TEXAS, one of the south-western states of America, is bounded on the s.w. by Mexico, from which it is separated by the Rio Grande; and on the e. by Arkansas and Louisiana. Area (greater than any other state or territory but Alaska), 274,356 sq. miles. Pop. '60, 601,039; '70, 818,579. It is divided into 174 counties. Among the chief towns are Austin, the capital; Galveston, the principal seaport; San Antonio, Houston, Brownsville, and Jefferson. Nearly the whole gulf coast is lined with bays, generally long and narrow, with shallow inlets—that of Galveston being 12 feet. The chief rivers .are the Red river, which separates Texas from the Indian territory; the Sabine, Trinity, 'Colorado, and Rio Grande. These rivers, mostly navigable from 300 to 400 m., run .e., nearly parallel to each other, and empty into the gulf of Mexico. The country on the coast of the gulf is level, with a gradual•ascent, the middle region undulating with rolling prairies; the w. is a high table-land, and the salt plains and staked plains (el Ilan() .extacailo) on the borders of Arizona, are deserts 3,000 to 4,000 ft. above the sea, without trees, and in the summer without grass. There are a few small mountains in the west —spurs of the Rocky mountains. The river-bottoms are well timbered. In eastern Texas, wooded lands, called cross-timbers, alternate with prairies, and the country has a park-like and delightful aspect. The coast-region is formed of alluvial beds of sand or gravel; the middle, of outcrops of tertiary formations. In some places, petroleum is found on the surface of acid springs, and the earth is so charged with bitumen as to be used for fuel. There are fertilizing marls and gypsums, brown coal or lignite in beds of 6 in. to 8 ft., and beds of hematite. Beyond the tertiary lies a wide range of cretaceous formations, beds of limestone, sandstone, clays, marls, and beyond these, .5,000 sq.m. of coal-measures, four distinct seams, of 8 or 9 ft. in all, resting on fire clay. There are also fine marbles, and some deposits of lead and copper. The soil is of great fertility, the coast producing the. finest cotton, sugar, etc. ; and the interior, wheat, Indian corn, tobacco, fruits of all kinds, with abundant pasturage—making it one of the finest cattle-countries in the world. The climate is pure, temperate, and remarkably salubrious. The thermometer ranges from an average of 84° F., the hottest month in summer, to 50°, the coldest month in winter. The eastern region is rainy; the middle, moderate; the south-western, dry. The vegetation is in the greatest variety, from the oak, cedar, and pine, to the palmetto, muskeet, and nopal, which feeds the cochineal insect, with figs, oranges, grapes, vanilla, and flowers in wonderful profusion. The prairies abound in buffalo, immense herds of wild horses, and the forest with deer. There are also the puma, jaguar, black bear, wolf, etc. The coasts, bays, and rivers abound in the finest fish, shell-fish, turtles, etc. Though the country is generally level, it is not destitute of wild and grand scenery. In some places are found gigantic animal
fossils and silicified trees. In 1870 there were 2,964,836 acres under cultivation, pro ducing 20,554,538 bush. of Indian corn, 415,142 hush. of wheat, etc. The live-stock included, in 1873, 718,247 horses, 3,175,682 cattle, and 1,476, 844 sheep. In 1870 there were in all 2,399 manufacturing establishments in Texas. There is a large trade with Mexico, and by the Red river and gulf with New Orleans. The chief exports are cotton, sugar, tobacco, cattle, and wool. The state deaf and dumb, orphan, blind, and lunatic asylums have each an endowment of 100,000 acres of state lands. In 1874 there were 2,129 public schools in Texas, and there is a state school-fund of $2,637,673. The value of assessed property in 1875 was $241,841,860. In 1872 there were 916 m. of rail way completed; 1572 miles.
La Salle, the French explorer, erected a fort on Matagorda bay, 1687. A Spanish settlement and mission was formed in 1690, but soon abandoned. In 1715 the country was settled by the Spaniards, under the name of New Philippines, and several missions established; but the Comanche and Apache Indians, among the most warlike in America, and still the terror of the border settlements, hindered the progress of the coun try. In 1803, when Louisiana was ceded by France to the United States, Texas, claimed by both Spain and the United States, became a disputed territory. From 1806 to 1816, settlements were formed, and several attempts made to wrest the country from Spain. In one of these, in 1813, 2,500 Americans and Mexicans were killed, and 700 inhabitants of San Antonio. Mina, a Spanish refugee, gained some successes, but was defeated and shot. Lafitte, a gulf pirate, made a settlement at Galveston in 1815, but it was broken .up in 1821. In 1819 the river Sabine was established as the boundary. In 1820 Moses Austin, an American, got a large grant of lands in Texas from the Mexican government, and began a settlement, which rapidly increased; but many of the settlers were of so lawless a character that, in 1830, the government forbade any more Americans coming into Texas. In 1833 a convention of settlers, now 20,000 in number, made an unsuccess ful attempt to form an independent Mexican state; and in 1835, a provisional govern ment was formed, Sam Houston (q.v.) chosen commander-in-chief, and the Mexicans driven out of Texas. Santa Anna, president of Mexico, invading the country with an army of 7,500, after some successes, was entirely routed at San Jacinto, April 21; and Texas became an independent republic, acknowledged, 1837, by the United States, and in 1840 by England, France, Belgium. In Dec., 1845, Texas was annexed to the United States, but was invaded by Mexico, which had never acknowledged its independ ence, and thus originated the war with the United States. In Feb., 1861, Texas joined the secession. Not till 1870 was the state readmitted to representation in congress, and regular civil government restored. In 1876 a new constitution was adopted by the vote of the people.