The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1883-07-09
LETTER FROM RIO eRANDE CITY.
Heavy Rains and Delayed Stages, "Rancho
Davis" and Fort Ringgold, Alleged
Cause of Haynes, Removal,
Cnnnn ETC

Camargo, Etc.
RIO GRANDE CITY. July q. 1885,
"Ol sweet the breath of dewy morn,
"when it rains.
"Yct superlne cXtatic bliss"
Is travelling on a stage 10 Southwest Texas
l left Pena station on Saturday at 4 p. m, on
the United States mail Il came near saying
slelmer) st,ee for Rio Grande City, a du
lance OF so miles. During the first half oil
the voyage everything went agreeably; beat
ing rain had hardened the road over the ex-
tensive sand plains, until coming to "Casa
Verde" misnomer, for it should have been
called mud ranch, where an extensive rain
had fallen and made the balance Of the road,
some IS miles, nearly impossible, in conse =
quence Of which broken down stage caused
10 hours delay in the woods, and night
camp in driving RAIN within sight of Rio
Grande City. Next day by a circuitous
route 10 point at Saien's ranch, whe few
Mexicans had improvised a rude ferry by
means Of a still ruler skif, mail, passengers
and baggage were transferred to this side OF
the creek, thus again verifying the German
proverb "Aus den regen in die traufe." How
ever arriving after all these hardships at tn e
congenial and hospitable mansion Of Mrs.
Miller we soon forget thirst, hunger and all
troubles over bountiful repast.
Rio Grande City is called by the Mexicans
Rancho Davis, in honor of its first settler,
General II. Clay Davis, in 1876, in memory
of which event an ebony tree, surrounded by
a concrete fence and seats, on the bank of the
Rio Grande, is kept in fine state Of preser-
walton, where that pioneer of civilization first
camped. Mr.. Davis was one of natures no.
blemen, native of Kentucky, man of fine
impulses, generous and kind hearted to
fault.
His untimely death was the result OF the
capsizing of an open ambulance, in which he
had embarked with a number of officers from
the adjoining garrison, Ringgod barracks,
and the accidental discharge of both loads Of
a double-barrelled shot gun into his side,
which caused death soon after. Those who
we're present during the last moments of the
hero of many Indian fights, the brave soldier
and friend will testify that but few men can
look death in the face with grander resgna.
ton and Drawer to the end than did II. Clay
Davis in December, 1866.
The town itself has had many improve
ments, one Catholic and one Methodist
church, both structures of brick, besides many
other fine buildings. The occasional arrival
Of a steamboat from Brownsville in
enupts the otherwise even monoto-
ny Of every day life while mercantile
matters which, during the war and immediate
y after, had grown to great extent betwee
ere and Camargo, have gone to their former
nsigni6cance.
The frontier post, Ringgold barracks, is at
present guarded by three companies of inian-
try and one company of cavalry, under the
mmlnd of Major Ofley. All the buildings
except few Of the primitive ante-belum
frame house structures are of brick and con-
tain all The conveniences and modern i'm
provements usually found in the forts and
frontier posts Of Uncle Sam.
To-day, the Fourth of July, every building
in the garrison is lastelully decorated with
United States flags and garlands, while the
young American or small boy with toy pistol
and fire crackers is unknown in this region.
1t is now learned from an authority, the
veracity of which is undoubied, that the cause
of Haynes removal from the Brownsville Gus
tom house is owing to the dismissal of a man
from the force Of mounted inspectors who is
the son of one Of the Commissioners of the
Treasury, and who was dismissed from the
army for sgraceiul conduct and theo sent
by his father to Colonel Haynes with a re-
quest to give him employment, which request
as complied with, and he was made a
mounted inspector, stationed at Edinburgh, in
Hidalgo county, where the Deputy Collector
is also postmaster.
The several Inspectors have received their
months pay in The form Of check, which
they send in a registered letter to their res
pective families in care Of a merchant at
Brownsville, from the Edinburgh postoffice,
and recent remitances in that manner never
arrived and in consequence of the loss, the
cause Of which remained unexplained pay.
ment was stopped by kilograms to the res
pective sub treasursr;. Then the checks
turned up in Florida, where the long fingered
son Of the Commissioner had sent them TO his
wife. The denouement came, and il is sid
that Mr.. Haynes sent the man away, but also
paid all his debts and did everything to keep
the matter hushed up; this, however, C, nd not
be done and. hence has become, it
is cltimed by the friends Of HAYNES.
the chief cause of his removal.
Haynes, it IS said, has many friends, and it is