The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-03-15
FROM FORT WORTH
interesting Items from Frontier
Town in Texas.
From Notebook of a St. Louis
Commercial Traveller.


jumping-of place of civilization, as it
were. Unless Congress lends assistance
this is likely to be the terminus of the T
and z. for some time to come, which is
the devout wish of every inhabitant of
this town.
THE SITE OF Fl. WORTH
Is very elevated and can be seen for
miles before it's reached. Some five or
six thousand people are located here.
Substantial brick storehouses go up rap
idly, and are rented before finished.
$l0O to $l25 is the average for room 25
by 80. One firm pays for a fifty foot
front $4,000 rent, and yet profits are not
much larger than within a hundred
miles of st. Louis. But there is no uues-
ton that a larger amount of goods are
sold here and will be till the road moves
on. From the square to the depot is lust
mile. Two streets running parallel are
the marts Of trade. A line of street cars
of bob-tail Sort take you for a nickel the
entire length. A daily paper gives the
associated reports, and one can digest at
breakfast the latest news, which just,now
is rather heavy on the stomach.
STAGING.
If you desire to Igo further West, saw
to Weatherford or Fort Griffin, you will
have to enter your name for the morning
stage-coach. How it reminds one Of
boyhood days to see the coach and four.
full inside and crowded on top, dash up
to the door, just the same makeup and
style of twenty years ago; how the dri-
yer cracks his whip and circles his lead
ers, and brings the coach handsomely to
the very Curb-stone. In boyhood days
my highest ambition was to handle the
reins and drive a coach-and. -four. Mr..
Bennett, later, had aspirations that way ;
and if he had engaged with the Ell Paso
Stage Co. instead Of airing on the avenues
and fooling with Miss May, he might
now be better driver and happier man.
Instead of becoming a knight of the whip,
however, destiny led me into the chan.
nels of trade, and as
A COMMERCIAL TRAVELLER,
l am here. We 60 wherever trade and
tratic are, mingIe and mix and make
business hundreds of miles from home.
Perhaps there is no other position which
requires greater tact and discipline than
that of the representative of CONNER
cial house. He must understand his de-
partment Of business thoroughly, and
must also understand human nature, and
withal, must have industry. The exper-
ience of a business solicitor would make
a story full of interest, but they never
have time to write unless it be Sunday
like l am now putting in.
HOMESTEAD LAW.
Texas gives a homestead covering so
much ground, and upon it the owner
may build palace if he likes and snap
his fingers at any creditor who dares to
question his right. Not long since firm
failed in Dallas; one of them owned the
Lamar hotel building, worth $4,000.
This he claimed as homestead and held
it The other partner claimed the store
house, also valuable, as his homestead,
and left the creditors to possibly get ten
cents on the dollar out of the taiI-end of
a stock of goods, While everything was
sailing smoothly this firm was rated an
excellent risk-plenty of capital and real
estate But see, under the exemption
laws of Texas, how resources evapo-
rate into thin air. And yet New York,
Louisville and st. Louis
swarm the state with their agents and
boast of their big Texas trade. There is
a good class of merchants here who are
honest and wish to pay for every dollar
hey buy, bnt there is also another class
who spread out big, drive business, sell
goods regardless Of profit, stretch their
,redit, and when at the end of their line,
propose to compromise, which is gener-
lily accepted. This manner of settling
Indebtedness is premium for rascality,
md works hardship to the honest deal
n.
NORTHERN TEXAS
8 the best country, all in all, that the
un shines upon. There is no reason why
uccess and wealth should not here fol-
Ow thrift and enterprise. The climate is
mild and healthy. AS you pass over the
abroad, on one side may be seen green
elds of wheat, on the other cotton, and
lrther on the evidence of heavy corn
rop. A soil and climate producing
hese varied crops possess all the assen.
ais of prosperity: and need only we'll
irected enterprise to make a crowning
lccess.
The tide Of immigration still pours in,
ut the wonder is where they go. For
lree or four years they have been COM
lg by thousands, and yet they are as it
ere drop in the bucket in this vast do
lain of Texas. What an empire this
ill be in another decade When Cali
,rnia shall have pierced New Mexico,
riZona and joined bands Of steel with
exas this will become the trans.conti-
entail route which neither heat nor cold
ill affect
The season is backward; the winter has
cen unusually long and cold nothing
reen but the mistletoe as it clings amid
le branches of sturdy trees and grows
lille all other vegetation sleeps.
wICKEDNEss.
The church bell rings out cheerily on
lis bright Sunday morning but | great
doubt if there are enough righteous to
We this wicked city, Perhaps Theodore
lton, who lectures this week, may in
IS Problem of Life" point the way out
the difficulty. Here are congregated
% worst elements of society, always to
, found at the terminus of railroad
lshing into new country. Here the
mbler finds the rough frontiersman
lick to try the fate of cards. Here sa-
ons flourish and never close their
,ors. Here the demi.monde ensnare
th painted cheeks and modern style in
Q many windings of the dance house..
1T time will regulate and root out these
GERS of society, and Fort Worth, sitting
hill, with church-spires and steeples
justice pointing heavenward; will look
t oyer the rich valleys of the Trinity
d the vast plain beyond, teeming with