The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-05-10
FROM TEXAS.
DALLAS, Texas, April %, 1877.

DALLAS, Texas, April %. 1877
San Jacinto, or the Texas Indepen-
dence day, was celebrated here by firing
OF canon, ETC., on the Dist of April, in
cc-nmemoration of the battle of San
| Jaclnto, wEere Gen. Sam Houston with
but $50 men, routed the Mexican army
under Santa Anna, numbering over 1, 500,
infiicting loss of 600 killed and over
500 prisoners. Santa Anna himself was
one of the captured. Houston, through
this, avenged the Massacre of Alamo
and achieved the Independence of Texas
from Mexican Rule.
The State is overrun with grasshop-
pars and unless something is done to
destroy them the prospects for crops are
very bad. Planters are cutting their
wheat, oats, etc., green, and bringing it
to market to sell for fodder in order to
save what is left and realize enough to
pay for the labor. It is claimed that
when the hoppers grow large they will
fly away, which would indeed be God
send.
Notwithstanding this State is the home
of cattle, milk and butter is a scarce
article. can give no reason for this
except that the people are too lazy
For laziness Texas people beat the world.
A Southern (white trash) man seldom if
ever works. Sitting around town whit
ting dry goods boxes, telling long yarns,
sleeping on the sunny side OF building
or riding horse back (Which seems to be
a chronic disease-if they have to go
only few squares they will saddle the
ponies) seems to be their principal oc-
cupation, and how they gain their livei-
hood is q mystery. I had occasion to
call on one of these denizens of the Sun
ny South, few days since. I found
the place, which consisted of rude log
hut with huge fireplace, a rickety table
and bed, one chair, empty boxes, few
cracked dishes and kettles, and last but
not least, their ever ready rifle, was the
entire outfit. Before you can get to a
house OF this kind you will have to tum-
BILE over half dozen ponies, hogs and
dogs, and when one sees the dirt and
general wretchedness about them the
wonder is that these people do not die
before they reach the age of dozen
years.
Nothing is sold here less than a nickle,
and copper cents are almost unknown.
When L arrived here, having occasion to
buy trife, / was counting out some
coppers but the merchant looked alter
nately at me and the coins, and refused
to take them. 1 then tried several other
place, always meeting with the same
success, and. at last got rid of them at
the Post Office for stamps.
On the first Monday of every month,
large cattle fairs are held and people for
distance of hundred miles drive in
their stock and attend the sales. There
are an assortment of horses, oxen, COWS,
mules, donkeys, ETC., inviting purchas-
er. A fair horse can be bought for $25
or $50, while the Mexican or Mustang
ponies seldom bring over $40 to SIS.
If a man steals horse, his punishment
IS almost as severe as murderer, and if
caught by the rangers on the frontier,
he will be hung on the first tree. 1t is
a common sight for ten or fifteen men
to start off on horse back, in pursuit of
a horse thief. They generally return
with the horse; but the man, somehow,
always meets with an accident % through
lynching. Respectfully,
CHARLES EIRMEIsTER