Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-07-29

keep them through the winter, an,
the fine grazing they have upon th
J commons. This business of stool
raising, however, taken alone bN
] itself, is regarded as the best paying
business in Texas, and from all tha
i could learn in regard to ii, it is al
} immense business there, havin,
many millions of capital invested
in it. In nearly all portions of tn,
State, that is suitable for the pur
pose, millions of horses, cattle, anC
sheep, that have never known feeC
except that furnished by bountifu
nature, unaided by the help OF man
fat and in good condition, may b'
seen roaming at will feeding upor
the fresh nutritious grasses, grow
ing spontaneously throughout the
vast and extensive praries.
Although the sheep business il
but in its infamacy, the crop o.
wool for the present season is esti
mated at 81 500, 600, whilst the crop
of cattle is largely in excess of this
but how much is not known. Hor.
seS and cattle are branded and al.
lowed to run at will, whilst sheep
in herds of from 1000 to 1000, is
constantly attended by a herder.
THE TOWNS AND CITIES OF TEXAS,
With some few exceptions, are as a
general rule i'm good condition, and
many of them increasing rapidly
in size, and population. Galveston
the principal importing, and seaport
town of the State with its $4,000
population, is the largest, and said
to be, the wealthiest. Houston, with
its many railroads has considerable
wealth and about $4,000 people.
SAM Antonia, with its meandering,
beautiful river, of the same name,
running through nearly every por-
ton of the city, its world renowned
Alamo, where Travis and Crockett,
and their spartan band, surrendered
only to death, its noted San Pedro
Springs, its canals for irrigation, its
shady groves, its old fashion plazas,
and ancient buildings, is certainly
the most interesting city of Texas,
if not of the United States. The
u. S. Government has here depot
of supplies, with substantial bar
racks and buildings for officers.
The city has improved very rapidly
in the last few years, and its popu-
lation is estimated at about 25, 900.
Austin, the capital city of the State,
is handsomely situated upon the
banks of the Colorado river, amidst
its many hills, has new capitol
building in the course of erection,
it claims about 5000, population,
and in time will be one of the most
beautiful and probably the most
wealthy State capital in the Union.
Dallas is quite f1Ourishing city,
surrounded by fine agricultural
region, and claims population of
from $4,000 to 10000. Waco, on
the Brazos river, is a compact, well
built city, located in one of the best
agricultural regions of Texas, and
claims a population OF 10000. Fort
Worth has grown from about 1000,
10 years ago, to 10000, at this time.
Besides the cities named, there are
a considerable number, ranging in
population from 1000, to 5000 and
quite a large number from 1000 to
1000, besides a great many villages
with population less than 1 900. AS
some proof of the States rapid in
crease in population, l will state
that there are considerable num-
Der of towns, and villages, having
from 300 to 1000 people, whose exis-
tence were not even thought of less
than ten years ago! On the other
hand, there are some of the older
towns that have gained but little in
the way of improvements, or popu-
I - hn
probably few, whose business has
been drawn by railroads TO more
favored localities, have declined.
The mercantile business of Texas
is much more extensive than many
would suppose. / visited and in
spected business houses, and stocks,
that fully equaled any that have
ever seen outside of New York or
Philadelphia. Even i'm the smaller
towns and villages | visited stores
with very extensive stocks for the
retail trade, of almost every variety
of goods, some of which were very
fine and expensive.
Coffee, tobacco and whisky are
three items of merchandise that are
very extensively used, and cOnse-
1t is not unusual to find in ordi-
nary country stores from 10 to 20
sacks of coffee and from 8to IL boxes
of manufactured tobacco, with
proportionate amount of cigars and
smoking tobacco. Coffee is used
three times per day, and by many
without either sugar or milk.
Whiskey is sold almost exclusively
by saloons, of which there are
large number in the various towns
and villages of the State, many of
which are arranged in magnificent
style. The privilege tax for State,
county and city upon saloons, is
from 800 to $3.50 per year-tipon
bowling alleys the State tax is
81 900, the county having the right
to charge one half that amount. In
one city of 10000 people, | was in
formed that there were 80 saloons
which paid an annual tax of about
$4,000. was in this city several
days and did not see drunken per-
son, and only two or three during
my visit to the State.
The railroad system of Texas is
rapidly becoming complete. They
are either in operation, being
built, or projected through nearly
all portions OF the State. They have
now direct communication with
New Orleans, the Pacific coast, and
the various northern cities and as
lines are already penetrating Mexi-
can soil in that direction we may
very soon expect to have the an
cient and wOrld-renOwned city of
the MOnteZumas bound by bands
OF iron to the great Republic OF the
United States.
AS a general thing the railroads
are in good condition, with equip
ments equal TO those of the older
States, many of them having splen-
di.i parlOr, dining room, and sleep
ing ears attached to through trains.
The fare has heretofore been 8 cents
per mile, but by late act of the
Legislature, to take effect in July of
the present year, 1t has been re
duced to three cents. 80.
FARM IMPROVEMENTS.
Whilst some of the farms are
finely improved, having all necessa-
ry cOnveniences, "a large majority
of them have very ordinary i'm
provements. The usual farm house
is light frame work with plank
nailed on box, or barn style, COW
cred with shingles or boards, hav-
ing one room 16 or l8 feet square, u
shed in front, and a shed room back