New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-11-19
Germans and Mormons in Western Texas.

A member of the Mexican Boundary COmmls,
sion writes to the Providence Journal from Fred
ericksburgh, on the very confines of civilization.
the following account of the settlers they have
met in that region
The road over which We have come is wretohed
most of the way-rocky beyond descrption-very
lilly with some hills of considerable elevation.
On the banks OF the Guadalupe river, which is
about 50 to 100 feet wide, and which we torded
we found three log houses, and not having seen a
human habitaton or q living creature during the
day we very naturally rode up to them. The
buildings were ms rude as any you ever saw, in
fact more so you may therefore Judge OF my sur
prise on entering the first one, to see man OF
about 40 with long beard dressed IN pair OF
coarse pantaoons and checked shirt open at the
breast showing skin tanned by the hot sun al
most as dark as that OF Indian and sitting at
rude table engaged in reducing to papersome me
teorological observations. But my surprise was
increased ON looking around at the rude walls OF
the hut, which were lined with books
Professor Bar, the person alluded to, rose and
welcomed us in good English. when informed
him who we were. He then told us that he and
the several gentlemen who had just entered, be.
iopged to a colony of Germans who hrd settled
there two wears before; that they owned tract
of land league square and had several hundred
acres under cultivation. He had been Professor
of Natural History in Germany. HIS library EN-
braceu some E,UUU Volumes I'LL VI INC DCab SAnoS,
including natural history, chemistry, mineralogy,
voyages and travels, history, etc. They were IN
various languages, but chiefly IN German. have
been in many libraries, but this presented the
strangest medley | ever saw. The furniture OF
this primitive library consisted OF broad table
few chairs covered with undressed skins, and
bedstead of the rudest kind, on which lay bed
made of husks, but no clothes on it. Floor there
was none; the hard, dry earth answered instead
Windows there were, but no glass III them. SeY-
eral deer's antlers were fastened to one side OF
the room, on which were suspended sundry gar
ments and the remaining space not filled with
books was occupied with rifles and lowing pieces
of which counted ten.
The othergentemen we saw seemed intelligent,
and of a higher order than we usually see at the
North among the German emgrants. They seem
ed very happy, had all they desired, and were per
fectly independent of the world In an adjoining
house was quite family of women and children
belonging to the same company. In this were
piano and some fine old oil paintings
On the opposite side of the Guadalupe we
came to another cluster of log houses, at winch
we stopped These were also occupied by Ter
mans The principal gave me his card which bore
the name DIR. Ernst Kopp, Professor There were
more comforts III this house than any had ever
seen. The ladies and children were neatly dress
ed. and the appearance ofthe whole establishment
resembled country house in New England more
than in ali Indian country ., 500 miles OFT
After travelling on some five or six miles, we
came to well built rail fences and enclosures, and
soon afterwards to cultivated fields. Alter ford
ing the Perdinais river we came suddenly upon
village the very aspect OF which showed US
that it was neither Mexican or German set
tlement
Driving up to the best looking house in the
place. we were met at the gate by portly look
ing man of about So from whom we learned that
we were in a Mormon settlement bearing the re-
markabIe and unique name of Z0di0c. compli-
mented Mr. w Wright, the leader, in whose house
we then were, on the originality OF the name, and
as being infinitely superior to those universally
common names OF the statesmen OF the revolution
of which every State III the Union thinks she must
have few dozens
Mr.. Wright told us he came to this country two
wears ago with little colony of one hundred and
hfty persons, men, women and children de
planted himself in wilderness, and had no neigh
bors within miles. His people hold everything IN
common. The village consisted OF single broad
avenue, with well built houses either side
There are various trades among them, and the
only saw mill for many miles. There is a respect
able looking place OF worship, painted white, the
lower story of which is store, where goods are
furnished to the brethren as they require them.
without charge. Mr. Wright told me his crop OF
corn this year would be 1000 bushels, which Is
worth to him 81 % per bushel. There were
number OF small chldron running about, from 10
to 10 years OF age which Mr. w. said earned s.
day working in his corn field