Texas State Gazette. (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 6, No. 1, Ed. 1, Saturday, August 26, 1854 Page: 2 of 8
eight pages : illus. ; page 28 x 42 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
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TEXAS STATE GAZETTE.
AUGUST 26
THE
HAS
STA
TE GAZETTE.
f j Edited tr JOHN tWAKSMAfcli and UV8. OJ.PJIAiTI (
OlTK OP AtTSTIrf SATURDAY AUGUST 26 185-1.
' i j Fnim iliti V nco Krn.
fltoiito of Pacific Railroad.-Mjcttcr of t'apt Geo. B. Erath
Mk. Editor: In reply to a. call mndo in your paper of
the. Sth of Jul- for a description of the country between (lie
Brazos mid Cnlornd and in ilio vicinity of 32d doff. North lat-
itude I cannot forbear expressing my gratitude for fhe confi-
dence of my fellow citizens in my limited end perhaps overra-
ted knowledge of that section' of our country. Having spent
the last twenty years in that territory partly as a soldier and
subsequently as a surveyor my opportunities for a critical and
scientific observation of the country did not enable me had I
the requisite ability to describe minutely and iu detail its va-
rious peculiarities. Nor am I ambitious of figuring ns a writer
beforo the public yet am convinced that the region of country
named is known only by vague and obscure descriptions of per-
sons who have mostly obtained the information indirectly from
me the correctness of which is sometimes doubted from the im-
perfect knowledge in their possession. But very few persons
have ever traversed the country except surveyors with their
hands and occasionally a laud locator of whom I was generally
the lender that knew at the tunc where they were. As far as
the settlements which extend forty miles west and north west
from this place the country is known ; beyond that although
the domain is generally appropriated land seekers find to their
surprise but few who can give (hem correct ideas iu regard to
particular tracts of land. This is frequently the ease with my-
self. The general character of the country I am familiar' with
but have not pnid (ho requisite attention to individual claims to
enable me to give satisfaction to persons enquiring after parlicu-
Jar tracts.
The country on the Brazos and ncross on the upper line of
posts has recently been examined by officers of the U. S. Army
and other scientific gentlemen who ore hotter able to describe
(he topography of tho country than myself. The territory of:
which so little is known is below the 32d parallel ot north lati-
tude. This is the country through which it is thought the Pa-
cific "Rail road. will pass and iu regard to which I propose to give
such information as I possess and my limited ability will permit.
I take it for granted that the 32d parallel of north latitude
crosses the Brazs rivor at Fort Graham. This opinion is based
upon tho observation taken by the officers of the United States
Army. From thence a west course leads up the valley of Steel's
Creek a second rate stream the valley of which is tolerably lev-
el about two miles average breadth and bounded on either side
hva range of hills covered with abundance of firewood. The
coveson theso hills by branches making to the stream are cov-
ered wjlh a growth of post oak suitable for building purposes.
The ground rises gradually perhaps on an average of not over
eight or ten feet to the mile for a distance ot fifteen miles to the
dividing ridge between tho Bosque and Brazes waters. The
locking of the branches will furnish several places where a route
without anv more rise or descent can riass on to the vnllev nf thp
..Bosque. Then crossing'the.East prong of t the Bosuoljnd pas-
wing by somojone hills surrounded by n level basement whose
.au.riace is only .interrupted by branches with gradual inclinations
towards their beds a few miles more will bting us to the south
fand close by tho foot of n long range of hills near their south
ern extremity. These hills many of them exceedingly abrupt
extend entirely throuuh the country between the 32d deg. and
33d deg. of north latitude east of the Colorado and West of the
Brazos.
It is often asked will not tho proposed Itoilrood be as likely to
pass above latitude 32 dcg. as south of it? To this l' must an-
swer thnt I am of of the opinion that a level route can be found
on latitude 33 deg; but from tlie requisitions of the law passed
by the Legislature and consequently to the interest of the com-
pany obtaining the charter in secaring the remaining public
'lands (thirty miles of land nri each side of the road and be-
tween latitude 31 deg. and 33 deg. being reserved for that pur-
pose) should the character of tho country permit it the road
would not likely go farther north than 32 deg. north latitude.
