Gidding, Tex., March 30.—(Special Correspondence.)—This pretty little southern Texan city was named in honor of  the late lawyer, banker and capitalist Mr. J D Giddings of Brenham, The Austin branch of the  Houston and Texas Central railroad reached this point  in the spring of 1871. From which time the town dates its own existence. It was then in Bastrop county. On August 14, 1874 the legislature formed a  new county from portions of Burleson, Bastrop, Fayette and Washington and named it in honor of General Robert E Lee.  The town of Giddings was in the new county. On June 2 1874 the new county was organized and Giddings in competition with several other points became the county seat by popular vote. Though not in the geographical center the railroad and the general trade  center of Lee County being the only town in the county with two railroads The San Antoinio and Aransas Pass road reached here crossing the Austin Branch in 1890. The population of Giddings is 1500 of which about 1/3 is colored. There are in the town eight general stores, five groceries, two drug and book stores, two hardware and implement houses, besides lines of these articles carried by four of the general stores, two lumber yards (one  lumber dealer also handles  vehicles) furniture handled by two general stores, three hotels two saloons, besides three general stores which handle liquors, three millnery stores, two tin shops,. a saddle and harness store, a livery stable, a photograph gallery, three barber shops, five blacksmith shops, meat markets, and probably most important a national bank of $50, 000 capital. There are several cotton gins and corn mills at the town and a wooden cistern manufacturer. In addition to merchants who buy cotton there are also three or four spinner buyers in this market every season. As an index to the general volume of business done here annually one firm alone is said to do $90,000 worth. Several do from $50,000 to $75,000 worth of business a year. There are nine lawyers, five doctors, and one dentist in the town. Journalistic: Giddings has a good seven column -olio weekly newspaper in the news. The paper is in its eighth volume. J W  Northup is its editor. The first newspaper published here was the Giddings weekly Tribune established April 1874 by D C Cunningham. Mr. Northup has in his hands a copy of the Vol. 1 No 1 of the Tribune dated April 30, 1874. Among other articles of general and local interest it contains the legislative bill creating Lee County, which was approved April 14, 1874. It is signed by Guy M Bryan, speaker of the house of Representatives R B Hubbard President, Senate and Richard Coke Governor. The Lone Star was the second paper published at Giddings, after which came the Rural, then the Advocate, the latter published by W B Phillips for about a year. Judge John F Crow ran it up until about December 1888, when the plant was sold to J D Northup. Since October 1890 J R Northup brother to J D Northup has control of the news. General features; About half of the business houses here are one and two-story brick buildings. In November, 1891 a destructive fire  consumed one of the best business blocks of the town, consisting entirely of two-story bricks. The Ioss amounted to $40,000   or more. Contracts have been let for the rebuilding of a portion of this block with good brick structures. During 1891a dozen or more nice dwellings, costing from $1,000 to. 2,500. were built. Thirteen citizens of east Giddings  are having a system of private waterworks put In for their individual use. They have a well of 320 feet depth. the water from which is soft and  palatable and which rises some. 5-1/2 feet, or half way to the top. A gasoline engine will be used for elevating the water into a large wooden tank or cistern. from which It will be piped to the residences of the gentlemen Interested. It is probable, that this private enterprise for a home supply of water will soon lead lo the establishment of a water system for the entire city. There is now a well organized fire department, with a good steam fire engine. also a hand pump engine, hose cart and hook and ladder truck. Three large underground cistern are located at the central street crossings which furnish and ample supply of water for the protection of the business portion of the city. Giddings has had a long distance telephone connection system for a year or more. It is surrounded by a fine country of general agricultural productiveness particularly adapted to near culture. Mr. R H Northup a citizen of Giddings has a fine bearing orchard of ten acres of Le Conte, Keifer and Garber Pears Which yield well and are very profitable. Last year Mr. Northup's sales amounted to $800.00 or $80 per acre. and the crop was cut short by a dry spell in May and June. The shipment from cotton here last season were 9097 bales. To date this season 3348 bales have been shipped. About seventy five cars of Cotton seed have been shipped, twenty five cars of cattle,  a few hogs and hides are shipped annually. An average about 500,000 lbs of merchandise is received here each month. Educational: The city of Giddings levies a special tax for school purposes and has good educational facilities in the way of public free schools. The white school building is a two story erected in 1881 at a cost of $8,000. A graded school is taught having some 230 pupils, Professor Buck Harris is the principal in charge and five assistants are employed. The free term taught is nine months. The colored school has about 80 students in attendance. Their is also a Lutheran school of forty or fifty pupils.  The Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians and Lutherans have houses of worship here, The Lutheran have two. There are several colored churches. Nearly or quite all churches have a good neat building. The organized secret society of Giddings are the Mason's, Odd Fellows, Woodmen of the World, Knights of honor, and sons of Hermann.   source:Galveston Daily News | Galveston, Texas | Saturday, April 04, 1896