Brenham weekly banner. [volume] (Brenham, Tex.) 1877-1907, 1878-07-19
From " est Texas.
BANDERA, July 18th, 1873.

EDITORS BANNER
l, in company with three other young
men OF Gay Hill, left home on the I'd
of this month to take prospecting trip
through Western and North Western Texas.
We first made for the famous old city of
San Antonio, coming by way Of Basrop,
San Marcos and New Braunfels, all of
which VIC found to be good substantial bus
mess towns. Cop were extraordinary good
all the way along the route. Where we
have travelled the wheat crop averaged from
20 to 80 bushels to the acre. On arriving
at San Antonio we found it to be lively
thorough-goiug business place. l did not
admire the style the city is laid of in as re-
CARDS the streets,-thcy being narrow and
crooked,-asidc from the fact that the city
is handsomely and substantially built up,
and will compare favoraby with any city
in the State. The San Antonio river is a
lovely, sparkling stream, running through
the heart OF the city, and afford splendid
place for boat riding, which the people in
dulge in very freely and seem to enjoy it to
their hearts content. We took peep at
the old Alamo, where the brave old heroes
of Texas fought TO gain our independence.
We also saw the spo, where the famous
Davy Crockett was killed. l could not
help but wish that Texas had such men now
as she did then,-true to their country. As
Governor Baylor had just returned from
his rancho on the Nueces, we called on the
governor to get ali the information we could
in regard to Western Texas, which he
cheerfully gave US.
After leaving San Antonio for Uvaidc
county, the first place we came 10 of any
note was Castroville, which is a prosperous
little German town on the Madina river.
We went as far into Uvalde county as the
Sabinan Canyon, which is farming dis
trict, where they farm by ..irigating. Some
of the places have as many as six hundred
10 thousand acres in them. Outside of
the canyon sheep raising is the principal
business among the settlers; nearly all of
whom have accumulated large fortunes and
live in all the ease and comfort that peo-
pie could wish.
From the Sabinal We came up to Ban
dera, which is a fiourishing little frontier
town of three or four hundred inhabitants.
1t looks rather odd to US Washington coun-
ty boys to see everybody in this frontier
country wearing six-shooters around them
and carrying Winchestsrs with them every
where they so. We are stopping with DR..
Louis Polk, an old citizen of Washington
county, who lives sixteen miles this side OF
Bandara. in the mountains. The doctor
moved out here little more than a year
ago, to engage in the sheep business, to
which this county. Bandara. is well adaDt-
ed, as there is both water and grass in album
dance. He (the DOCTOR says it is the
healthiest country he ever saw,-that doc
tors come here and starve out and have to
move away. A good many people from
San Antonio come out here in the noun
tains every summer for their health. The
water here is splendid, coming from springs
in the sides OF the mountains. There is any
quantity of game here, such as deer, turkey,
bear and fox.
We start Monday for Blanco county;
from there we will go to Burnett and Lam
pasas, and then take bee line for home.
We are making the trip horseback and
have pack-horse to carry our provisions.
Camping out and sleeping in the open air
has proved beneficial to US all. We are
gaining weight and feeling better every day.
One OF our party, who is little on the
preach, says If We get out of funds he can
raise more; says he will so TO preaching
and pass around the missionary box"
says he Just knows how to hit them to
arouse their sympathy for the poor and
needy. Guess it will take US about four or
five weeks to make the round trip. viii
write again when We get further on the
road. W. L.