History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties. Page: 212

212
212

HISTORY OF TEXAS.

sions of much instruction and amusement.
.Ai asylum for the deaf and dumb and blind
of the colored race has also been established
near the city.
The Travis county courthouse, constructed
out of limestone having a marble-like appearance,
and symmetrically proportioned to
its surroundings, occupies an attractive and
commanding place to the public eye. It is a
costly building, having the appointments of
convenience suggested by modern experience,
and is located near the southeast corner of
Capitol square and fronting Congress avenue.
The land office, situated, in the east edge of
Capitol square, is an imposing edifice adapted
to the large business of the land cominmissioner,
an officer of State. The governor's
mansion is eligilly located on an elevated
site southwest of Capitol square and in full
view of the new capitol.
The United States building for post office
and(! other governmental purposes, situated on
tlhe corner of Colorado amnd Sixth street (formerly
Pecan street), is a handsome structure,
every way in harmonly with thle greatness of
t]le country and the nmagnuifieence of the city.
The university of thle State of Texas is
domiciled in an imposing building on College
Hill, in the northern portion of the city.
The growing patronage of this institution,
its increasing matriculation during the brief
period of its existence, and the thorough
scholarship required in graduation, successfully
advertise the work that is being done.
In this connection it is noted with pride
the Confederate Home, an eleemosynary institution
for the purpose indicated in the
title. It is situated in t}ie western part of
the city, comprising a beautiful tract of land
upon which is constructed an elegant and
commodious building. The sc6pe ff its design
is to provide a home for the unfortunate

soldier having served in the Confederate
army. It was conceived in the purest patriotism
and noblest philanthropy, and although
young in its Imission of mercy it is rapidly
approximating the ideal created for it by the
divinest sentiments that ever dominate the
human heart.
The Travelers' Protective Association of
America has selected Austin for the location
of their National Sanitarium, where the coinmercial
travelers of the entire Union may
spend their vacations. A beautiful site in
the eastern part of the city, embracing some
thirty acres on the line of the Austin &
Northwestern Railroad, has been donated to
the association, and buildings in keeping with
the well known liberality of the traveling
men will soon be erected thereon.
Austin has one of the best school systems
in the State, and had a scholastic population
in 1890 of 4,004, and gave employment to
sixty teachers.
Brenham, the county seat of Washington
county, is a flourishing commercial place of
7,000 inhabitants. It is located at the intersectioji
of the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe
division of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe,
and t]le Houston & Texas Central division of
the Southern Pacific systems of railway.
The town is beautiful and most pleasantly
located, and, surrounded by a very fine farming
country in a high state of cultivation,
and much valuable timber yet remains in the
county. The town is well built and supplied
with many costly public buildings and handsome
residences.
Ae a commercial and manufacturing center,
few places of its size possess greater advantages,
in both of which it is steadily increasing.
The estimated mercantile transactions for
1890 amounted to about $4,385,000. Bank
capital, $400,000.

.

I