Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1871-07-01
I.etter from Dallas,

Letter from Dallas
I'd, Page, Esq, editor of the Evergreen
(Ala.) Observer, in letter to his paper
dated Dallas, June ID, gives very inter-
estiug account Of this sec tioa Of our State.
We make the Iollowings extract from the
letter:
~ have been here resting some
DAYS have received some letters
from Alabama, and some papers,
but no observer" up to this wri.
ting.
When last | wrote you, L was in
Limestone county, at Tehuacana ;
thence we Travelled by private con-
veyancc to Waxahachie, via Spring
hill and Milford.
On the Richland bottoms passed
an admirable farming section, n
species of black sandy prairie, of
great soil depth, and unsurpassed
fertility. In tho vicinity of Ores
den, Navarro county, most eligible
and satisfactory Investments in real
estate can be made, but on this sub
ject refer you to my letter of this
date, to the advertiser & Mail"
THE PEOPLE.
Texans are divided into two
grades, "Old Texans" and the "late
burn"-a term applied indiscrimi-
nately to emigrunts from cast ofthe
Mississippi River, since tho war
Old Texans arc sub-divdcd into II
farming or settled class of land
owners and "cow-boys"--a generic
term including rowing Texans dos-
pcradoes and horse-thicvcs includ-
cd.
There is cast in the position of
the settled old Texan proprietor,
and he prides and plumcs himself
on having been of the first fifty
families brought over by Gen'l Aus
tin, almost as mnch as the heredi-
tary English baronet, on naming
one of his ancestors as having cross
cd to Dover, with the conqueror.
concede to the old Texan u Just
pride in his position his hardships
and frontier exploits entitle him to
it. The morals of the people gen
orally are in excellent tone, and
every school house is filled to over
flowing with boys and girls.
TRADE.
Texas presents so many induce
ments to the active trader and mi
gratory Spectator, that [ am not
at all astonshed To find such peo-
pie thronging all public avenues,
and visiting all public places.
Mich COWS, weighing from 500 to
600 pounds, and apparently the
finest mixers l ever saw, can be
readily bought at prices varying
from Sc to sl2. Oxen, well broken,
excellent frcighting cattle, weigh
ing from 700 to 900 pounds can be
purchased everywhere at prices
from $40 to $50 per yoke.
Half Spanish ponies raised on the
prairics, of all ages, broke and un-
broken, at prices ranging from $40
to $50, and worth with us from $50
to S12O. They are of unexampled
toughness and generally very spir-
tied.
AS to merchandising proper, the
country is overstocked with goods
at every point l have visited, and
the margin for profits is very
narrow one. This, of course, is
better for the people.
A ROPE
At once the bane and glory of
wild Texas boy is "rope;" re-
spectacle governor makes it point
to wear his "hopcful" out with
the first one he catches in his
hands. Their use is the beginning
of rowing life ofidleness, as a gen.
eral thing.
PRODUCTS.
Since VIC entered Ellis county,
and the hog-wallow prairies, the
products have been diver
sified. Large fields of oats, barley
and wheat are interpreted with
those of cotton and corn. These
lands arc as rich as it is possible |
for the soil 10 get, and their
management, by no means difficult. |
Tobacco here, would evidently be a
most valuable and successful crop. |
MINERALS.
In the western part Of the State,
in Archer and the adjoining coun-
lies, arc some of the richest copper
mines in the world-lead and silver
Is also found. Some gentlemen Of
his place, have kindly furnished
me with some specimens which l
will forward to our University at
: = < =
DALLAS
3 a place Of about $500 Inhabitants
md situated Immediately on the
Trinity river. ID is a fOurishinr ,