The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1875-10-24
LETTER FROM DALLAS.

LETTER FROM DALLAS.
Wemake the following extracts from
a letter written by James =. Smith,
Esq, dated Dallas, October 7, and
which we find published In the George
town (Ky.) Democrat:
Texas Is q State that Is possessed of
q soil OF much variety and fertility,
with u climate that Will
produce any vegetation that grows
from Canada TO Mexico, bluegrass
excepted. Her climate being mn
equuled for comfort and health, she Is
attracting multitudes from the older
States, who are fast converting her
beautiful and productive prairies and
woodlands into comfortable and profit
able homes. Though, save florida, the
most southerly State OF the Union, one
does not suffer from the heat near ~
much as in Kentucky and the more
northerly States, there always being Il
delightful and refreshing gulf-breeze;
and yet now, while the thermometer
indicates 81 degrees, and it is pleasant,
With an area Of country several
times that OF Pennsylvania, which is
SO rapidly filling up, the Lone Star
State is destined to shine with light
that will dazzle, while it will command
the admiration of her sister States.
Among the counties that go to make
up this beautiful and fertile country,
prominent Is that OF Dallas. Settled by
farmers WHO seem to be fully acquaint-
ed with agriculture in all its branches
(all Grangers), she deserves the repu-
tation she has acquired as one of the
first farming and stock-raising counties
in this State; producing more wheat
than any other county, in many in
stances yielding upwards Of forty BUSH
els to the acre, while her corn cannot
be eXGelled. Mr.. Jones Robinson says
ii is az good as he ever saw. He is
much pleased with the appearance of
the crops and country generally, so
much so, that he says that he cannot
determine where to locate though he
has concluded to become citizen. He
is a nice gentlemen.
The cotton crop is excellent, produc.
ing bale and y quarter to the acre,
which is said to be good. Oats grown
with success, yielding 100 bushels to
the acre. Vegetables grow here from
early spring until near Christm9s.
saw sweet potato the other day that
weighed l0i pounds. This is n great
fruit country, especially for peaches
and pears. Peter Stevenson, an eX-
Clarkite, showed me two pears that
together weighed four pounds. Fields
are covered with watermelons. Peter
Stevenson Is drumming for n whole
saleliquor house, at u salary that would
tempt most any man, however averse
to the life. With q neat home, most
excellent wife and interesting children,
he would give Texas for no country,
though he will talk about that "blue
grass region"
Dallas City is growing so wonder
fully that IL seems ms though Aladdin
was hid around some place with that
famous lamp of his. Sixty large brick
business houses are now in process of
erection, Us well as numerous private
residences. Embracing all the i'm
prOvements that are natural to the
large cities, and possessing a market
that 10 supported by the country for
hundreds of miles around, she stands
to-day ahead of Galveston and the old
er cities of the State; being the Chi
cago of Texas, with business men who
know how to push matters through.
She owns foundries that turn out and
ship quantities of castings, &c. max
ing her own machinery, besides furn-
ishing various parts Of the country.
FIGURING mills, that ship flour direct to
Europe. Three three-story hotels, first
of which is the LeGrand, besides a
dozen minor ones. Library, historical
society, theaters, and a Courthouse
erected at an expense of $1,000 with
fine large business buildings to cores
pond, some renting rs high as $4,000
per annum. Three daily and seven
weekly newspapers. Money loans
here ut from . to 5 per cent. month.
The streets are always crowded with
vehicles Of every description, and SO
great is the number that at times il re-
quires the aid of the police to effect n
crossing.
Brother VIII has built n neat little
house on Ross Avenue, with street cars
running by. He has connected him
self with the Vert Bros, wholesale
and retail grocers, who have by their
fair dealing and atlability of manners,
built up most enviable trade. Their
sales for yesterday amounted to nearly
fourteen hundred dollars. The firm
name is Vert, Smith 4 Co. Dallas is
jubilant over having two more rail-
roods-the Wichita, and one that will
run from New Orleans through. All |
can say in regard to the short horns is,
that they are finding their way here,
and that the people are beginning to
manifest an interest that promises
blooded stock for this State. A Mr..
Miller, living near here, has fine hog
that weighs 700 pounds, and another,
q yearling, that weighs 250 pounds.
Have some very good race stock, best
of which is n Kentucky bay colt, own
ed by our Sheriff, Major Barlley, who
is kentuckian from Georgetown.
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