The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1878-04-11
Fror, the Sunny South.
GALVESTON, TEXAS, April

When l wrote my first letter (las1
friday it was very warm. Since then il
has been extremely comfortable. In
fact my experience here has been tina,
the Gulf breezes temper the fervor Of
the Southern sun very effectually. l 60
down to the Strand many times during
the day and never fail to find fresh,
vigorous breeze blowing cityward. An
overcoat is sometimes in demand. How.
ever, back from the coast it is uncom-
fortably warm. But enough of the
weather:
Galveston is city of perhaps As, GOO
inhabitants, although its population is
estimated by some to DO 10000. 1t is
situated upon sandy island, which is
perhaps 25 miles long and from 6 to 8
miles broad. The only mode of reach
ing the island (unless by water) Is over
q dilapidated railroad track which reefs
upon piles. This mammoth trestle is
perhaps five miles long. AS you pass
over it you look out each side upon the
vast waters of East and West Galveston
bay. The city is quito compactly built
and has many fine public and private
buildings. In fact it is much better
built than Southern cities usually are. 1t
ha, large French population strong. A
semblance OF Partisan airs and habits is
seen in the "French Quarter" Gal.
weston is indebted largely for her COM
merciul prominence to Morgan, the pro.
prietor of four lines of steamships.
He is Connecticut man, and his Yam.
kee energy and push is making things
"howP all along the Gulf shore. By
his steamers Galveston is brought into
profitable sea communication with the
country to the southwest as far rs Vera
TO the southeast with Havana; to the
northeast with New York. Some of the
rich but unenterprising Galvestonians
undertook not long ago to kick
against the dictation of Morgan upon
some matters pertaining to wharfage.
Morgan got his dander up and threatened
to ego back" on Galveston. He didn't
do it, however. twas lucky for Gal
weston, for some of her business men
admit that Morgan has it in his power to
q great extent to make or unmake that
city. Had Morgan concentrated his
business at his namesakc, Morgan City,
on the Louisiana shore, he could have
done great things by her. The Calves.
tonians had better stick by Morgan.
Ono great impediment to Galveston's
rapid progress as a commercial city is
the bar At the entrance of the harbor,
which will not permit ships of the heav.
lest burden to enter. l saw several of
the largest ocean vessels at anchor in the
ofing, hailiDg from different climes, which
were unloading by means of lighters.
This was inconvenient and not at all
satisfactory. 1t is thought that if the
harbor entrance could be permanently
improved, Galveston would become even
a larger city than New Orleans. There
is, too, railroad running into the city
called the Galveston, Henderson & Hous.
ton Railway, which is an ugly blot on
the proud escutcheon Of this enterpris-
ing railroad age. think 1t is the poor
est excuse of railroad, perhaps in the
United States. Its rolling stock seems to
BIO the cast off clothes of other roads.
The cars are as rickety and worn out as
secOnd-handed, weather beaten vege-
table cart. The road is owned and
operated by company who seem de-
sirous of killing Galveston and vicinity
as dead as a hammer. Until this fraud
of road has competitor Galveston
will suffer grievously.
st. Louis has its old fogies, aud they
seem sometimes to liSe only for the pur-
pose of gathering around that city's
funeral pyre. Galveston has the same
kind OF old fogies who are rich, miscrly
and selfish, and seem to care not how
soon they witness the last flicker of the
dying flame, go that their accumulated
ducats remain unemployed for the best
interests of the city. When these old
seeds shall have been gathered to their
fathers there may be some chance for
Galveston.
All those who drink water in Calves
ton have to depend on the cistcrn. For
many miles north from the coast well
water is ont of the question. Digging
down four or five feet you strike water
so salt or brackish as no man can drink
As long as the rain supply is good it is
all right, for what is better than filtered
cistern water? But when the rains do !!
not come and drought is at hand water
has to be transported across tho country.
They have an ice mandatory there
which has boen doing well towards sup
plying CONCEALED water. But recently |
the manufactured article commenced get |
ting discolored, and the manufacturers !
had to shut down and study remedy for |
the evil. Since then ice is brought by |
vessels from Boston, and has been sold as |
high as 10 cents per pound.
One of our landlords told US of the |
terrible effects of q storm that comes |
at the beck of what they call
q "Norther." So terrific is its power |
that the water of the bay is rolled |
across the island into the Cult, and u
foot of water stands in the streets. No
building, however we'll constructed, is |
impervious to the sheets of water which |,
come flying before the blast. Then il
seems as If man were standing on some
solitary rock, while looking out over an |
angry. dark and roaring abyss of wat |
crs. 1t is terrible destroyer OF prop. |
erty and "peace of mind" and the ma |
lives dread its approach as do the dwell
lers of the East Indies the awful hurri-
cane.
There are several lines of street cars /
in the city. Each car (like all other