DEFARTM KUT OF THE 1STEK1OK BULLETIN OK THE UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY No. 19O S F, GEOGRAPHY, 28 WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1902 UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CHARLES D. WALCOTT, DIRECTOR GAZETTEEK OF TEXAS BY HENRY G-A-NNETT WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1902 CONTENTS Page. Area .................................................................... 11 Topography and drainage..... ............................................ 12 Climate.................................................................. 12 Forests ...............................................................'... 13 Exploration and settlement............................................... 13 Population..............'................................................. 14 Industries ............................................................... 16 Lands and surveys........................................................ 17 Railroads................................................................. 17 The gazetteer............................................................. 18 ILLUSTRATIONS. Page. PF,ATE I. Map of Texas ................................................ At end. ry (A, Mean annual temperature.......:............................ 12 \B, Mean annual rainfall ........................................ 12 -ryj (A, Magnetic declination ........................................ 12 I B, Wooded areas............................................... 12 Density of population in 1850 ................................ 14 B, Density of population in 1860 ................................ 14 (A, Density of population in 1870 ................................ 14 B, Density of population in 1880 ................................ 14 YJ (A, Density of population in 1890 ................................ 14 \B, Density of population in 1900 ................................ 14 YJT /A, Proportion of colored to total population...................... 1.6 \B, Proportion of foreign born to total population................. 16 VIII [^' Predominating sex .......................................... 16 ' \B, Railroads ................................................... 16 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, Washington, D. C. : October-3, 1901. SIR: I transmit herewith, for publication as a bulletin, the mann­ er ipt of a gazetteer of Texas. Very respectfully, HENRY GANNETT, Geographer. Hon. CHARLES D. WALCOTT, Director United States Geological Survey. A GAZETTEER OF TEXAS. By HENRY GANNKTT. AREA. Texas, formerly a State of Mexico, Avas settled in large part by United States citizens, Avho, not content to live under Mexican insti­ tutions, declared their independence of Mexico in 1835. A war fol- loAved, in which b}^ the victory of San Jacinto and the capture of Santa Anna the State practically achieved its independence, although this was never formally acknoAvledged by Mexico. Soon after it sought, and finally in 1845 obtained, admission to the United States. As con­ stituted Avhen admitted it embraced, besides its present area, the region lying east of the Rio Grande Avhich is HOAV in New Mexico, extending north to the forty-second parallel. Its eastern limits coincided Avith the western limits of the United States as laid down by the treaty with Spain in 1819. In 1848 the eastern boundary of the State Avas slightly extended from the west bank of Sabine River and Lake to the center of the river and lake. In 1850 the State sold to the General Government, for the sum of $10,000,000, the region lying north of latitude 36° 30' and west of longitude 103° as far south as the parallel of 32°, now comprised in the States of Kansas, Colorado, and Ne\v Mexico. This transfer of territory reduced the State to its present dimensions. The present boundary line of Texas is as follows: Beginning in the Gulf of Mexico at the outlet of Sabine Lake, thence north\vard through Sabine Lake and up the middle of Sabine River to the point Avhere that river intersects the thirty-second parallel, thence north along the meridian of that point of intersection to Red River, up Red River to the one hundreth meridian west of Greemvich, north on that meridian to the parallel of 36° 30', west on that parallel to the meridian of 103° Avest of GreenAvich, south on that meridian to the parallel of 32°, west on that parallel to its point of intersection with the Rio Grande, and thence down the main channel of the Rio Grande to its mouth. The area of Texas is 265,780 square miles. It stretches in latitude from 26° to 36° 30', and in longitude from 93° 30' to 106° 30'. In altitude it ranges from sea level to 9,000 feet in the summits of the western mountain ranges. 