The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-12-07

; bridge, in Dallas county, by beng run
over by train or trains of cars passing over
the Texas & Pacific railway company'i
track,
| -so.-
WESTWARD WANDERINGS.
A Trip Over the Texas & Pacific Railroad
from Dallas to FL Paso-rhe Country
climate, etc.
Through the kindness OF Colonel George
o. Clinton, the able and efficient superln'
tendent of the Rio Grande division OF the
Texas & Pacific railroad, which extends
from Fort Worth to I'll Paso, a distance OF
over GOO miles. our reporter had the pleas.
IRE of taking a trip over the road and
viewing the beautiful scenery along the
route, and breathing the pure and exhilar-
,ating atmosphere of that delightful sec.
ten of country.
Colonel Clinton was appointed superin-
tendent of the division in June last, and
during his brief administration of the
affairs of the road he has put the same in
saCh fine condition that there is no other
line OF railroad in the state of equal dis
lance that will compare with that over
which he so ably and courteously otiiciates.
Travellers over that division of the Texas Il
Pacific speak in the highest praise of Col
onel Clinton and his staff of courteous
assistants, compliment richly merited by
! tutIll, anu III WulCH we hlOot nedTtlly JUL.
The country west from Fort Worth to
Baird, a distance of 140 miles, is more or
less broken, but the soil is rich and pro-
ductive, and many fine farms are seen along
the route. The Brazos river bottom IN Par
ker county is regarded as the
richest and best producing soil
in the state. A fine bridge spans the river
over which the, trains cross, with safety,
giving the traveller q splendid view Of the
|
tiful.
From Baird to Big Springs, distance 100
miles, the country is mostly prairie.
A few years since it was the
home of the buffalo and Indians,
and was regarded as vast wilderness.
Now, free farms, happy homes, and flour.
ishing towns everywhere greet the eye of
Texas IL Pacific railroad, the country has
been settled SO rapidly, and towns have
sprung into existence SO suddenly, that the
old frontiersmen can scarcely recognize that
they are now in the same land and amid the
same vast rolling prairles where few years
ago they hunted buffalo and fought the no.
bic (D red man. Truly we can eIcaim:
Westward the star of empire takes its way"
Baird, in Callahan county; Abilene, in
Taylor county; Sweetwater, in Nolan
county, Colorado City, in Mitchell county,
and Big Springs, the county seat of Howard
county are all hourishing towns of from
| 1000 to $500 inhabitants. The merchants
and business men of these places are among
the shrewdest and wisest in the state. They
evince an enterprise in their business trans
actions that people in older towns and
cities in Texas would do well to initiate.
Churches and school-houses are seen
in all the principal towns, thus
showing an advanced state of civilization
which is seldom met with in newly set
tied country.
The stock business is one of the chief in
dustries of the country. Thousands of cat
tie and sheep are raised and sold to pur-
chasers from northern and eastern cities.
They sell at good prices, and the business
is very profitable The amount of money
realized annually by the sale of stock in the
western portion of the state is almost be-
yond computation. Persons with capital
TO invest cannot put it into safer or more
remunerative business than that of raising
sheep or cattle.
Big Springs is one of the prettiest and
hest located towns on the road. Besides
heirC the county seat of Howard county,
IL Is the headquarters of the railroad COM
n,uy for the Rio Grande division. 1t is
s,'up'ed about half wav between Fort
N,r . md ~ Paso. The company has
erected large and commodious hotel,
,ueI. trs,ns stop for meals. 1t is kept by
N i,r Stocking, and has and richly de-
ry.s, the reputation of being one Of the
h.st hotels in the state, Colonel Clinton
has err cf.d fine offices for himself and as
>is,anis and S building residence which |
=, II Il b." iirst.class anywhere. The town |
-sru' f.w months old aud now contains !
about ! Coz inhabitants, which are rapidly |
ircreasing. The company has |
round.uouse located at this point
strcn employs from rs TO 100
,ner. The t0gn is supplied with good |
vat, from the famous Big Spring, which |
Is situated two miles distant. The railroad |
company hes put in water-pipes, through |
which the water is forced to all parts OF the |
town by means of a small engine situated at |
the spring. DR.. Standifer and his accom-
plished wife; George Bower, Justice Ed
dings and other Dallastes are now prosper
Gus citizens OF the new town:
From Big Springs to El Paso-distance |
346 miles-the country is one vast rolling |
prairie. In our school-boy days we were |
taught TO believe that II composed rortion |
can desert" The wheels Of time have |
changed the nature of events, and to-day |
we find the country abundantly supplied |
with fine. nutritious grass, with vast herds |
of cattle, buffalo and antelope living and |
growing fat" in what was once regarded as
q desert. In many places the railroad COM |
pany has established experimental farms,
etc, are grown 10 perfection. As a wheat |
growing region, western Texas viii, in
few years. excel the fertile plains OF Iowa
and Dakota.
Along the route from Big Springs to |
Sierra Blanca mountains, many salt
lakes and mineral springs are found. many |
Of them possessing tine medicinal proper
ties. The country is many hundred feet |
above the sea level, and the atmosphere Is |
30 pure and bracing that it is said fresh |
meat will cure by being hung. mp IN the
sunshine. What grand paradise Il would |
be for invalids and persons in falling |
health The people Of Dallas little know |
u. v..t grand them. hss one visiting fsGu
western Texas il forcibly reminded Of what
litN. be knows and how much there is 70 /
Be learned about our great state
The business Of Dallas is, and must be, /
westward alongfhe line oftbe Texas& Pacific |
railroad. Already our wholesale merchants
are selling goods in New Meuco, Arizona
and Chihuahua WOuldt not De vel lor our
business men 20 ret up an excursion out 1
wesf- and cultivnfe the acquaintance Of the
people in that sectionf A slight effort on
The part Of our business men would secure
= rirh and permanent trace 20 our city
from the rast country west OF
M Ae q move In that direction,
Il sho-ld be CIR efEerf 20 get the kio Grande
coIsnei Clinton would soon become favor
10 With our rnerchants. D. be "a VIII The
r-opis Of F0rt worth, and gOod results
rruld fo1lOu. He has feE equals ard no
uune-ior in Teras e. q rniirusd manager.
~ could us but ref him irff-esied in Cur /
r-rrine CIV b. hnvinr bis rirlslDn f-rfni-
80 49, Il would bring fr rr-e r-clle Ms
bnrirrrs fhat Il nv done e. Fer NO-tt-
II cc--l-si1n. ~ RI 80 - ..lllll f1t1-yn
Il n ~ fhat the Dnlas DEil7 tfftIn a
he lendinrre IN re rs. 50 /, oousnt