Omaha daily bee., 1893-06-04
Nebraska Day.

display In the grand marCn atter tne eXer-
| cises from the State building to Agricultural
| hall Positive assurances have come from
| Governor Crouuse, Senator Allen, Congress
man Bryan and ex-Govcrnors Boyd and
| Furnas that they will be here to speak. The
| interior decorat tion of the State building,
under the active supervision of Commits
| sioner Mobley and Mines Mcdonald and
| Book is about complete. The finishing
touches are being applied.
~-
THROUGH TEXAS TO THE GULF.
| Characteristics of Towns and cities Along
the Route.
| HoUsToN, Tex, May 2S.-[ Correspondence
of The BEE. ii crossed the Red river, the
south boundary line of Indian Territory, into
Texas about sundown, continuing my journey
southwark through the ''Lone Star state"
The northern part of it, through which l
| passed before the shades Of night had fully
| set in, is somewhat similar in general ap-
pearance to the southern part of Indian
| Territory. Its scenery is, however, much
| less picturesque and the soil is not thu nix,
so fertile. Arrived at Fort Worth about IL
o'clock D. m. Next morning started out to
see the town and before the sun had ag ain
set had "taken it all in" l had not been
long upon the wing" till the music in the
air and the fragrance in the breeze gave me
| pleasing proof of being then and there in the
land of sunny skies, singing birds, roses
rare and vlneclad bowers. The melody
speak, with the sweet perfume
of flowers, so that the enjoyment
OF the one was accompanied by the delight
afforded by the other. Fort Worth is in
many respects beautiful little city. 1t is
| located upon piece Of rolling upland some
| fifty or sixty feet above the level of the
Trinity river which flows along the west,
| thence along the north and thence along the
| east sides of its Incorporated territory The
banks of the river are heavily fringed with
timber, thus breaking the monotony Of and
adding beauty to the immediate surround
ings. The site of the city was originally one
of Gordon of military posts extending from
the Red river to the Rio Grande, and estab-
| lished about lS4S as means of protecting
settlers against Indians and bands of
marauders from Mexico. The fort whose
the city several years was named after Cen
eral William j Worth, who had distinguished
himself during the war with Mexico The
city afterwards adopted and has since re-
taned the name of the fort. The first houses
in the city were built in 1853. Its population
at different times since then has been
IN 'iSSS' isSs it ~ was s'' 1913 s. In m 1879 is7s
it was S645. In 1889 it was 25,36l while at
the present time at is about 10000, though
more is claimed. Its streets are crooked
and irregular in their courses. Some of
them are macadamized and some are paved
with gravel. The paving of sidewalks con-
sists principallyof gravel Neither streets
nor sidewalks are so extensively paved as in
Omaha 1t has number of business build
ings ranging from four to six stories high
Several of its hotels are structures of con-
siderable size, and will compare favora bly,
with those of much larger places Its
dwelling houses are constructed almost eX-
clusively of wood. Many of them are large
and costly and would do credit to any city.
| With several railroads entering the city,
five different street railway companies, a
packery with capacity of 1000 cattle and
800 hogs per day, brewing company with a
capital OF 500, 600, a cotton mill giving en-
ployment to 800 hands seven banks with an
newspapers, six weeklies and three
monthlies, twelve public schools under con-
troll of from two to twelve teachers, thirteen
select and private schools, thirty churches
schools, and about sixty miscellaneous
clubs, orders and societies. Fort Worth
ought to and doubtless will con-
tinue prosperous and growing CITY,
Remaining there another night, l took my
departure pursuinsmy journey till reached
the town OF Wallis. about so miles north of
Galveston. Here again got off the train
for night. Wallis is quiet little village
good agricultural territory. The country
for considerable distance south of Fort
Worth, while well settled and in large meas
ure under cultivation, appeared dry IN
, poor land, is not of a high order of fertility.
,, Next morning l started for Galveston
Along the last $50 or 200 miles over which |
passed the soil gave many evidences Of being
exceedingly fertile. The grass was fresh,
stood thick upon the ground and had a
| healthy color, the crops were good and vege-
, tation of every kind was luxuriant. This
rich belt of country is, however, but thinly
Se'''a seen only within f0" it, houses ssa are large
hS' have nSaa''Nb newer Been D touched fe by ies
, plow. 1t has been and still is held in i'm
J mense bodies by ranch men, who have used
it for grazing purposes alone. During the
, last few years people from the north have
been coming down here, purchasing these
lands in smaller parcels and putting then
under cultivation. This has proved a bene
fetal change in the existing condition Of
things and if continued will start the coun
try on new career of advancement and pros
g perity. l stopped at the city of Galveston
: long enough to look it over In general way
y 1t is situated on Galveston island and com
Q pletely surrounded by the waters Of the Gull
f of Mexico, The island is about twenty-five
i miles long and from one and one-half TO two
t and one-half miles wide. The body of water
between 1t and the mainland is four or five
: miles wide. The ground upon which the city
is built is from six to ten feet above the leve
0 of the sea. The city Is we'll and compactll
Q built. 1t commands heavy ocean trafh'
and does large wholesale business. Its re
: tail business is restricted almost exclusivel,
within the city itself On. the souti
u side of the island is a larg,
hotel known as the "Beach Hotel
a facing towards the ocean. In front of i
t and within the water short distance o
. the shore is a large bathing house. Here il
warm weather. bathers are often seen il
o hundreds enjoying the sport of frolckng il
9 the spray andisurf. AS strong breeze Il
: constantly blowing northward from the gulf
i the water is nearly always in state o
e agitation. Hence, "meeting the breakers,
d "battlng withthe white caps and riding
! the waves" ara phrases frequently hearC
i among persons spending their time at thi
i seaside resort. Ocean vessels of consider
n able size receive and unload cargoes at tn
wharves Two railroads cross the channe
= and connect itwlth the main land. Will
o respect TO street lighting, street railways
c public buildings, schools, public and private
J. churches, Sunday schools, newspaper
t and social organizations of variou
l. kinds, it will bear favorable comparison
o with other cities. Its climate is said to bt
a healthy and its atmospheric temperatur
n eaualized by the waters of the gull
y Throughout the island, and also in the city
n all kinds of vegetation are of rich and lux
d uriant growth. The salt water cedar flour
| nj q