San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-07-14
CALIFORNIA LETTER.
INTERESTING DESCRIPTION OF
SAN DIEGO AND ITS EN-
TERPRiSE. .,.
A Good Example for San Antonio.
A Glorious Day When We
. . Get a Live Brainy Ad-
inistration,
To the San Antonio LIGHT:


ing to write something for your paper,
but allowed many things to get in the
way. Things that I would like to
say concerning your own city more
than news of this corner of Uncle
Sans great domain. But some news
must be given, and to begin, I will
say that the celebration of the Fourth
of July was big day in San Diego
and vicinity. All business was sus-
pended and everybody and his swwet-
heart was out to witness or take part
in the parade, speech making, etc.
Mrs. Clara Foltz, a female attorney of
this place, was the chief orator of the
day, and she acquitted herself in fine
style and to the satisfaction of the
large audience. Fire works in the
evening and the usual casualties at
tending them took place on the plazas
and at Coronado beach.
Both parties have held ratification
meetings, and now everybody either
sports red bandana or wears di-
minutive flag pinned to the coat or
vest. Here we all take it good hu-
moredly and don't believe the country
will 90 to rack and ruin if the other
fellow does get elected.
Some weeks ago one Of the fine
steamers plying between here and San
Francisco sunk, but SO near shore as
not to cause any loss of life. She was
discovered to be filling with water
about o'clock in the morning, and
the captain headed for the land, and
by his GOODNESS and bravery, succeed
ed in landing every soul on board.
But it is fearful to contemplate the
loss of life had she gone down in deep
water.
Our bay is now honored by
the presence of some of the swell
yachts. One, the Coronett, came
around from Boston in los days; she
is the property Of Mr.. Bush, who in
tends making tour around the world
after leaving this port. Much inter-
est is taken here in yachting, the bay
affording a safe and pleasant place for
the sport.
Our little city has now a system of
sewerage extending all over the prin-
cipal part of the city, and even takes
in much that is but sparsely settled.
The streets are rapidly being graded,
but no paving has yet been done.
Water mains, gas mains, and
lateral sewers, are being put
in, and when all is completed,
the work of paving will begin.
No city tits size and age can make
better showing in public improve
ments than San Diego. 1t is true the
great boom got busted some months
ago, and the froth is gradually being
blown away. It has left many people
wiser and perhaps sadder than while
it lasted, but Californians are not
easily discouraged and don't be sur
prised if you hear of another big furry
in the course of another year or two.
1t would astonish many people out
side of this state to know just how
many millions of dollars are being put
into big brick blocks, wharves, street
car lines, etc., right here in this
place. There is one fiume enterprise
now nearing completion that has cost
several millions of dollars. The fiume
when completed will be over fifty
miles long, the water being brought
from the mountains to our very doors.
1t runs through tunnels, over gulches
and canons, skirts the noun tains side,
carrying that which is more precious
than gold and making the desert to
blossom as the rose and Transforming
barren waste into land
flowing with milk and honey.
Land that was once consider
ed worthless under its magic
touch becomes a mine of wealth.
There is another water company near
the city who have built dam ninety
feet high to store the precious fluid
for the development of their property
at National city and vicinity, this
immense reservoir is practically mex
haustible and will be the source of
untold wealth to those enjoying it's
benefits. You will ask what has all
this to do with San Antonio? Well,
nothing in particular, only that you
need just such public enterprises to
make that country what it ought to
be and what it must be if it's destiny
is fulfilled. Look at Del Rio with its
irrigation, they produce fruits and
vegetables equal to any in the land.
Wherever a stream large enough can
be found, irrigation can be had; if the
stream is small build a big dam and
save the rain fall. There is water
enough in the San Antonio and San
Pedro to make that whole country
one vast garden and fruit farm, but It
takes money and brains and enter
prise to do it. You must sewer the
city from side to side and get
rid of the river as a means of
carrying off the sewage. I tell you the
people of your city are asleep and it
seems that 1t will take big earth
quake to arouse them. With q splen-
Aid climate a aoil canahle of DrOduc-