The Hartford herald., 1885-02-25
Texas Letter.


Williamson county ranks among the
most reputable in the State far the
fertility OF its soil. the beauty of its
lay out, the grandeur Of its scenery and
the number and importance Of its
towns. 1t is well watered by the San
Gabriel river and its tributaries, while
ample railroad advantages are supplied
by the International, Texas Pacific and
Austin Il Northwestern. Georgetown
is the capital, with a population of 1000,
the seat of a University under Method
ist control, beautifully situated ON the
San Gabriel and connected by short
line of ten miles of railroad with Inter-
national railroad at Round Rock, which,
also, with Taylor, Corn Hill, Liberty
Hill, CIrcleville, Gabriel Mills and Bag
dad Is town of more or less import
ance within its territory. The inhabi.
tants are healthy, hardy, active,
enterprising people, prOyerbial for
morality, temperance, education and
hospitality. We were i'm Liberty Hill
three weeks, boarding all the while on
the street, and We never saw a drunken
man nor heard protane oath; indeed,
were told that under the operations of
local prOhibitOry law not a drop of
intoxicants is sold within sixteen miles
Of this place. This il the seat of
Liberty Normal and Business College,
presided over by f. NJ. Coleman, A. NJ,
President, with between two and three
hundred pupils and four full Professor
ships, i'm a new and magnificent build
ing recently erected by large and
liberal expenditure of money, princi-
pally by the citizens of that town and
its immediate vicinity. All the other
towns above mentioned are supplied
with good schools of high grade,
evidenciug that this people are at least
fifty years in advance of our old State
in educational progress. This is, how
ever, mainly attributable to the facr
that Texas has the most munificently
endowed school system of any country
on the face of the earth. Her school
fund is now estimated at the present
value of its public lands at about S60,-
100000, which i'm the near future, if eco
nomically administered, will be worth
more than one hundred millions. We
are made tn blush for our old Common
wealth when We compare her miserable
stinty concern called school fund with
that Of this young southwestern sisi er.
Leaving Liberty Hill on the 2d of
February, on as bright day as you
ever saw in Kentucky in the middle of
sIay, We spent the night i'm Austin,
which is by far the most beautiful city
that We have yet visited i'm the State.
Next morning, taking through ticket
to Denton, three hundred miles north,
We were soon seated on train of the
Great International, and destined
that day to pass through the very heart
of Texas. Connecting with the Mis-
souri, Pacific at Taylor we glided up the
line of the Grand Prairie. which varies
in width from fifty to one hundred and
fifty miles beskirt on either side with
the upper and lower cross timber belts,
which, like the Grand Plain, runs from
southeast to the northwest across the
entire State. This run carried us
through the counties of Travis, Will
hanson, Milan, Bell, Falls. McLennan,
Hill, Johnson, Tarrant, Dallas and
Denton, passing the cities of Austin,
Round Rock, Taylor, Temple, Waco,
Hillsboro, Fort Worth, Dallas and
Denton. This was by far the graudest
days travel OF our lite. The grandeur,
extent and beauty of the landscapes
stretching to the right and left battle
all description, while the great herds
and fiocks of cattle, horses and sheep
gave variety to the passing scenery
that completely broke that monotony
that sometimes oppresses the eye in
surveying such a vast expanse ol
prairie lands. Then the numerous little
towns and villages came in to fill up
the outline like so many glittering little
stars in the clear blue vault of a moon
lit sky,
We arrived at Denton town q little
after midnight, but having dispatched
to our old friend aud relative, Ct. w.
Coleman, who resides there, that we
were coming up that night, we were
met at the train, notwithstanding the
late hour, and i'm nice new 'buss safe
ly landed at his hospitable home, where
the family We're in waiting to give us
just such a Welcome as can only be
given by those who have been away
from old Kentucky dozen years like
Wesley Coleman and family.
About a dozen miles away my second
son, II. j. Coleman, resides, in the rich
timuer belt of the lower cross tim bers,
on the property of Mr.. Gray, wealthy
planter on the Elm Fork of Trinity
river, who knows how to make a
stranger feel at home in a strange land,
aud of whom we will have something
more to say i'm our next.
j. 5. COLEMAN.