San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1886-03-25

common 10 TO the country without
irrigating. Good farming lands, wei
, improved, not influenced by town o,
city, arc worth generally from 800
to 5000 per acre, There are many
portions of the state, both north and
south of here, where good lands and
water facilities could be had on much
more favorable terms. This is the
objective point for nearly all emf
grants, both rich and poor, and o
great many, influenced and somewhat
added by the great thrift and vigor
of the people prosperity being visible
in every direction), conclude to buy
without mature consideration, and
often find they could have done bet
ter in taking more time. Real estate
sales are perhaps greater in this city
and suburbs than in any city of like
size in the United States. Estimated
sales from records on cash basis for
last two months, S3,000,000.
A person who thinks of coming
here to live should weigh the matter
well, as there are many difficulties
for small capital to contend with.
Nevertheless, believe moderate cap
ital, energy and goodjudgment would
have reasonable success here in any
channel Of trade or business. I learn
many have commenced here in one
business or another during the last
few years, and are now we'll estab-
lished, and their prospects very en-
couraging. In my case, I often think
OF the very impressive lines of Young:
"Naugh. treads 80 silon, as The foot Of Time.
Hence wo MI stake our autumn for our prime"
If could take 20 years off my life, I
would ask for no better field than
this. The country is fast filling up
by the struggling thousands, and the
young and vigorous in the end must
win. I think there is some risk in
breaking up at my age, with q large
family to be partly raised and princi-
pally educated; but education was
one great object we had in view in
coming here, and am glad to say we
are fully satisfied with our expert
once so far, having realized that there
are no better educational privileges
offered by any state to all, than we
have in the public schools of this city.
There is one branch of the State Nor
NAL located here, which offers grad
uating course to all who wish to avail
themselves of the privilege.
I have said nothing to you about
this city, supposing you have had
better information through your old
correspondents, who have been living
here some time, than l could give.
The population is now about 100000
tt certainly has all the elements nee
essary for very rapid growth, and I
have concluded that in the near flu
ture, perhaps not longer than five
years, there will be not less than 49,
900 people here. Living, in all re-
spects, is as cheap as at San Marcos,
except rents, which are about 20 per
cent. higher. Many articles in pro
visions arc cheaper, while we find
butter and eggs generally higher.
One very different feature of this
country from the East is, that winter
is the growing season for all manner
of vegetation. The hills and valleys,
and all nature, now wears carpet of
green. The rich grazing now on the
hills and valleys corresponds with
onr grazing season in May in Texas;
but while we have the rich and spring
like verdure from the Coast Range to
the sea,-both being in view from
this city-we also at the same time
have the privilege of looking beyond
the Coast Range to the towering and
majestic range of the Sierra Madre,
whose snow-caps remind lis, though
we are in the midst of spring, that
winter still exists in those icy regions,
offering to the eye, under the bright
rays of the sun, the most magnificent
and picturesque scenery it has ever
been my privilege to enjoy.
I must refer to the war of rates
now going on between the transcon-
tinental railway lines terminating
here, in which the Atchison & Tope-
ka and Atlantic & Pacific, constitut-
ing one line, and the S. p and Sun
set the other, are the main actors.
You remember L sent you paper
last fall announcing the competition
of the new trans. continental to Col
ton, from which point they have
leased an equal privilege from the S.
P, to run into this city. Hence, they
are making war to divide the spoils.
Tickets were yesterday bulletined, to
Texas, 81; to Chicago, Sd class, 81
I'd class, 81; LIST class, SO. Freight,
So cts. per 100 10 to Chicago. 1t
would be good time for you and
your friends to visit California, while
rates are so low.
The rains have been remarkably
good this winter, and the farming in
terest is more prosperous than usual.
Yours truly,
l.. W. MITCHELL.