San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-07-21
ghe pailY Eight.
SATURDAY, JULY, Il, 1888.
THE GROWING EMPIRE.

s'The bells of time are ringing
changes very fast" sang Bailey, the
immortal author of Festus. NO
changes that modern times have VIII
messed have been greater than those
which are quietly taking place in this
immense state. No discoveries OF un-
expected mines of gold, or deposits OF
silver, iron or lead have induced a
growth that is becoming the wonder
and the admiration of the age. The
vast productiveness of the soil is al
most alone, with its favorable climate,
the cause of the marvellous increase in
population and products which has
marked the past semi-decade OF her
growth. Year by year, during most
distressing drouths covering vast
areas of her territory, she has quietly
multiplied her outputs, increased her
expectations, enlarged the volume
of her internal commerce, and
added to her population until
her own sons stands amazed at the
mighty changes wrought by few
years. All this and yet Texas stands
upon the threshold Of her develop
ment. The richest mines Of iron ore,
in inexhaustible quantities, which lie
beneath her soil are being sought af-
ter and their development in the near
future is destined to add vast reve-
nue. to the industry and commerce of
the state. Her agricultural possibili-
ties are just being appreciated, and a
larger acreage is being planted year
by year, which by improved methods
of tillage also gains yearly in produc-
tiveness. Her cotton, corn and oat
crops will soon lead those of any other
state and her meat and wool products
leave her without rival near the
throne. Her Incompatible climate
has challenged the admiration and
woon the need of unstinted praise
from those who have sought winter
climate favorable to pulmonary
diseases and impaired respiration,
but hitherto sought in vain.
The disappointed health-seeker bur-
dened with the dampness of Florida,
the rawness of the Pacific slopes and
the fogs of southern Califoria finds
most delightful surprise awaiting
MIN in this clear atmosphere, loaded
with ozone and causing the currents
of a new life to course through all
the sluggish channels of impaired
nature. Her future as fruit region
is opening like the gates of paradise
to a faithful pilgrim, and soon her
breezes will be as heavily laden with
the odors of her fruits as they are
now with the wilderness of her
flowers. Her mines of wealth and
her harvests of gold, her rivers roll
ing to the sea, her fertile valleys and
her cattle crowded plains, her vast
savannahs where the billowy grass
wave rolls shortless sea, her cities
springing like magic into commercial
importance in season, her multiply
ing highways of iron, where
the hghtnings of heaven are
the directors of traffic, her
schools and colleges, where the
breeding brains of her youth are born
into new possibilities of knowledge.
All these proclaim her the modern
Eden of our earth, and the garden
spot of this great republic SO favored
by the gods. The one draw back to
her prosperity has been her remote
ness from the great markets of the
world. Her cereals, her cattle, sheep,
horses, wool and hides have had to
cross the continent in order to reach
open water or find market on this
side the sea. Her one point, upon
which the double embargo of ruin
Gus monopoly and an insurmOunta-
BILE sand bar has been laid, only
served to retard the opening of more
available inlets, in opening which the
problem of deep water harbor
would have been solved and the COM
merce of her vast empire poured into
the open lap of the world. Even this
changes and the events now transpir-
ing clearly indicate that the Lone
Star state is nearing the goal of her
hopes and that an open door which no
wharf company can shut is swinging
back upon its hinges to admit her
commerce to the high seas. Arkansas
Pass will open and through her all
sufficient gates will Texas find to &C
cess to the markets of the world.