The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1878-02-20
WESTERN TEXAS.
ABOUT Il JUSTIN AID ITS / SUR
ROUNDINGS.
AUSTIN, TEXAS, Feb. 6, 1878.

1 Il
t ROUNDINGS.
, AUSTIN, TEXAS, Feb. 6, 1878.
| To the Editor of the Arorristown Gazette:
promised to give you a brief but
accurate description of Western Tex
as, arranged after an eight years
residence therein, and personal &C
quaiatance with the numerous eeun-
. ties composing it. Western Texas.
, proper, embraces only that portion
of the Safe lying west of. the Rio
Colorado. but by common consent,
and by reason of its proximity TO
the river, a still greater still greater
belt is conceded which embraces the
several counties adjacent to this
(Travi$) in which is located Austin,
the State Capital. Austin is beau
tiful city Of $4,000 souls, situated
upon her hundred hills, and near the
base of chain of lew, rugged and
picturesque mountains, extending i'll
a southwesterly direction, continuing
to the Rio Grande. Austin has nu
mer0us architectural edifices dedi-
Gated to the worship Of the Most
High. and each succeeding Sabbath
finds them well filed with intelligent
Christian people. She has also an.
Opera House, a Public Library. a
City Hall. Steam FIGURING Mill, a
Steam Tannery, Turn Verei'a. three
magnificent Hotels. one of which
covers half block in the centre of
the city; several miles of street rail-
road, with elegant cars, and splen'
did stock; the finest courthouse in
Texas; a splendid and durable
bridge several hundred yards in
length, spanning the Colorado at the
foot of Congress Avenue, while at
the head of the Avenue. on an emf
nence, is situated the Capitol build
ing, and just in the rear, the Su-
preme and Appellate Court build
ings and the offices of. the State
Treasurer and Comptroller of Public
Accounts; aud just east, and outside
of the Capital grounds, on an. eleva-
tion overlooking the entire city, is
the massive stone structure known
as the General Land Office, built af-
| tor 4Ia at.la Of q Gao4t;sI, oaetto
It is the admiration of all visitors to
our capital city. On another emf
nence, west of the Capitol, is situat-
ed the Governors Mansion, in the
midst of beautiful and highly orna-
mented grounds. Beautiful foun-
tains at the Capitol grounds and at
the Mansion send up their continu-
Gus streams of pure, clear water and
reflect the rays Of our Southern sun
in myriads of diamond drops Of ever
changeing hues. Austin has also
water works that supply water in
any quantities desired to all parts
of the city at nearly nominal price;
gas works, from which our streets.
public buildings and numerous PR
vate residences. are lighted, and tive
| ice factories that supply the city and
ship. hundreds of tons to surround
counties. Our sidewalks are of solid
flagstene in symmetrical shapes, and
our principal streets McAdamized.
There are several excellent, schools.
The Texas Military Institute. under
the supervision Of Gen. James, of
Virginia; the Austin Graded School,
owning its own property, has about
three hundred students; the Ladies
German American Institute, an ex-
cellent school for young ladies, are
all in the city limits, together with
numerous other schools of less inn
pertance. Two railroads terminate
hers-the western branch of the H.
& l.. G. RR. and the /. s. @. n. RR.
Numerous stage lines center here
from points East. West and South.
There are several telegraph offices
in various portions of the city.
Three banks. owned and run exclu-
siyely by Texas capitalists, are here,
which represent in the aggregates
perhaps. a million dollars OF capital.
The lands around the city are OF
rich black loan and very productive.
South of the river you strike upon
an almost boundless prairie of un-
paralleled fertility and beauty. Il
will produce from 40 to 100 bushels
of corn. and from / of . bale to two
bales OF Gotten per acre; from 15 to
So bushels of wheat and from 75 TO,
100 bushels of oats. with mille1, rye.
barley, fax and all the garden .vege-
tables in proportion. Lands can be.
purchased at from 81. TO $50 per
aff3 5Essf -