Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-10-21
Our Texas Letter.

AUSTIN, TEXAS, Oct. 5th, 1860.
MEssRs. EDIToRs AFTER a horseback ride Of
upwards of ''several'' hundreds Of mi es, have
come to this,-the State capltal-a capital idea Of
mine,-all things taken into consideration. First,
am tired and wish to rest a few hours; next
am cut Of "stamps," and at the bank here,
stand as man of no ordinary ''stamps"-mne
being mostly "all in my eye''-a very singular
place for man 10 carry his funds.
After mailing my last to yox al Tyler travel
ed almost incessantly for twenty-five days-all
the time on horse, pony, or mule back, and 1t
took me until Oct. I'd to 'git back" to Austin. /
swan several streams, went through several rains,
and finally brought up In the cross-tirnbers In
Denton county, On the dawn of Sept. 26lh. At a
house In dense thcket | found Ran Spencer,
the last but Que of the Taylor gang Of dcspera-
does. The gentle Ran was wanted" at Austin,
he having ''sct up (killed) some seven men
within two years past, and been on the dodge"
all the lime. found him quietly snoozing-a
snoozing on bunk-and generously permitted
him to gaze into the dim, mysterious depths of
my shotgun barrel. | stood ut the farther end
OF the gun. He "wcnt' for his sx-shooier meath
his pillow but said don't and he didu't. He
caved. and ON the night Of Saturday, the I'd of
Oct, arrived with him, In irons, In Austin. He
reclineih and rcpineth in prison, lamcnling that
like Othello, his occupations gone he cannot
shoot anybody for some time, if not longer.
Well, my pursu, of Spencer was a long one
| over thousand mles-but got him. fund
the crops looking ouly tolcrably we'll throughout
the middle, northern aud eastern PORTIONS Of the
| State. Corn Is plentiful. but cotton only about
| half crop. Corn is worth, on an average be-
tween the Brazos and Red rivers. twenty-five cents
| per bushel-specic. The wheat crop was partial
failure, and not half the amount usually sown will
this year be put in. In the past-in anti beHur'
| days, immense crops were raised In northern
Texas. aud -four OF superior quality was produ-
ced. The seasons have become so totally chang
ed, however, that wheat is no lOuger sure crop,
and as consequence, Its culture Is being for the
| time, suspended. Immigration is pouring slowly
| In. The expenses OF travel into the State, from
any point on Its border is u serious obstacle Ia
the Immigrant. The roads are horrible in wei
wcather-ieriies are not plentiful and bridges are
| still less so.
found Jefferson, on Cypress bayou, very much
improved. II is the great commercial centre OF
the wealthiest portion of Texas. 1t Is thought
at least sixty thousand bales of cotton will b,
shipped from the city this season. Hides, taow
and other products will probably swell the aggre
gate value of shipments from jefferson, to tht
sum of seven or eight millions of dollais 10 gold
This Is emphatically specie country, little cur
rency of any kind passing. save as is hought ant
sold like merchandse-tor gold. There has beer
another terrible flood In the Sau Marcos and Quad
aupe. Tue water oil fell within radius Of scare,
fifty miles, but the destruction was immense
one river rose sixty feet 10 a few honrs.
As TO political characterization will probably
be elected. There are constant changes being
made 10 all the State officers. Gov. Pelse cut hi
own official head off few days since-a horrible
case OF Pease "shelling out"-ot Office. He re
signed-got up and gOt-made tracks, and III
gubernatorial chair standeth vacant awaiting an
other occupant II Is currently reported tha
there are over twenty thousand men In Texa
who will not get the governorship, but this ma,
be regarded as seusati )na, and not to be re-iet
upon ut all, "by no manner of means"
am to set out again tonight on five hundre,
mile ride. aud as must sleep an hour or two be
fore starting, drop the pen-Adios!
Revolveringly yours,