The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-06-19

is almost equal to Parian marble. The
fronts of the public buildings, and ot
many OF the stores and private resi-
denceS are polished, and carved into
most artistic figures, which gives tC
the whole an air of grandeur truly
magnificent. There are MANY palatiaI
residences here, and in wealth and re
lint ment the city reminds me of Rich.
mond as it was before the war: but IN
every feature of beauty Austin far
SurpaSseS the Virginia capital in lis
paimlest days. The new capitol build
ing, which is now in process of cree
ton by a Chicago company, was by
the contract to cost a million and a
half dollars, but it will probably cost
the state much more before it is fin
lshed. 1t was begun two wears since
and the chief architect informed me
that IL will take five more wears for
its completion. 1t will be, next to the
capitol at Washington, the most mag
niticent and costly building in Amer
lea. The machinery and tackle for
lifting the huge granite boulders into
position resemble small harbor full
of shipping. Another Chicago COM
pany has contracted to erect a new
hotel on the Avenue at a cost of two
hundren and fifty thousand dollars.
1t will be five stories high and will be
furnished with the most elegant ap-
pliances.
Ihaye met with nothing but the
most polished kindness and courtesy.
The society of Austin is elegant.
The splendid churches and school
buildings indicate the refinement of
the people, and, as in all truly wealthy
and refined communities, intelligence
and talent are priced above all things
else. Skill in any respect is in de-
nSand; and in all the professions. and
in every line of business, the truly
meritorious are prosperous and gener-
ally wealthy. Professor White is
needed here to lavish his architectural
Skill upon these stones. John Franks
and John Frenkel would make lead
ing merchants of this country. Pig
Cromwell would be the most populor
man in town, and Fred Beall would
soon acquire fortune. His steady,
vigorous application would attract an
attention that would bring him a
large practice; and one big land case
here would pay more than the entire
pracrice of West Point pays in year.
A lawyer showed me here yesterday
the brief he had just published in a |
suit for the recovery of forty-three |
thousand acres. upon the ground of |
fraud, in Mexican civil law grant,
nearly fifty years ago.
Austin brings to mind, also, the old |
Virginia hospitality. The governor
received me in the most kindly man.
ner. Hesubscribed thirty dollars to my
Texas work. This subscription was
followed by all the judges of the su-
preme and appellate courts, now in
session here, and by the leading men,
bers of the Austin bar.
The city is remarkably healthy. An
air of cleanliness and Salubrity per-
vades every feature, and 1 never
saw more robust and finer looking
men than may be seen here. There
seems to be more young men here
than I ever saw in
any population, and have been struck
With their handsome appearance and
With their dignified and courteous
manners. 1
The ladies are rosy, graceful and
pretty, and | have never seen so many
blondes in all NY life, 1 don't believe
have seen twenty black haired ladies ,
lere. Do they all bleach? They are
splendid riders, and it seems to me !
hat nearly all of them have nice We !
licles of their own. At any rate they |
10 nearly all the driving, and man [
'arely rides with them. If he does |
he lady always drives. They throng
he Avenue with their gay turnouts,
Ind with flying speed wire their way ;
through the crowded streets as If their
ponies were guided by magic wand,
while the darts that twang from their
luivered chariots leave Pheatonic j
wreck of hearts behind. If Professor ;
Whites brother could see them he !
would never stretch his arms over a
West Point team again, and DR.. Heard
would never teach another rooster
low to raise young chickens. He
would want to take hand himself.
1t occurs to me in conclusion, that .
n view of so many handsome and
young men, if there were
about five hundred more young ladies .
here, such as Bell Smither, Ida
Howarth, and Hattie Croker, what a
mutual harvest there would soon be in
,he matrimonial field. But L have al ,
'eady drawn out this letter perhaps
100 long for patience, and surely too !
ong for interest. 1 will therefore
close with an expression of my best
wishes. Resptfully,
JAMES ID LYNCH |