The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-08-31
Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.


Letter from Texas-A Splendid Conntry-Stock
Ratsing-Horse Breeding-Yeiiop Fecer-The
State Etection-Ipimi igraiio1, Se.
MoULToN, LAyACCA Co, TEXAS
August 18th. :
Thinking perhaps, that something from this
far-of-region might not be uninteresting to
some of those who anticipate enigrating TO
| Texas, / have selected your valuable paper as
medium of communication. Our village is
pleasant little place, situated on the edge OF
the large prairie, extending from here to the
Malagorda bay, about sixty miles distant. 1t
Is also about an equal distance between the
Colorado and Guadalupe rivers, and is on the
route cf the railroad from Galveston to San
Antonio.
The crops in this and adjoining settlements
are nothing like as good As they were last
year, although Texas, upon the whole, will
make better crops than she has for several
years, notwiths landing the frost in the earlier
part Of the spring.
For the past week or two the weather, at
midday, has been very hot: thermometer
standing at 96 degrees, and one time as high
as !8 degrees, in the shade. We have Eeen
suffering greatly for the want of rain, we
have not had enough to wet the ground since
the first of May, until yesterday. Stock-water,
in many places, had already began to get very
scarce. Texas land certainly can make more
without rain than any country / have ever
seen. II ii did not rain more in Virginia and
some Of the rest OF the "Old States,' than it
does here, they could not make anything
there. This part of Texas is a high, roll
Ing, pralrie country, well adapted bOth 10
farming and stock-rasing the latter of which
is by far the most profitable. Stock of any
kind may be raised here without any trouble.
All that is necessary, you must see to them in
the spring, and brand them. Stock cattle,
from calves to three year olds, are worth ST
per head, and three and four-years old beeyes
Sl5 and Sl6 dollars Large droyes of the lat
ter are yearly driven to California, st. Louis,
and Chicago.
Horses do equally as well as cattle. A great
many 'caballados'' of Spanish mares have
been brought in from Mexico this year. They
are worth from S2U to S25 per head. Sheep
raising is attracting great deal of attention
now. great many stock raiSers have sold
cattle and horses, and have bought sheep
They are brought from Mexico by the traders
and sold here at 80 to $500 per head; since
the first of May, about 10000 head have passed
through our village.
The trade in this line is immense with Mex
leo: but owing to the prevalence OF the yellow
fever along the Rio Grande country. it is near
ly entirely stopped. The whole of the Rio
Grande country is high as Edinburg on
this side, and Reynosa, on the Mexican side of
the river, has been almost depopulated by its
ravages. 1t was abating for want of subjects.
We have Just gotten over the effects of the
greatest political storm that ever passed over
our State-the result of which was the election
of Gen. Houston to the office of Governor
He leads his opponent (Runnels) about TO- 600
votes. Runnels beat Houston about the same
in '55. As far as heard from, the whole of the
Opposition is elected, that is, for State officers.
The people in this region anticipate heavy
emigration 10 Western Texas this fall, from
Virginia and her sister States. We say, let
them come, we have plenty and to spare.
Corn is worth only 80 cts bacon 121s cts;
lands improved are worth from $i to $40, un-
improved from 81 to So per acre. AS have
written much, I'LL stop. MUSTANG