38 



canal, from the mill on the hill, the power being con^ 

 veyed by wire ropes running in grooved wheels irom 

 wheelhouse to the mill. By intermediate supports, power 

 can thus be transmitted to the distance of a mile or more. 



Mills may be located on hills, safe from overflows, ana 

 the less expensive wheelhouse placed below, and. oiten 

 firmly placed, because its small size will give little resis- 

 tance to the force of the flood. 



By the application of this method, the extensive water 

 power of central and western Texas, which is now mostly 

 uselessj may be made to be of immense advantage to the 

 State. 



In the southeast corner of San Saba, and in the northeast 

 corner of Llano county, are some falls, on Falls creek. 

 These falls I first measured and published a description of 

 in 1860 and '61. I also gave a description of them in my 

 Preliminary Report on the Geological and Agricultural 

 Survey of the State, published in 1866. Last spring we 

 again visited them, accompanied by Col. Jno. M. Moore, 

 who calls them " Buckley Falls," they having previously 

 been unnamed. 



The following is the description published in 1866 : 



The falls of Falls creek, in the northeastern part of Llano 

 county, have a perpendicular height of about one hundred 

 and twenty feet. The stream is about sixlJy feet wide at 

 the top of the fall, and descends into a basin of about half 

 an acre in extent, of deep, clear water, line for both bathing 

 and iishing. Ferns, mosses and climbing plants hang in 

 green festoons 'from the high, rocky precipices, which are 

 on each side of the sheet "^ of falling water. Cedars and 

 other evergreens grow on the surrounding rocky clifEs, and 

 both cedars and live-oaks abound on the broad plateau at 

 the foot of the falls, from which the ascent is by three or 

 four terraces of a few feet each, into the Llano valley. 



We were told that there is a fine sulphur spring in the 

 Colorado river not far above the falls, which our limited 

 time did not permit us to visit. These things have an 

 economic value to the people of the State, affording advan- 

 tages for summer resort which are rarely equaled ; such 

 as a pure, healthy atmosphere, mountains, springs, water- 

 falls, bathing, fishing, hunting, fine carriage drives and 

 horseback rides over the plains, fine dimbs up the hills to 



