The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1860-01-25
Letter from ID. Woolliscroft.

Letter from ID. WO0lliscrOft.
SAN ANTONIO, Dec. 13, 1859.
Dear Col:-With other free and enlight-
ened citizens of this great and glorious Re-
public, have been bobbing around, for the
past few months, in quest of good loca-
ton, and have travelled thus far into the
bowels of the country without finding it
San Antonio is not at all what it is cracked
up to be, nor is the surrounding country a
whit better than the town. Western Texas
is claimed by those who are Texas-mad "to
blossom as the rosc"-from the wthered
condition Of vegetation, were you here, l
think you would agree with me in saying
that it is not an everlasting flower garden,
or that the Hollyhock has any business out
of doors after the middle of November
The Northers, during seven months of the
year, sweep with resistless force over the
expansive prairies of Texas, freezing or
chilling everything within their influence
Upon their appearance, man, beast, bird
and fowl Immediately betake themselves to
cover, where they remain until the chilling
north wind blows itself out, and is succeed
ed by southern breeze. A person unac-
quainted with these peculiar storms, can
have no conception of their force and in
tensity The first intimation of NortAe,
is that it is blowing great guns from the
North, the mean velocity of which is about
fifteen miles per hour, although they very
often travel thirty, forty, and sometimes
fifty miles per hour, and their effect is a
fruitful subject of indoor gossip. The
boundaries of these Northers may be said
as near as may be, on the north by the val
ley of the Red River, on the east by the
eastern boundary Of Texas, south they ex.
tend across the Gulf of Mexico to Yucatan
west to the north of the Rio Pecos and
thence to the source Of the Red River Be.
tween meridians 81 and SO they vary in vi
olence-increasing in force and duration
farther south.
Dry Northcrs usually create great thirs
in man, and cause an itching sensation o
the skin. A person unacquainted with the
cause might suppose that the curse of Scot
land had rested upon the people of this
country, and wonder at the absence of thu
shell-bark posts which are said to be plant
ed IN that country for the convenience o
J that part Of Sandy's person which is out o
reach Of his active djgits.
In consequence of the continued putin,
Of Western Texas by interested parties,
large emigration is tending hither which vii
have backward flow, upon the opening o
Spring. The great aridity of this climat
prevents the raising of cerials, and the onl,
crop that is raised here is by irrigating o
overhowing the land from the streams; thi
necessarily confines agriculture to the lov
grounds in the immediate vicinity of tn
water courses, which are, like angels visits
, ''few and far between"
! Bexar county, at this time, is dependen
upon other parts for her supply of bread
stuffs, the principal portion of which il
| brought from New Orleans, and wagone,
from Port Lavaca, distance of one hun
dred and fifty miles. 1t is idle to suppos
that this country will ever become produ
cling country, and, as a consequence, vii
| ever be sparcely settled, except by thos'
engaged in raising cattle or sheep, am
) those so employed will be but poorly paid
as stock, when ready for market, command
small prices and but limited demand-
What is here said of Western Texas apply
with equal force to other parts of the sam
State through which have Travelled. Pre-
vious to my coming here, was informed
/ that tropical fruits of almost every kint
grow in the greatest abundance-as yet
have seen none of natural growth, nor
have l seen any one that has.
San Antonio is fourishing town of 8,
600 or 10000 inhabitants, more than one
half "Greassrs," a name by which the Mex
: leans are designated. These gentlemen, win
r are indigenous, usually manage to kill tim
in the cock pit or fandango room; when no
thus engaged, they may be seen on the sun
ny side of the streets, rending the nut Q
, the Pecan tree-almost the only article o
commerce within their reach. The "Fade
> Iund' is we'll represented, as is also tina
/ of Napoleon ILL.,; the balance of the pop
] ulation may be said to be made up of emf
, grants from Jerusalem and the confedera
ted States Of this great and glorious Union
Yours, Respectfully,
t DAVID WOOLLISCROFT.
SOUTHERN COMMERCIAL INDEPENDENCE
. The Journal Of Commerce says that tn
commercial effect of the determination Q
/; the south to become as far as possible in
f dependent Of the north for manufactures
|, goods, is already being felt with disastrou
0 effect there: the southern orders for northern