The Texas Almanac for 1867 with Statistics, Descriptive and Biographical Sketches, etc., Relating to Texas. Page: 87
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DESCRIPTION OF COUNTIES. 87
20 in number, and supply the town abundantly with excellent water. The
town contains 4 churches, (two of which, however, have been closed, so far as
divine service is concerned, for the past two years,) 8 dry-goods stores, 1 drug
store, 1 bar-room, 4 doctors, 5 lawyers, 3 blacksmith shops, 2 wagon factories,
1 cabinet-maker, 1 saddler, 2 saddle-tree makers, 2 shoemakers, and 1 chair-
maker; population about 400. It also contains 2 respectable academies or
schools, 1 male and 1 female, both of which are at present under the direction
of capable and accomplished teachers, and both of which are crowded with
pupils. It may be remarked that the present arrangements are but tempo-
rary, and that this place offers strong invitations to teachers wishing to es-
tablish permanent schools. Our county contains a population of about 5000,
of which about one fourth are negroes. Although it can not be said that the
interests of religion or education are in a flourishing condition, it may be af-
firmed with safety that our white population, in point of intelligence, moral-
ity, enterprise, and substantial uprightness will compare favorably with almost
any community of equal numbers in any county; and certainly, life, liberty,
person, and property are as secure and guarded by as high a standard and as
sound a tone of public opinion as anywhere in the State or in the South. Our
freedmen are doing but middling the present year. Many crops have been
lost or seriously damaged during the rainy season by their listlessness and
inefficiency. Few of them will accumulate supplies to last them until Christ-
mas. Most of them will be destitute at the opening of winter. The plant-
ers generally expressed themselves highly dissatisfied with the present year's
experience of freedmen's labor, and determined to make other arrangements.
We have in cultivation this year, as compared with a year previous to the
war-1860--about three fourths of the quantity of land in corn;and two thirds
in cotton, although there has undoubtedly been more white labor employed in
agriculture this year than ever before, while numbers of negroes are wholly
idle, or employed in a manner productive of nothing valuable whatever. Our
county produces but little fruit, except peaches, and they generally do very
well. This season they have been grown in abundance, and of good quality.
Our market is now more than supplied with them at 50 cents per bushel. As
for the "vine," we have a very great abundance of the wild Mustang grape
everywhere where timber grows, from which considerable quantities of a very
good article of wine are manufactured ; and this manufacture might be in-
creased indefinitely ; but the domesticated vine is not cultivated, and has not
been tried to any extent. Sugar-cane of different species is very generally
cultivated amongst us; the crop is sure, and it is now being manufactured
into a superior article of molasses so successfully as to promise to supersede
entirely the New-Orleans and West-India article. The eastern part of our
county produces fine mast, and in favorable seasons not only raises bacon suf-
ficient for county consumption, but large quantities of surplus. We have no
railroads. Our merchandise, both outward and homeward, is transported al-
most wholly by "ox-team navigation." Our shipping points are Port La
vaca and Alleyton--the former distant 180 miles, the latter 80. There has
been but little immigration to our county since the late war, and consequently
no perceptible increase of white labor. We are promised a heavy immigration
to the State the ensuing fall, and, certainly, to the farmer, stock-raiser, or in-
dustrious mechanic or laborer, in any line, no county offers greater inducements
than Caldwell. In the southern portion of our county there are a number of
excellent mineral springs, amongst which is one of white sulphur, one of black
sulphur, one chalybeate, several of copperas water, etc. There has also been
found a soda bed or slough covering some ten acres of ground, where soda is
found almost in a pure state and in great abundance. No survey has ever been
made, and, consequently, we are in ignorance of the extent or value of our
commercial resources; but it is known, beyond any doubt, thrt the Iron
Hills running across the entire eastern side of our county are rich in iron
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The Glaveston News. The Texas Almanac for 1867 with Statistics, Descriptive and Biographical Sketches, etc., Relating to Texas., book, December 1866; Galveston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth123772/m1/89/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.