The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-01-09
A TRIP TO TEXAS.
A Chatty Letter About Journey to
the Lone Star State.
The Country from ST. Louis TO Austin, as
Seen from Car WfadOw-Ffrst
Impression of Texss-Defight-
fui Climate and Rich Soil
Birds Eye View of Aus
tin and Vicinity.
Irregular Correspondence of the sentinell

correspondence Oh the G5c0 llnell
AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. For many long
weeks has our pen lain idle, while we have
been silent yet appreciarye reader of the
many interesting letters that have eraced
the columns of The Sentinel from time TO
time. FROM recent paper we learn that
w. ;. W., the enthusiastic tourist, is home
ward bound. so believing there is room for
even us, we venture to accept your invita-
ton (So graclously extended) and write
from the Lone Star state" in his stead. W.
s. w. has fully enlightened yeu on the
varied and wonderful resources of this great
state, told of its delightful, health giving
climate, Its many and sure avenues to com
Portable living and independence and urged
| your repeatedly to take your families and en-
igrate at once 10 this paradise on earth.
So you will pardon us il, in giving our
impressions to the reading public, we repeat
much of what has already been said
In the beginning 1t is our wish to ''praise
the bridge that brought us over so safely
and pleasantly. We travelled wa the Van
dalia from indianapolis to st. Louis, and the
superiority of this road is too well and
widely known to require any elaborate
comment from us. Suffice to say that its
present officials are affable, courteous gen.
tlemen and do their utmost to promote the
comfort and enjoyment of their patrons.
Arriving at st. Louis, we re-embarked 70
The sunny south via the st. Louis, Iron
AlOQutdln anu cOuLuST0 railway. 10lS Is a
new road, built only three years ago, but
furnishes first class accommodations to all;
and we will endeavor to give you our i'm
preston of the route, as seen from window
in one of their elegant and comfortable
palace cars.
THE TRIP
At the ST. Louis wharf we saw many of
the larger steamboats, that ply the waters of
the Mississippi. Pursuing direct southern
tha 0oH al el,or s
this river for miles and miles. and leaving
St Louis far to the northward, we were rap
idly carried through the wild and
picturesque scenery of the Ozarks-past the
dark, irregular and rugged Iron mountains
past Pilot Knob-and as darkness covered
the land we entered the desolste, wide
spreading swamps of Arkansas. Morning
| dawned brightly, and found us still in that
primitive land, and it was just after passing
Little Rock that we experienced the
only decided sensation of the trip Something
went wrong with the engine, and necessitated
| our laying up in the woods three or four
| hours. Torpedoes were put back on the track
| to warn a coming freight, but our train was
| hidden from view by a curve in the road,
and, it being down grade, they failed to stop
| the freight as soon as necessary; hence we
were treated to all the excitement and none
of the danger resulting from most similar
| catastrophes. The passengers in the rear
| sleeper saw the coming train and jumped
| for life-scme en- dishabille, it being very
early in the morning. We were in the
second sleeper, and unaware of any danger
| until we felt the shock from the collision
| and heard the screaming passengers outside.
| Fortunately no further damage was done
than to send ustiying down the road, leaving
| the affrighted and horror stricken passen-
gers to follow as best they could. The scene
was ludicrous in the extreme, and can be far
1 hatfar inns o,inad Than described
| IN TEXAS.
Another days ride through vast pine
| forests, and we arrived atTexarkana, quaint.
| ly called in Honor to the three states on
| which it borders. Day waned, and we were
| fairly into the Lone Star state" but ii was
| too dark to see much. During the night we
| heard the patter of rain against our window,
and the bowling of the fierce, angry wind,
| but morning dawned more propltiously than
we had expected. Can we tell you how de-
| lightful and varied is the scenery IN eastern
| Texas? How diversified are its resources?
| Sometimes we passed broad cultivated fields
| teemlng with their staple, the ungathered
cotton. Then again the road runs through
vest prairies, destitute of a tree far as the
| eve can reach, but Astounding in nutritious
| grasses upon which we saw immense herds
| OF sheep and cattle grazing.
| Along the entire route are clustered thrifty
| enterprising towns Lands are cheap here.
| Farmers can raise almost every thing that
| grows upon the face of the earth, and north
| ern people whose means are less abundant
| than once they were are here by the thou
sands looking forward to large profits IN the
| near future. Society is growing up schools
| are being established, and on every hand are
| the signs of rapid mproyement-lumber on
| the ground. houses in progress of erection,
| etc, etc. These towns, new as they are, are
not one whit behind many of our older ones,
Il L.. Il
| retail supply stores of various kinds.
"Seeing is believing" friends. and already
here we learned enough of Texas, its eli
mate, and general productiveness to warrant
us in saying that you people of the north
| have not been the victims OF misplaced con-
| fidence in newspaper correspondents, Tor
| while it is not literally "a land flowing with
milk and honey it is in extent, beauty
and general delightfulness unrivalled as q
state.
AUSTIN AND ITS sUBURBs.
Austin, worthy terminus of the magnif-
cent road over which we have been travelling,
| is beautifully situated on the Colorado river,
surrounded on all sides by picturesque hills
rising one above another, and making of
themselves an ever varied picture of charm
ing landscape. Standing on this side of the
river We catch delightful glimpses OF many
handsome residences on the opposite shore,
peeping from lofty SUBMITS, surrounded by
the beautiful evergreens nature has so Law
ishly scattered here. and having altogether
a grand, lofty look we can but admire. Aus
tin is very picturesquely and handsomely
built up, stone being the principal material
used. Some of the locations for residences
on its neighboring hillsides are simply
charming, and the beautiful wide-spreading
live oaks are scattered here and there in 9
manner that would gladden. the heart of an
artist. Unfortunately We are not one, and
1 L,k& Il,,cfr ha of 10 ,,ci
beautiful tree has on Austin and its sur
roundings.
A ride over the immediate suburbs on last
Sunday was full of interest to the writer
With good team, comfortable carriage
pleasant company, temperature just right