Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1872-08-03


and a Haspitable and Courteous
Citizenry- Pen Pictures of Lin
upon the Southern Prairies Th'
Route of the Great Highway thro
Delightful Country-Mfor
for the Capitalist and Immigrant.
If ever l cnved genius like
George s. Hillard, of Boston, whose
Six Months in Italy l have just
read for the third time, and whose
descriptions OF the scenery and the
habits Of tho people OF that health
ful country recur to me as 40 many
pictures Of unrivallcd loveliness,
should now wish TO be ciothod with
his peculiar faculties. Only such
gifts could do justice to my expert
ence of the last two weeks in Tex
as. Ii il is true that one likes q
man better after he has quarrelled
with and been reconcied to him,
then the recent differences between
the sections confer upon the North,
ern visitor TO the South unusual
advantages. There is an evident
disposition on both sides to pleaqe
and to be pleased. We see human
nature ut its best, and the favora'
BILE Impressions left upon our party
were due in II large degree to the
courtesy and cordlality with which
we were welcomed by those who
were accustomed to regard the most
Of us
AS THEIR ENEMIES.
| wrote at length OF Shreveport IN
my letter ofJune 22. An inner Wow
has given me u more favorable idea
of its people and its resources. AS
the eastern terminus Of the Texas
and Pacific Railway, with prospec-
tive connections with lines looking
to New Orleans, 81. t.LouIs, Memphis
and Vicksburg, it is one OF the most
Important OF all the Southwestern
cities, certain in the course OF time
to be large and influential place.
Claiming Il population OF some ten
thousand, and late declared by
Congress
A PORT OF ENTRY,
it is ako Il depot for Tie Lransshlp-
mcnt Of cotton. In 1870, Ill, ,6lS
bales were received 1T Shreveport,
TO lO4,776 bales in 1871, Nearly
all of this vast supply is conveyed
by ox-teams, Which land thelr
freight at Long View, on the South
ern Pacific Railway, 66 miles dls-
tant. 3l7,O94 packages Of mer-
chandise were received at Shreve-
port last year by the Rcd fiiser
boats, and were sent into Texas.
The total value OF its exports We're
81, ,263,U 900, the sales OF merchan-
disc $6,639, $50, and the value OF
real estate $6O7, 1926. 1t has lnsur.
ance companies, gas works, passcn-
ger railroads, manufactures OF ice,
brewcrics, saw.mils, etc. The peo-
pie are kind and hospitable, the
leading citizens Intelligent and pro-
>gressive, the schools and churches
credltable. The cost of living is
high when we consider how easily
the necessaries Of life can be pro-
cured. Buildings command in some
cases q rental OF "a, 900 per year for
busincs purposes. There are three
daily newspapers, two OF them
democratic and one Conservative,
and IL weekly Republican. During
the last year ninety-nine new dwell
ling houses were erected, twenty OF
them costing from five to ten thou
sand dollars each. The bulk Of
trade is by the Red River. In 1870
there were 308 arrivals, embracing
tonnage Of 50, ,l13 tons.
EXCELLENT STEAMBOATS,
run between New Orleans and
Shreveport, and between st Louis,
Louisville, Cincinnati and Shrevc-
port, and freights to New York,
Philadelphia, Boston, Baltimore,
Pittsburg, and Louisville, are tribu-
tary to these lines. 29,S55 head of
cattle and $500 sheep were ship
ped from Shreveport during the
last year. Although the hotel is
none of the best, the style of living
is comfortable among the people,
and in many respects luxurious.
The entertainment given 10 our
party by George Williamson, Esq,
was equal to any at the best houses
in Philadelphia, and exceptional in
all the fruits of the season, includ-
ing ripe figs, oranges, melons and
bananas. Here we saw for the first
time, which afterwards became
quite familiar to us, a series of
MOVING FANS,
suspended over the dinner table,
kept in motion, sometimes by the
hostess, who sits at the head of the
table, but more frequently by SER
vent who stands ut her back, thus
maintaining pleasant current and
saving the guests from the annoy
ance of flies. The surroundings of
Shreveport are beautiful, and many
of the residences finished and COM
modious.
THE ooLoRED PEOPLE
are happy and comfortable, hard at
work, contented with their lot, and
though all Republicans, kindly toll
Grated by their heretofore white
superiors. The truth is, whatever
may be said to the contrary, the
freedmen are rapidly improving,
and are assisted by the benevolent
white men.
A STRIKING SCENE
took place just before wa reached
Shreveport, when the Lotus No. 8
hauled up 10 discharge a large
quantity of corn for the use of the
hands who lived On the plantation
of Colonel Cummings, wealthy
planter before the war, and still a
man Of substance, who was among
the passengers. The CO lored popu-
laiion rushed forward 10 greet him.
Several Of the picanninies were