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SAN ANTONIO-HER TRADE,
one) is slowly, but surely, if he remains, starving to death; and, knowing
this, only awaits a friendly teamster and railroad pass to re-establish him-
self in sicklier quarters."
The population of the city is about 1,700, a great part of whom, par-
ticularly the merchants, are Americans.
San Antonio is the county seat of Bexar county. Those immediately
surrounding are,Guadalupe, Gonzales, Fayette, Colorado, Wharton, Cald-
well, Bastrop, Hayes, Comal, Kendall, Bandera, Medina and Atascosa.
The nature of the soil in these counties, all somewhat similar to each
other, is far more susceptible to agriculture than those before specified,
while the water facilities are unsurpassed by any other section. Verdure
is abundant, and trees of large and profitable growth abound in all the
valleys. Medina, Bandera and Kendall are the most rugged, and indulge
to a greater degree in stock than agriculture, ranches being located on
nearly every square mile of the lands. Among hundreds who have ven-
tured in that business, never an evil report has come from one, for the
only difficulty to contend with is the sudden change of temperature, with
the norther of November, December and January often catching flocks of
sheep some distance from natural or artificial shelter. Sometimes it is of
extreme severity, although the thermometer never falls to zero. Never-
theless the piercing force of the wind has an unnatural effect, and has
caused at times much death among sheep. In the last few years, much
more attention being given to their protection, complaints in this re-
spect are seldom heard.
Those who settled to claim the bounties of Texas soil in earlier days
had little labor to spend beyond personal effort; and it was not uncommon
to see as many as 3,000 head of sheep and a thousand cattle on the range
with the immediate attention of no more than three men. In nothern
climates this would have seemed ridiculous.
So seldom did drawbacks occur, that it is only with the introduction
of superior breeds of stock, that the necessity of more attention is making
itself plain. The people now populating these counties are to a great
degree emigrants of industrious habits, many of whom have entered the
fields of agriculture on their own responsibility, with just enough stock to
fill the needs of home. The increase of the latter, arising from better
care, aroused the jealousy even of many of the heavy land and stock
owners, till extra inducements have been offered by them to these people,
to lend their care to larger interests.
There are thousands of ranches now in this section engaged exclu-
sively in the culture of wool ; and to the stranger from northern states,
whose idea of wool is as being in large symetrical bags, handsomely
marked and stowed away in northern factory Warehouses, the sight
in San Antonio during the clipping season would indeed be a novelty.
Every wagon entering the city, every little cart from the city suburbs,
many Mexicans walking the streets all laden with this valuable article