Our Lands and Stock.
CHEROKEE COUNTY.
BY W. A. RUSH.
This county is one of the wealthiest and most populous counties in the Eastern Division of the State. It was organized, April 11th 1846, and has, now, a population of 11,494 inhabitants, 2,899 of which, being negroes–slaves. The voting population is 1768. It contains about 927 square miles, and lies between the waters of the Trinity and Sabine, having Smith county on the North; Rusk and Nacogdoches on the East; Angelina and Houston on the South; and Anderson, and Houston, and Henderson on the West. Its surface is undulating. In the interior of the county the soil is a grayish sandy loam in the bottoms. In the Northern and Southern portions of the county the land is red, and is regarded as the liveliest and quickest soil in this division of the State, though it does not stand the drought so well as the sandy soil. Timber is abundant and of the best qualities. In the center of the county, there is an abundance of pine, interspersed with post oak and black jack, which is valuably appropriated by the proprietors of a number of steam saw mills, in various parts of the county, which are kept in constant blast, and contribute largely to the supply of the Western prairie market–and which is no small source of revenue to the county. There are also a number of good flouring mills, whose brands are but little inferior in point of whiteness and none in quality, to the St. Louis and Ohio brands. In fact the home manufacture is taken altogether, preferable to that imported, and will ultimately entirely substitute it. In the Northern and Southern portions of the county, on the red lands the growth is chiefly red and post oak, black jack and hickory. The county is well watered, being washed by the waters of the Angelina and Neches, besides having numerous smaller streams running through it. Drinking water is abundant and of the best quality. Good water can be obtained almost anywhere by digging from 12 to 60 feet. Springs of good, pure water abound in almost every part of the country.
The chief products are cotton, corn and wheat. The past season, there were 15,349 acres cultivated in cotton; 29,978 in corn and 8592 [or 3592? Hard to read.] in wheat, besides 7194 acres in miscellaneous products. The yield of cotton per acre ranges from 400 to 2000 lbs, being controlled by the seasons; corn from 15 to 30 bushels, and wheat from 10 to 15 bushels.
The price of corn in the home market ranges from 50 cts. to $1,50; wheat from $1,00 to $1,50.
The price of lands in the woods, range from $1,00 to $4,00; improved lands from $2,00 to $10,00.
Galveston, is the nearest sea port, distant about 220 miles. The principal shipping point is Shreveport, distant some 130 miles. Some hauling is, however, done to the Trinity river, when navigable; the nearest shipping point being about 40 miles from Rusk, the county seat. Also to Houston, about 160 miles. Most of the transportation, however, is to Shreveport–the price of freight from $1,25 to $1,50 per hundred weight.
There is not much attention paid to stock raising, owing to a want of range–there being only a summer range. The assessed value of the cattle in the county at the last assessment was $39,600 [or $89,600? Hard to read.]; horses $153,538.
There is being a good deal of attention paid to the fruit culture; the experiments being eminently satisfactory. A number of varieties of the winter apple are grown to much perfection. Peaches grow in great abundance and are of the finest flavor and lusciousness. The grape grows abundantly in the woods; and there are some varieties that are pleasant to the taste.–There are some Sulphur Springs in the county, but little attention has been paid to them. The water from some of them is said to be of a good quality, and may yet be discovered to contain valuable medicinal properties.
In the way of Indian antiquities, there are some mounds situated near the Naches some eighteen miles from Rusk, that are said to be more prominent than any to be found in this part of the State.
Society is good. Churches and school houses abound throughout the county.–The schools generally supplied with educated and competent teachers.
Rusk, the county seat, situated near the center of the county, in the piny woods, has good water, good morals, and an active, industrious population.
Larissa, and Jacksonville in the Northern portion, and Alto in the Southern portion of the county, are flourishing villages with good schools, churches and moral, intelligent citizens.
B.
State Gazette (Austin), 12 Feb 1859