The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-01-12

and had a most excellent opportunity Of
observing how frontier town celebrates
the first day of the year. The morning was
beautiful, cool and clear. The first thing
that attracted my attention was the play
ing OF the silver band, OF the Nelly Boyd
Combination, which had taken a position
in the middle of the street, and was listened
10 by a host OF Mexicans, Indians, frontiers
men, prospectors and strangers, appa'
rently from everywhere. Alter this pei
Torrance was over the next attraction was u
tight rope" performance, by woman
dressed in tights" This drew immensely
until the time the performer had slid down
the r, pc and began Ito herr the most inter
esting part of the entertainment, viz,
passing round the hat. In less than
| half minute the large crowd had disap.
peared, mostly taking refuge in nelghbor-
| ing saloons and eating-honses. Not to be
thvarted, however, she followed with aper-
severance worthy of Il better cause, and
gathered in goodly number OF shekels,
evidently an old hand at the business. The
saloons continued to do rushing business,
and no trouble of any kind seemed to mar
the pleasures of the day. In the evening,
| in company with an old friend, whom had
not seen for many years, we visited the
opera-house. The building had recently
been used as a furniture store, and rs the
play of "Lucretia Borgia" was to be put
upon the "boards" that evening, great haste
was made to get the room in order. In the
hurry of preparation baby rocking chair
was left suspended from tine ceiling and
/ immediately over the head of the orchestra
| and in front of the dTop.curtan
which, by the way, was calico, Turkey
red figured calico. The attendance
was rather light, but the play was heavy
and the wicked "Lucretia" poisoned hei
enemies handsomely. After the perform
ance was over, we wended our way to The
hotel, where we found the youth ant
beauty of the city whirling in the "giddy
dance" The hotel bar is bonansa-tt
the house-and does very profitable busi
ness, The Office and bar were crowded
TO the right of the bar is small room tina
brings in to the shrewd proprietor the sun
Of $3.50 per annum, just $40 per day
Here the little games of faro and stud
poker are piled day and night and seatet
at the tables lin full view from the Office
YOU can find the sturdy miner, the hard.
frontiersman, the festive COW boy, the well
dressed stranger, together with u large rep
resentativc of home talent, each watching
With unilagging interest, the uncertaintie
of Dame Fortune - some irOwning u
i'll luck, while others looked child
) like and bland as they raked Il
the coveted chips. I'll Paso ha
n bright future; and is rapidly improving
Since last here, SIX months ago, q neN
street railroad CONNECTS the city wit
"Paso del Norte," having brldged the his
torical waters of the Rio Grandc. The oil
mission church, on the Mexican side, is IL
deed curiosity and well repays q visit
Ei pnso can boast of many new and elcgan
business houses, and several of the oil
firms have moved into more commodiou
quarters, having left the old "adobe" walls
A very large and imposing building, de
signed for first. class hotel, is rapidly neal
ing completion. The Southern Pacili
railroad shops and bulldingsare of the mos
substantial character and reflect credit o
) the company I'll Paso, situated as she il
. in the midst of the best mineral region
that surround her, cannot bat thrive an
prosper, and property is held at high prices
1t is hard to realize, in minglng with til
.. mixed population, that you are in TeXa
town. The Mexican can be seen whereye
you may turn, and TIE lazy, half.dressc
Indian can be seen sitting on the Sidewalk
selling pinons "a kind of Mexican pin,
NUT by the glass to his still more indoler
brother Mexican.
In my next may give you some thinl
from my trip through Arizona westward.
= J. i. J.