The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1898-01-13
TEXAS AND MEXICO.
AN INTERESTING LETTER DESCRIPTIVE
OF THE COUNTRY.
From the Lone Star State to Monte
in Hexico"-A Henderson Man one
of 1.-THE Travelling Party-Queer Sights
and Impressive Scenes.


ofthe Travelling Party-Oueer Sights
| and Impressive Scenes.
The following letter was published
originally in the Wilson N,ryO, in the
latter part of 1890. 1t was written
by the late Alex W.. Rowland, and was
handed to US by Mr.. |. c. Rowland,
a brother of the deceased, with the
suggestion that it might be of interest
to GOLD LEAF readers. The writer
and his travelling companions being
we'll known Henderson men gives it
something of local fl avor:
Leaving Tyler at $40 p. m. in
company with Dr.. W. I. Cheatham,
of Henderson, and Mr.. H. H. Row
land, of Tyler, we soon reached
Troup, 20 miles to the South, where
we strike the main line Of the In
ternational & Great Sorthern Railway,
whose Southern terminus is at Laredo
on the Rio Grande 4o6 miles distant
Xxx At S O'Clock a. m, after
night of refreshing sleep, we are at
Taylor, in Williamson county, a place
Of considerable note as a railroad
centre. 1t is beautiful town of
$500 people in ai:ch farming section.
At Round Rock are quite a number
of lime kilns, the ground being cover
ed with small lime stone, while live
oak is the only forest tree one sees.
At a. m. we are at Austin, the
capitol of the State, a pretty little
city Of $1,000 inhabitants located on
the Colorado river, which it overlooks
for many miles and whose banks are
covered with live oak and cedar.
While its water supply comes from the
river, there are good many artesian
wells supplementing that never failing
source. The capitol building is
almost an exact copy Of that at
Washington City and very little if any
less in size. The material is fine
Scotch granite and presents magni6-
cent appearance from every point of
the compass, and is doubtless the
finest State capitol in the country.
The streets and walks are paved
with lime stone which in the sun light
is very trying to the eyes, the dust too
arising from them is very in injurious
to the sight. The many handsome
private residences, and public
buildings make Austin a very at
tractive place. We had the pleasure
of meeting nearly all the State officials
who in courtesy can be surpassed by
none save those Of our own Carolina.
At 6 p. M. after having spent a
most delightful day, we leave for San
Marcus, a distance of about 60 miles,
for visit to the celebrated springs of
that name. We pass through
country in high state of cultivation
if excellent crops portend such state.
AT 9 we are at our hotel, soon retire
and direct our landlord to call US at
a. m. We are up with the early
birds and vending our way to the
springs a mile distant. This body of
water, lake or spring, is about 500
yards long and 100 yards at its
maximum width. My brother and l
act as oarsmen while DR.. Cheatham
very skilfully guides US over its CLASSY
surface. This is the source Of the San
Marcus river. The spring is deepen
ed about five or six feet by a dam.
AS it passes out into the river it turns
large mill and supplies power for an
electric plant besides.
The river right here is about 50
feet wide and three or four feet deep.
The beauties of this body of water no
pen can portray. As we go up we
reach its centre; here at its greatest
depth, 60 feet, we see the pearly white
sand boiling up from among the rocks
for an erea of 50 or 40 feet. So clear
are its waters that a dime dropped
into its depths could be seen on the
bottom; the gentle swell and visible
ebulton manifests this as the centre
from which rises the greater volume
Of its waters. AS we reach its upper
confines we see coming out from the
crest Of the hills a stream about Is
feet in width and one to two feet
deep. So strong is the current just
here that we can not keep out our
boat close enough for observation, but
must be content with slight inspec-
ton.
We now let our boat float slowly
down that we may see its wondrous
beauties. Nearly its entire bottom is
covered with moses, ferns and
aquatic plants that in color and
beauty are AMPLY unsurpassed, their
foliage assuming mulitudinous forms
and shapes. Now a solid wall 10 feet
deep well-like hole, now a cone whose
apex reaches nearly to the surface,
now we'll rounded mound reminding
one Of little noun tain, then a little
plateau and then long streamers of
grass ten and fifteen feet in length
wave their emerald crests as it yields
to the running current, thus presenting
to the eye pleasing scene of the
beauties Of one of ma lures greatest
wonders; indeed its loveliness is a
unsurpassed as it is indescribable.
Dsen Icwp ,,loci5 uoterc "