Ashley W. Crockett, Editor and Proprietor

A five-inch vein of coal has been discovered within one mile of Coleman.

S.D. Moore, of Houston, drew $30,000 in the Louisiana lottery on Tuesday.

Tom P. Varnell, the rapist and murderer was denied bail in Hillsboro on Tuesday.

A little child of Mr. Davis was drowned in the Bosque near Walnut Springs, last Sunday.

L.W. Throckmorton, a prominent citizen of Sherman, was killed by lightning on Sunday.

At Manchester, Red River Co., on Monday, a man named Davis was riddled with buckshot by one Nobles, who made his escape.

Miss Nancy Jackson, of Palestine, aged 18, lately became insane on the subject of love, and has been placed in the asylum at Terrell.

The Benbrook train robbers are still enjoying their freedom and ill-gotten gains, while the good name of the state pays dearly for it.

A prominent Fort Worth merchant says the inter-state commerce law will cost the farmers of Texas $5,000,000 during the present year.

The courthouse muddle is still unsettled in Bosque. The commissioners' court denounce the report of the board of architects as a base fraud.

A cotton and woolen mill is an assured fact at Dallas. When Dallas can't build a railroad a la Ft. Worth she goes for the next best thing in site.

The ease with which train robbers make their escape in Texas gives the impression abroad that train-robbing is a safe and lucrative avocation.

The body of an unknown man was found in the river near Fort Worth on Saturday morning. A bullet hole near the shoulder indicated the cause of death.

Weatherfordians are wroth that Gov. Ross should dispatch the Rangers to that point. Their locality affords no resort or rendezvous for train-robbers or out-laws.

Girls who swing the rope should remember that the amusement is attended with its perils. Excessive rope-jumping has just caused the death of two little girls in Pittsburg.

At the close of the Paris drill, Saturday, the fire-works exploded, killing Capt. J.E. Barry, of that place, and Capt. C.L. Marshall of Blossom Prairie. A number of women and children were injured by stampeding horses.

Weatherford and Cleburne specials state that work is being vigorously pushed on the Santa Fe extension between these points and in the yard at Cleburne. Messrs. Ricker and Lee, contractors, have sub let twenty-three miles of the grading, which is to be finished in thirty days. It is thought that trains will be running within ninety days.

The new liquor law which goes into effect on the 4^th of July is very stringent in its provisions. No music, pictures or gaming tables will be permitted in a saloon, and the screens must be taken from the doors. The saloon keeper will be required to give a bond of $5,000 not to sell intoxicating drinks to a minor or habitual drunkard or to any person after his wife, daughter or sister shall have notified him not to do so.

W.M. Raymond, in a letter to the Cooper Banner, claims to be an ardent prohibitionist, but says he cannot support the amendment because the importation of liquor cannot be restricted under the provisions, which he thinks will render the law, if adopted, a mere farce. Does he not know that the State cannot prohibit its importation under the Federal constitution, which declares the "Congress (only) shall have the power to regulate commerce among the several states"?

The Dallas News thinks "the hoodlums at San Antonio may get the worst of it before they get through with the work of preventing Prohibitionists from speaking in that city. There is a governor at the head of affairs in the State at present who seems determined that the majasty of the law shall be maintained. If the local authorities of San Antonio are powerless or unwilling to protect citizens and preserve the reputation of their city from disgrace the man in Austin may deem it necessary to show them how such things can be done."

The citizens of McGregor last week held a meeting for the purpose of devising some means by which their local paper could be assured of a more hearty support. This is an example that many other towns could imitate with profit. It is the town that makes the newspaper, and the thrift or want of thrift in a town will constitute the measure of its paper's success. A newspaper does more for its town than any other enterprise in it, and gets a corresponding share of abuse from the class of close-fisted croakers who contribute the least toward its support.

The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Fort Worth and Rio Grande was held in this city yesterday. A board of directors was elected as follows: Capt. B.B. Paddock, Col. W.W.H. Lawrence, E.T. Hollis, W.F. Lake and others. The board of directors met later and elected Captain B.B. Paddock president, and E.T. Hollis secretary. Committees from Comanche, Coleman, Brownwood, and San Angelo made a proposition to the company to extend the line at once to the cities named. They offered to donate the right-of-way from Granbury to San Angelo with yard room and depot grounds at each city and to give a bonus in money and land of $100,000. President Paddock made the committees no definite promise, but some of the gentlemen feel encouraged and believe the road will soon be extended. President Paddock was seen after the meeting and questioned as to an early extension of the road. He said an engineer was now between Granbury and Stephenville making a reconnoisance (sic) and he would probably soon be followed by a corps of engineers, who would run a preliminary line to Stephenville, but nothing definite has at present been determined as to an extension. - Gazette, Sun.

