Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1867-12-14

Letter from Houston,
IlousToN, Dec. 9TH, 1867.
J. ". SwIspELLs Id. I alias UcrdH-
The opening OF the winter, with its wei
come lrJsls, has brought with il the return
of thousands Of our citizens, who, some for
business, some for pleasure, and some '.just
to look around but none because they were
afraid, have been wanderers upoA the face
of the earth for the last few months. They
arc welcome, and though we missed them
sadly during the terrible epidemic, still We
much prefer to see them around among us
now, to taking care of their graves.
| don't propose to do the pathetic this
time as to the yellow fever and its victims,
so you can put up your handkerchief |
have but this to say, that the Fireman S
Charitable Association, after saving hun
dreds of lives, and paying monies, over Ii f.
:ccn thousand dollars, still finds itself four
thousand dollars in debt, and if you, who
have been safe at distance have six bits
about you, you ought TO send at least four
to the Association, TO help it out.
Now, lbaye said it all in n short para
graph, and shall follow with a piece Of pri-
sate informs ion in your secret ear, and
don I you tell the readers of the Herald
The grading of the next so miles of the
Central Railroad has been contracted for,
and the iron will be put on tas soon as the
grade is ready. | will not promise when,
but will tell you more by and by.
Houston gaining ground slowly. Not
withstanding the yellow fever and the des-
pcrate times, there are to-day over fifty
III etn Lrink ain in ln nity lutpl
1867, and of these six or eight, the toun-
dations Of which have been laid since vel
low jack arrived in August last. To-day
| see new buildings going up, and whatcv-
cr others may think, our own citizens do
not seem to feel badly about their prospects.
1t is gratifying to observe that with new
stores, rents have cheapencd greatly, and
merchants who pay $50 per month are en-
Outraged 10 compete with those paying
$500. Ii stands to reason they can sci.
cheaply. Dcsiies this, there is so little
money in the country, and such are the
stocks cf goo Is here that merchants are far
from being s'iif in their prices Goods can
now be bought in Houston at about ante war
prices.
Did ever tell you about Houston Manu-
features The Eureka Cotton Factory is
the pioneer, with 100000 capital this mill
is now in full operation, having 40 looms
and turning out 1900 yards of goods per
day at an average profit of cts. pound.
There is another short paragraph that
contains great deal of information. 1t is
good text for you to dwell on.
The Houston City Mills with n capital of
$l30,000 has 90 looms all up and ready,
but they have not got to work yet. This
handsome factory is at the lower limits of
the city on the bank of the bayou. 1t is at
least $50 feet long, so feet wide, two sto-
ries high has an ell for the raggarie and
pickcre, and projection midway of the
building for hoistway, Offices, etc. This
company bids fair to enter the field by New
Years, and will demonstrate what can be
done in making domestics, etc, here.
In these two mills We have done thus
much towards securing an Independence of
the north, and Houston has set good ca
ample to the State.
But this is not all Hundreds of thous-
ands of dollars are annually sent north for
insurance. slight glance at figures Will
show that if we export ten millions of dol
lars worth of produce, and import ten mil
lion dollars worth of goods, making TWEEN
ty millions of dollars, anil pay per cent.
marine and inland insurance on the whole,
the growers of the produce, and the con-
sumers Of the goods are taxed 5000, 600
Suppose S400, 900 is lost at sea, and the In
surancc companies pay it, and this is a
large estimate. westill pay 100000 main
ly to the northern companies, and we pay
very nearly as much more for fire insurance.
Now, 5000 600, brother Swiudells is enough
to make the mouth and eyes both of such
poor dogs as you and me water good deal.
Well it has made some people anxious
whose purses are heavier than yours and
mine both may ever expect to be, and the
Houston Insurance Company is the first re-
suit. This Company has a cash capital Of
$4,000, and the stockholders embracing
such men as Rice, llutchins, Willis, etc,
II responsible for as mnch more. This
Company cleared 20 per cent. on its cash
capital the first year, paying about $1,000
losses Encouraged by its success, Messrs
A. j. Burke, c. s. Longcope, I. W. House,
Judge Gray, end other men of means have
united purses and made mp another Compa-
ny with a capital of S25e,000. The first
Company confines its business TO Houston
and Galveston, but the other, the Planters
MuAudls VIII NhhG lA6ho III lhiNo " AhN
State. People in Dallas cannot do better
than pay their insurance to TEXANS, and
depend on such men as Mr.. Burke, Captain
Longcope, and others in the Company TO
settle losses should any occur. This CON-
pany will also do life insurance business.
Houston is to be gas-lighted ere long
The pipes are now being laid down, and
the gas will be turned on before the winter
is over.
The old Court House has been denolish-
I'd, aud the new makes a finer appearance
without the dcsolafe old building by its side
by far
There, Swindells, have told you enough
for one letter, and close with the thrill
ing, aud to your innocent heart peculiarly
appropriate remark: "Be viriuous and you
will be pretty" CAPTAIN JOHN