34 . LETTERS FROM TEXAS. 



national Railroad from Austin and the north-east, and by that from. 

 Columbus, connecting it with Houston, Galveston, New Orleans, 

 and MobDe ; when its population will go up like a balloon to 50,000, 

 if not higher. I am assured that they have good (though hard) 

 spring water near the Capital and all these Western cities, which 

 made it harder for me to turn back without reaching them. 



Galveston seemed to me a little nervous lest the railroads now in 

 progress should draw off her trade and leave her hard aground ; which 

 does not to me seem probable. Her relative importance may be 

 reduced by them, bxit I judge that her actual trade will be largely 

 increased. She has by far the best harbor in the State, with a pri- 

 macy already achieved which will not lightly depart. I profoundly 

 trust that she may soon and forever lose the profit she now derives 

 from the importation and distribution of all the Flour and most of 

 .the Hams and other Pork consumed in the lower half of the State, 

 drawing her own supplies from Northern Texas by rail instead; but 

 Texas will always grow Cotton for export, and most of it will find 

 its way to the North and to Europe through Galveston. Sugar 

 will txe made on the coast and distributed throughout the interior 

 .via Galveston; while Beef, Hides, Tallow, and ultimately Com, 

 Hams, Wool, ttc, will be exported thence, and many cargoes of 

 Dry Goods, Hardware, &c., be received and distribiited in return. 

 .The vessels that take away the exports of Texas will come freighted 

 ■with imports. As her manufactures expand, she will require many 

 j^hip-loads per annum of Coal from the Ohio before she can have 

 a<4.ieved easy access to her own. Galveston must devote part of 

 her wealth to making advantageous connections with all the great 

 railroads that cross or reach the State ; she must work hard to im- 

 prove or at least maintain the capacity and accessibility of her har- 

 bor ; and she must resolutely fence out the Yellow Fever by internal 

 purification as well as external vigilance, and her future is secure. 



Houston is now intent on so deepening and straightening her 

 Bayou that any vessel that can pass the bar at Galveston may dis- 

 cliarge at her wharves, 50 miles inland, and so much further on the 

 -way to a large majority of Texan consumers. It is a spirited en- 

 terprise, in good hands, well backed, and its early success fully as- 

 sured. It will increase the trade of Houston, but will not aggran- 

 . dize her at Galveston's expense to any such extent as is expected. 

 Most of the vessels that cross the bar at Sandy Hook might go up 

 to Newburgh or Poughkeepsie ; but they generally conclude to stop 



