History of Austin, Texas, USA

Austin, capital of Texas, and seat of justice of Travis county, on the left or N. bank of the Colorado river, about 200 miles by land from its mouth, and 230 miles W. N. W. from Galveston. Lat. 80° 15' N., Lon. 97° 47' W. The scenery around Austin is highly picturesque, and the view from the president's house remarkably fine. The Colorado is navigable by steamboats to this point during high water, that is in the winter. Austin contains, besides the state and county buildings, 3 or 4 newspaper offices, and numerous stores. A fine state house is now in course of erection. The supreme court is held here once in the year. The seat of government was established at Austin about the year 1844. Population in 1853, estimated at 3000.

Austin, or Austin City, the capital of Texas and of Travis co, is on the left bank of the Colorado River, and on the Austin Branch of the Houston & Texas Central Rail mad, and the Brazos Branch of the International & Great Northern Railroad, 164 miles W. by N. from Houston, and about 75 miles N.N.E. of San Antonio. Lat. 30° 16' N.; lon. 97°42'W, Austin contains the capitol or state-house, the governor's mansion, ll churches, 6 banks, the Texas Military Institute, a Catholic academy, state asylums for the insane, blind, deaf, and dumb, and a land-office. Two daily and 3 weekly newspapers are published here. A dam 1200 feet long, to cost $1,400,000, is in course of construction (1892), to furnish power for manufacturing purposes. Pop in 1870, 4428; in 1880, 10,960; in 1890, 14,476.

Part of the University Buildings Unroofed and Other Damage.

Austin, Tex., March 28. - The northern portion of the city was struck by a small sized cyclone this afternoon at 3 o'clock, which resulted in considerable damage to property, but fortunately no lives were lost.

The wind got in its most damaging work on the state university. The roof of Brackinridge hall was lifted off and carried across the street, falling on a dwelling house occupied by Mrs. Shepherd. The cottage was smashed, but the inmates escaped.

The hall is occupied by about forty students and their belongings were ruined by water. In some portions of the building water stands at a depth of three feet.

The university is damaged to the extent of every chimney being down and the windows on the west side of the assembly hall are smashed in. About 500 beautiful young shade trees in the campus are lying on the ground, some of them being twisted from the roots.

The "Honey" church, at the corner of Twenty-fourth ...

Austin, or Austin City, the capital of Texas and of Travis co., is on the left bank of the Colorado River (at the head of navigation) and on the Houston and Texas Central and the International and Great Northern Rs., 164 miles W. by N. of Houston and about 75 miles NNE. of San Antonio. Lat. 30° 16' N. ; Lon. 97° 42' W. Austin contains the capitol or state-house, one of the largest buildings of the world. the governor's mansion, University of Texas, various collegiate institutions, state asylums for the insane, blind, deaf and dumb, and a land-office. The city is an important shipping point for agricultural produce, live-stock, cotton, wool, and hides. The great Austin dam, constructed across the Colorado River for water-power and manufactures, and located 2 miles above the city, — a huge piece of granite masonry, measuring 1200 feet in length, 60 to 70 feet in height, and 18 to 65 feet in thickness, — was swept away in 1900. Pop. in 1870, 4428 ; in 1880, 10,960 ; in 1890, 14,476 ; in...