The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1916-01-20
A Letter From Texas.
Comanehe, Texas, Dec. 81. 1915

Comanche, Texas, Dec. 81, 1915
James A. Menzies,
Yale, Michigan
Friend MenZies:-l have not seen the
Expositor since | left Yale Dec. 18th.
viii you kindly send IL to me?-and
as there is another family of Holdens
here, mail it to box IS.
had very pleasant trip down. Left
Detroit Monday the Goth, at 500 a. IN.
and arrived in Comanche, Texas, at
4:45 p. M. Wednesday, the total dis
lance from Detroit being l,420 miles.
In measuring latitude and longitude,
find am $40 miles west and 75o miles
south of Detroit, and that makes some
difference in the time of the suns rls-
ing and setting. When left \ ale the
sun would rise about six and set about
four; here 1t rises at 7:30 and disap-
pears over the mountain peaks at 5:3O.
But as the city is much lower than the
surrounding mountains, IL is broad day
light long before the sun rises and long
after it SETS
When | left Detroit they had three
inches of snow and quite blizzard on,
and saw snow and ice until / was 2l1
miles from st. Louis. After that L
never saw any until last "Wednesday,
when we had little shake of snow,
but in three hours after the clouds pass
ed il was like summer again. Every
day but two since | left 1T. Louis,
have seen nothing but bright sunshine,
and today is one OF the two. This al
ternoOn | rode over 30 miles in an auto
with no gloves, sweater, nor overcoat
on, and nothing but a thin summer
cap on my head.
Comanche is one of the most north
ern looking cities have seen in Texas.
1t is a dry county and strictly a white
mans town. A cOlOred person is not
allowed TO stay in any part of the
county over night. This is the county
seat. The court house building Occu.
pies the center of one whole block and
has an entrance on four sides; at the
| foot of each is built cement walk
which extends around the building.
The space east, west, north and south
of the building to the streets is the
market ground, where vehicles and
country wagons stand and country pro-
duce is sold. Across the streets and
| facing the court house on four sides
are the different business houses, banks,
theatres, etc.
have been agreeably surprised to
see everybody ready to meet everybody
with a smiling face and a desire to
make your acquaintance. 1t takes
only a minute to get fully acquainted.
| have failed to meet groucher since
my arrival here. When entering any
place of business they salute you with
welcome about like this: "Walk
right in; what can we do for you;" or,
"the right man in the right place at
the right time; what would you like to
see?" And on leaving, Call again"
I he scenery here is beyond my
ability to describe. While Comanche
is high and dry, there are mountains
on ali sides much higher than the city.
The water here is clear as crystal, as ii
comes from the rocks. The city reser-
voir is located on hill top northeast
of the city and on a level with the
final above the town clock on the
court house, and furnishes good water
all over the city, but the majority of
property owners, having wind mills,
pump the water into high tanks and
have their own private water works.
The atmosphere here is so clear that
one can stand on a mountain peak and
see other high lands 30 or 40 miles
away, and as the farms are dotted al
over with live oak that resembles very
much an apple tree in full leaf il
makes the scenery most beautiful.
G. G. III. and wife and | were Out
hunting one afternoon and each got
our share of game. But we saw a LOT
more than we got, as rabbits, quail anC
squirrel are plentiful. One thing we
missed was q wild cat they call the
ring tail. | could write a great dea
more but will close for this time anC
when we catch larger game will write
you our experience. saw live pos
sum that boy caught and sold on thu
market for two bits, twenty-five cents.
Respectfully yours,
IL. Ii. Holden