The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1885-05-13
On the Plains.

On the Plains.
Editor herald:
ALvoRD, Ten April 25, 1885.
When last we penned the readers of
our favored HERALD, We had only
reached Houston, but after having sat-
isfied ourself of the Importance of this
grand old city, we boarded the l. & G..
N. railway for Galveston, and after a
run Of flhy-three miles down gradual
sloping track through one of the most
picturesque countries to be seen In the
South, passing through ranches con-
tanning $4,000 acres Of land owned by
one man and extending as far as you
can see on either side and reaching
twenty miles along the railroad track;
and just as we hove in sight of this
southern "Belle" among the cities Of
the South, We were struck with the
grandeur Of the situation to the left,
As far out as the eye could reach, could
only here and there the twinkling
glimmer Of beacon be seen, pointing
out to the struggling seaman the dan.
gers to be avoided to the right, and at
distance Of about thirty miles as we
were informed by the gentlemanly
conductor OF our train, could be seen
the largest light, which we learned was
a "ranch beacon" that lit up the prem
Uses of the largest stock ranch In South
ern Texas. After crossing the Galveston
Bay, which is three miles wide, we
pulled into our depot. We were shown
to the Washington House, where we
were safely stored away for good
nights rest; but, no sooner had the
morning begun to wane, than We found
ourself wandering over this sandy city,
30 called because 1t Is built upon a
sandy plane only few feet above the
sea, and As often as once or twice, we
are informed, the water has reached a
depth Of from three to five feet in the
city-the result OF heavy storms at sea.
The most important place we visited
was the Galveston Ne,gs building. We
had the pleasure Of forming q very
agreeable acquaintance with one of the
editors, and he made it pleasant for Us
by showing us through this, the finest
and most superb news office in the
South. And last, but not least, we
visited the Beach Hotel, Skating Pa
wilton, &c, which Is unsurpassed as n
resort this side Of Long Branch.
We next boarded the Gulf Coast and
Santa Fe railway for Rosenberg, thence
to Austin, arriving there Sunday even
ing, the 18th. We stopped at the Avenue
Hotel, on Congress Avenue, the pret-
test street IN the city. Austin is one
of the cleanest, incest cities we visited,
and is noted at present for having i'm
process of erection the largest and
most costly State House in the United
States. We made the acquaintance of
the contractor, who informed US that
its dimensions were 500 by 800 feet, her
dome Is to be three hundred and seven-
teen feet high, and the contemplated
cost Is to be ten million dollars, but its
completion IL Indemnity postponed as
the contractors have submitted the
contract after having pulled the State
for three thousand dollars. 1t Is being
built of solid granite and marble. The
granite Is from Texas quarry. This
shows that the Lone Star State Dos
sesses no little advantage in the way of
fine building stone. About the only
question of importance being agitated
in Austin was between the Legislators
and cattle dealers over what is termed
Free Grass" After a day or two In
the Capital, We resumed our journey
northward, passing through the varied
scenes incident to this part of the State,
and which to be seen are only to be ap.
preciated. Covered with flowers of every
shade, with grass waving in the dis
lance, one Is only bewildered with the
ever pleasing gaze, but is tired out with
beauty when his view is INSTRUCTED by
the distant horizon, and he Is vexed
because he cannot see more of this
heaven blessed district.
Stopping at Waco we are impressed
with her desire of being ranked AS one
of the leading cities of the State, hut
on we wander to the elevated plane,
upon which is planted, and around
which is clustered the most energetic,
the most progressive citizens to be found
in Texas. This is none other than
the city of Fit. Worth. She is a city of
thirty thousand, enjoying large whole
sale trade, and is known as being the
general supply depot of Northwest
Texas, by the way of the Fit. Worth &
Denver City railroad, which has only
reached to Wichita Fslls-a distance Of
one hundred and fourteen miles to
Northwest, but which Is now being
completed on to the golden city of the
mountains. When we left Galveston,
corn was one foot high, stra wberries
and garden vegetables were quite
plenty. Here we find corn only two
or three inches high and cotton just
being planted. We stopped of at De-
catur and secured us pony of Mustang
specie. Our saddles cost thirty-five
dollars and our ponies were valued at
from twenty-five to thirty dollars
thus you see that the pride of Texan
is swallowed up In saddle, and Is 50
overwhelmingly great, at times it is
found that the cost of a saddle exceeds
the price Of two ponies, and thus it goes.
Twelve dollars is q common price for a
good "Stetson" hat, and they are