Four Mexicans Killed - Colorado, Tex., June 12

Reports have reached here this afternoon of a terrible shooting affray in Scurry county yesterday. The facts as given, are as follows:

A sheepman by the name of Taylor had two Mexican sheep hearders at work for him. Friday they had some misunderstanding about the work. In a fight that followed Taylor worsted them both. Next day as Taylor came to the camp he found two more Mexicans, and before he was aware of their intentions the four made an attack on him. Three had knives and one a six-shooter, while Taylor was totally unarmed, his Winchester being in his wagon. Taylor is an athletic young man, and in the scuffle that followed he got possession of the six-shooter and immediately turned the tables. Shooting with lightning rapidity, he killed three of his would-be murderers band running, and as the fourth started to run he sprang, secured his Winchester, and with deadly aim shot the last of his assailants through and through at a distance of 150 yards, inflicting a necessarily fatal wound. Taylor sent a messenger to Snyder to detail an account of the affair, and to tell the sheriff to come to the scene and he would give himself up. The above particulars were given to one of our citizens by the sheriff and are probably correct.

Stephenville - Stephenville, June 12 - Our grand jury that closed its labors late in May last, found among other bills of indictment about forty indictments against various parties in this county for violations of the local option law. The cases were all certified from the District to the county court. Our County Court convened this week, Judge W.W. Moore presiding. Three days of this week have been consumed in trying two of these cases, both trials resulting in hung juries. It became evident that neither acquittals nor convictions could be easily secured, and after three days' hard labor on two cases, compromises were arranged between the state and defendants, on pleas of guilty in from one-third to one-seventh of the cases. One defendant forfeited his bond in seven cases. The defendants and the state are both satisfied with the terms of the compromise.

A 2-year-old child at New Braunfels, fell down a well hole 160 feet deep the other day. Its mother lowered a rope with a hook at the end and after six hours' work succeeded in getting the child to the surface, although it was badly lacerated with the hook.

Dr. Hannaford is taking an invoice of stock.

Mr. F.M. Johnson took in Fort Worth this week.

Dr. Holden is expected home from California today.

The wife of Mr. Bolly Smith, of Acton, died on Saturday night.

Mr. H.C. Churchman, of Cleburne, spent Sunday among us.

A number of our citizens took in the picnic at Glen Rose, Thursday.

Miss Nannie Hiner has been very sick this week of malarial fever.

The work of pile-driving begun on the west bridge trestle Wednesday morning.

Miss Willie Wiley returned on Monday from a protracted visit to relatives in Cleburne.

Mrs. E. Cooke returned last week from a prolonged visit to Hempstead.

The weather prophet who said it never rains in Texas - in June - at night, should retire.

Messrs. J.W. Pee and W.B. Daniel have formed a co-partnership in the grocery business.

The engineer corps have been laying out streets through the railroad company's land.

R.I. Kirkland, under a $250 bond for aggravated assault. Left for parts unknown some time last week.

Rev. S.J. Vaughn, of Whitt, together with his family, has been visiting friends here for several days past.

Prof. R.L. Riddle, of Alexander, is in the city, and will spend the summer with his brother, Mr. G.W. Riddle.

Prof. Poston had about ten new accessions to his school of mathematics last week, which swells his enrollment to 75.

Mr. R.F. Brown and Miss Laura Clark, and Mr. J.A. Blanton and Miss Arizona Hastings were married this week.

Mrs. Switzer's Normal Music School opened in the opera house on Monday with an attendance of about thirty pupils.

A.R. Zabriskie, of Fort Worth, has been appointed general freight agent and auditor for the Fort Worth and Rio Grande.

Mr. Robt. C. Wear and family, of Fort Worth, arrived here on Thursday to locate. He will engage in the practice of Law.

Mr. G.W. Raifsnyder, of Lipan, presented us with a box of delicious peaches and plums, fresh from his orchard, on Tuesday.

The prohibition question will be discussed at Lipan tonight by Hon. W.L. McGaughey and Col. N.L. Cooper, respectively for and against the amendment.

The engineer corps at this place have orders to at once begin the location of the permanent line of the Fort Worth and Rio Grande through Brownwood and San Angelo.

Next Tuesday will be the longest day in the year - fifteen hours and four minutes from dawn till dark. The farmer who gets in a full day's work now can destroy a host of weeds.

There will be a picnic at Acton Masonic Institue (sic) on Friday, June 24th, the occasion of the installation of officers in Acton Lodge, A.F. and A.M. No Refreshment stands will be permitted on the grounds.

A force has been engaged this week in putting down heavy cedar logs for the trestle at this end of the bridge. As soon as the river falls enough the false-work, preparatory to the erection of the great iron bridge, will be put in.

Dr. C.F. Rodgers has just completed a revised map of the city of Granbury, for the enterprising real estate firm of Ballard & Mullins. It is a model of neatness and accuracy and is the only complete map extant.

From all sections of the county come the most cheering reports in regard to the corn and cotton crops, especially the latter. How rapidly has Texas changed from a repulsive, drouth-stricken country to a veritable paradise under the influence of a few seasonable showers!

According to the list in last week's GRAPHIC Granbury has a great deal more than she needs. - Granbury News.

Yes, these dudes, f'ristance.

The new bank will open for business Monday next. The furniture and fixtures will not arrive, however, before the 1 prox. The building has been handsomely painted, papered and decorated.

