The Republican journal., 1898-03-03
Down to Galveston by Rail,
Then to New York by Sea, via Key West. !
Delightful Trip on Land and Water.


a very beautiful and enjoyable trip may
be made via Galveston, Texas. You leave
Denver in the morning on the Gulf Road
and pass through Colorado Springs, Pueb-
10 and Trinidad and then through pol-
ton Of New Mexico The town of Clay
ton, where your correspondent has spent
some time has made remarkable progress
in the last few months, and when the wool
buyers from the east 90 there next sum
mer they will oe surprised and pleased to
ind electric lights and fine new hotel,
where they can be well fed and housed.
The second morning the traveller finds
himself in the famous Pan Handle dis
long horn cattle, those steers with i'm :
mense branching horns, pictures of which
are familiar to many. The aspect of the
country has entirely changed. Southern
Colorado and what we saw of New Mex
leo was a grazing district, but this is
rich, fertile country, where corn, cotton
and other crops flourish. When growing,
cotton plants look much like bean bushes,
but the flowers are shaped like morning
giories and are either white or purple.
The first blossoms come near the roots,
then two more sets appear, Thus you
see cotton in the boil and in blossom on
The same plant
This is also a fine fruit country, and in
their season you may get most delicious
lalge, white peaches, grapes and melons
wherever the train stops. Along The line
OF the railway the country is well settled
and highly cultivated; but few people
have any conception OF the size OF Texas,
and there are thousands Of acres of rich
farm land waiting to be taken up and cul-
tiNated. What Texas needs above all
things is population to develop its Won
.lertu} resources. With nearly $50, 900, 600
3ores inside its boundaries it can support
many times its present population.
sights shat are odd to northern people
are the signs on railroad cars designating
certain coaches "Fol Whites, and others
For Cololed Persons" A State law
compels the provision Of separate cars or
compartments
profitable industry 'lere is the fatten-
ing OF cattle on CAKES made from cotton
seed from which the oil HAS been extract
ed some OF our choicest beef comes
from herds raised in this way.
Font Worth a city of about 80 600 in
hstitants and a great railroad centre, is
reached at SIX o. clock the second day
Dallas is an hours train ride from here
From Fort Worth on, we run over the
aacks Of the Texas 4 Houston Central
9nd arrive at Houston at breakfast time.
The grounds around the Central station
are beautiful with d great profusion of
tropical shrubs and flowers. You begin
to realize here that you are approaching
sea level, and experience that sticky feel
ing, which one never knows in the alti-
tudes. Galveston is two hours ride dis
tant and is entered by crossing the long
est bridge in the world, two miles long,
built over the shallow waters of the bay.
Since the jetties We're built the haIbor
has been improved, SO that vessels draw
ing twenty feet OF water may enter safely,
and from here there is direct connection
with European ports. Galveston is nat
urally commercial centre and is well
laid out. The Federal building is a beau
tiful brick structure. and there are sever
a fine publ; buildings. There are many
elegant private residences with splendid
grounds ana one must admire the masses
of nleanders and thu stately palm and
banana trees. The hotel accommodations
arr ot a IL gative sol, bat there is a beau
tifui beaca with fine surf and the water is
delig htfu y warm. The Mallory Line
run splerdid boats between Galveston and
New York, and it was with a full list of
dock one noon. In al hour We We're out
side the jetties tie ilots had been taken
off, anC we We're on the Gulf of Mexico, /
headed for Key West The Leona is a
very comfortable boat with most of the /
staterO )ms on deck, and very efficient
and courteous staff Of officers The sea
was remarkably calm and the air was de |
lightful. We steamed until we reached
he dock at Key West which is the south
ernmost point Of the United States. 1t is
a quantity beautiful place, an island four
and a half miles long, a mile broad, and
abouc ninety miles from the Florida coast.
1t is six hours distant by steamer from
Cuba and eighteen hours distant from
Tampa, Florida. The government build
ing is fine red brick structure and be
yond that is the old fort, at present in
and defenceless. Some of the
Atlantic squadron are stationed here now,
and the i'll fated Maine had been here
FOR some time.
The mule cars will take you pretty well
over the place and it is also pleasant to
walk in the well shaded streets. There
are many cocoanut palms with punches of
green fruit and also date palms which
have leaves like the cocoanut. But the
trunk of the cccoanut is smooth, and
that of the date is rough and fibrous