Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1888-12-15

morning we reached Taylor, where
we stopped half an hour or more for
breakfast. We were then in the
midst of the black waXey prairie
lands of Texas, and the country pre-
sents very different aspect from that
through which we had passed on the
previous afternoon. Very little tim.
Der is to be seen between Taylor and
San Antonio other than mesquite
bushes, except along the Colorado
river, which we cross at Austin.
The soil is rich beyond exhaustion,
and its productive capacity is only
measured by the favorableness of
seasons and the amount of labor eX-
pended in cultivation.
The dome of the new state capitol
at Austin can be plainly seen from
passing trains, also enough outline
of the building to give one a pretty
good idea of its gigantic proportions.
The state of Texas gave a Chicago
company three million acres of
land for putting up the building.
At the time the trade was made the
land was valued at so cents an acre.
1t has since advanced in value to
$500 per acre, so it is easy to calcu-
late that the Chicago syndicate made
quite a handsome profit on their
work.
The run from Longview to San
Antonio was made over the Inter-
national and Great Northern Rail.
road, which has quite an extensive
system, penetrating some Of the best
portions of the great state of Texas.
1t was rather an uufavorable time
for railroad travel in that part of the
state, or any other kind OF travel, for
that matter. Rain had been falling
almost daily for two or three weeks,
and when it rains in the black lands
OfTeXas it transforms whole counties
into almost bOttOmless sea of mud.
The black mud of Texas is anything
but pleasant element to deal with.
The rain was accompanied by a
"northcr," another popularity
which Texas has a patent on, and
this also served to make the trip
uncomfortable. During these rainy
spells railroad tracks out there have
a way of going on voyages of dis
covery to various eXtents of from
two inches to ten feet, and a
traveller is not altogether certain
sometimes whether the train is
running up on the road bed or down
in the ditch. But most everything
in this life has its compensation in
some shape or other, and old Texans
say that long continued rains and
much cold weather in the fall III that
state are always followed by fine
crops the succeeding year. If this be
a reliable basis of prognostication
Texas may confidently look out for
rousing crops next year.
SAN ANTONIO,
Our objective point, was reached
early in the afternoon, the occasion
being the annual meeting of the Ma.
tional Editorial Association. About
two hundred delegates assembled
from more than twenty states. The
Association was in session for three
days, and the meeting proved 6
most pleasant, profitable and inter
esting one to the knights of the quill
As the proceedings of that body
would not be likely to interest any o
the STANDARDS readers, eXcep
possible our exchanges, we will no
consume time or space with any
account thereof. Our journalist,
friends can get the full proceeding.
in the January number of the Ma
tional Editorial Journalist, tn,
official organ Of the Association
: published by r. b. Herbert, a
, Indianapolis, Ind, Its worth severa
times its subscription price, $3.50 pc
year, to any editor who wants t.
,, keep his paper abreast of the times.
San Antonio is a quaint old city
founded nearly two hundred year
ago, and now having a population
; Of about $4,000. \ large portion O
> the inhabitants are MeXicans, AM
the city has many Mexican features
but it also has all the modern
: advantages of street cars, electri
lights, water works, telephone eX
4 change, ETC., with considerable
u manufacturing. 1t lays claim to tn,
term of Cate City" between Mex
= co and the United States, but w
think this distinction more properl,
> and naturally belongs to Laredo
= l5i miles distant on the Rio GrandC