; Now this latitude" and mostly all the country between the Bra-
zos and Colorado moro west or east I do not pretend to speak of
' ontlbetweeiv32deg. and 33 deg. is extremely broken although
there is a grai quantity ot rich land and great bodies of timber
within thoso two degrees. Tho rjdge3 between the water cour-
ses j small or large aro abrupt steep hills running like the
branches in every direction mostly rock; frequentlyseveral hun-
areu ieoi m uenjni ono not seiuom nearly perpendicular. The
general direction of these hills is east and west mid such is the
JGice of tho country for a distance of between fifty and one'hiin
')Idrftd miles. Tjiis rough portion of country con bo avoided by
'ojng either further north or south towards the centre of the
' State and nearer theceutro of tin? population. It is known that
tho road must rjinup the valley of the Colorado for which pur-
pose it must strike that stream south of 32 dog. north latitude
-and if n-doviatiou is to bo mudo from that parallel my observa-
tion leads me to suppose that the variation ought to be south of
west. I will however speak of this hereafter and contiuno to
follow tho32d parallel to-tho place I proposed tracing it.
After passing the south eastern point f hills freqnonlly called
;mountains we emerge into a wild valley country leaving the
hills on the north and also a group of Jiills on the South Bosque
ih' tho distance of about thirty miles crossing Duffaw's Creek
' Mn about forty miles furthor pass over tho ridges of tho Leon
lWtng up ono of tho numerous forks of the Loon coming from
t the west or a little south of west Pass over tho head of the' same
by pass ways through the hills to Pecan Bayou a tributary of
-tho Colorado. All of tho route lends through a gradually un-
'. totijHJ' well watered and woll timbered country. The vollpys
on the numerous prairie skirted wjlh post oak limber and the
surnmts;pf tho ridges prniiio again. These ridges do not ex-
coed in hUht tho usual grade Af railroad routes if my informa-
tion is corrofetj and would -present no serious obstacle to the con-
struction of .tho proposed rail road The valleys aro all extreme-
ly rich the sml.of the ridges 0r average fertility and the rHos
generally rocky Between the Inmo water courses the vnlls
aro proportionMolyjInrjre and form tables of considerable nvi'o-
iiitude where ihg soil is of the best kind. I general way
however tho bodies. jf rich land are comparatively nm as arc'
asJtMUsnol?oromliqJ)spy from this place to Austin San
AnUW fld fr"nMl'0C0.!!M coast; but on account of the
.greater amount of tiniber and' its dispersed position the' same
country is capable of furnishing immense quantities of settle-
ments for a dense population -whoso principal pursuits arethat
of formers and mechanics; the great quantity and superior ad-
vantages of mill privilege ofToring inducements for machinery.
Immediately below latitude 32 deg. on tho Brazos a moro
broken country sets in extending about twenty miles down nil
the water courses crossing them all and bearing south-east.
Tin's ledgo of hills is ihoWmo range visible ot and immediately
above Austin. The valleys on the water courses arc generally
'fertile with timber and water sufficient and are not ns broken as
the country between latitude 32 deg. and 33 deg. nor are the
hills as high. .There aro also many level passways among
them admitting roads at divers points tfelow this ledge about
twenty miles south and southeast commences the level country
that extends to the coast. A tail way crossing the Brazos below
latitude 32 deg. would have to cross it between the mouth of the
Aquilla on the east and the month of the Bosque on the west of
that river and would have to run for a few miles through thoso
hills where however but few obstacles would be found Should
iu the judgment of thoseetitriistcd with the loration of the road
itkbe thought best to come below thejino of 32 any where east
of the Brazos they will find a level way across a fertile
and already flourishing country to the Brazos and from thence
in a westerly direction will pass up on the south side of the
Bosque crossing the same and running up ono of its tributaries
called Ho Creek whore for a distance of forty miles hardly a
rise or descent of ten feet to the mile will he encountered or a
br inch of any inaunilude bo crossed. This route would pass
over the riches' prairie known in our Stale with abundance of
wood water and water privileges on either side. From the
head of Hoir Creek for about three miles some little excavating
would be necessary to reach the valley of the Loon after which
tho same kind nf country will be met as upon the route first pro-
posed and entering the valley of the Colorado some fifteen miles
south of latitude 32 deu. passing more directly up the valley of
the Colorado until itagm'n crosses latit.ude 32 deg.
This entire route would be more within our own territory
contiguous to the densely populated portion of our Slate and
afford easier connection branches of other routes from the coast
Passing up the principal rivers it would pass through a thickly
settled country as far ns the Colorado leaving the bodies of the
planting country on the South and the more broken but belter
timbered country adapted to funning on a smaller scale on
the north. Below this route extending down the Brazos
Irom the mouth of the Bosque are bluffs for several miles
thence west down to latitude 31 deg and to 'the Leon isnigh
rolling prairie.