The election of officers in the Masonic lodge, Saturday night resulted in the following: W.T. Lyle, W.M.; B.H. Dennis, S.W.; A.L. Peters, J.W.; D.L. Nutt, Treas.; T.H. Hines, Sec.; Wm. Dennis, Tiler.

The Commissioners' Court has been in session all this week as a board of equalization. Several days were occupied in classifying lands, and the work of correcting and revising assessments will take another week.

Capt. Hughes has had a force at work all week on the grade leading up to the depot site. The 40 - miles contract under which he is now working, will extend about a half mile west of town, and will probably take a month to complete it to that point.

Nearly a mile of track was laid on Wednesday, which puts it nearly through the McCreary farm, one and a half miles from the bridge site. Work is now suspended for want of ties and rails, but as soon as materials arrive will be completed to the river.

Misses Mary Cranfill and Mollie Thomas, of Whitt, are attending the summer music school. Also Miss Mattie Martin, Comanche; Miss Dora Chandler, Glen Rose; Misses Lillie Yantis and Katie Green, Thorp's Spring, and Misses Maggie and Mollis Sikes, Young county.

In the center of the railroad survey, west of Houston street, is a large group of live oaks - ten in number - that have grown into a solid mass some eight feet in diameter at the base. The engineers attempted to shatter the trunk by means of dynamite, on Wednesday, but without success. Eight heavy charges were exploded in various portions of the trunk, with scarcely perceptible damage.

Of the substantial local improvements the year 1887 will witness, none will do the town greater credit than the Brazos hotel, lately erected by Capt. Jim Farr. The exterior is bold in design, imposing and neat, while its interior is a succession of modernized conveniences which at once commend themselves to the progressive landlord and guest. The structure was designed and built by Mr. R. Brownfield, and does his mechanical and architectural ability ample justice.

As soon as trains begin to run the daily hack line between Weatherford and Cleburne will be discontinued by the post office department. This will deprive Acton, Thorp's Spring, Center Mills and Lipan of mail facilities under the present system of route service. Pending this state of affairs steps should be taken to secure uninterrupted mail connection with the points named by the establishment of a new system of routes to supersede the discontinued ones. We should have a tri-weekly line to Lipan via Thorp's Spring; while Acton can be supplied from this place, and Center Mills from Thorp's Spring.

In our issue of June 4th appeared a clipping from the Walnut Gazette in reference to the probable dissolution of Somervell county. We knew nothing of the truth or falsity of its statements, and simply gave it publicity for what it was worth. We have since conversed with a citizen of Glen Rose on the subject, who informs us that the idea conveyed is wholly false and does the people of Somervell an injustice. He says the finances of Somervell are in good shape, her scrip being at par; while there is no dissatisfaction with the county administration; consequently, there is no cause for the proposed dissolution, and the Gazette's article stands wholly unjustifiable.

It would be a good scheme for the Commissioners' Court to buy the Granbury bridge and make it free to the entire county. It could be bought at reasonable figures, and the increase in taxes necessary would be so slight as to be scarcely perceptible. There is not a citizen in the county but may at some time be forced to cross it, and pay more than the increase in his taxes would amount to in case it should be purchased by the county. We learned that the present owners of the bridge intend to make it free to pedestrians only; hence, the greater number who use the bridge will continue to pay toll. Every citizen who will give this matter serious thought can see that its purchase by the county would be a wise move.

The following cases were disposed of in the County Court since our report in last issue:

Motions in arrest of judgement and for new trial were filed in the following cases, and being overruled by the Court, notice of appeal was given:

The notice in the News that the joint discussion between Judge Harcourt and T.T. Ewell at this place on the 20th and at Thorp's Spring the 21st, instant, is incorrect in regard to the joint discussion at the latter place. We understand that Mr. Ewell will participate with Judge Harcourt in the discussion at the Court House at 2 o'clock p. m., on Monday next, and that Prof. Clark will join in the discussion with Judge Harcourt at the Springs at 7:30 p.m., on Tuesday, 21st.

The Prohibition question has been discussed to some extent among our citizens.

The corn crop is needing rain in order to insure a good yield.

Haney & Dodson - Granite Mills

B.C. Merrell & F.P. Pulnam - Erath Cattle Company, Lipan

J.D. Foster - Furniture & Undertaking House

E.A. Hannaford - Druggist & Apothecary

F.C. Bush

J.D. Brown

W.C. Glenn - Cash Grocery Store

Putman & Ensminger - Granbury Meat Market

R.P. de Graffenried - Attorney-at-law

H.S. Allen - Real Estate Agent

Jim Farr - Proprietor - Brazos Hotel

Sterling & Rich - Blacksmiths and Carriage Builders

T.B. Rhea - Practical Blacksmith

R.M. Oates - Physician & Surgeon

H.W. Wandless - Physician & Surgeon

Reichstetter & Co.'s - Drugs

Nutt & Shanley - Hardware

J.W. Yantis - General Merchandise

2000 HOOD COUNTY TEXAS GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY