist 1,000
Seventh-Day Adventists 300
Universalists . 95
Brethren (Dunkards) 125
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
Free Methodists 100
Catholic 157,000
IIebrew 300
Methodist Protestant 6,300
Colored M. E. Church in America . . 12,162
African Methodist Episcopa! 12,900 Colored Baptist 100,651
It innst be borne in mind that it has been impossible to obtain exact data with ref- erence to a few of the above named churches.
THE PRESS.
The first printing-press in Texas was pnt into operation at Nacogdoches in 1819, and was brought to t'iat place by General Long, who established a provisional government and a supreme conncil, which issued a decla- ration proclaiming Texas an independent republic. The office was placed under the management of Horatio Biglow, and was used for the publication of various laws en- acted and proclamations issued by that short- lived government.
The first regular newspaper, however, made its initial appearance abont 1829, at San Felipe, bearing the name. The Cotton Plant. Godwin B. Cotten was editor and proprietor. In 1832 its naure was changed to The Texas Republican.
The second paper was the Texas Gazette and Brazoria Advertiser, published in Bra- zoria in 1830. In September. 1832, it was merged into the Constitutional Advocate and Texas Publie Advertiser, with D. W. An- thony as owner and editor, who died in 1833, and the paper ceased.
Next was the Texas Republican, at Bra- zoria, by F. C. Gray, in December, 1834. This was printed on the old press brought into the realm by Cotten, before mentioned.
In January, 1835, this was the only paper published in Texas, and in August, 1836, it was discontinued.
The fourth newspaper was the Telegraph, started in August 1835, at San Felipe, by Gail and Thomas H. Borden and Joseph Baker. A Mexican force seized this in April, 1836, and threw the material of the office into a bayou at Harrisburg, to which place it had been moved after the abandonment of San Felipe by the Americans. In Angust, that year, the Bordens bought new press and material and revived the Telegraph at Co- Inmbia, and subsequently moved to Houston, where the paper was published for many years, under the name of the Houston Tele- graph.
After the establishment of Texan inde- pendence the muimber of newspapers in- increased rapidly, until now the State has as many newspapers as any other in proportion to population.
The first daily paper established in Texas was the Morning Star, by Crnger & Moore of the Telegraph, between 1840 and 1844.
The Texas Editorial and Press Association was organized September 10, 1873, and after- ward incorporated.
RAILROADS.
During the last fifteen years railroad sys- tems have been established at a compara. tively rapid rate. In 1870 there was less than 300 miles in operation; in 1876, 1,600 miles; in 1885, over 7,000 miles; and in 1890, according to the last census, 8,914.
In the time of the republic numerous charters for railroads were granted, but no road was built. It was not till 1852 that the first road was commenced. That year a pre-
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
liminary survey was made and some work done on what was then called the Buffalo Bayou, Brazos & Colorado Railroad, starting from Harrisburg and going westerly; and within the same year the first locomotive was set to work at Harrisburg, the first in Texas and the second west of the Mississippi. The company was organized June 1, 1850, at Boston, Massachusetts, by General Sidney Sherman, who may be regarded as the father of railroads in Texas. The work progressed slowly, and the Colorado was not reached till 1859, when the line was opened to Eagle lake, sixty-five miles from the place of be- ginning. By 1866 the line had reached Columbus, the river being bridged at Alley- ton. A change in the charter made in 1870 fixed mpon San Antonio as the objective point, and since that time it has been known as the Galveston, Harrisburg & San Antonio Railway, or " Sunset ronte," but is now in- corporated in the great Southern Pacific system. Jannary 15, 1877, the road reached San Antonio, the citizens of Bexar county having voted, in January, 1876, $300,000 in county bonds to secure the speedy comple- tion of the line. In the same month the passenger terminus was changed from Har- risburg to Houston by a line from Pierce Junction. The line has since been extended to El Paso, to connect there with the South- ern Pacific, going on to the l'acific coast. At that point it also connects with the Mex- ican Central. The length of the main line is 848 miles, and no railroad in Texas has had more influence in the settlement and development of the country.
The next railroad commenced in Texas was the Houston & Texas Central. The original charter was granted in 1848, by which the company was incorporated under the title of the Galveston & Red River Railroad Com-
pany. Their line was to extend from Gal- veston to the northern boundary of the State. Work was begun in 1853, at Houston, by the first incorporator, Ebenezer Allen, and at that time the name was changed to its present form. The rivalry between Galveston and Houston was satisfied by a compromise, imder which arrangement the two cities were con- nected by the Galveston, Houston & Hen- derson Road, which was begun at Virginia Point, and completed in 1865, and a junction was made with the Houston & Texas Central. In 1859.a bridge was constructed across the bay by the city of Galveston.
Construction proceeded slowly, only eighty miles having been made by the time of the breaking ont of the Civil war, which com- pletely interrupted further building. In March, 1873, it reached Denison, forming there a junction with the Missonri, Kansas & Texas Road, chus opening rail communica- tion with St. Lonis.
Houston has become the railroad center of the State, having at least ten trunk lines.
The Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe line was chartered in May, 1873, as a Galveston en- terprise. Construction was commenced at Virginia Point in May, 1875, and the road opened for traffic as far as Richmond in 1878.
Other important systems of late introdnc- tion are the Missouri, Kansas & Texas, Atchi- son, Topeka & Santa . Fe, San Antonio & Aransas Pass, St. Louis, Arkansas & Texas (" Cotton Belt"), International & Great Northern, Texas & Pacific, etc.
All the above mentioned trunk lines have of course several branches, so that it can now be said in familiar parlance that the State of Texas is gridironed " with railroads, and still construction is going on, and many more lines are projected.
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
The following table shows the number of miles of railroad in the State:
Names of Companies. Miles of Track.
Austin & Northwestern 76.00
East Line & Red River. 121.35
Fort Worth & Denver City 467.34
Fort Worth & New Orleans. 40.50
Fort Worth & Rio Grande .. 112.54
Galveston, Harrisburg & San An-
tonio. 926 30
Galveston, Honston & Henderson .. 50.00 Houston & Texas Central. 510.00
Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe. 958.25 Golf, West Texas & Pacitie 111.10
Houston East & West Texas 191.38 International & Great Northern +647.00
New York, Texas & Mexican 91.00
Missouri, Kansas & Texas 389.39
*Sherman, Denison & Dallas 9.53
#Dallas & Greenville. 52.43
#East Line & Red River 31.76
*Gainesville, Henrietta & Western. 70.57
*Dallas & Wichita. 37.62
*Dallas & Waco 65.57
*Trinity & Sabine. 66.55
*Taylor, Bastrop & Honston 105:89
San Antonio & Aransas Pass 637.20 St. Louis, Arkansas & Texas 554 05
Southern Kansas & Texas 100.41 Sabine & East Texas 103.47
Texas Central. 288.80
Texas Mexican 178.61
Texas, Sabine Valley & Northwestern. 38.00 Texas Trunk. 51.00 Texas & Pacific 1,125.95
Tyler Southeastern. 89.08
Texas Western 52 25
Texas & New Orleans
105.10
+Only 250 80 miles are taxed
*Operated by the Missouri, Kansas & Texas.
Weatherford, Mineral Wells & North-
western . 20.05
Central Texas & Northwestern . 12.00 Wielita Valley. 51.36
Totals
.8,914.13
MINERAL RESOURCES OF TEXAS.
The mineral resources of Texas are too varied in their character and too widespread in their occurrence to permit more than a brief review of the results obtained by the investigations of the geological survey dur- ing the past two years. Previous to the organization of the present survey little sys- tematie work had been done toward seenring definite and accurate information of the vari- ons economic products of the geology of the State. Many mineral localities were known, and the qualities of many ores, soils and other materials had been tested by analyses. A few mines and mannfactories scattered here and there over the State had tested some of these deposits practically, but there was nowhere a statement of such facts concern- ing them as would enable the owner or pros- pector to form any definite idea of their relations or probable values.
The following statements are based for the greater part on the work of IIon. E. T. Dninble, State Geologist, and his associate; of the present survey (although all reliable sources of information accessible to them at present have been examined), and many of the facts will be found stated in muel greater detail in the various papers aceom- panying the annual reports of the survey.
FUEL AND OILS.
Wood .- Over eastern Texas the amount of wood suitable for fuel purposes is seemingly inexhaustible; but westward it grows less
1
150
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
and less, until in many places mesquite roots or even the " Mexican dagger " are the prin- cipal source of supply. The investigations of the survey up to the present have been confined to an examination of the wood sup ply of certain connties with reference to the mannfacture of charcoal for iron smelting.
Lignite .-- Intermediate between peat and bituminons coal we find a fossil fuel known as lignite or brown coal. It contains less water and more carbon than peat, but has more water and less carbon then bituminous coal. Lignites are the product of a later geologic age than bituminons coal, and the bitmininons matter has not been so fully developed as in the trne bituminons coal.
Lignite varies in color from a brown to a brilliant jet black, and occurs in all degrees of purity, from a lignitic clay to a glossy coal of cubical fracture. The greatest amount of onr lignites, however, are of black color, changing to brownish black on exposure, often with somewhat of a conchoidal fracture and a specific gravity of abont 1.22. Lignite occurs in beds similar to those of bituminons coal, although they are not always as regular and continuons.
The lignite field is by far the largest field we have, and the coal strata it contains are of much greater thickness than those of either of the others. As nearly as we can at present mark its boundaries they are as follows:" Beginning on the Sabine river, in Sabine county, the boundary line runs west and southwest near Crockett, Navasota, Led- better, Weimar, and on to Helena and the Rio Grande, thence back by Pearsall, Elgin, Marlin, Richland, Salem, and Clarksville to Red river.