11 12 GAZETTEER OF TEXAS. [BULL. loo. TOPOGRAPHY AND DRAINAGE. The eastern two-thirds of the State is a plain, mainly with a rolling surface, sloping gently toward the southeast, and ranging in altitude from 2,000 feet to sea level. Between the one hundredth and one hun­ dred and first' meridian the land rises, in some places quite abruptly, to a plateau known as the Llano Estacado. This plateau, which has an altitude ranging from 2,500 feet in the south to more than 4,000 feet in the north, has an extremely level surface, upon which are few flowing- streams. It extends westward nearly to Pecos River and is succeeded beyond that stream by a region consisting of an alternation of irregular mountain groups and ranges alternating with broad, desert valleys, most of which are without outlet. The average altitude of the State is 1,700 feet. The area is dis­ tributed in altitude as follows: Square miles. 0 to 100 feet............................................................. 23,000 100 to 500 feet........................................................... 58,400 500 to 1,000 feet......................................................... 39,380 1,000 to 1,500 feet ....................................................... 19,800 1,500 to 2,000 feet ....................................................... 22, 200 2,000 to 3,000 feet ....................................................... 44,100 3,000 to 4,000 feet ....................................................... 26,100 4,000 to 5,000 feet ....................................................... 29,800 5,000 to 6,000 feet ...............................................'........ 2,000 Over 6,000 feet.......................................................... 400 Of the entire area 45 per cent is below 1,000 feet; 16 per cent between 1,000 and 2,000 feet; 17 per cent between 2,000 and 3,000 feet, while 22 per cent is above 3,000 feet. The eastern part of the State is well watered by numerous streams, the principal of which are the Sabine, Neches, Trinitj^, Brazos, Colo­ rado, Guadalupe, Nueces, and upon the Mexican boundary the Rio Grande. Upon the north of the State flows Red River, which heads in the Staked Plains, while across the Panhandle flows the Canadian River, a branch of the Arkansas. The western part of the State, is scantily watered by the Rio Grande and its main branch, the Pecos. Most of the smaller streams flowing into these two rivers are dry during the greater part of the year. CLIMATE. Stretching over 13 degrees of longitude and 10£ degrees of latitude the State presents great variations in climate, ranging from that of the Tropics to that of the Temperate Zone and from excessive rainfall to very arid conditions. The mean annual temperature in southern Texas is about 75 degrees, from which it diminishes to 55 degrees in the Panhandle of northern Texas. The rainfall is heaviest in the eastern U.S GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN NO. 190 PL. M 1O7* 105* 103° 1O1' 1O7° 1OS* 1O3* 1O1 97" 95° 1O7* 1O5° 1O3" 101° TEXAS Showing mean, annual rainfall Scale 1OO 200 Mites 96' 93* B U.S.GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN NO.ISO PL.MI 1O7* 1O5" 'o* TEXAS Showing magnetic declination in 1900 Scale IO7* IO5° 103" 101' 97- 95" ; GANNETT.] GAZETTEEE OF TEXAS. 13 part of the State, where it exceeds 50 inches annually, and diminishes > progressively westward, the average being only 10 inches annually in > the.neighborhood of El Paso, in the western part of the State. The line I of 20 inches of annual rainfall, which is the approximate limit of ^ agriculture without irrigation, follows closely the foot of the Llano \ Estacado. The rain which falls in the eastern half of the State comes ^ mainly, if not entirely, from the Gulf of Mexico, and descends most abundantty in the winter months, while that which descends upon the western part is derived mainly from the Pacific Ocean and comes - * largely in the summer. i FORESTS. PI. Ill, B, shows in a general way the distribution of the forests \ of the State. The northeastern part is covered with forests of yellow I pine, which are composed mainly of the short-leaved species, and which | are valuable for lumber. West of this body two projections of wood­ land enter the State from Indian Territory and run far southward into \ it. These are known as the Upper and Lower Cross Timbers. The timber consists of black-jack and post oak, which has no lumber value, but is used only for firewood and other minor purposes. The western ; and extreme southern parts of the State, except the higher mountain ; summits, are entirely devoid of tree growth with the exception of -*, mesquite, which in some localities, as in the neighborhood of San f A ntonio, grows to arborescent size. The Llano Estacado is timberlcss. > EXPLORATION A1STD SETTLEMENT. V The exploration of Texas began shortly after the occupation of ; Mexico by the Spaniards