According to my judgement although not familiar with the
requisites most necessary for the construction of a rail road.
having spent the greater portion of my life upon the frontier nf
Texas from my limited knowledge of the country occupied by
other rentes a rail road could be built across the State of Texas
atony named point. The main object is no-find a route com-
bining the most advonlages off 'ring the fewest obstacles and
passing over the best country. My conviction is that one of two
points. Fort Graham or above the mouth of the Bosque and
only about twenty miles apart should be the poinJ at which the
proposed' road should cross the Brazos river. The lower mute
would as before stated nass through a well RRitleil nml nln.nriu
fprosperous country giving to its cfiizens what they are suffering
for an outletjor surplus produce and afford ready and easy con-
nection with the coast mutes.. Tho upper route would tiaverse
a new romantic and hl&dihy country yet to be settled by the body
of future emigration. Respectfully &c.
GEO. B. ERATH
Geology of Country between the Colorado and Brazos-
A writer in the Texas Mercnry says of the country about
eighty miles from the coast lying between the Colorado and
Brazos : ' .
l In the deep water cuts and ravines of this region and ge-
nerally below the black 6oil and stratified rocks is found quan-
tities of petrefactions ; whole trees of the cocoa-nut palms of
many varieties bambo and other species of Endogenous plants
which aro never found growing north of tho twenty-second par-
rallel. But they are hero now and are found even farther
north in wide spread profusion. But how came these trees and
plants bore ? is a question which naturally enough suggests it-
self. All 1 shall say now is that they are really here roots
tops and all. Bordering on and lying immediately above the
calcareous formation last described sets in a sandy region
twenty-five to thirty miles in width heavily timbered and reach-
ing across the country from one river to tho other. This range
in its geological character is entirely different from the coun-
tries either above or below it. It seems to havo been a vast
volcanic fissure or chasm which having been partially filled
up by tho washing in of its banks forms the valley and the
bed of what is now called tho Yegua. In many places in this
sandy region is found considerable elevations little mountains
of Granite and igneous rocks many closely resembling the
French burr and aro equally valuable for mill stones ; also
quarries of excellent grind-stono grit iron-stone Spanish brown
plenty for the State: keal stone coal magnesia copperas alum
sulphate magnesia (opsom salt) rod clay porcelain clay and
whole forests of the bye-gone ages petrified into flint of various
hues from tho beautiful agate to the jet. The qnnrries of iron
ore Spanish brown ahd many of tho other minerals of this re-
gion will some day when brought into action add greatly to
tho wealth of middle Texas. But none of them can equal the
amount oi prone and general usefulness that will ensue irom
the proper working of tho extensive bedB of porcelain clay
which aro found midway between the two rivers underlaying
a district of eight to ten miles in extent in the poorest and most
sterile portion of tho Yegua Valley. On it however there is
plenty of timbor and flush Bprings of good water. This is the
kind of clay from which tho finest China ware is produced and
it ib easy to see what incalculable benefits must arise to tho
Texas citizen when it shall be brought fully and pioperly into
action. I sent a box of this clay to tho crockery-ware estab-
lishment ot Cincinnati Ohio and alter tho workmen had expe-
rimented upon it they declared it to be tho best clay in tho
United btates it not tho best in tho world. Last fall I sent a
small lot of it to Liverpool but have not as yet .heard tho result
of their experiments. In my own experiments I havo produced
stono of various degrees of hardness and oven fino glass from it
SIP Tho crops of corn in Missouri aro to a creat extent a
i failure It is owing to a drought which has continued over two
J months.
: Mississippi.
Anotuer Murder. Tho Viclcsburg "Whig of tho 27th con-
tains tho subjoined account of an atrocious murder committed
in that city on tho evening previous :
" Late on yesterday evening our community was shocked bv
tho news that Mrs. Vogh a highly respectable lady of this
county and wife of Jacob Vogh had been cruelly murdered in
a yard or out-house on Main street. She was shot in the left
breast and must have died instantaneously as persons that
rushed in immediately after hearing the report of the pistol
found her dead. We were present a short time last night du-
ring tho examination of the Coroner's jury but could not wait
to hear the result of it. Tho general impression however
seemed to be that a difficulty growing out of a trial in relation
to a slave between Mr. and Mrs. Vogh caused the killing. Mr.
Vogh was on the premises about the time Mrs. Vogh was killed
and as ho fled immediately suspicion attached to him and pur- '
suit was made ; but up to the time of writing nothing has been
heard of him. Whatever may be the result of tho investigation-
wo can say that wo havo never heard of a killing whteh has
nused more excitement."
Wo learn from the Sentinel that tho former able editor of
that paper D. Walker Esq. true to his nature conducted the
prosecution Hon. W. A. Lake Win. C. Smedes and T. A.
MarslJall Esq. appeared for the defence.
Jacou Vogh. The examination of Jacob Vogh for the mur-
der of his wife took place on yesterday beforo his honor J no.
S. Byrne and resulted in his being refused bail and remanded
to jail to await his trial at the next term of our Circuit Court.