It includes fifty-four counties in whole or part, and while we do not know of the occur- |
rence of lignite in every one of these, it will in all probability be found in all of them sooner or later.
Within the area thins defined lignite has been observed at hundreds of localities. The beds vary from a few inches to as much as twelve feet, which thickness has been ob- served and measured in numerons places.
The lignites have been mined in greater or less quantities in several places, among which may be mentioned: Athens, Hender- son connty; seven miles east of Emory, Rains connty; Alamo, Cass county ; Head's Prairie, Robertson county; Calvert Bluff, Robertson connty; Rockdale, Milam county; Bastrop, Bastrop connty; Lytle Mine, Atascosa county ; San Tomas, Webb county, and others.
Of these localities the Laredo "San Tomas" coal stands out sharply above the rest. Al- though it is classed as a lignite on the ground of its geologic occurrence, it is much superior to any of the ordinary lignites, as is shown by its analysis.
The real value of this material as fnel is not at all appreciated. Lignite, np to the present time, has been regarded as of very little valne. Two causes have been instru- mental in creating this impression; first, the quality it possesses of rapidly slacking and crumbling when exposed to the air; and sec- ond (and perhaps this is the principal cause), all who have attempted to use it have done so withiont first studying its character and the best methods of burning it, as they have in most cases endeavored to use it under the same conditions which apply to a bitnminons coal containing a little water. While lignite may not differ materially from bitneninous coal in weight, its physical properties are entirely different. This is due not only to the amount of water contained in the lignite, amonnting to from 10 to 20 per cent. of its
151
HISTORY OF TEXAS.
weight, but also to the fact that it is the prod- net of a different period of geologic time, and it may be that the development of the bitmminons inatter differs in some way in the two. Therefore, in any intelligent effort to make it available for fuel, these considera- tions must be taken into account and proper allowances made for them. In Europe, where fnel is scarcer than here, lignites of innch poorer quality than onr average de- posits are successfully used, not only as fuel and domestic purposes, but also for smelting.
The fact that lignites have not been used in the United States is taken by some as an evidence of their worthlessness, but if we turn to Europe we find that their usefulness is of the highest character. Although the German lignites are inferior to those of Texas, as proved by numerous chemical analyses, they are in use for every purpose for which bituminous coal is available, and for some to which such coal is not suited. Their principal nse is, naturally, as fnel. They are used in the natural state, or " raw," in places for household purposes, and also to a very large extent in Siemens' regenerator furnaces; and, even in connection with coke -made from the lignites themselves, as much as 40 to 70 per cent. of raw lignite is used in the smelting of iron ores in furnaces of snitable construction. Raw lignites are also used in the conversion of iron into steel by the Bessemer process, but require a small addition of coke for this purpose.
the heat which is necessary to drive this off acts on the chemical elements of the lignite and develops the bituminons matter suffi- ciently for it to serve as a bond or cement under the semi-fusion cansed by the heavy pressure which is applied to make it coliere. Such coals as do not form their own cement in this way are made to cohere by thic addi- tion of varions cementing materials, such as bitumen, coal tar, piteli, starch, potatoes, clay, etc.
Lignites prepared in this way are fully equal to ordinary bituminous coal as fuel for all purposes, and possess, in addition, several important advantages. They are more com- pact, and are in the regular form of blocks which can be stored in four-fifths the amount of space occupied by the same weight of coal. They are much cleaner to handle, and the waste in handling, which in the case of biti- minous coal is often as much as twenty per cent., is very little. Owing to its physical structure it burns with great regularity and without clinkers, making it a very desirable steam fucl. For these reasons it is often preferred to bituminous coal.
Coke of excellent quality is made from lignites in ovens properly constructed for the purpose. These ovens are of various designs suited to different characters of liguite, but all accomplish similar results, and the coke thus produced is used for all purposes for which other cokes are adapted.
Illuminating gas of very superior quality is manufactured from lignites, and is in use in many German mannfactories.
For general fnel purposes, however, the lignites are manufactured into briquettes, or coal bricks, of different sizes, by pulverizing Lignite also forms the base of many other important industries. Up to the time of the discovery of the oil fields of America and the great deposits of mineral wax, or ozocerite, the lignite was the principal source of supply them, evaporating the surplus water and compressing them under presses similar to those used in the manufacture of pressed ' brick. Many of the German lignites contain as much as 30 to 40 per cent. of water, and | of paraffine and illuminating oils, and even
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.
now, although comparatively few factories are run solely for their production, as was formerly so largely the case, the amount manufactured as by-prodnets is very large. These substances are the results of distilling the lignites in the same manner in which gas is produced from bituminons coal, and the product consists of gas, water, tar, ammonia, coke and ash. The tar contains paraffine and mineral oils, as well as being the basis for the aniline dyes for the production of whielt great quantities are used.
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