The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 53, July 1949 - April, 1950 Page: 349
538 p. : ill., maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Colonel William H. Day: Texas Ranchman
very low in the well. We will have to start hauling water if it con-
tinues dry much longer. The Blanco is dry from Nance's down. Stock
is doing badly. If we don't have rain soon we will have to depend on
some other country for bread another season for I don't think it will,
be made here....
August 3, 1857- .We have had no rain yet. Our crops is so far
gone that all the rain that could fall would not help them. We are
cutting up to save the fodder. It is thought that there will not be
enough made west of the Brazos to feed the people. A great many
won't make their seed. Prospects is duller here than I ever have seen
in Texas. Hauling is worth eighty cents from the port and none to do
at that. And if there was, it could not be done on account of the
scarcity of water. We are hauling water from the Blanco as is all this
settlement. All from Owens to San Marcos are hauling from San
Marcos. Not withstanding the dirth in our land, the Lord has blessed
us with good health. There hasn't been a case of sickness in our
settlement this year. We have had no need of medison, but great need
of bread and meat.
I wrote you about the middle of June to Lebanon and sent you a
draft on the Union Bank at New Orleans for fifty dollars. I now send
a draft enclosed for one hundred dollars on the same bank. I want
you to write me at what time you will need money so that I may
make my arrangements to meet your wants. I don't want you to think
of leaving school until you complete your studies on account of hard
times, at least not until I fale to rase money to pay your way.
November 29, 1857-. . I received the barrel of wheat that you sent
me a few days ago. I have sowed about sixteen acres and there came
about two million grashoppers and has eat it all up. I have not sowed
the barrel I got from Tennessee, waiting for the grashoppers to leave.
We have had plenty of rain to start the watercorces again and think
if continues seasonable and the grashoppers don't take our crops in
the spring we will stand some chance to make something another
year. If we don't, we may leave Texas. There has a great many left
already, but I think of trying it another season and if we make no
crops we will be obliged to try something else besides farming. Times
seems to be giting harder. People is suing one another and selling
property at one third of the value. Our legislature is in session and
speaks of doing something to relieve the pople, but has done nothing
yet.
Monroe [Dock] is still going to school yet. Gipson is teaching here
with twelve or fourteen scollars and I think the chance bad to git a
good teacher here soon. I think of farming and teaming some teams
to pay expenses and work along till times gits better. Land can't be
rented at no price. I shall let what I can't tend lay out for all money
is scarce. Everything is higher than it has been since I came to Texas.349
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 53, July 1949 - April, 1950, periodical, 1950; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101126/m1/453/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.