The evidence given places this man at tho head of the Criminal
Calender. After insulting in every degrading way after in-
humanely and brutally treating his wife for years he shot her
through the heart holding her hands in his. !No defence can
oy could be offered. All the technicalities of the law all tho
charity of earth could not furnish the most shadowy extenuation
of the guilty act of this villain. The murder is the most atro-
cious and horrible we have ever either heard or read of. Told
with all its circumstances of horror it would startle a band of
cut-throats. Foul and unnatural upon it is stamped the deepest
impressed' cowardice and blood of complete destitution not only
of that high-born courtesy to the sex that innate chivalry of
soul that throws the greatest charm around the American cha-
racter but the feeling the nature .and the mind of a man.
The excitementjexistimi and the burst of applause which greet-
ed the just decision of our noble mayor shows that the heart of
our city beats warmly and beats in tho right place. Vicks-
burg Sentinel w"
A Good Ma Gone. Died at Auvergne plantation Talla-
hatchie county Mississippi on the 20th June last Colonel
tieorge W.Martin aged sixty-five years. Col. martin was a
distinguished veteran of the late war and a devoted personal
friend of General Jackson. He accompanied the Gen. through-
out his campaign in 1.S13 'li '15 and in the creek war which
annihilated the power of that formidable band of warriors. In
the last campaign of Jackson Martin served as an aid of Gen.
Coffee whom Jackson used to call his right arm. In this ca-
pacity he rendered efficient service in the defence of New Or-
leans having participated in the battles of the 'J3d of Decem-
ber and the Sth of January.
Fatal Difficulty. Tho Holly Springs Banner learns 4hat
a difficulty occurred on last Sunday week about eleven miles
from Holly Springs near the Salem Wid between Jacob
Bowman and James Bogard. The facts as related to the Ban-
ner were that tho lie was pas'sed when Bogard drew his knife
and advanced upon Bowman who retreated until he picked
up a paling with which he struck Bogard several' severe licks
over the head wounding him very badly. Bogard has since
died of the injuries received.
tgiT Tho Holly Springs Times says that W. J. Maclin
charged with tho murder of thelate Judge Price at Tiipley
Miss. litis been admitted to bail in the sum of $5000 and two
or more good securities in a like sum. Judge. Scruggs of the
Circuit Court had refused to bail him. Maclin has given the
security and is now at large. The counsel were Attorney Ge-
neral Glenn for the State and J. W.O. 'Watsdn for tho prifeoner.
Statu 'Univhhsity. We are happy to learn that this institu-
tion is still in a flourishing condition and bids fair to achieve
a reputation equal to-tho first class Colleges of the older States.
Judge 0. R. Clifton was elected to the kw professorship and
will enter on his duties on the first Monday in October next
when tho exercises of the University will again commence.
Paulding Clarion.
As it should ue. Tho Oxford Flag says ' We notice that
a number of our heaviest planters have taken contracts exten-
sively on the railroad and are making great preparations to
commence the work intending to employ their li'ands at work
the coming year on the railroad instead of raising cotton. This
is as it should be; the work will bo prosecuted with vigor.
Mississipjnan.
Homicide in Newton. In Decatur Hudson Vance was kill-
ed by Benjamin Martin. Tho difficulty grew out of a law 6iiit.
Martin was abjy defended by Hon. J.J. Monroe and John W.
Mann Esq.
(JCP Tho FreemasonB of Holly Springs havo laid tho corner
Btono'of a new Masonic Hall in that town with appropriate
ceremonies. Jas. F. Stearns and W. W. Walter delivered ele-
quentand appropriate addresses on tho occasion.
' Horrible Murder. A. dreadful murder was committed nt
Ilanksville Panola county Mi. on tho loth July. William
Hunter without any apparent provocation killed Jackson Hud-
gins with a double-barrel 6hot gun. Hunter immediately fled
and had not been arrested at last accounts.
5gT A man named Jones confined in the jail at Starkville
Miss on a charge of murder (which ho had confessed) broke
out stole a horso and made his escape.
Oroi's. Tho Monticello (Miss.) Journal of tho 5th says :
"The corn crop is made and is a good one. Cotton looks fine
and if it should moot with no misfortune promises tho largest
yield known in this country for years."
Cotton Crop. Tho drykrot is making its appearance in the
cotton in Adams county not to a general extent but in such a
manner as to threaten serious injury. Wo have been informed
of its app.Qanm.co on several plantations in this vicinity. Fret
Trader.
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Oldham, W. S. & Marshall, John. Texas State Gazette. (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 6, No. 1, Ed. 1, Saturday, August 26, 1854, newspaper, August 26, 1854; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth81149/m1/2/?q=Lamar+University: accessed June 10, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.