Weekly Phoenix herald., 1885-03-19
MORE TEXAN TOUCHES.
By Our Travelling Correspondent Over the LIanos EstacadOs

beauties Of Louisiana ana the
 Crescent City. left y our readers at
 Abilene, where you seem to realize
 the commencement of eastern quiet
 ness and surroundings, in contrast
 with the younger and more vigorous
 West. This feeling is heightened at
 Weatherford, which might be New
 England town, so different IS 1t 10
 the farther west. They are building
 here a grand new courthouse, hows
 ever, which will be Historically
 honored by memorial stones in a
 short time. In this western Texas
 life one is especially struck with the
 rage for good courthsuses. Whether
 1t comes from the strong desire of the
 Texans to show that they are a
 law abiding people, CT whether
 necessity is the mother" of these
 law temples, or whether the authorl-
 ties merely want to make good jobs
 for officials and builders, as some
 people rather maliciously assert,
 certain it is that every little threes year-old town in Western Texas has its handsome stone courthouse in the center. Saloons first, then court house, then opera house and church, and so the towns grow up. The town of Sweetwater has a notoriety
 for shooting scrapes, but it's inhabi~ tants assert that It is not their own
 people but COW boys from a distance who choose thIs pleasant village
 for settling their disputes. A sur vey of this cattle country convinces one that Arlzona is far from being the most lawless and rowdy portion of the west. Indeed, the writer is of opinion that Arizona, especially tho Salt River portion, can vie with any of the newer and most of the older lands in responsibility anG 9uietness. It is against lhe Texas laws to carry weapons. but most people | seem to think that law, like many | others, is more honored Tn the breach than the observance. Nearly 1 every man carries pistol and from the Texas Pacific trains they use them on the vast herds of antelope and deer which aloud on every side. This feature of the journey makes the ride very interesting, l mean the game that abounds not the shooting at them, and for prarie dcg villages, they seem to be the most numerous and active of aught upon the line. It is a great pity these little fellows are not gamey or they would furnish many delicIous meals and be a source cf income. As they are only Fermine though, they have to be ex- and advertisements tor heir destruction constantly appear n the papers.
 The Lone Star State is not eDjoy> ng the fullest prosperity just now. The blizzards and the cold blasts rom Colorado have killed of many | ,attle which are lying dead all along he railroad track while many have west from Colorado City | as far as the Pecos rlver near Fl Paso. An observation of this tends agaIn to make one more thankful | for the mild and equable Arizona climate and to convince one of our own advantages as cattle country. | Some pessimists in Texas assert that such dull times have not been known here since 1861. In Dallas they had big rejoicings over Cleveland's in- and seemed to autici> pate better times and every other good thing from a Democratic ad- Let us hope they will lot be disappointed.
 Fort Worth and Dallas as you know are lively towns at all times md are among the most prosperous portions of the Slate.
 After crossing the boundary line nto Louisiana you are soon in diff 'erent country, experiencing a semi ropical climate, and witnessing the .ank and luxuriant vegetation of the iwamps Swamps. Swampsl! Swampsl!l What paradise for makes and ailigators it must bel In February, and it is not quite sunny nough to uncongeal and tempt these eptiles out, but later on they bask lpon the logs and twiDe themselves lround the tree trunks to their hear; q .ontent.
 To the artistic eye these swamps 'ossess even now a beauty of their
 wn. The moss hangs in graceful from the tree tops, the reepers tntwine themselves 1 round the branches; breaks in veg tation reveal luxurious lawns of
 alms and cacti, while even at this eason some of the shrubs are glitter- ng with their bright red berries and .ivlng promise of summer foliage ich in every color of the rainbow.
 Then you pass through many su- ,ar plantations and small villages f few whites and many negroes. lou see the colored men and women in the fields and by the title streams and ponds, the negres- es with rod and line fishing fol heir supper. These little towns ( oweyer, are surrounded by the wamps and one can reallze the diff $ culty experienced and expense in- urred in running the railroad trough them. One can also reak < ze how hard it was in slavery times {
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