Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-05-27
GALVESTON
and the Wonderfully Developed Rail.
road System Of Iexas-HoW the
Gleander City"
Has ThriTeR and Grown Under the
Stimulus Of the Rapid Settlement
Of the Lone StagState.
OCCASIONAL Correspondence Of ~ ArpeaLl

GALVESTON, May 23.-Foiiowing Jay
Gould on his recent trip down into Texas,
we we're astonisned at the daring genus OF a
man who would purchase a vast system Of
railroads traversing "wilderness OF forests
or 8 WEAKNESS of pisinn containing popu-
lation so scsnt as scarcely to be observed.
How are all these expenditures to be made
profitable? Jay evidently believes they can,
and any Texan you may chance TO meet is
ready 10 indorse Jay's opinion 10 any eK-
tent. But Tex is SO vas;, and the railways
go endless in extent, that the newcomer only
slowly grasps the magnihcenceot the scheme
that is to create an empire out Of these
forests and pTaicies. Following the Iron
Mountain and the international and Great
Northern railroads Tor 500 miles, the country
seems to ne almost uubrOken forest, re-
lieved here and there by = lumber camp, or
a new looking town Unexpectedly asserting
its presence in the soiitUda OF woods. To-
ward The Cult coast the forests deepen, The
| pine and oak woods are inteTspsised win
msgpolias and water oaks, the fan pal
mettoes crop out deDsely in the moist
| places, and the tuner cal moss drapys
| the lower spreading trees. Alter passing
1 Houston the forest ceases, and The flower
| carpeted prairie is unrelieved by house or
| trees, and only exhibits life IN the myriad
flocks of grazing cattle appearing in many
hued patches on the horizon Ones fret im-
pulse on seeing Galveston is 10 wonder why
the sea stops 30 obligipgly. at Its beach in
stead of rolling through the city, which is
| apparently but three or four feet above the
sea level. Bat the contour of the sc bottom
Just of shore, which consists Of seversl shall
low bars, causes the rollers to break as they
come in, and when they reach the beach the
surf Is but loot or two in hight. Crossing
the bay or channel on trackway Of pilIug
the approach 10 the city is over several
miles Of sandy waste. "There is nothing on
Galveston island but a town and good
health" remarked one OF our party alter a
fortnighps exploration OF the locality. Nc
groves, fences, or streams; only sand and 8
city. The town is exceedingly cleanly, and
the fret thing that attracts a Memphian'.
attention is the absence OF squslid negro
shsnties; all looss cosy and neat. The
place is very appropriately called tbs
"Oleander City" Every sidewalk and mos
OF the yards are fringed with hedge oil thes'
| splendid plants, from sit to ten feet high
and now in full bloom. Roses, cape jessa
mine, and other flowers ara seen in lavist
profession on every hand, while oranges
palma, figs, palmettoes and bananas are o %
seen growing ia the yards. The beach Il
too widely known to require description, anC
, | The surf bathing is glorious. Without th
would be uncomfortable. Even at this season
if you close your Windows sleep is out OF h
question. But in the breeze ii is Away
pleasant, and the southeast trades bloS
steadily the greater part OF the day ems
; night. Galveston Is largely built OF wood
but possesses many massive bIick buildings
! several of which are highly ornameuted
They use kind OF stucco that so closely re
sembles stone as to deceive the closest oh
, server, and they certainly possess one ii hos
= rdTd dUss, an architect, whose haudiWork add
80 much to the appearance OF public build
+; ings. This remote city has he best street
= car service in he South, snd ''Eapid transit
| is very nearly at aimed IN their Ugh, ayr
: horse.oars, drawn by active little mulf
! which fast trot along on 2 singi
!. | plank in the center OF the tract
D Their trade has grown enormousi
!. in the last five years, the seasons cotton T,
9 ceipts TO date being 10000 balss, whic
!: | gives it second place in the cotton msrke
= OF the South. Their imports are about %
i. 000, 900 annually, and exports nearly $4,000
: 900, while their merchandise sales and ban
l. clearances are estimated st more than $40
n 100000 annually. This is all due to 1t
s great development OF railroads in the iutC
+ rior, and the increase of water on their bsl
i, obtained by jetLies and which will now az
v NIT vessels drawing fourteen and one-hs
Q feet. The larger vessels load lightly at tx
wharf, and going out over the bar finish the
cargo from lighters. Some of them carr
between 1000 and 5000 bales of cotton. The
quarantine system is perfection, snd we hay
nothing to fear from that direction. Ga
=. weston does not exhibit the enterprising e.
ergy of New Orleans in pushing her own i
terests, and is rather pushed ahead by ii
increasing inland trade, which is compelle
e to seek an outlet through her port. There
too much of that calm content, which hi
proved fatal to Mobile, Pens acola aud 9TH
Southern ports. l found prominent citiz;
a who argued that the railroads were not helpir
= Texas, and that the problem of Galveston
l. future was to be solved by Morgan's shallo
E. ships rather than by deep-water exit, al
Re that their bob-tail drays, with high, slend
TO wheels and carrying only three bales OF CO
ton were better than the vehicles of trans
IL used elsewhere. Fortunate it is for SUI
Is sweetly contented people that New Orlea
y ia more than 400 miles away. The health
., Galveston is excellent, and the people a
ii almost free from msl arial disorders, whit
e. are the pest OF the Southern country. III
ID women and children, though slightly suI
Drowned, are the most robust and health
looking TO be seen in the Gulf States II
- water supply is dependent entirely on CT
terms, which, like those in New Orleans, a
built above ground. They have no sew
system, and all filth is carried away at nj q
or absorbed By the thirsty sand. Altogethe
= in this city OF $4,000 people, there are man
!, evidences of prosperity and wealth TO
II seen on every hand, Notwithstanding 4
= flank movement of ST. Louis and New
= leans, whose trunk lines are concentrated
4 Houston, fifty miles to the north. But wi
= twenty-five feet water on her bsr- anoih
y great city will spring into existence on th
cool, breezy sand island, rivalipg New 0
. leans in the splsndor Of ner commercs.
BLUFF CITY