Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1867-05-04

New ORLEANS, LA March 3lst, iooL
have not made an attempt 10 write you
since began my serpantine route down
buffalo bayou on Wednesday goth, when
all was bleak and drear from the effects Of
frost, sleet and ice of the previous week.
would leave now and show you some.
thing of the grand desteny of this little
crooked arm Of Galveston Bay; but | can
not 90, till remind you Of the singular
leaf and great white loow Of the stately
Magnolia. The leaf broad, heavy, green,
and glossy. The flower is large and white
as the finest feather Of the swan. This
beautiful tree, towering some fifty to sixty
feet high, covered with foliage, summer and
winter; and adorned in the spring with
flowers so rare, grow thick on the banks of
this Bayou. They are pretty and admired by
all who travel this way, and no doubt by
those who live and ramble in their shade
and inhale their sweet odor; but how many
do YOU think there are, who read the lessons
of purity, peace, and eternal life in the
lovely bloom and the deep green leafi
But aside from jesting and morolizing,
all the talent and energy Of Houston, and
they are both Of the first order, are employ
ed seriously, In the purpose Of opening
shin channel through the Bay and making
u suitable harbor of the Bayou for first
class ships of the importing trade. A dis
tingushed gentleman came over to this
place just in advance Of me, TO consult COM
petaut engineers; add he left for Houston
yesterday sanguine Of success.
While my preconceptions are, that the
object cannot be attained, the gentleman
has made a very favorable impression on
my mind, by giving me the opinions Of
the learned gentlemen whom he has con-
suited. And while am willing to admit
that the necessary amount of energy and
money to ba OK it, may accomplish almost
any thing, yet do believe, that the OBJ
stacles to BE- surmounted will be much
greater than they are calculating on.
But Houston is great Rail Road centre,
andsyill be, no doubt, the first and the
largest manufactur district in the State,
and will therefore be large city. Indeed,
should she succeed in her present enter
prise, it is a question whether or not it will
prove most advantageous to Houston or
Galveston.
Last year Galveston made screen Backs
or U. s. Currency equal to Houston gold
and thereby secured the trade. The Rail
Road connection carried off all the cotton
from Houston. Galveston has done the
business of the season and she gives I'M
mistakable evidence of it in her Improved
and improving condition. Many fine build
ings have been erected and finished, aid
many of those standing, have been repaired
and fitted up anew. The city presents
very lively and thriving appearance; and
to the number of buildings, population and
amount of business; in my humble judg.
ment, Galveston has decidedly handsomer
structures than this city. There are fine
buildings on the Strand and Tremount that
are elegant and the Messrs. Wood are now
putting up two on fremont that are to
eclipse the Sauter and the McMahan build
ing. The painting of the iron fronts is
conceived in O superior artistic taste and is
giving a style grace TO the city that dc
not find here and have not seen elsewhere
"A rich dark brown is the color selected
and it produces the most pleasing effect
harmonising delightfully."- with surrounding
objects. 1t must be seen though, to be ap.
preciated. Galveston is q small city, but
laid off with such regularity and proportion
as to make every thing appear to the best
advantage. The streets are wide and
straight, crossing each other alright angles
and the pavements are broad and smOothe
In ten years. under any reasonable state Of
affairs, Broadway in Galveston will be one
of the handsomest streets in the South
There are some things however that must
be corrected. Perhaps the BARRIERS and
hackmen work cheap enough and for the
sake of the money, no person would ask
them to lower their prices. One dollar and
q half for shaving, Sharpening, and cut
ting the hair is matter Of no consequence
to any one man and il is high recon-
mendation to the city. If oil other trades
bear as good prices, no wonder the city
fourishes; and all men ought to go there
and get rich. A hack never turns a whee
for less than six bits q trip be it ever sc
short; or two dollars IN hour if you detain
them that long. Twenty-four dollars from
sun to SUM l do not say they should fal
in their prices; but do say, that all the
BARRIERS ought to 60 there and any body else
who can cut hair. And every body tina
can raise q bach and horses ought to b.
there making their fortunes. Galveston II
"A good place for almost every thing. Their
lis fine fishing and immediate demand fol
any and all that are taken. The red fish
the trout, the drum, sheepbead and crocu'
are found regularly in market. Vegetables
in great vsrity and of the finest growth ar
exhibited for sale and meats in the creates
abundance, of every flesh and fowl, can b'
had.
Your friend, Z.