The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-01-28
LETTER FROM aAIvEsT0N, NIX.
GALVESTON, TEXAS, Jan. 2s, 1877.

through this place, enough,>I think, to enabla~
me to form pretty accurate notions of It, Nv
impressions may prove interesting, IL not adj.
yautageous, to many of your readers Ceftsipyv
thew cannot conduce to the harm of any. A
| iptimated in my last, will now indicate coma
| of the characteristics of the place. Your read
| ers IN ust bear in mind am not in Jerusalem.
nor in Rome, nor in any of the classic cities Of
| the Old World, therefore no Mosqu of Oma,
no Tower of Hippicus, no Holy Sepulchre, 10
Jews Place of Wsilipg," no Golden Gate, no
ruins of sacred Heliopolis, no st. Peters with
it's grand and terrific massiveness and magnif.
cence can invite my pen or cause me to gaze
with amazement and awe on antique ruins or
on architectural triumphs
In this place the traveller or sojourner will
not encounter the simeon or sand-storm, but
he will be exposed frequently to the "Norther.,
Its approach is readily indicated-the peculiar
whistling roaring of the wind, the suddenly
overcast sky, the abrupt, violent change of the
atmosphere, are it's immediate and inevitable
precursors. During the continuance OF the
"Norther" blazing fires and heavy overcoats
are in demand. The precautionary signal"
of this singular Texas institution the cattle on
the praries fully understand, for on its ap.
proach they fee for life and seek the shelter
of some seuuestered rayine' or friendly bluff.
There are two Northers" known here-the
wet Norther and the dry Norther The wet
Northers not dissimilar from winter storms
experienced in New Orleans. The dry Norther
is phenomena, singular and peculiar, and IN
known, I believe, outside of Texas. The
Norther is one of the characteristics of Calves.
ton. Let me state, however, it is of short du-
ration, and seldom never prod uctive of dis
astrous results.
This city may be considered quadrila.
| teral in form,-it is very regularly laid out -
the streets running almost due North and
South, are eighty feet feet wide, and the ave-
| nues running East and West and interesting
| the streets at right angles. are seventy feet
| wide. One of the avenues, Broadway, is one
| hu ndred and fifty feet wide. It is beautiful
| avenue, lined on either side with pretty private
| residences, some of them superb, indicating
| wealth. luxury and refinement. Street rail.
| roads are in full operation here and evidently
| in aourishing condition. The fare is five
| cents, the cars are quite comfortable, just like
| our New Orleans cars. In pleasant weather
| ride to and from the beach must DO pleasing
| and delightful. Just now, however, the breeze
| from the gulf will be found rather refreshing
| and not at all conducive to frequent resorts or
enjoyable excursions thereto. The sanitary con-
dition of Galveston is excellent, the city is
healthy at all times and free from any prevail
ing sickness. 1t has in pre-eminent degree
the aspect of both city and country.
L will not essay to draw the line of demarka-
ton, as it would involve me, perhaps, in per-
plexities. Let me recur again to the Beach.
Every visitor thereto cannot but admit it's
traordinary bathing advantages indeed
must be the faculties that cannot understand
and appreciate them. Galvestonians will prove
recreant to their interests if they fail to &C
quaint the pleasur e-seeker, the valetudinarian
and others of its untivalled advantages and
attractions. They should at once inaugurate
scheme that would prove an incentive to a
thorough familiarity with its beauties.
will row epdeavor to fulfil the promise
made in my last letter relative to st. PatricAs
Church. 1t is q noteworthy fact that q very
handsome as we'll as capacious church is now
in course of erection on the corner of Thirty
fifth street and Avenue X. This church was
previous to the advent of Father Glynn, built
almost to completion in wood but the hurri-
cane of '72 swept it away and necessitated the
erection of another more capable of resisting
the attacks of the weather. The Rev. Dr.
Dubuis, Bishop of Galveston, pitched upon
Father Glynn among the priests of his diocese
as suitable man to prosecute his designs, and
he has fully answered all expectations. The
work instantly begun, and an experienced
aud talented architect employed to draw up
plans ard superintend the construction. The
design furnished by Mr.. N. ]. Clayton, the
present architect, is purely Gothic in charac-
ter, combining much ingenuity in constructive
details with beauty and cheapness, and gives
universal satisfaction. The difficulties encoun'
tered in designing, as l have heard from Mr'
Clayton's assistant, were many. He had to IN
vest brick building with Gothic character
pure in style; to integrate Herewith STEEP"
nearly two hundred feet high, founded on
sandy soil with doubtful substrata. His su0'
cess has been complete, without losing IL
style or jeopardizipg the strength of the s'ru0-
ture. The tower is in manner dovetailed Will
the walls of the church, but its proper waiP
are not bound with the rest, which proNlu00