Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-03-21
CHE FREEMAN.
MONTPELIER VT.
Letter from Texas.
PALESTINE, TEXAS. March lst 'S3.

PALESTINE, TEXAS. March lst 'S3.
DEAR Mr.. EDITORIALS / see the farm
ers busily engaged putting in their crops
notice that gardens are already made an'
see the peach trees in full bloom | cal
hardly realize how different the scene mus
be in Vermont. Spring has opened lateI
than usual. 1t has been an unusual winter
and the 'northers' have been very severe
Eastern Texas is much like Louisiana the
surface of the country being covered to 8
great extent with vasts forests of pine. oal
cypress etc. From Longview to Palestine
the International & Great Northern Il. X
crosses the fruit belt of the state. Palestine
the headquarters of the l q e. N X. II.
is an enterprsing town of between foul
and five thousand inhabitants. Going west
on the above road the scene does not
change much until we reach the vicinity
of TAYLOR in Williamson county. The
timber disappears there and we pass
through an open, rolling prairie country,
though covered to some extent with mes
quite and cactus or prickly pears. Taylor
is admirably situated at the junction of the
Missouri Pacific r. r. with the l. e. G. N,
r. r. This town has had quite boom in
the last year; town lots having doubled
and trebled in value in a short time. The
soil is much different from the country
previously described. In the timbered
country the soil is of sandy nature, but
here it is black and waxy and during the
rainy season the mud is terrible, and as a
person remarked: zone might carry off a
small business lot on his feet if he had any
where to put it." Passing on we reach
Austin, the state capital, a beautiful city,
situated on the Colorado river. new
capitol building, of which any state might
be proud, is in course of construction
The surface of the country is somewhat
broken and hlly in the vicinity of the
latter city. Crossing the Colorado river,
we enter the cotton belt; broad fields stretch
away as far as the eye Gun reach covered
with the fleecy staple. Hurrying on we
pass San Mascos, a fine city, situated on
river of the same name, thence to New
Braunfes, thriving German town. Pass
inc swiftly on we arrive at San Antonio,
the great winter resort for northern
people. From San Antonio 10 the Rio
Grande is u wild frontier country. The
rail road has been completed about year
through this section; already towns Of
considerable size have sprung up along
its line. This vast region is, to certain
extent covered with mesquite, chaparral
and cactus and is divided into immence
stock ranches; game is abundant; it is no
uncommon sight to see deer, wolves, wild
turkeys, ETC., from the car window. At
one place l saw a detachment of U. S.,
cavalry on the trail of some Indians
Mexican Lapans. who had been murder
ing stockmen. Passing on we arrive at
last at Leredo, on the Rio Grande, the
present terminus of the |. & G. N. R. r i,
though it is expected the road will soon
b. pushed forward to the city Of Mexico
Until the advent of the rail road, Leredo
was almost exclusively Ea Mexican town.
Its population, sof about eight thousand,
consists mainly of Spaniards and Mexi
Guns, though considerable numbers of
Americans are moving to the place. 1t is
situated about one hundred miles farther
south than the mouth of the Mississippi
river, has dry healthy climate and is the
starting point of the Mexican National
rail road, which is already constructed
beyond Monterey on its way to the
Mexican capital. New Leredo on the
Mexican side of the river is place where
seve hundred Mexican troops are quar-
tered. They receive a bit and half
QS 3-4 cents) per day, and, according to
the estimate of some of our regular
soldiers, their soldierly qualities are in
proportion to their pay.
The streets of New Leredo are most
of them very narrow and many of them
very filthy, but there is one pleasant fea-
ture which is to be found in every true
Mexican town, that of the open playa
The buildings are built principally Of
adobes. The Mexicans with their broad
brimmed hats and wearing gay blankets
over their shoulders, present a striking
contrast to Americans.
Hoping TO make more extended visit
at some future time to the land of the
Aztecs, remain
Yours, etc. T. d. II