Indiana State sentinel., 1851-08-07
Correspondence OF the Indiana State Sentinel.l
Life on the Border.
EA1LE Pass, TEXAS, June "a, 1

EAGLE PASS, IExAS, June "a, 1901.
When lock around and see commodious dwellings
built and building, stores opening every direction, and
goods coming and going in the stir Of traffic. fields and
gardens sprnging up and all the needfu comforts of life
at command every side, it seems hardly possible
all this is the growth of a year. In the beginning Of
1850 solitary tent and the encampment of Fort Dun
can all the signs of human resdence-that is CIV
ized resdcnce-for hundreds of miles on the American
side OF the Bravo Laredo, hundred and thirty miles
below the nearest Texan settlement the river,
and back towards the populated districts only
or three new and feeble Dutch settlements and the city
OIL oan Antonlo our port town. some one hundred and
hlty or sixty miles east of us, and all between wild
wilderness. San Antonio is a rich and strong town
oil SIX thousand souls but few since what
we are now the outpost OF the Mexican trade, and the
frontier town. and twice in the laid under
contribution by the Camanches. Above lies the silent,
unrod wilderness, under the shadow Of the silver noun
tains haunted times by the rowing Indian tribes and
crossed at intervals by the commercial trains of FL Paso
They have heard and proted by what the Government
IS Just beginning to suspect-that good road OF five
six hundred miles from the Gulf is shorter and cheaper
l0r transportation than bad one oil thousand or twelve
hundred from Missouri never could get my friends in
authority to muster much arithmetic and geography
as would work out this profound problem but keen
traders solved it at once without waiting for surveys
protection. Even the slow-paced Washington officials
will comprehend it when private enterprise beats
plain track and renders Government aid unimportant.
AT that which the most direct route from the
Gull intersects the best line of travel Durango and
this mining district and where both the head OF
navigation the Rio Grande, rising calmly and rap
the town oil Eagle Pass. Two miles above
Fort Duncan peads its orderly barracks and trim parade
In front the mpd Eccndida emerges from its green
cades with its tribute to the Bravo. On side OF the
river extends vast range of green and sunny sotudes
chains OF wild unpeopled hills in which the deer never
scared, by the step Of the Indian hunter and fairy
glens whose span king fountains have reflected the
face OF the white man. but all is different on the Mexi
can bank. whole congregation OF towns and heciendas
are ranked in wide semi-crce in front of resting
at either end at old Monclara twenty miles above, and
Presdis far below but receding at the centre some
twenty-five miles from the river, and of this span of
duction and population Eagle Pass is the commercial
centre they do buy here they must pass to San
Antonio seek and San Antonio about far from the
sea ports as Eagle Pass 1t is therefore the depot and
point of distribution for this OF Mexican towns and
the rich farming and mining region around and beyond
them This position of promise explains why men of
character and capital SO freely plant their homes
and future this fair but secluded spot.
From the drst they built with confidence, and
built WELL too, but heavy and great effort. The
country sprnkled with trees, but there is none TO
spare for building, if the irongrained mcsquete
could be wrought to good purpose. There fine
quarries Of stone in the hills back of us for walls and lay
Of sone-nags the rivers edge for pavemens
and hoors but with Mexican laborers and masons
intoeraby slow work. Our house the first fin
Ished and il is history of all the rest. Squared beams
were brought from Sabnas, ninety miles distant, and
sawed, by hand into plank for flooring, doors, windows
and the like. The rafers were cut nearer home and
RATED the foot Of the bank The glass, paint hinges,
and other small appertanings had be for San
Antonlo and Of every thing else needed Immediately for
family service. Furniture had to be shipped at New
York-lrom whence Afterwards ordered and received
without fractured Pano damaged blind. complete
Of doors and windows for another house, though the
land carriage is troublesome and tedious. In the begin
ming of 1850 all these things from nail to floor plank
barrel Of flour, had to be ordered by express mes
sage, they brought here TO be sold; sold, too
fair prices, for there is such brisk competition
among the traders that all have to be content with mod
crate profits and trust to quick returns.
Already there is captal-commercial capital-order-
y intelligent and harmonious society, yet with its pc
culiartes All the gentlemen officers and merchants
all the aborers, tanned Indians-for the whole o
Mexican population nothing else. We have nc
clergymen no physician, no school master, no men o
mechanical skill, although there is for all these
Will Board Of Domestic Missions think OF our
neglected state and send married man who could
practice little in curing the sick and whose wife would
open school for the little ones. She could teach the
white children for pay and the red ones for charity Our
climate and the character Of settlers is such Tor In
tions seems to suffer in health of body mind OF
morals but could get materials and mechanics we
would build and, certainly conld build quicker
better, and cheaper. We want a patent compact saw
mill we want with it good builder, one with some ca
pacty and capital who take and sustain honora
bic position in our community, and we want roofing o
iron whatever else be transported and put oil
here. Thus far all, our best buildings have beer
thatched with grass from the prairies. The ma
jor part Of the government buildings at Fort Duncan
were perorce covered with the same dangerous mate
rial. Is there enterprisng man in your aboundns
State who will here and establish permanent
for these deficiencies? With competent abilities
moderate capital he could be prosperous and ndepend
ent man in this border
~ .-ff-a-+l (.uhau Moveueufs