Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-06-02
NOTES OF TEXAS TRAvEI.-NO. 5.

San Antonio, as Travelled in a zig
gag direction by Texarkana, Mar
shall, Dallas and Houston, is $50
miles. The distance in a direct
line via the International and
Great Northern railway to Austin
is COS miles. This is almost a d.
rect air line. Thence across to
San Antonio the distance is So
miles. Total distance from Mem
phis 600 miles. This wonld be re-
duced somewhat by a road from
Devall's Bluff to Jefferson. Our
party reached San Antonio Satur-
day night, the 18th of May, over
the "Sunset route, as it is called,
after a continuous ride Of 440 miles.
The place is 264 miles directly west
of Galveston. The road was COM
pleted here only last February,
and since then there has been a
great influx Of visitors from all
parts OF the country. We met
New Workers, BOstOnians, Chica-
geians and representatives Of al
most every section and nationality
of the civilized world. Some come
for their health ; nearly all to invest
in real estate or go in business in
the city or vicinity. But for the
cordial reception we met at the
hands of Mr.. R. NJ. McKie and Geo.
Stahl, Esq, formerly of Memphis,
and other citizens who Joined in
the welcome, we would have felt
like we had crossed the border.
The city is unlike any other on the
continent or elsewhere in the world,
and contains as much to be seen Of
interest as any Of the famous places
described by Bayard Taylor and
other great travellers. The city is
laid off in plazas, Mexican or Span
ish style, with narrow streets, not
wider, usually, than the streets in
the French portion Of New Or
leans. The houses are nearly all
built of white stone, which is
abundant in the vicinity, and
usually with interior courts, wide
halls and porticos. The population
is about $4,000, one-third of which
is American, and the rest composed
of Germans, Mexicans, Poles, Jews
and other nationalities. A few
negroes are seen, but they consti-
tute only a small fraction of the
community. Next to the English
language German and Spanish
seem to prevail. Those who live
here long seem to pick up a practi-
cal knowledge of the various Ian
guages spoken with great facility.
Children raised and well educated
here speak three or four languages
with equal ease and readiness.
San Antonio was settled early in
the seventeenth century, by the
Spanish, long before American in.
dependence was dreamed of. Some
authorities assert that the place was
laid off in 1893. The old part Of
the town is as Spanish as ever, but
this is gradually being thrown Of
like a shell, aud in time will disap
pear. The San Antonio river,
beautiful, deep, blue, narroy
stream, rises three miles above th
city, and winds through and acros
the city in SO many tortuou
courses and reflections that n
stranger can tell which way it run
or how many rivers there are
About a mile above the city a.
acequia or irrigating cans
takes its start from the rive
and just below this two othel
are conducted toward the cit,
and by this means every houi
not situated on the river has olea
running water in the front OF re,
of it. The moisture thus produce
in the soil makes every garden an
yard bloom with tropical luxl
rance. Flowers, fruits, vegetabl,
and shade trees grow almost Will
out cultivation. Many of IL
houses are half hid by vines an
rose bushes and dense foliage. . III