The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1881-02-17

Their Reception ~ the Board or Trade
impressions OF Texas, etc.

The Indiana excursionist arrived in this
city via the Texas OeDtral road Sunday
night and took rooms at the Grand WindsO
hotel They numbered twelve in III, ard
they came to Texas on pros
pecting tour, with view OF invest !
ing largely in lands. They hail
ON Shelbyville and Edinburgh, Indiana,
Mr.. Isham Wray who has visited this state
several times before, and who proposes to
locate within its borders, is the guide of the |
prospectus and it was mainly through his |
representations that they have taken the trip. |
They are, with but one or two exceptions,
farmers who are well fixed in this life, and |
are very intelligent, practicable and sffa-
bio set of gentlemen. AT IL o'clock re-
c, ption was given them by the board of |
trade at their room. There were number
of aldermen present. President McEnnis, of
the board, introduced Col. w. L, Crawford,
who made the following eloquent speech of
welcome:
Mr.. Crawford said that though the call
made upon him to welcome the visitors pres
ent to the hospitality of the city and state
was unexpected to him, he undertook it with
| a pleasure which he rarely experienced. He
| gladly undertook the task of giving to stra@
| gers to the state the resources Of the grandest
of all empires for Texas was such, and was
proud at all times to relieve her of the stig-
mas cast upon her by spirit which had ig-
noraDce for its father and sensation for It's
mother. He said that the rough arms which
wreste3 the state of Texas from Mexico
were backed by craftsmanship as stroDg as
those arms and rs sturdy % the splfits
which met death ct Goliad, and courtea mrs
sacre of the Alamo; that craftsmanship had
three prominent ideas, railroad system, II
perfect school system, which together would
result in good immigration and the rapid
development of the state into
that condition which by climate,
soil and other advantages would
bring her where Providence intended she
should be, the first and foremost among the
sisterhood of states. Fifty thousand acres OF
the public domain had been given to the es-
Establishment of u state university. The sues
cessors of these grand old men, faithful to
the trust handed Gown TO them, kept watch
over that interest, which that magnfcenE
donation was Intended to subserve. Sixteen
sections of land to the mile was offered to
every railroad which built line ia the state.
The railroads had availed themselves Of this
princely donation. Each section which they
thus obtained had by its side section which
was donated to the bringing about Of hgcer
civilization by the education of every mans
child now in the state or TO come TO the state.
This was what no state, no country could
boast of. In the face OF this, too, rep lrts
were believed that the people of Texas had
not desire TO 90 forward.
Mr.. Crawford then touched on the agricul
tural and mineral resources OF tho state. dc
: IL, I'D dohI
ped, the grain of all kinds raised, and chal
mineral wealth he told of horse shoes being
made during the war from the raw iron
found in Llano county, and of the deep veins
of copper which slept under few feet of soil
in the Wichita country.
Colonel Wray responded in most
happy manner il behalf of the exeursiouists
thanking the board of trade and citizens OF
Dallas for the hearty welcome that mad been
accorded them, and said that he fully en-
do-sed what Colonel Crawford had said in
his speech from personal observation.
Mr.. Wray was followed by Mr.. Daugherty,
real estate agent Of this city, who spoke OF
the advantages OF Texas as an agricultural
county.
Messrs. ]. L. Carson and J. L. Williams,
of the excursion party, and President McEn-
mis-, of the board of trade, all maze epeecDes'
They came here via New Orleans and leave
this morning for tho terminus OF the
Texas & Pacific ROAD, and will
visit of the western unties before their re-
turn home. Some of them will settle here
in person and Others will purchase lands foi
their children. The following are the uamei
Of the party: Colonel Wray, j. l.. Carson
Jefferson Ebenhsrt, John ) Toner, Johi
, Patterson, J. n. Posey, John NJ. Drake anC
: Gilbert Phillips, If Shelbyville, and Jaspel
Pruitt, John Williams, Claiborne William
, and Alexander Pruitt, from Edinburgh
! Indiana.
At the close of the speeches Mr.. q. c. Ste
? phenson, the,secreiary Of the b2erd OF trade
: presented 10 the name of MeNrs Mason
Erb, staiioners, each one of tho excursions
with copy of Burkes, Texas aimsnsc, an
. they were more thar glad 70 get such an ca
cellent guide 10 the Lone Star state.