The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-02-18

There are FefT a. - Is" -
eomSars rev tnsIness houses Il course
Of construction IL the city and its suburbs.
People come to Austin 10 live rather than
soil and surely there Is not a more attrac-
tivespos n aIlits natural incidents ofmoun-
tsins, plains. hilIsideS and vplleys than this
selected long sge, By men whohad ttayeEsed
the State everywhere, as the site OF the Po-
Iitical and educational capital Of Texas.
Criminslly negligent, we may remark Incl
dentally, has the city been IN the fact that
no active measures have been adopted for
the speedy establishment, even here, OF the
richest and prOudest and most useful insti-
tdtion Of learning that exists in the South.
There Is no place 10 the South, " Austin
made is attrnctlona kuowps that could
compete with this city as the educational
Mecca Of the South. But Of all this at an
other time. We only proposed to tell that
there are residences in course Of construc-
ton in many districts of the city that
are creditabIe alike to individual and
public taste, and that tell, too,
pleasing story of the city's rapidly
augmented riches ana irrepresSible prosper
ity. Even the staggering blows given
Louisiana spd aATkansas hardly retArd the
growth Of Austin, or make men question the
solid, indestructiblc prosperity of Texas.
A State or city that continues to grow in
wealth and population, even when mad am.
bition makes al nghtsOf person ndProp-
erty insecure, must have within itself in
herent elements Of force and greatness that
will ultimately rise superior to all disaster,
and make Austin city worthy Of the en-
pire of which fortune and topical facts made
1t the capital. OF the many private resi-
dences in process Of construction every.
where, on every hillside, and ia every val
ley within miles Of Capitol bill, that Of G.
r. Johns, OF the great banking house of
Texas, is most costly, most solid, substan-
tial and enduring. 1t is Of limestone, two
stories and half high, surmounts a lofty
hill that overlooks the deep. valley Of the
Colorado, and giycs q magnificent view Of
the mountains beyond. More beautiful sun
sets, and more attractive scenery are not
contemplated elsewhere in the world than
from the SUBMITS of lofty hills on which
Austin stands, and one of these is crowned
by the massive, solid, tastefnlly planned
residence Of which We were telling. It
Is not yet finished, but win soon
be occupied by the owner, who
has already expended more than $50, 600 in
its erections It's gray walls, when contem-
plated from the deep valley below, are pro-
jected against the deep sea-grcen skies of
Texan plains and pTairies, and seem to
share the movements OF drifting white
clouds whose shadows move lazily to and
fro with changeful breezes already blowing
80 softly as IS endaed with life and tender
ness to evoke melody from EOlian harps,
and bear awsy ON their wings the fragrance
OF orange blossoms. The imposing and
tasteful residence of Major Johns should
serve as model for.others, who, like him
self, have gathered wealth in Texas. He
who rears temples of taste, constructs
beautiful home and surrounds and fills it
withsappliances Of taste and art is great
public beneiactor. People learn to love
the beautiful, and the more as popular taste
is cultivated, and nothing so tends to at
tract the best, most intelligent and cultured
populations OF other States and cities as
beautiful homes on lofty hills, such as
Major Johns has reared, even here in the
very midst Of Austin. g