Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-07-02
. PLEASANT LETTER FROM TEXAS.

DALLAS. TEXAS. june 81, ISL.
EDITOR INTELLIGENCER:-We arrived here
safely in the land of the ''lOng-horns" on the
I'D inst, after a pleasant but dusty trip. Mr..
Gus. Hearle Travelled with us from Ssdalia to
Dennison. Miss Emma VIckars. from Clinton
to NlOntrose, Mo-, and our train was boarded in
the night by Henry l. Haynes. who got on ut
his present home, Stringtown, l.. I. We Were
asleep and did not see MIR. Haynes, much to our
regret.
Texas is a fine country, and is progressing
wonderfully; everything indicates that. The
wheat crop about here is fair only. the corn Is
suffering for want of rain, and other crops also;
this being about the fifth week since the last
rain. They have here all the vegetables and
fruits OF midsummer, including melons. which
1 believe come from Galveston. The thermome.
ter rises every day to s5 degrees in the shade and
even higher IN the business part of the city, but
the nights are made pleasant by. the ''gulf
breeze" SO that we do not suffer from the heat
rs we anticipated.
Dallas is q handsome city, with evidence OF
thrift, and business enterprise on every hand. The
population Of the city and suburbs is about
~, 600; and the public wants are supplied with
the usual facilities of street-railrOads, gas and
water works. The city is from 3 to 81 miles
ACROSS in every direction, and from the dome of
the very costly new stone courthouse u very
fine view is had OF the entire city and surround
ings with the valley Of the Trinity river. A
great number of very elegant and tasteful nrl-
vate residences adorn the city, and the business
houses are generally fine and commOdious, the
principal one. that Of Sanger Bros, being
equal in size and appointments to almost any,
thing IN st. Louis. =
There are several daily papers, the leading one
being the ''Herald, - which was established in
1919, the senior proprietor of which is p. S.
Pfouts. renewed my acquaintance with an
old mountain friend, Maj. Elliott, the editor-in-
chief Of the Herald" He is a fine writer and
an elegant and entertaining speaker, while Mr..
Sterritt. of the ''TImes, - is II regular ''brick. -
Mr.. McIlhany has built up the Dallas Female
College to D frst-cIass institution. and his clos
ing exercises rank with any of ours. He only
gives the college up because he has not the
means to carry the debt on the building which
must be repaired. Mr.. Smith, his successor.
has the needful and will carry on the institution.
Dallas parts with Mr.. McIlhaney with reluc-
lance.
The bar numbers from 80 to 100 lawyers, and
as three courts are now in session, the leading
ones are busily engaged. 1 have met a number,
including Col. Crawford, Jno. p. Ardinger,
"hA oeiieAS WHooc pnueS eSSapc Lhep NHOHu 1
found to be elegant and anable gentlemen. 1
also net here Capt. Gus. Webb, who has lost
some Of his portliness, and also the Captains
father-in-law, MIR. Prather. who is just recev-
eiing from a dangerous spell of sickness; and
by the way that reminds me that the country
does not impress me as being healthfui. l an,
told that Dallas now averages ) or funerals.
per day, which is a heavy per centage of NOR
talIty. Low fevers. tux, dysentery and spinal
meningitis, seem to be the prevailing dis eases.
This is, as have said a good country; it is
lourishing, and We have found the people to be
uniformly kind. courteous and hospitable. in
deed with us it has been lavish. and we can never
forget our pleasant Dallas Fl lends; but my opln-
ion is still unchanged that after seeing now near
ly every portion of our country, Missouri is its
empire state, and Lafayette county its garden.
spot. We start home Tomorrow.
Hastily YOURS. g.