TKXAS. 



791 



Lieutenant-Governor ; A. J. Dora, Treasurer; 

 Stephca II. l)anli-a. Controller ; .1. .1. (iroOB, 

 ('onimi>sioacr nl' tin- Ijind-Otliec ; an<l 

 llolIiiiL'-wortli, Superinteadent of I'uMic In- 

 struction. All of tin-so urn 1 >etaorrals. The 

 .it uro is chussilied us follows: 



Tho second city of Texas (Galveston being 

 the first) in population and importance is II- . 

 tun, which is situated at the head of tide-water 

 on Mutl'alo Bayou, 45 miles above its mouth, in 

 Galvoston Bay, 46 miles northwest of Galves- 

 ton, and 150 miles east-southeast of Austin ; 

 population in 1800,4,845; in 1870, 9,882, of 

 whom 8,691 were colored; in 1874, estimated 

 l>y t lie local authorities at 20,000. It is built on 

 UK- loft bank of the bayou, which is spanned by 

 several bridges, the principal ones being of iron, 

 and embraces an area of nine square miles. The 

 City- Hall and Market-House, of brick, just fin- 

 ished at a cost of $400,000, is 272 feet long by 146 

 feet wide, and has two towers, 14 by 21 feet, and 



114 feet high. It contains a hall, 70 by 1 10 feet, 

 fitted up for pii!. lie entertainment*, and capable 

 of seatin- I..." 1 ' persons. The Masonic Temple 

 is a handsome struct un-, costing $200,000. 'I he 

 principal hotel, the largest in tin- 

 accommodations for 600 guests. The <i 

 lighted with gas, and is easily drained. The 

 con-t ruction of street-railroads and grading of 

 streets are in progress. Houston is the < 

 of the railroad system of the State, and a: 

 the trade of the surrounding country, which 

 i in grazing and agricultural products. 

 There are six diverging lines: the Houston & 

 Texas Central; the Houston & Great North- 

 ern & International; Houston Tap & Bra- 

 zoria; Galveston, Houston, & Henderson; 

 New Orleans & Texas; and Buffalo Bayou, 

 Brazos & Colorado. The bayou opposite the 

 city has a depth of five feet, but, owing to bars 

 in Galveston Bay, vessels drawing more than 

 four feet cannot reach this point. Improve- 

 ments are in progress by the United States 

 Government, and an incorporated company, 

 which will render Houston accessible by ves- 

 sels drawing nine feet. The navigation of the 

 bayou is mainly controlled by the Houston Di- 

 rect Navigation Company, which has a capital 



of $300,000, and owns six steamers, four tugs, 

 and twenty-four barges. The whole number 

 of vessels regularly engaged in the trade of the 

 bayou in 1872 was 71, viz.: steamers, 10; 

 tugs, 6; barges, 80; schooners, mostly em- 

 ployed in the. lumber-trade with the Sabino, 

 Louisiana, and Florida coasts, 25. An exten- 

 sive lumber-trade is also carried on by flat-boats 

 with the bayous emptying into Buffalo Bayou 

 and San Jacinto River. The principal business, 

 however, is manufacturing, in which Houston 

 surpasses all other places in the State. The 

 chief establishments, besides the extensive ma- 



chine-shops of. the railroads, are 2 cotton-fac- 

 tories, 4 iron and brass founderies, 8 car-facto- 

 ries, 4 planing-mills and wood-works, 5 manu- 

 factories of furniture, 2 of soap, 1 of cement- 

 pipe, 1 of bone-dust, 5 of sheet-iron and tin- 

 works, 5 carriage and wagon works, 1 beef- 

 paeking and ice-manufacturing establishment, 

 and 7 brick-yards. There are three nurseries, 

 two fire and marine insurance companies, a cot- 

 ton-press company, two national banks with a 

 capital of $200,000, and a State bank with 

 $500,000 capital. The valuation of property 

 in 1878 was $7,669,625. The State fair is held 



