The weekly clarion., 1867-02-07
For the Daily Clarion.
Hsetfer fresn Texkss.

subject Of emigration. Brazil, Mexico, and
other foreign. countries offer seductive
charms; but the reflection that they are
lands of strangers peopie with whose Ian
guage, manners, habits, forms of Govern
anent,. etc, we are totally unacquainted,;
and the knowledge Of diseases peculiar to
those countries, the perils of which we must
endure in becoming acclimated, deter us at
once. The reluctance, too, at severing at
once and forever, old ties and associations,
and the recollections of happier days, makes
rs cling to home and its endearing memories.
Texas, whose vast territory, equal almost
in extent to the whole of Europe. and
whose soil and climate are unsurpassed by
any under the sun, opens her arms to the
children of her less fortunate sister States,
and bids them come. Her resources are
vast, and as yet almost untouched. The
want of means of transportation from the
interior, has kept the value of her lands at
low figure. Farmers in the older States
sacrifice their lands, sell them at twelve and
fifteen dollars, and invest here in lands
equally as rich, at half the amount, thereby
realizing means to begin operations another
year. It is this speculation that Ia bringing
many persons to Texas, It viii Be readily
perceived that when the great network of
Railroads, which is projected over the en-
tire State, is completed, these lands being
made more accessible, must greatly enhance
in value. The upper counties are noted for
their fertility in the production of wheat,
competing successfully in quality and
average yield before the war, with the Egypt
of America-Illinois. If it were profitable
to grow wheat there, when the only exit to
market was by wagon to Shreveport, or
othe points on Red river, q distance of from
| one to five hundred miles, it must be much
more so, when the means of transportation
become easy and cheap. I imagine there
will soon be no want of white laborers,
| Judging from the large influx of emigrants
from foreign countries, representing all the
| industrial branches and destined to the in
terror to settle. The German settlements
| are now turning out fabrics of cotton and
wool which will compare favorably with the
manufactures of Lowells 1t is novel and
| interesting sight to witness the arrival of a
majestic old bark from Bremen or else
| where in the Fader-land, as she glides sol
emnly into the Bay, with her decks fairly
swarming with human beings, entirely diff
| ferent in appearance, manners, costume and
customs from anything your correspondent
ever saw, except in biographies and picture
| books, and speaking not q word of c0mpre-
| hensible language. The short striped
worsted petty-coat and woolen hood Of the
women; the round skull-cap and long cape
coat and omnipresent pipe of the men with
all sorts ofcorded packages and square,brasss;
bound chests and boxes, and hair trunks, all
combine to form a picture, as queer as it is
new, to me.
Parties who contemplate coming to Texas
will find Richardson's Texas Almanac for
1867, most valuable source of information
upon all. points of interest, descriptions,
prices of lands, statistics of crops, rains,
stock raising, railroad items, &c. 1t is pub
lished here by w. Richardson, price 81 i'm
currency. 1t contains an accurate map of
the State also.
The prevalent opinion in Mississippi that
"greenbaeks" are unknown in Texas, is in
correct, currency" is the circulating medi-
um in Galveston, although certain contracts
are in specie, that article being bought and
sold as elsewhere. and fuctnating with the
New York market. Anything can be bought
here with paper money if you have enough
of it. In the interior however, it is differ
ent, specie being the basis of all operations,
currency when taken at all, is at the ruling
discount.
This is certainly a most delightful climate,
almost perpetual spring. The northers Oc-
curing every now and then, SO far
as my exHerience goes, are not severe, or of
long duration, but are rather agreeable
changes. We have, however, had some
severe weather, and even SNOW, the first in
many years, but it lasted only o few days.
The accounts you have of the northers,
droughts, &C., are probably exaggerated.
Ladies appeared on the streets Christmas
day in linen dresses, and even now sum-
mer coat would not be uncomfortable. Veg
etables grow on the Island the year round !;
oranges, citrons, and figs are, common in
most yards and gardens, and the oleander
grows ON the commons. Red fish, sleeps
head, crabs, oysters and every variety Of
game are cheap and abundant. The summers
are even more delightful The heat is tenn
pered by steady south breeze, and in the
more elevated parts of the city, musquito
bars are never required. If it were not for
the occasional epidemics which occur here,
as In most extreme Southern cities, and the
remote fear that the Island may some day
share the fate of Last Island, which, you
remember was inundated during q terrible
storm, think in 1859, whereby all the in
habitants perished, Galveston would be
without equal as place of residence The
city consists mostly Of wooden buildings
scattered over large area of ground is
beautifully laid off, and presents new,
clean and tidy appearance quite refreshing
to behold The streets run at right angles,
and being perfectly level, smooth and hard,
are all 'sshell roads. y The beach, thirty-six
miles long, affords the finest driving ground
anywhere. The present population Is be-
tween fifteen and twenty thousand, an in
crease Of seventy-fve per cent. since 1860.
This number Is being daily increased,
and so great is the demand for
room, that houses are got out and
framed at Boston, and shipped by schooner,
ready to be put mp. No wonder rents are
high The people are energetic, and are alive