Smyrna times., 1859-11-10
TeXiana,

! A correspondent OF the New York CONNER
ciaL Advertiser, in describing trip to Texas,
says that among the passengers from New Or
leans were an elderly couple from Georgia, pro-
badly sxty-fve or seventy years of age. They
evidently had not Travelled often, and then not
far from home. When the supper table was
spread, the old man took a good look at it.,
strode rapidly to the ladies' cabin, and thrust
ing in his head, called out loudly: "Old wo-
man, this is the only meal we shall have on this
boat; paid them three dollars for it, and you
must eat like quarter horse" The old lady
required no such incentive.
Benham boasts the meanest hotel in Texas
After looking at a so-called supper, our traveller
was shown to room containing three beds, the
floor nicely sanded-located over a hog pen.-
He took the outside of one bed, another travel
er having occupied the inside, with boots on
On closing the window to keep out the wind
ne discovered there was no glass in it.
The State House, at Austin, is neither large
nor handsome. There are institutions for the
blind, and deaf, and dumb, and insane; for
which the State has made liberal provision.
| A creek near San Marcos, which is crossed
three times in going that number of miles, is
called Purgatory Creek" and at its mouth is
small island called I" Hell's Half Acre"
From Houston TO San Antonio not a vegeta-
BILE of any sort, not even the potato, was 10 be
seen cultivated, except few at Austin, where
they are raised by irrigation, rain or no rain
The most noticeable objects in San Antonio
were its ancient buildings, its Mexican branch
of population, and ox-traIn railroad, by the last
of which its commerce is chiefly carried on.-
| The Mexicans work their oxen by the horns
| Their cattle are much smaller than ours, but
will by their mode pull much more than ours,
and walk three miles to our two. Government
| keeps employed an immense number of trains
One on the road was over mile long. There
are more liquor shops in San Antonio than in
any place our traveller was ever in, for its popu-
latlon, the American portion of which is as
temperate as elsewhere. Galveston was suffer-
ing from yellow fever. Its prevalence there is
a mystery, and upsets old theories 1t is the
most cleanly city in the world and surrounded
by salt water. No swamp or marshy ground is
near it. Galveston is the largest esport, the
most thriving city, and built in the most mod
ern style of any place in Texas.
Texas is rapidly filling up with a class of
hardy and Industrious emigrants. 1t has every
variety of soil and almost of climate. There
that may not be successfully produced there
Cotton, sugar, wool, stock. flour, and perhaps
wine, will constitute its principal articles of ex-
port. Wool will probably ere long take the
lead, the reason for which is that a pound OF
wool can be grown as cheap as pound of cot.
ton, and brings three to four times its price,
Western Texas is a remarkably healthy coun.
try. There is a smart competition for the trade
of Texas, and there are some things which
those who have transactions there should un-
derstand. The homestead law was we'll in
tended. but it is subject to grossest abuse. 1t
allows a man to hold two town lots costing not
over $1,000 or a farm of 200 acres, free from
liability to attachment, or for debts of any kind
In case where a man had built a fine house
OIL his city lots, the Supreme Court recently
held that the law was worded as to protect
from creditors any sort of building put upon
their lots. Book accounts were bound by sta.
tute of limitation, in two years, and draw nc
interest. Notes in four years legal interes
8 per cent. Notes or acceptances may be suet
} IN the county where the drawer is doniciled, ol
f made payable, though he live in distan
county.
The people of Texas lack energy, and there
is with many shifllessness which they shoulC
: shake off. H. takes SO little labor to live tha
they get too lazy, neglecting luxures or tn
comforts of life they might easily surroun,
themselves with.